Sprachenatelier Berlin

I always knew about German's love for soccer, since Germany is not only one of the leading countries in the international football scene but has also numerous different clubs that enjoy a huge fanbase. What I did not know was that besides the pure love for the game, there is also a huge rivalry in Berlin between the fans of the two clubs everybody living or staying in Berlin should know about (dramatic drumroll please!): Hertha BSC and 1.FC Union . While I thought there is enough space in Berlin for both clubs, every old-established soccer fan in Berlin told me passionately that there is definitely not. Being in Berlin and wanting to be part of the fan community of soccer, you have to choose wheter you are a so-called 'Herthaner' or a 'Unioner'. While today there is a huge rivalry between the fandoms of the two clubs, this was not always the case. In fact (here come some 'Fußball-Fun-Facts'), in the times of the GDR Hertha fans, ...

Summer is coming... Believe it or not even the cold Berlin winter takes a break and lets the sun shine. One of the best ways to enjoy this period of the year is to spend some time in the beautiful parks of Berlin. Berlin is known for being Europe's greenest metropolis and around every corner you will find a green spot. Berlin people love being in parks: they do all kinds of sports there from yoga to slack line, they grill Würstchen and any sort of Gemüse or just grab a beer with friends and enjoy nature including some amazing sunsets. Among the countless parks, gardens, parkways, playgrounds and fields here are 5 of my favourite ones: Viktoriapark Prepare yourself to do a little sport and climb up this 66m high hill, one of the highest in Berlin. On the top of the Kreuzberg, this is the name of the mountain, there is a monument for the Liberation Wars and you will be rewarded for your effort because from there you will have a stunnig view over the city. A pic...

Our language conveys meaning, our opinions, our feelings. It allows us to connect with other people. Usually a language develops and evolves with time according to cultural traditions and usage norms. Therefore it goes hand in hand with the culture and with the people who speak that particular language. It grows and transform itself to respond to its speakers' needs of expression. There are certain situations, feelings or even just words in a particular language that express just that thing you've always been wanting to say but never found the right expression for. So I am hereby utterly delighted to give you a list of my favourite untranslatable words in different languages (with commens, not witty, not ironic.. AT ALL.) Graphic by Stephan Hogel, Sprachenatelier Berlin Gezelligheid, Dutch. The comfort and coziness of being at home, with family, friends and loved ones. Graphic by Stephan Hogel, remixed from original Minimalism outside by 55Laney69 under the lic...

Berlin, what a nice place to be during summer. The weather is (usually) very nice, there's always something to do and finally your friends are not in hibernation mode anymore and want to go out of their caves. The sunlight shines over the green grass in the parks, which start to be so crowded as if they were a football stadium. But what can you do to enjoy this season even more? Here are some tips for those of you who want get the best out of the summer time!  1. Ride your bike. With the warmer temperatures and the sun shining over your head, riding a bike is very enjoyable during summer. But don't rush! Try to take some time to enjoy the landscape while riding, take different routes and, if you have the time, make short stops to relax and enjoy the glorious summer vibes. 2. Drink your coffee outside. Yes, we all know that the cafés in Berlin are pretty good looking, but why seat inside? I mean, in winter you will have to anyway, so go out and enjoy the bree...

Sprachenatelier has been situated in the beautiful building on Frankfurter Allee for 13 years now, but the building has been around for over 100. Designed by architect Hans Liepe, the building was built between 1906-1907 by Oscar Garbe . In 1907, more buildings of a similar style popped up along Frankfurter Allee, which was a main transport link and a prestigious shopping street. It is, in fact, one of the oldest streets in Berlin. The building is a plastered build covering five floors, with balconies situated on the front side. There are two exits which lead to the two stair towers at the back. The most obvious thing about the building is the roof (which was sadly damaged in the recent fire: see the last blog post for details). The roof is what is known as a “hipped“ roof meaning that all sides slope downwards to the walls, usually with a fairly gentle slope. At the back there is a square courtyard between this building and another five-story building behind it. Right ...

  Stefan Reiss, a short portrait Stefan Reiss currently lives and works in Berlin, where he studied fine arts and sculpture at the Kunsthochschule Berlin-Weißensee. In his works he explores different artistic mediums such as drawings, paintings, sculptures, and projections on a variety of more or less complex materials like wood, glass or recycled elements. Interview with the artist During the opening of the exhibition „Spectra“ I had the chance to have a lovely chat with Stefan about the artistic process behind his interactive works. He's always been passionate about drawing and painting but more recently he started exploring new technologies in order to create his pieces. He started drawing straight lines on a tablet and came up with the idea of simple but forceful colours to break the monotony. He believes that new technologies to create art are not simply an imitation of real traditional mediums but they can enhance the artistic experience for both the ...

Taking a quick break from the language tips and advice to report on this week's news! You may or may not have heard that there was a fire in our beautiful old building late on Sunday night (10.04). At the top of the building above our three floors, there are shared flats. It was here where the fire started, and was later found to be caused by a cable. The fire took almost 2 hours to be put out, and the emergency services were still there on Monday morning, blocking off the area and managing the damage. Two people who live in the top floor were evacuated and, luckily, nobody was hurt in the accident. Sadly, the beautiful tiled roof was seriously damaged and will need some repairing, but the school only suffered from a little water damage coming down from the top floor. The school was closed on Monday 11 th April to ensure the safety of the building for teaching. As of Tuesday, classes were running in the school again and now of cou...