From our blog
News, developments and articles from Regina Coeli
Sing along to Dutch classics
The later it gets in evening, the bigger the chance that the entire cafe you are in will break out in a sing-along of Dutch hits. And then there you are—the expat. Why not seize the day and take that opportunity to improve your Dutch? No one will even hear you in a cafe full of music and merrymakers belting out tunes? So join in! There is no better way to work on a language than singing. Read why!
Flow makes learning a language much easier
A great deal has been said and written on the subject of stress, which is why we know that stress can be very helpful in some situations, like when a tiger is about to pounce on you. In general, though, as humans we prefer to avoid stressful situations, especially when it comes to learning. When you are under stress, your brain blocks new information and you cannot learn.
The language of a conference call in English
These days, many companies collaborate in virtual teams or have teams whose members work in different locations. Conference calls can be an efficient, environmentally-friendly way to communicate with one another in those situations. Of course, that is not really rocket science to anyone, but conference calls do come with their own challenges. In this article, we will give you some practical tips and phrases/sentences you can use to get a conversation going and structure it.
Qu'est-ce qu'on dit ? French slang
In very few places in France do you actually hear the French of school books. The French ‘swallow’ letters, connect words to each other and pepper what they say with all sorts of sounds to reinforce their message. And as if that were not complicated enough, slang has also played a substantial role in the expansion of the language.
Learn Spanish for your holidays
Will you soon be going on holiday to a Spanish-speaking land? Part of the holiday fun is getting your Spanish up to par so you can communicate with the locals! You have got to admit that when you hear someone speaking Spanish, visions of sunny, welcoming destinations start springing to mind, don’t they?
Alaaf! The language of Dutch Carnival
Seven weeks before Easter Sunday, Carnival starts in a large part of the Netherlands. Especially in the provinces of Noord-Brabant and Limburg, life is dominated by this feast for a few days, but Carnival is also celebrated in some places in the eastern part of the country. Carnival means ‘carne vale’: farewell meat. Carnival marks the beginning of a fasting period, although few Carnival-goers still honour that tradition...