Latin America is a region of varieties, landscapes, and traditions; where people like to celebrate and party. From Mexico with its "Día de Los Muertos" to Uruguay with its longest carnival in the world, you will be amazed by how important celebrations are in Latino's lives. We will always find an o

Latin America is a region of varieties, landscapes, and traditions;&nbsp;where people like to celebrate and party. From Mexico with its "Día&nbsp;de Los Muertos" to Uruguay with its longest carnival in the world,&nbsp;you will be amazed by how important celebrations are in Latino's&nbsp;lives. We will always find an occasion to celebrate and welcome&nbsp;foreigners to have fun with us. Let me introduce you to some of the&nbsp;most important festivals in the continents.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h3>1- Día de Los Muertos&nbsp;</h3>Imagine having a festivity where the main reason is to honor and&nbsp;pay respects to family and friends that have died. Usually, in most&nbsp;cultures, people mourn when remembering someone that has&nbsp;passed away. But in Mexico, the purpose of this multi-day holiday&nbsp;is to celebrate the lives of your loved ones. During these days you&nbsp;can expect to see "Calaveras" and “ofrendas" as well as thousands&nbsp;of people visiting graves. At the same time, it is common to&nbsp;decorate the graves usually with altars in a way to “guide” the souls onto a good path after death.&nbsp;Did you know that popularly usually November 1st is to&nbsp;commemorate deceased kids and November 2nd adults?&nbsp; <h3>2- Carnaval&nbsp;</h3>Carnaval can be considered one of the most popular festivals&nbsp;around the world. From Venice in Italy to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil it&nbsp;celebrates diversity and cultural variety where rhythms and&nbsp;costumes are its essences.&nbsp;&nbsp;In Uruguay, we celebrate the longest carnival in the world which is&nbsp;held between the end of January and the beginning of March. This party,&nbsp;where music and color are the main characters, lasts around forty&nbsp;&nbsp;days. I invite you to visit the country during these days to also&nbsp;experience “El Desfile de llamadas” which evoques the gatherings&nbsp;of slaves during the 18th and 19th centuries. I have attended it&nbsp;many times and seen people from all over the world enjoying it and&nbsp;it makes me extremely proud to see them dancing to the rhythm of&nbsp;the “Candombe” (typical Uruguayan style of music).&nbsp;In Brazil, each carnival group chooses a topic and creates a show&nbsp;of around 80 minutes duration. The contagious music, the costumes&nbsp;and the amazing choreographies make “El Carnaval de Rio” one of&nbsp;the most important celebrations around the globe.&nbsp; <h3>3- International Tango Festival&nbsp;</h3>You have probably heard about tango before: a sensual and&nbsp;seductive musical genre typical from Uruguay and Argentina which&nbsp;is currently considered intangible heritage by UNESCO. The International Tango festival is a yearly event held in Argentina&nbsp;where tourists and aficionados can enjoy live tango performances,&nbsp;shows, competitions, films, and exhibitions. I also encourage you to&nbsp;try taking Tango classes. You will love it! Make sure you are familiar&nbsp;with some Spanish expressions related to Tango: bacán (a&nbsp;person with a good life quality), malandra (thief), amarrete (stingy), and many more. In 2020, during my visit to Buenos Aires, I got amazed by how passionate Argentineans are about Tango so I&nbsp;decided to try a night Tango class at a local school. What an unforgettable experience! It made me appreciate local traditions and discover passions I didn’t even know I had.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h3>4- Día de la Diversidad Cultural&nbsp;</h3>On October 12th, 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived in the&nbsp;Caribbean marking an era of expansion and cultural mixtures where&nbsp;different civilizations merged. For many years, this date was&nbsp;celebrated and considered a moment of conquest.&nbsp;Nowadays, Latin Americans are starting to approach this date with&nbsp;more respect and more carefully as millions of lives were lost and&nbsp;local traditions were lost. Every country is naming this occasion&nbsp;differently: Día del respeto a la diversidad cultural (day of&nbsp;respect to cultural diversity) in Argentina, Día de la Resistencia&nbsp;indígena (day of indigenous endurance) in Mexico, Venezuela&nbsp;and Nicaragua; and in some countries like Peru, Panama, and&nbsp;Cuba it is not a national holiday.&nbsp;If you happen to be visiting some countries in South America on&nbsp;October 12th you will witness colorful and emotional celebrations to&nbsp;honor our ancestors.&nbsp; <h3>5- Rock in Rio&nbsp;</h3>Probably you were expecting to find only historical celebrations in&nbsp;this article. But I really want to tell you about one of the largest&nbsp;music festivals in the world: Rock in Rio. Originally made in Brazil,&nbsp;nowadays the festival can be experienced in many cities, such as&nbsp;Lisboa, Madrid, and Las Vegas. On its first edition, 1.38 million&nbsp;people attended the 10-day-long festival.&nbsp;&nbsp;I was lucky enough to assist Rock in Rio in 2017 being able to see&nbsp;bands like Maroon 5, Aerosmith, and Red Hot Chili Peppers. I will&nbsp;never forget that amazing moment where I got the chance to make long-lasting friends.&nbsp;&nbsp;“La Ciudad Maravillosa”, a marvelous city Brazilians like to call Rio&nbsp;de Janeiro, is among the most important cities in South America,&nbsp;being a very important economic hub, and also home to some of&nbsp;the most beautiful beaches on the planet. The Brazilian vibe plus&nbsp;the good weather, makes you want to stay in this city forever.&nbsp;Tell me what you think!&nbsp; How are the celebrations in your continent? Do you have any&nbsp;recommendations? Let me know :)

My Guide to the Best Celebrations in Latin America

Japan has finally opened its borders to international tourists! Check out these 10 tips in order to enjoy your stay in Japan to the fullest!!

<h3>1. You Need a Physical Credit Card and Cash</h3> Contactless payment by mobile phone has not yet been introduced in many shops, except in convenience stores. Many privately owned souvenir shops and izakayas (Japanese taverns), especially outside Tokyo, will only accept cash. It is highly recommended to carry cash and a physical credit card (Visa or Master).&nbsp; <h3>2. English Is Not Always Available</h3> Do not expect that young people in Japan, as in other developed countries, will speak English. But don't give up! If you speak English word by word, not sentence by sentence, and with a katakana pronunciation (Japanese-style pronunciation), you will often be understood. For example, If you want to ask ‘Does this bus go to Tokyo Station?’Say just ‘Tokyo-Steh-shon?’ (Tokyo station?) or ’Kamera okay?’ instead of ‘May I take pictures here?’. <h3>3. Uber Is Not the Option (in most cities)</h3> Unfortunately, Uber is not available in most Japanese cities. Even in Tokyo, the areas where it is available are limited and the number of vehicles is low. Another taxi app is often used in Japan. Try searching for 'タクシー' in the app store when you arrive in Japan. <h3>4. Lost Something? Go to Koban (交番：Police station)</h3> Have you lost something? Go to the police station! If you lose your mobile, wallet or anything, report the details of what you lost at the police station and you will usually get your lost item back within three days. In most cases, a kind-hearted person will deliver the lost item to the police station. My husband and I once dropped keys, wallet and passport in Tokyo, but got them back on the day or the day after. <h3>5. Limited Free-From Food Options</h3> Unfortunately, the free-from section is still very small in Japan, and Halal foods are also rarely seen. Sugar-free snacks are rarely sold and stevia is also hard to find. If you have strict dietary restrictions, you may want to bring snacks from your own country. However, check the Japanese quarantine before bringing them in. Meat, raw fruit and vegetables, and plants with soil on them cannot be brought into Japan. Dairy products such as natural cheese are also subject to quarantine. <h3>6. You Don’t Need to Bring Toothbrush and Pajama</h3> Hotels usually provide a toothbrush and pajamas as amenities. Other amenities often provided include disposable hairbrushes, razors, shaving foam and slippers. Check the amenities at the hotel where you are staying to reduce the amount of luggage you have to carry. To bring home as many souvenirs as possible...! <h3>7. Each Portions Are Small</h3> Japanese people generally eat small meals. In fact, Japan has one of the lowest obesity levels in the world. Many American men need to order a meal for two in Japan. And don't be surprised that the plates of food at izakaya (restaurants for enjoying sake) are too small! In such restaurants, each person usually does not order one dish as a main dish, but, for example, if two people go to an izakaya, they usually order five or six dishes and share them together. If you want to know how big a dish is, you can ask:&nbsp;これはなんにんまえですか？(kore wa nannin mae deska) - How many servings is this? <h3>8. Do you have $1? You Can Buy All Sorts of Stuff!</h3> You don't need to prepare a lot of travel items before you come to Japan. This is because in Japan you can buy a wide range of daily necessities at 100 yen shops. You can find everything from snacks and hygiene products to cute pens and notebooks, laundry products, cosmetics and tableware. <h3>9. Do Not Wear…</h3> International tourists often feel they are being gawped at in Japan. One reason for this is the cultural difference in dress. I personally believe that all people should be free to dress the way they want to and I hate to say this but it is not generally accepted to wear leggings on their own as a bottom item. If you walk down the street in a pair of tight-fitting leggings, you will unfortunately get stares. Likewise, if you walk around town in a T-shirt without a bra, you are likely to be stared at. In Japan, the idea that you have to wear a bra is still very strong. Also, when wearing perfume in Japan, it is recommended to limit it to only one push. This is because many Japanese people are sensitive to odours. It is considered bad manners to wear perfume when going to restaurants (especially fine dining restaurants). <h3>10. Wear Mask Indoors</h3>Most people in Japan still wear masks both indoors and outdoors. This does not mean that now is the peak of infection, but everyone is making an effort to reduce the number of infected people as much as possible. Wear a mask as much as possible, especially when spending time indoors. <h3>Tell Me Your Opinion!</h3>Do you have more questions about traveling to Japan? Do you have any advice for people traveling to Japan for the first time? Let me know in the comments section. Thanks for reading!

10 Things You Need to Know Before Coming to Japan

There is a general rule that words ending in A are feminine and words ending in O are masculine, but what about those words that do not follow the rule? Why is “el día” (the day) masculine and “la mano” (the hand) feminine?

There is a general rule that words ending in A are feminine and words ending in O are masculine, but what about those words that do not follow the rule? Why is “el día” (the day) masculine and “la mano” (the hand) feminine?&nbsp; The fixed gender assigned by origin and history can make grammatical gender in Spanish a controversial issue. As the learning process progresses, several exceptions will be found to the rules regarding gender. Fixed, variable, and even ambiguous genders can be assigned to nouns. Ambiguity will vary depending on the word's history, the region in which it is used, and social or meaning factors. El libro (the book): has a fixed gender - masculine.&nbsp; La frente (the forehead) / El frente (the front): will vary according to its meaning. El joven (the young man) / La joven (the young woman): the article will determine the gender in this case.&nbsp; El mar/La mar (the sea): can be used in masculine or feminine without changing its meaning. However, the ambiguity in the plural is not accepted. The correct is “Los mares” not “Las mares”.&nbsp; In this article, I would like to highlight some of the most common mistakes students make in the classroom so that they can be noticed from the beginning and ensure a solid foundation for language learning. For example, some students use the following words in the feminine mode because they end in A. But, they are not right.<img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cddjcrk0hbisq717i5n0.png">It is essential to know that a group of words ending in MA are of Greek origin and are used in a masculine mode in Spanish, it is not necessary to learn all of them, but here I list ten frequently used nouns of Greek origin:&nbsp;<img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cddjd42bl4b5eutv3qng.png">Sometimes, gender confusion is also generated by words ending in E. With this vowel, the gender is variable. However, words ending in AJE, ATE, ETE, OTE, ANTE, É, and other endings are masculine. Below are ten commonly used nouns:<img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cddjdac0hbisq717i5p0.png">Nouns ending in E are considered statistically masculine. In contrast, it is possible to find a significant number of feminine nouns. Here are ten common nouns. <img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cddjdjqbl4b5eutv3qpg.png"> As students learn the vocabulary, the article corresponding to each noun should be included to avoid doubts or confusion about gender. The genders of nouns play an important role in the fluency of Spanish conversations. In this way, we will avoid another recurring error in the use of adjectives. Adjectives have no gender. They adopt the gender and number of the nouns they accompany. La casa pequeña (The little house) / Las casas pequeñas (The little houses).El perro pequeño (The little dog) / Los perros pequeños (The little dogs).&nbsp; Also, there are invariable adjectives, which usually end in E and consonants. A variation only exists in the number. El niño inteligente (​​The intelligent boy) / La niña inteligente (​​The intelligent girl).Los niños inteligentes (The intelligent boys) / Las niñas inteligentes (The intelligent girls). El gato gris (The gray cat) / La gata gris (The gray cat).Los gatos grises (The gray cats) / Las gatas grises (The gray cats). To conclude, two informative tables with feminine and masculine endings are presented. Please note that there may be exceptions to these endings:<img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cddjf4abl4b5eutv3r4g.png">*Some exceptions: el análisis (the analysis), el ajedrez (the chess), el lápiz (the pencil), el arroz ​​(the rice)… <img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cddjg7c0hbisq717i6f0.png"> ﻿*Some exceptions: la imagen (the image), la vacante (the vacancy), la señal (the sign)… Please, consider the exceptions with E previously mentioned.

Masculine or Feminine?  Common Spanish Mistakes With the Use of Gender.

In this article, we are going to focus on a linguistic variety used in a large part of Argentina and all of Uruguay called Rioplatense Spanish.

As you know Spanish is one of the most spoken languages in the world used by approximately 475 million people which makes it second only to Mandarin Chinese, in terms of native speakers. Nevertheless, each country usually has its particular differences, expressions, idioms, and linguistic loans. In this article, we are going to focus on a linguistic variety used in a large part of Argentina and all of Uruguay called Rioplatense Spanish. Nevertheless, it is not the only one spoken in the country.So what differentiates Rioplatense Spanish from other varieties of Spanish? <h3>1.- It is the most prominent dialect to employ voseo in both speech and writing</h3>The most characteristic phenomenon of Rioplatense Spanish is the use of a special form for the second person singular, which especially alters the conjugation in the present. So instead of tú; you, we use vos (another equivalent for “you” singular in English). This form is used in many places in Latin America but Argentina is the one that uses it the most both in speech and writing. <h3>2.- "Vesre": Words spoken backward</h3>Another interesting characteristic of Rioplatense Spanish is that the order of the syllables or letters of some specific words is changed without altering the meaning. The changes can be small or large, sometimes making it extremely difficult to recognize the original word. This phenomenon is known as the "vesre" (reves which means backward by changing the order of the syllables). Here we share some common examples:garpar (pagar) (to pay)lleca (calle) (street)ñoba (baño) (bathroom)telo (hotel) (motel)jermu (mujer) (woman)jebru (bruja) (witch) <h3>3.- The famous “sh” :Yeísmo Rehilado</h3>The double LL and the Y with consonants are pronounced as “sh” as in the word “show”. This varies quite a lot as in most of the places where Spanish is spoken, native users pronounce it differently. The difference is that the air, instead of going out through the sides, does so through the central area of the tongue. <h3>4.-Words that are used&nbsp;but have other meanings in other spanish speaking countries</h3>bife: It’s used as a synonym of bife but also in our slang we say “dar un bife” or “estar&nbsp;a los bifes” which here means “to slap”.Una piña: in many countries it means pineapple but we use it as punch. We say “dar una piña”; to push someone or “comerse una piña”; be punched by someone.Chorro: literally means Waterjet but we use it as a synonym for “thief” or “robber”.Un mango: Literally is the fruit but we use it as a synonym for money. For example no tengo un mango; I don’t have money.Una banda: Literally means a band, but we use it as a synonym of lot or a lot . For example: Tengo una banda de sueño;&nbsp;I am really sleepy.Mina: Means literally Mine but we use it as a synonym of woman, e.g. ¡Qué linda mina!; what a beautiful woman! <h3>5.-More than Italian influence</h3>Due to the massive immigration of Italians towards Argentina in the last century many ‘’Italianisms’’ have been incorporated into the local slang called Lunfardo. One characteristic example is the word “laburo” from the Italian word “lavoro” which means 'work'.&nbsp;Despite the fact that the European settlements decimated Native American populations before 1810, and also during the expansion into Patagonia (after 1870), the interaction between Spanish and several of the native languages has left visible traces. Words from Guarani, Quechua and others were incorporated into the local form of Spanish and even from neighboring countries, especially Brazilian Portuguese. Incorporations of other languages, especially European, including French and English have also taken place. To sum up, lunfardo incorporates a large number of components into its lexicon. <h3>6.-Duplication of the direct object</h3>In Rioplatense Spanish, the direct object may appear accompanied by the corresponding unstressed personal pronouns (lo, la, los, las) in cases that are not allowed in other variants, as in "Lo vimos a Carlos; We saw Carlos" or "La encontraste a Marcela?; Did you find Marcela?" However, not all practitioners of this variety use this form. <h3>7.- Preferential use of specific tenses&nbsp;</h3>In this variation the native speakers prefer to use the preterito indefinido (similar to past simple) e.g. canté; I sang, over and the pretérito perfecto compuesto&nbsp;(similar to present perfect) e.g. he cantado;I have sung , to refer to past actions. This does not mean that we exclusively use only one of them but there is a preferential inclination towards the first. Also in terms of grammatical tenses we prefer the futuro perifrastico; periphrastic future e.g. voy a cantar; I'm going to sing over the simple future e.g. cantaré; I'll sing. <h3>8.- Aspiration or fall of the S and strongly rhythmic intonation pattern:</h3>When there is an ‘S’ at the end of a word and a consonant in the next, the sound of the ‘S’ is smoothened. In the case that the word that follows is a vowel, the S is connected to the following vowel as if it was the same word. Furthermore, particularly marked in Buenos Aires, there is a strongly rhythmic intonation pattern thanks to the frequent elision of vowels in diphthongs. To sum up every linguistic variety of a language has its own characteristic features and Rioplatense Spanish is not an exception. The famous ‘sh’, revered words, contracted words, metaphoric uses are only a part of the numerous phenomena that make our variety so unique and beautiful, enriching the Spanish language as all of its varieties do! So, what´s your favorite variety in Spanish? Which one is the most beautiful for you? What do you think about the differences between this variety and some others?

8 Things You Didn't Know About Argentinian Spanish

An important part of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of France resides in its abbeys. If you have the opportunity to visit France, don’t miss those fabulous sites, to improve your knowledge of French architecture and history.

<h3>Introduction</h3>An important part of the architectural, historical, and cultural heritage of France resides in its abbeys. If you have the opportunity to visit France, don’t miss those fabulous sites, to improve your knowledge of French architecture and history. Despite the fact that most of the abbeys of France and Europe were abandoned and have fallen into ruins, many of them are owned by the state or fortunately have been bought by private owners, who put efforts to restore the edifices and rearrange them for visits, exhibitions, concerts, wedding receptions and business meetings. Some ancient abbeys are still occupied by religious communities or have seen the return of new ones. <h3>Architecture and living</h3>The main structure of an abbey is organized in a square, where the cloister is central, delimited by 4 galleries and a garden in the middle, frequently holding a well. The leaf of “cistelle” (order eponym Cistel) commonly used in sculpture is the emblem of the Cistercian order. From the cloister, you have access to different parts of the abbey. First of all, the church, also called an abbatial church, is the common space most used by monks during their daily life, which was structured around religious services: prayers, mass, and lectures. Clerics and cantors stay in the choir, believers participate from the nave. Substantial time is also dedicated to studying in a library filled with precious books, particularly on spirituality, science, and literature, or to copy the Bible in the scriptorium of the monastery.&nbsp;&nbsp; Furthermore, the “chauffoir” (the heated room), notable for its chimney is often next to the scriptorium, allowing monks to come and warm up their inkwells and liquefy the ink for their work as copyists. The Abbaye de Sénanque, long abandoned, is currently occupied by monks and is being restored gradually. Its chauffeur was recently renovated with a functional chimney. One of the four galleries of the cloister is occupied by the chapter room, the only place where monks have the right to express themselves, during a general meeting of the community. Besides this rigorous spiritual life, gardening is also crucial for living. Monks developed technical tools to grow plants and fruits. They work in the orchard and vegetable garden. Their productive garden is marked into tiny squares, growing plants for consumption and medicinal plants for health care. To complete their diet, there was usually a nearby fish pond. The commendatory period changed the organization of some abbeys and their structure. New buildings appeared, with less strict observance of the rules in the 18th century, for example in Abbaye de l’Escaladieu.&nbsp; One of the most famous abbeys is on the top of the Mont Saint Michel, a magnificent rock outcrop surrounded by the sea, impressive work stable through time. Don’t miss its crypt composed of high columns sustaining the whole structure. Famous abbeys include Fontevraud (royal abbey), Noirlac, Saint Michel de Cuxa (pre-roman, a part of its cloister was dismantled and viewable in The Cloisters Museum in New York), Cluny, and Fontenay; each abbey has its unique features. Nowadays, we can add to the list The Abbaye de Clairvaux, formerly a penitentiary, now more accessible to visitors. <h3>Conclusion</h3>Abbeys are often established in serene places, fitting to their topology and environment, using natural local resources. As far as I am concerned, the Roman architectural period is the most significant, since the purity of the architecture and the plain decoration helped the spirit to find peace and elevate itself. Even though the structure of the abbey church and its columns appear to be massively compared to the Gothic style, the building is ordinarily well-proportioned and confers a profound global impression of harmony. If you are interested to go further in architecture, let me recommend this following website:<a href="https://espritdepays.com/bonus/glossaire-architecture-religieuse">https://espritdepays.com/bonus/glossaire-architecture-religieuse</a> <img src="https://ofs-cdn.italki.com/u/internal/galaxy/message/cd8bf2akfk98brqtlosg.png">

Visit an Abbey in France

Similarities between pronunciation and meaning in two different languages, when learning, are refreshing.

When it comes to learning a new language, there is a concept called “false friends” that tends to confuse beginner speakers. In this case, similarities are not “false friends”. Since I started to teach Spanish and English to different speakers I had never realized some unsuspected resemblances between Spanish vocabulary and English vocab.&nbsp; This is not the case with the famous “embarrassed” and embarazado whose meaning the difference is the cause of serious misunderstanding, although it is also considered to be funny. Those “false friends” often set the idea -especially in advanced speakers- to avoid any kind of similar words, just to prevent missing the point when communicating with native speakers.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; However, chances are that you find wondrous words in Spanish/English that echo each other not only in the pronunciation but also in their meaning.&nbsp; <h2>1.“Sordid” and sórdido</h2> This word is defined by its dark nuance, related to despicable and unpleasant things both in Spanish and in English. For instance, it can refer to a place or situation with an ugly, old, and damaged aspect: “sordid building”. But it also means a moral quality of being indecent, offensive, and/or outrageous: “sordid life”.&nbsp; <h2>2.“Spectrum” and espectro</h2> The first definition in English dictionaries set this word on the side of colors because it describes numerous and varied colors that can be found in a stream because of light reflection. But it also alludes, metaphorically, to the range of opinions and ways of thought amid two different positions. When it comes to the Spanish word, there is a principal meaning that points out a different topic than the English definition. In Spanish espectro first definition is a ghost or a dead person image in a noncorporeal aspect. However, definitions 2, 3 and 4 (in Real Academia Española’s Dictionary) make way to connect with English since it describes the physical phenomenon of colors (light waves), radio waves, and/or notions of temperatures and energy. It is possible then when mentioning the word with the meaning related to colors, to find similarities between Spanish and English words.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>3.“Pale” and pálido</h2> In both languages, the word “pale” is an adjective that describes a physical aspect of someone when its skin face is apart from the usual or normal one, and close to being white, in reference to the original skin color the person has. It also relates to the white color at the moment it describes a bright and soft tone in the chromatic spectrum. From this, it is possible to say that they have very close and actually the same meanings.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>4.“Stipend” and estipendio</h2> With “stipend”, rarely similar to “pale”, both languages carry close meanings despite their nuances. In English “stipend” means the amount of money that is paid to someone on a regular basis. In Spanish estipendio points out an amount of money paid, but not on a regular basis, and instead, it marks it to be for a service given, which means that it is not connected to regularity and can conclude when service stops to be provided. That is one important nuance since the English “stipend” conveys the notion of payment not based on the value of a service, but rather on the generosity or capacity of the one who pays. There is a second meaning similar in both languages which describes the income of religious authority (a priest). Again, nuances appear and show that in English this referred meaning is used in the UK, whilst in Spanish, the money paid to a priest is 1) based on what the Church itself set as the proper amount and 2) it’s a type of service the priest charges because of a specific Mass he provided.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>5.“Subtle” and sutil</h2> Both in Spanish and English “subtle” is an adjective that describes the way something is done or a way something appears: not noticeable or obvious. However, Spanish sutil gives a nuance of physical features of thinness as well as delicacy. The second meaning in both English and Spanish indicates someone’s character when doing something: to be ingenious, insightful, and sharp, and also the way something is achieved.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>6.“Morbid” and morbo</h2> In this interesting case, the English “morbid” is an adjective whose definition has a disapproving connotation because of the abnormal interest of someone in unpleasant themes such as death. However, in its second meaning, the subject changes because it is related to the disease. In the Spanish word -a noun and not an adjective- the same first meaning can be found in “morbo”, although this word’s first meaning alludes to disease as well as in English. In meanings 2 and 3, this noun carries the same disapproving tone when describing unhealthy interest in people, stuff or to unutterable events.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>7.“Vile” and vil</h2> In English, the word “vile” has a moral tone as well as in Spanish vil. Both indicate the character of a person whose actions can be seen as unacceptable, despicable, and unworthy. In English, “extreme” is a word used to describe a vile behavior or aspect such as smell or physical look. That is one nuance that separates English meaning from Spanish. In vil, another nuance different from “vile” can be found when describing how a person behaves when trust has been given: it fails and betrays that trust.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>8.“Ineffable” and inefable</h2> This is considered by many as ones of the most beautiful words in Spanish. It is delightful to find out that in English it has the same meaning: something that can’t be described using words. I have to confess, though, that English meaning and nuance give me more insight into the depth of this word: it is something impossible to describe due to the emotion and pleasure it causes.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Bonus:</h2> As the last word addressed the topic of “the most beautiful words” in Spanish, according to some media on the internet, turns out that some of these words in Spanish have also correspondence in English: <ul><li>Serendipia and “serendipity”, as an unexpected, valuable, and interesting findings.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>Melifluo and “melliflous”, as something sweet and pleasant when speaking and/or behaving.&nbsp;</li><li>Etéreo and “ethereal”, as something light, unnatural and delicate.&nbsp;</li><li>Perenne and “perennial”, as something that happens over and over again.&nbsp;</li><li>Soledad and “solitude”, as the state of being alone by choice becomes a harmonious experience.&nbsp;</li></ul> Many of these words are similar in Spanish and English due to their origin: Latin. However, it makes me think that ultimately languages sometimes share equal ideas that reflect the same concerns or points of view regarding our surroundings and our human condition. It raises one final question to be analyzed: Do we really live in different worlds because of the language we speak? What do you think about it?&nbsp; Do you know any other similar words in Spanish and English, or in any other language?

8 Similar Words in English and Spanish

It shouldn’t be surprising that reading English language books is a great way to help your child  learn English.  It might be surprising that reading children’s picture books can also be useful for adults in their language studies.

What was your favorite book when you were a child? Mine was called Mrs. Honey’s Hat. It&nbsp;was a gift from my grandma. I asked her to read it to me again and again.&nbsp;&nbsp; Children learn a lot from having picture books read to them. Many parents start reading to their&nbsp;babies before those babies can speak. Reading or being read to can help kids with language&nbsp;acquisition. In a list benefits associated with early reading, the popular health website WebMd&nbsp;points out that books can introduce children to words and ideas that they might not meet in&nbsp;their daily life. Books can also teach kids about sentence structure.&nbsp;&nbsp;(Source: https://www.webmd.com/children/health-benefits-reading-children) It shouldn’t be surprising that reading English language books is a great way to help your child&nbsp;learn English.&nbsp;It might be surprising that reading children’s picture books can also be useful for adults in their&nbsp;language studies.&nbsp;&nbsp; In this article you will learn:&nbsp;&nbsp;<ul><li>How to use picture books to help your child learn English&nbsp;</li><li>How to incorporate children’s picture books into your own language studies as an adult&nbsp;&nbsp;</li><li>The titles of some good books to get you started&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ul> <h2>Picture Book Learning for Children&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2> Before you add English picture books to your child’s learning program, consider their age and&nbsp;language abilities.&nbsp;&nbsp; If your child is very young and doesn’t speak any English, you can simply read the book out&nbsp;loud to them. Be happy and expressive! Let your baby touch and explore the book. Some&nbsp;children might spontaneously repeat your words. If they do this, praise them a lot, even if they&nbsp;say the words incorrectly.&nbsp;&nbsp; If you have an older child, you can talk to them more about the book. You can use the pictures&nbsp;to ask them questions using sentences the child has all ready learned. For example, you can&nbsp;ask them what objects and colors they see. When you read to them, you don’t always have to&nbsp;read exactly what is on the page. You can change some difficult words to easier words that&nbsp;your child knows.&nbsp;&nbsp; If your child has been learning English long enough to speak and read confidently, you can let&nbsp;them read the book to you. You can ask them about their opinions. If they were the main&nbsp;character, what would they do differently? Do they like or dislike the animals in the book?&nbsp;Would they like to visit the places in the book? Why?&nbsp; Don’t make reading a difficult academic chore. Your goal is to make your child like learning&nbsp;English. Never demand perfection. Let your child’s mind and mouth open naturally. <h2>How to incorporate Children’s Books into Your Language Study as an Adult&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2> Of course, academic textbooks are useful for learning English. However, they are often not&nbsp;written in a way that reflects how real people speak. Textbooks use simple English and limited&nbsp;grammar structures to talk about complex topics. Kids’ picture books do the opposite!&nbsp;Although the topics of the books are often simple, these books are written in complicated&nbsp;English. They are written for kids who have a native level vocabulary and can easily&nbsp;understand every sentence structure, even if they can’t explain the grammar.&nbsp;&nbsp; Reading picture books can help you speak English more intuitively, like a native speaker. It can&nbsp;help you learn English the same way that a native speaking child does. Another benefit of&nbsp;children’s books is that they are short. Even if you have to look most of the vocabulary up in a&nbsp;dictionary, it won’t take you very long. You won’t feel tired and discouraged the way that you&nbsp;might with a lengthy adult novel.&nbsp; You should be an active reader. If you find a word or sentence that you like, write it down in a&nbsp;notebook to remember later. After you finish reading a book, close the book and try to speak&nbsp;a summary out loud. Don’t try to memorize the book, but do your best to explain the main&nbsp;points. If you are also reading the book with your kid, you can discuss it together.&nbsp;&nbsp; <h2>Book Recommendations&nbsp;</h2>Goodnight Our World Series&nbsp;<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/X0XN_zgMr8t3HSm3MU89zv_e9GglGTZZb0x_4Fvj0exoXFomEoxIhRkx-8QYAKT5a6nCcudMxP19WYyCP-1Ig9YrSlKDatT_rIk0mGZtQwAIs3f5FakEvdpbA_cDgFMxsfZZ7YO4njRffhmNJwX2SY4ukIr-1ZEWmtz2-tiYmkcrgzIq8KOEPGVY1A" height="424" width="624">The Goodnight Our World series is amazing for boosting vocabulary! The series includes 198&nbsp;books on a variety of topics. Do you want to know everything about lobsters? How about&nbsp;unicorns? The health care industry? You can choose books about all of these things and&nbsp;more. The Goodnight Our World series also has books about many countries and cities around&nbsp;the world, as well as every state in the USA. If you are getting ready to travel, check if there is&nbsp;a Goodnight Our World book about your destination. It can introduce you to many of the&nbsp;things you will see in that region.&nbsp;&nbsp; Of course, there are also many countries and cities that do not have a Good Night Our World&nbsp;book. A fun exercise, after you have read several of them, is to try to use them as a model to&nbsp;write about your country or hometown.&nbsp;&nbsp; Hello World&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/f7YZDw_EtGV5IrFBB3j30V8HuYEjCPE8SP3q2pbq4HZdyGeor79EIu7LoLSgXne6ssHE0tfsOhD_xIewHLxyiynVf3N-umXPbuFanaVJk7QeYOOc53MCUKP6Frznw3saZ0Ut6zUQmfRTNsJXu-6OHTYowwTM53qh9k8gwV6xMgmhsiw15svL2AAqYg" height="468" width="624">The Hello World books, by Jill McDonald, cover many topics related to science and geography.&nbsp;These books are colorful and full of fun facts. I even find myself learning new things from&nbsp;them. For example, did you know that octopuses have nine brains? I didn’t, until I started&nbsp;reading the Hello World book about ocean animals with one of my students.&nbsp; Baby’s First Classics&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/9JddzsWZEpLDTyv2mpQ1sI6ObccJmcECvfvmQJ_eyxmmtPm4Yg_T4tkSAYuS_ed9fCsoW-R5nFhPrviDpajEk7uiRBaYRpbm8e57iKDg1SZIfFaRXq1bA-UGMiyFhOQK6eLBa8a90uWYXiD9bICdOxfCr3HdsRFsGPbFha8phMfnMHyUCw1ocElbDA" height="260" width="355">These books are so cute! They offer simplified versions of classic stories that every English&nbsp;speaker knows. These stories are a big part of English speaking culture, so if you are learning&nbsp;English, it’s useful to know them.&nbsp;&nbsp; Mo William’s Pigeon Series&nbsp;&nbsp;<img src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/01MgjhT0HyCfZghq_9XRjOI6lY6y4-ipIqqHBLohtFZ21BvMoDFa1mXEpE1uLA5hdArFrYQjqVZth3zqCFzHEd7R63jUQwmsuaR8dbh0TJep4yN6ErmwaIA37IqjpSXtQAGo30H4rGeMPwPN4K5G30lofru8cMSaUEzu_5GVyb1lruVPi6geGnSdWA" height="244" width="363">These books use plenty of slang and native expressions that you won’t find in textbooks. The&nbsp;writing style is conversational and funny. In fact, the books are so conversational that they&nbsp;invite the reader to verbally respond to the pigeon’s ridiculous demands.&nbsp; <h2>Get Started!&nbsp;&nbsp;</h2>Are you excited to enter the world of English language children’s books? Fantastic! You can&nbsp;purchase these books and many more online. Many are available digitally. Perhaps your local&nbsp;library has some. You can search for an italki teacher who offers classes focused on reading&nbsp;children’s books, or you can make reading books on your own and preparing to tell your&nbsp;teacher all about them your “homework”.&nbsp;&nbsp; There are so many wonderful children’s books. It would be impossible to list them all here.&nbsp;What books are popular with children in your country?

Improve Your English by Reading Children’s Picture Books

As far as music goes, it has never been easier to listen to and discover new artists. Exploring the musical landscape of a country is a fascinating journey through its history until the present. For this reason, I’ve tried to put up the most representative artists from Argentina for you to check o

The Internet has changed our lives like no other technology of our time. Most probably, the most significant contribution to our modern lives is the ease of access it has provided us with. Not only are we a click away from any factual answer that might pop up in our minds, but also from cultural expressions that were only accessible to those who visited the countries where they were produced.As far as music goes, it has never been easier to listen to and discover new artists. Exploring the musical landscape of a country is a fascinating journey through its history until the present. For this reason, I’ve tried to put up the most representative artists from Argentina for you to check out.&nbsp;As any list of this kind is undeniably subjective and I might be favouring certain artists and leaving out some others worth mentioning, my goal is to just spark your interest in Argentinian music and point out what a piece of great contribution music might be become to your learning.I’ve divided the artists into 4 categories: TANGO, FOLKLORE, ROCK, and TRAP, and in each of them tried to offer an overview of the genre as well as include some suggested artists.¡Vamos! <h3>TANGO</h3>Although Argentina is linked to tango, it’s not a mainstream genre nowadays. Not many locals enrol for tango dance classes, either. There are traditional tango orchestras which perform regularly, but for most younger generations, it’s the music of our grandparents and what many tourists come after. The big names of Tango were established between the 1920s and 1930s, slowly fading out afterwards.The lyrics of tangos can sometimes be cryptic, as it’s filled with Lunfardo (Argentinian slang) words, but if you take the time to read some of them you can learn a lot. “Cambalache” is a song, which still today feels recently written. Despite having been written in 1934, it describes with astonishing accuracy the reality of our times.&nbsp; “Que el mundo fue y será una porquería, ya lo séEn el 510 y en el 2000 tambiénQue siempre ha habido chorros, maquiavelos y estafa'osContentos y amarga'os, valores y dobléPero que el siglo 20 es un despliegueDe maldad insolente, ya no hay quien lo niegueVivimos revolca'os en un merengueY, en el mismo lodo, todos manosea'osHoy resulta que es lo mismo ser derecho que traidorIgnorante, sabio o chorro, pretencioso estafadorTodo es igual, nada es mejorLo mismo un burro que un gran profesorNo hay aplaza'os, ¿qué va a haber? Ni escalafónLos inmorales nos han iguala'oSi uno vive en la impostura y otro afana en su ambiciónDa lo mismo que sea cura, colchonero, rey de bastosCaradura o polizón¡Qué falta de respeto, qué atropello a la razón!Cualquiera es un señor, cualquiera es un ladrónMezcla'o con Toscanini, va Escarfaso y NapoleónDon Bosco y La Mignón, Carnera y San MartínIgual que en la vidriera irrespetuosaDe los cambalaches se ha mezcla'o la vidaY herida por un sable sin remachesVes llorar la Biblia junto a un calefónSiglo veinte, cambalache problemático y febrilEl que no llora no mama y el que no afana es un gilDale nomás, dale que vaQue allá en el horno se vamo' a encontrarNo pienses más, sentate a un la'oQue a nadie importa si naciste honra'oSi es lo mismo el que laburaNoche y día como un bueyQue el que vive de las minasQue el que mata, que el que curaO está fuera de la ley” Suggested artists:CLASSICS - Julio Sosa, Edmundo Rivero, Carlos Gardel, Hugo del Carril, Roberto GoyenecheMODERN - Orquesta Fernández Fierro, Bajo Fondo Tango Club <h3>FOLKLORE</h3>There are different subgenres within this general term because folklore expresses differently in different regions of the country, with carnavalitos and zambas in the North West, chamamé in the North East, chacarera in the Central North Region and several others. In the Buenos Aires area, on the 25th of May (May Revolution Day) it’s very common that primary students to perform a dance called El Gato.Peñas are places where tourists and locals go to listen to live music and engage in spontaneous folkloric dances.Ask an Argentinian and they will mention Mercedes Sosa as the most remarkable representative of what we’ve come to understand as folklore. Her unmistakable voice is soothing and deeply moving. Atahualpa Yupanqui is our folklore legend. A gifted guitarist who travelled across the country on a horse and paid homage to the tunes he learnt <h3>ROCK</h3>Rock music is a genre that, like in most Western countries, has been around since the mid-late 60s. Unlike tango and folklore, rock music could only have come to life in cities and as such, it is still associated with city life. There have been are still are amazing rock bands over the decades, but I’ll stay with artists who have established themselves as solo artists. All of them have taken part in bands, but have a reputation of their own.&nbsp;One of them is Luis Alberto Spinetta. Recognized for his poetry and complex guitar technique, his career spans an amazing display of creative power. Charly García was very close to him, and he is our present time living legend. Charly García has contributed some of the hymns of our parents’ generation. He and Spinetta wrote “Rezo por vos”.In the late ‘80s Fito Páez started to build a name in the music scene, and his 1992 album, “El amor después del amor” is the best-selling rock album of all time in Argentina. His music shows a sensitivity to the Argentinian identity like no other.Gustavo Cerati was the lead singer and guitarist in “Soda Stereo”, one of the few Argentinian bands that became popular in other parts of Latin America. When he left the band, he moved on to pioneer soundsMarilina Bertoldi is currently the best example of a modern rock artist. Her growing popularity reflects the ongoing transformations in the music scene, formerly ruled by almost exclusively male artists. <h3>TRAP</h3>In the past 5 years or so, trap music has established a new music culture, totally different from any of the previous. Its modern melodies and instrumentation are a demonstration that music is ever-changing and we cannot know what will come next.&nbsp;Suggested artists:WOS, Duki, Nicki Nicole, Catriel and Paco Amoroso I could keep writing about Argentinian artists and their music, but there is an element of curiosity attached to music which cannot be transferred. I invite you to dive in and start exploring.&nbsp;By the way, do you know any Argentinian artists who are not mentioned in this article? Please comment and add your personal recommendations.Thanks for reading.

Tango, Folklore, Rock Music and Trap: A Tour Through Argentinian ‘Must Listen To’ Artists

Saying sorry is probably the hardest thing to say because it implies that someone has been  hurt or offended by our behavior or words, so as soon as we understand that we have  probably made a mistake, we just want to find a solution and smooth things over. Don’t we?

Saying sorry is probably the hardest thing to say because it implies that someone has been&nbsp;hurt or offended by our behavior or words, so as soon as we understand that we have&nbsp;probably made a mistake, we just want to find a solution and smooth things over. Don’t we?&nbsp;&nbsp; Thus, as the situation is difficult in and of itself, why don’t we try to be at least original? Today I am going to show you 7 ways to say sorry in Italian that may come in handy in both&nbsp;formal and informal situations.&nbsp; <h3>1. Mi dispiace (I’m sorry)&nbsp;</h3>When you say Mi dispiace, you are not just saying to your interlocutor that you are&nbsp;sorry, but rather that you regret hurting them in a certain way.&nbsp;e.g. «Mi dispiace Carmen, non volevo rompere il vaso di tua nonna.»&nbsp; On the same wavelength, you can also say:&nbsp;&nbsp;<h3>2. Sono mortificato/-a (I’m mortified)&nbsp;</h3>e.g. «Sono mortificato per aver perso l’anello di tua nonna, Silvia.»&nbsp;As per our previous example, also in this way you will show that you feel regret for&nbsp;your action and want to try to fix the problem.&nbsp; <h3>3. Sono desolato/-a (I’m terribly sorry)&nbsp;</h3>e.g. «Sono desolato ma non riuscirò ad esserci domani all’evento di beneficienza.» This is a nice one!&nbsp;If you apologize to someone in this way, you will definitely sound posh and also&nbsp;elegant. Indeed, it is a nice way to say the same thing, but differently.<h3>4. Perdonami (informal) / Mi perdoni (formal) (Forgive me)&nbsp;</h3>e.g. «Perdonami per non essere riuscito a venire al tuo compleanno.»&nbsp;e.g. «Mi perdoni, ma non può entrare, non vedo il suo nome in lista.»&nbsp;This way of apologizing differs depending on your interlocutor&nbsp;You want to place the pronoun –mi at the beginning or at the end of the verb based&nbsp;on who you are talking to.&nbsp;An informal situation could be with your friends, family, and people close to you. On the other hand, a formal situation could be with your boss, in a conversation with&nbsp;someone older than you, and in general in all the situations where you want to show&nbsp;respect.&nbsp; The same is applicable with no. 5:&nbsp;<h3>5. Ti chiedo perdono (informal) / Le chiedo perdono) (formal) (I beg your pardon)&nbsp;</h3>e.g. «Ti chiedo perdono per quello che ho fatto. Non volevo ferire i tuoi sentimenti.» e.g. «Le chiedo scusa, non volevo pestarle il piede.»&nbsp;<h3>6. Chiedo venia (I apologise)&nbsp;</h3>For those who are wondering, venia means pardon, mercy.&nbsp;I find this option a bit old-fashioned, and nowadays it is generally used in jest.e.g. «Chiedo venia ragazzi, ma è arrivata l’ora di andare a casa per me.»&nbsp; <h3>7. Sono spiacente (di) (I’m sorry)&nbsp;</h3>You can make this expression be followed by the preposition di + the infinitive form&nbsp;of the verb.&nbsp;e.g. «Sono spiacente di informarla che il suo abbonamento è scaduto.» Or simply say it indipendently:&nbsp;e.g. «Sono spiacente, devo lasciarti perché ho un appuntamento tra 10 minuti.»&nbsp; And what about you?&nbsp;&nbsp;What option would you choose to apologize to someone in Italian?&nbsp;Let me know in the comments below!&nbsp; If you want to learn more about me, feel free to check out my profile!&nbsp;Ciao!

7 Ways to Say Sorry in Italian

No matter whether you are about to take your flight to Italy, or you are thinking it over, here is a reading list aimed at cheering you up and bringing you joy with sparkles of the glamorous Italian lifestyle.

Do you wish to discover some of the most fascinating places in Italy while reading from the comfort of your room? Are you planning on a journey to il Bel Paese and would you like to get a taste of what expects you before your departure? Book shops’ shelves are repleted with novels with an Italian setting, but I set up a reading list specifically tailored to lovers of the Italian language and culture. No matter whether you are about to take your flight to Italy, or you are thinking it over, the selection is aimed at cheering you up and bringing you joy with sparkles of the glamorous Italian lifestyle.&nbsp; Being currently based in Tuscany, one of the most favorite destinations of students of Italian as a second language and travelers from all around the world, I cannot but start with Frances Mayes’ “Under the Tuscan Sun”, the first volume of the American author’s bestselling Tuscany memories series. In 1996 Mayes decided to relocate to Italy where she purchased an abandoned villa in the Tuscan countryside: the novel recounts the efforts in renovating the rural building. Most significantly, Mayes portray with generous enthusiasm the landscape, the local people, the ancient history of the area … and the food! In 2003 the book was adapted for the big screen by Audrey Wells starring Diane Lane as the main protagonist. Lane received a Golden Globe nomination for her performance. A beautiful Italian villa is also the setting of another novel about the transformative power of travel. In 1921 Countess Elizabeth von Arnim (1866 – 1941), decided to spend a month in Italy at the Italian Castello of Portofino after the end of her umpteenth disastrous marriage. There the English novelist conceived the idea of her book “The Enchanted April”, a story about four unhappily married English women who answer an advertisement to rent an Italian chateau in San Salvatore, Italy, to get away from a dreary, soggy London. The advertisement seems to be a godsend to these women, whose lives are not going the way they had hoped. As the title word “enchanted” implies, the story does have a slight fairytale-like aura, although the women prove to be ill-matched very soon. Despite this, the characters fall under the spell of the Italian Riviera: who does not wish at least once in life to let the scale be removed from one’s eyes and let the course of true love unfold? For those who enjoy film adaptations, the novel was turned into a film in 1992 by Mike Newell. The film was shot at the Castello Brown in Portofino, where the author of the book stayed in the 1920s. The pursuit of worldly pleasure accompanied by a deeper sense of life is also at the center of another acclaimed novel: “Eat, Pray, Love”, by the American author Elizabeth Gilbert. The book is a memoir chronicle of the author's trip around the world after her divorce and what she discovered during her travels. After a series of personal hardships, Italy represents the first part of Gilbert’s physical and spiritual journey to find peace and happiness across three countries. It is in Italy, indeed, that Gilbert embarks on an expedition for the sake of pleasure (eat), before moving further with her inner journey:&nbsp;a spiritual retreat at a temple in India (pray), and lastly a search for balance with the help of an elderly medicine man on a tourist island in Indonesia (love). “Eat, Pray, Love” was turned into a film in 2010 starring Julia Roberts in the role of Elizabeth Gilbert. Although the reactions from the critics were not always positive, the audience found the film version as inspirational as the book. In case you feel like changing your arms in a more highbrow reading mixing history, fantasy, and fable, I can highly recommend Salman Rushdie’s “The Enchantress of Florence”. A mysterious blonde-haired traveler arrives in Sikri, the seat of the Mughal court, and asks for an audience with the ruler Jalalluddin Muhammed Akbar, known as Akbar the Great. The foreigner claims to come from an unknown, very remote city called Florence and to have a story as wonderful as it is true to tell: a story that links the destinies of the mysterious western capital from which he comes to those of the Indian monarch's descent. Combining fantastical elements with very meticulous documentation (Rushdie spent years researching this work), the novel winds its way through gigantic historical figures such as members of the Medici family and the Renaissance Italian diplomat, author, philosopher, and historian Machiavelli.&nbsp; I will end my journey through comfort books about Italy with a literary classic, E.M. Forster’s (1879 –1970) “A Room with a View”. The book was conceived in 1901, when the English author, after graduating from Cambridge University (UK), spent his summer holidays with his mother in a Florentine pensione that used to host middle-class British tourists. The novel had a long gestation though, and it was not published until 1908. Lucy Honeychurch, the main protagonist, has a rigid, middle-class life education mapped out for her, until she visits Florence with her uptight cousin Charlotte, and finds her neatly ordered existence thrown off balance. As Forster put it in the narrator’s voice in Chapter 6, “Italians are born knowing the way. It would seem that the whole earth lay before them, not as a map, but as a chessboard, whereon they continually behold the changing pieces as well as the squares. Anyone can find places, but the finding of people is a gift from God.” Lucy’s eyes are opened by the unconventional characters she meets at the Pension Bertolini: flamboyant romantic novelist Eleanor Lavish, the Cockney Signora, curious Mr. Emerson, and, most of all, his passionate son George. Lucy finds herself torn between the intensity of life in Italy and the repressed morals of Edwardian England, personified in her terminally dull fiancé Cecil Vyse. Will she ever learn to follow her own heart? The award-winning film adaptation in 1985 was directed by James Ivory and starring Helena Bonham Carter as the protagonist, Lucy Honeychurch. The opening scene of the film was shot in a traditional pensione on the Arno, the Quisisana: the young Lucy and her cousin are watching an alley from the window, complaining precisely of the absence of a panorama worthy of the first visit to Florence. That alley, in 1993, was torn apart by a terrorist attack and consequently, was destroyed. Today, the Quisisana pension is called “Hotel Degli Orafi” and has a room that is called 'Room with a View'. If you wish to know more about these books, and, most importantly, about the Italian language and culture, I encourage you to register for my course on Italki: “Italian to cheer you up: 5 comforting books about Italy that lift your mood and bring you joy.”

Italian to Cheer You Up: 5 Comforting Books About Italy

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Digital painting
‌Some years ago I was fond of digital painting. There was a wonderful forum of photocompositing and digital painting for amateurs on the site of Photoshop-master. Russian-speaking artists from Germany, Baltic States, Ukraine, Russia communicated and participated in different contents and competitions on the forum. Then the site was redesigned and the forum missed at all. I started digital painting thanks to this forum, and I stopped drawing due to the forum disappearence.

Hi guys! Good afternoon
If you find any errors, please correct my mistakes. I really appreciate your help.

Favorite sport
Hiking，jogging and playing badminton are my favorite sports.
I love hiking in mountains when it's better weather. I like breathe the fresh air and see many kinds of plants，and some wildlife.
Jogging and playing badminton can exercise my body，and make my body keeping well.

Hello, is it correct to say " do you think that our friends shall be waiting for us "

Hello, my names Estefany, does anyone here want to help me on how I can speak English?

If you need to be precise with your colors, this is a must have.
What does the “with”mean in this sentence ？

Do you want to say something?