"So" and "such" both mean "very," but there are rules for when you use either "so" or "such" in a sentence.  This episode explains.

The English Toolbox

So vs. Such

Some Chinese songs are recommended ~
《朋友（péng yǒu）》
《礼物（li3 wu4）》
《无地自容（wu2 di4 zi4 rong2）》
《我爱你亲爱的姑娘（wo3 ai4 ni3, qin1 ai4 de gu1 niang）》

去K歌吧 = qu4 K ge1 ba



Crystal Gao's Chinese Language Journey

8、去K歌吧！= Let’s go to a karaoke！

En este nuevo episodio de nuestro podcast hablaremos sobre los beneficios para la salud asociados a la sonrisa, aprovechando que en el mes de octubre se celebra precisamente el día internacional de la sonrisa. 

¡Hablemos de salud!

¡A sonreír, los beneficios de una sonrisa!

今天我们要聊一个特别有趣的中国节气——立春！
你知道吗？在中国，春天不是从日历开始的，而是从“立春”开始的！立春通常在2月3日到5日之间，是二十四节气里的第一个。
古人怎么庆祝立春呢？他们会穿上漂亮衣服，走上街头，大声喊：“春来了！春来了！”，这叫“报春”。 还有人们抬着一只用泥做的“春牛”游行。游行后，用小棍子把春牛打碎，再把泥土带回家——这叫“打春牛”。他们相信，这样做，今年庄稼就会长得特别好！
立春还有一个超好吃的习俗，叫“咬春”！人们会吃春饼或春卷。把萝卜、豆芽、韭菜、生菜……还有肉丝，统统包进薄薄的饼里，卷起来，咬一大口——又香又脆！好像真的把春天吃进肚子里啦！
立春不仅是春天的开端，更是一个寄托着希望和美好愿望的节气。别忘了在立春这天，和家人一起吃春饼，为新的一年讨个好彩头！
Today, we’re talking about a super fun Chinese solar term—Lichun, or “Start of Spring”!
Did you know? In China, spring doesn’t begin on the calendar—it begins with Lichun!
It usually falls between February 3rd and 5th, and it’s the very first of China’s 24 solar terms.
So how did ancient people celebrate Lichun?
They’d dress in their finest clothes, head out into the streets, and shout joyfully:
“Spring is here! Spring is here!”
This was called “Baochun”—“Announcing Spring”!
They also held parades with a clay ox called the “Spring Ox.” After the parade, people would gently hit the ox with sticks until it broke apart. Then they’d take the clay home with them—a ritual known as “Beating the Spring Ox.”
They believed this would bring a bountiful harvest that year!
And here’s the tastiest part: Lichun comes with a delicious custom called “Biting Spring”!
People eat spring pancakes or spring rolls. They wrap thin pancakes around fresh ingredients like radish, bean sprouts, leeks, lettuce… and even shredded meat, roll them up, and take a big crunchy bite—so fragrant and crisp!
It really feels like you’re eating spring itself!
Lichun isn’t just the start of a new season—it’s a time full of hope, renewal, and good wishes for the year ahead.
So don’t forget: on Lichun, gather your family, share some spring pancakes, and welcome the new year with a lucky bite of spring!

天灵灵地灵灵来了Abracadabra’s coming 

立春 Lichun / “Start of Spring”

Learn some history behind the sport of  Aikido and the benefits of the sport. 

Say Hi English! With Teacher Duran.

Fitness: Martial Arts - Aikido

In this issue I will tell you about well-known Russian tradition of grilling meat. The dish is called "shashliky" and it is not only about food but also about gathereing together in the nature.

В этом выпуске я расскажу вас хорошо известную российскую традицию жарки мяса. Блюдо называется шашлыки и это не только про еду, но ещё и про совместные посиделки на природе.

Russian with Nick

#2 Шашлычная традиция

This is the first part of a cross-cultural look at how we value time in different parts of the world.

Expect the Unexpected

Time Part One

Disagreeing with people is an important and healthy part of working on a team towards shared goals. The challenge is therefore, how can we do this in a way that protects and even strengthens our professional relationships? It would be great if the only thing we had to do at work was to agree with people. If everyone around us had great ideas, and if our colleagues' suggestions always seemed like the best things to do. However, this is not the case.  A lot of people worry that if they disagree with their co-workers then this could upset them or damage their professional relationships. However, if we do it right, disagreeing with colleagues when it’s appropriate can be great for your team, your career, and your reputation at work.

Today we’re going to hear some tips and ideas for how to disagree with your colleagues, we’ll hear some great natural and native sounding vocabulary that we can use to do this, and then we’ll finish off with some challenges for you. Including a speaking challenge and a vocabulary quiz to see what you’ve remembered from today’s podcast. As always, if you find this podcast useful and helpful please feel free to follow me on iTalki, it really helps me out. OK, with that said let’s get started. 

Breakout Business English

How to disagree with your colleagues! - Business English podcast

This story uses words from '1000 most common words in English'. 


The morning comes quickly because Lemon has slept like a rock. He wakes up remembering his dream: an effortless glide through golden gates guided by angles and eagles.

“Mum, dad, I need to talk to you,” says Lemon. “I’m leaving… I’m going to go find this paradise. I need to see it for myself. I want to feel the soil between my toes and taste the unknown insects.” 

His parents are quiet for a moment. They see in his eyes that this is very important, and they only want what is best for their child. 

His mother speaks first. “You are a sweet child, little Lemon. You have a wonderful mind, brave and curious. You know you’re always welcome here. Our nest is always open.” 

“Mum, of course I’m coming back! I love you two so much and this is my home.” 

Lemon’s father says, “It has been said that there comes a point in a bird’s life when he needs to go beyond the mountains… It happened to my father and my father’s father, but never for me. That time never came. I grew up during the worst winter in known history. I had to work and sacrifice—there was no time for adventures… so, go on, Lemon. Get out there and live your life!” 

“You are the best parents a bird could ever wish for!” 

And with those words, the family hugs, a long hug which, even though freezing winds rip past them, seems to warm them to their very bones. 