A podcast offering a diverse exploration of India. With a focus on catering to Hindi learners, each episode delves into various topics that showcase the rich tapestry of Indian life.

 बातें शातें (Baatein Shaatein)

In the second episode of No Such Thing as a Synonym, we explore a common pair of adverbs: "nearly" and "almost".   

When you look up these words in a dictionary you’ll find they have virtually identical definitions. However, I want to let you in on a secret – the dictionary isn’t telling you the whole story.

In this episode, we’ll explore the pragmatic and subtle differences between the two words, including the difference between "nearly perfect" and "almost perfect" and why we don’t usually use "nearly" with emotions, as in "I felt nearly giddy with excitement".

Listen along to learn something new!

No Such Thing as a Synonym

02: Nearly & Almost

Full transcript: https://japanesemayuna.com/

はい、こんにちは。今回はポッドキャストの27回目です。毎日暑いですね。私は先週、夏服をオンラインで注文しました。私は相変わらず家にいることが多いので、外に出た時はなるべく遠くに行くようにしています。今までは近所のコンビニでコーヒーを買っていましたが、歩いて１５分ぐらいの店に行くことにしました。コーヒーは店によって全然味が違いますね。そこのコーヒーは少し高いですが、コンビニより美味しいです。

Hello. This is episode 27 of my podcast. It's hot every day. I ordered my summer clothes online last week. I am still at home most of the time, so when I go out I try to go as far as possible. I used to buy coffee at a local convenience store, but I decided to go to a shop about 15 minutes' walk away. Coffee tastes totally different depending on the shop. The coffee there is a bit more expensive, but it tastes better than at the convenience store.

最近、会話を練習している生徒さんが増えています。文法を覚えても、リスニングとスピーキングに自信がないと、実際に言葉を使うのは難しいですよね。発音は、大人になってから勉強するのは無理だと考えている人が多いですが、実は違います。母音の種類やイントネーション、母国語との違いを勉強で理解して、練習を繰り返せば、大人でもかなり自然な発音になります。発音についてもっと詳しく教えることができるように、今朝、本屋に行きました。

More and more students are practising conversation these days. Even if you learn grammar, it is difficult to actually use the language if you are not confident in your listening and speaking skills. Many people think that pronunciation is impossible to learn as an adult, but it is not. If you understand the different types of vowels, intonation and differences from your native language through study and repeated practice, even adults can pronounce words quite naturally. I went to the bookshop this morning so that I could teach more about pronunciation.

私の家の近くにはジュンク堂という本屋があります。ジュンク堂は、日本で一番大きい本屋チェーンの一つです。どの店舗も広くて、大量の本があります。立ち読みもできるので、東京に住んでいた時からよく利用していました。立ち読みとは、売っている本を買う前に読むことです。本屋に行ったのは昼前でしたが、たくさん人がいました。会社員も在宅勤務をするようになったので、決まった時間に働いていない人が多いです。



Japanese Lessons with Mayuna

27. 本屋に行く

In this episode we discuss different personalities and professionals in Swahili

The-SWAHILI Podcast

Various Personalities and Professions (Watu mbalimbali)

Plática sobre El Carnaval ecuatoriano y algo más.

Mucho que decir

El Carnaval

Neste episódio vamos falar sobre um país maravilhoso, mas que poucos conhecem!

 Portuguese Audios for Intermediate B1 -Áudios em Português para Intermédios B1

Destino Favorito

ドイツは10月3日月曜日が祝日だったので三連休でした。１ヶ月前にイタリアから帰ってきたばかりでしたが、ハンブルクに旅行することにしました。今回はカッセルという街まで車で行き、そこからICEという高速列車に乗って行きました。合計で片道3時間ほどかかりました。
ハンブルクはドイツで2番目に大きい町で、町の中心に大きな湖があります。緑が多く、ドイツらしい建物もたくさんあって、美しい町でした。
残念ながら、雨が降ったり止んだりの三日間でしたが、街を歩いたり、おいしいものを食べたりできて、楽しい旅行でした。
今回の旅行で一番楽しかったことは、ジャズバーで生のジャズを聴いたことです。最近生演奏を聴く機会がなかったので、久しぶりの生演奏はとても良かったです。


みなさんは最近どこかに行きましたか？
よかったら私のレッスンに来て教えてください。

祝日：しゅくじつ　national holiday
三連休：さんれんきゅう　three day weekend
高速列車：こうそくれっしゃ
片道：かたみち　one way
合計：ごうけい　total
湖：みずうみ　lake
雨が降ったり止んだりだった：It rained on and off　
演奏：えんそう　musical performance
生演奏：なまえんそう live music

Nihongo Short Story by Noriko

ハンブルクに行きました(I went to Hamburg)

The Zen philosophy teaches us to approach each task with mindfulness and enthusiasm. Language learning isn’t just about mastering grammar or vocabulary; it’s about immersing yourself in the culture, sounds, and rhythms of a new world. Start with curiosity and joy.

Why Passion Matters
Studies in motivation psychology reveal that intrinsic interest—the joy of learning for its own sake—leads to better retention and long-term success (Deci & Ryan, 1985). To channel this:
•	Choose a focus that excites you: Is it the music, the cuisine, or the stories of the language’s culture? Let your interests guide your learning.
•	Set a theme for the month: Dedicate January to learning words and phrases around a specific theme, like food or travel.


111 Tips for Learning a Language 

Tip 61 - Language learning tips inspired by the New Year

One of the questions that many of us have about exercise is "should it hurt?"

Some people agree with the old saying: "No pain, no gain," which means if it's not hurting, you're not improving.

But is that really true?

When it comes to weight training, some experts tell people that they should train "until failure" for best results.

This means they keep lifting or training until their body cannot physically do any more.

However, others say that this approach is not suitable for everyone.

"If somebody wants to increase muscle mass as much as they possibly can, then training to failure is something to consider," said Michael Zourdos, from Florida Atlantic University, who has done research into this subject.

He and his colleagues found that lifting weights "until failure" may build bigger muscles, but isn't needed to increase strength.

He said people who work out hard, but don't push themselves to exhaustion, will still likely improve their fitness.

For the average person just looking to increase their fitness levels, Zourdos said it's easier to get results.

He said that these people would benefit from a hard session that comes within five to 10 repetitions of failure, rather than training to complete exhaustion.

He also said "failure training" often makes people so sore that they miss their next session.

Overdoing it can sometimes be harmful — and people who are planning on doing strenuous exercise should see a doctor first.

James Fisher, a sport science expert in the UK, says that resting muscle groups is an important part of training.

But he agrees that if people want to build muscle, they need to push themselves.

"If you lift a weight you can easily lift 10 times or more, you never really work hard enough," he said.

Still, Fisher said that the best workout is "one that people will actually do," regardless of how hard they push themselves.