Cafetalk Tutor's Column

French my favourite language

Why French Is My Favourite Language French is my favourite language because it is beautiful, expres...

Summer greeting.暑中お見舞い申し上げます。

Summer Greeting 暑中お見舞い申し上げます。(Shōchū omimai mōshiagemasu.) Summer in Japan is extremely hot and hum...

「晩ご飯カレーでいい」って言ったら怒られた？ I Said "Bangohan Karē de ii." ...Why Did My Partner Get Angry?!

今日のテーマは、日本人がちょっと傷つく「〜でいい」   English below ↓   今日はパートナーが ご飯を作ってくれます ：）   パートナーに 「何がいい？」と聞かれたので、 「カレー...

What Was the Cangaço? Portuguese, History and Culture from Brazil’s Northeast

  When people first discover the cangaço, they often notice its striking visual identity: decorate...

Don't Study English Only When You Need It

A lot of students come to me with a clear, urgent goal: an interview is coming up, and they need to...

What playing and repairing the saxophone taught me about English pronunciation

Before coming back to Japan to resume teaching, I spent ten years in England repairing musical inst...

Fun Things to Do During Summer Vacation

Hello everyone!   Recently, I had a great lunch with some friends and my sons here in Sendai.   We ...

Summer Doesn't Have to Be Instagram Perfect

As soon as summer arrives, our social media feeds seem to transform overnight. Suddenly, everyone a...

Fun things to do during summer vacation

   Top Fun Things to Do During Summer Vacation: Recharge, Learn, and Enjoy! Summer is in full swing...

[Brutally Honest] 3 Reasons Why I Left the Kindergarten to Go to Grad School [Part 7]

Hello everyone! I'm Meg, living in Taiwan. So, why on earth did I leave my kindergarten job after a...

"Where the ocean meets the desert" Let me tell you about my beautiful country, Namibia!

It's right on the south western side of Africa. We are known for our beautil landscape where the de...

Fun things to do during summer vacation

Explore Nature This Summer!    Why stay indoors when a big adventure is waiting outside? If the wea...

[Shocking Past] A "Storm of Complaints" at My First Teaching Job?! The Day I Was Labeled a "Bad Teacher" [Part 8]

Hello everyone! I'm Meg, living in Taiwan. Last time, I shared how I ended up going to graduate sch...

Celebrating My 100th Lesson on Cafetalk!

Dear Students and Visitors, I am beyond thrilled and deeply touched to announce that I have officia...

Stop waiting for "perfect" French — Start speaking today!

A lot of learners tell me they're "not ready" for a French conversation lesson because their gramma...

How Do Brazil’s “Comida a Quilo” Restaurants Work?

If you visit Brazil, especially during lunchtime, you will probably see a sign saying:  COMIDA A QU...

Fun things to do during summer vacation

Fun Things to Do During Summer Summer vacation is a wonderful time to explore, relax, and take part...

How Brazilians Speak with Affection

Brazilian Portuguese is full of affectionate expressions. Brazilians may call someone amor, meu bem...

猛暑を乗り切れ！楽しく学ぶ夏のサバイバル英語 ☀️

この耐えがたい暑さの中、しっかり熱中症対策をすることが大切です。今回は、知っておくと便利な英語のキーワードをご紹介します！水: Water - ウォーター (wōtā)"Stay hydrated!...

Summer Vacation: Are you a "Planner" or a "Go-with-the-Flow" Type?

Hello everyone! ☀️ Summer is finally here, and I’ve been thinking a lot about vacations. When I ask...

Keeping Busy during the summer!

Beat the Break: 5 Smart Ways to Keep Kids Engaged Without Screens Holiday breaks bring joy, but the...

[The Ultimate Trap?!] The REAL Reason Behind the "Storm of Complaints" at My Teaching Job [Part 9]

Hello everyone! I'm Meg, living in Taiwan. It's been so hot lately! What kind of food do you crave ...

「私は 佐藤です VS 私が 佐藤です」・・「は」と「が」の違い① "Watashi WA Satou desu" VS "Watashi GA Satou desu" — Difference between "wa" and "ga" ①

今日のテーマは 助詞の 「は」と「が」！   English below ↓ はい、では恒例の ★クイズタイム！★ 絵を見て答えてくださいね！ 下の ①と② に「は」か「が」を入れてみましょう ...