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Follow the News in German: 5 German News Sites for Language Learners
Have you ever tried reading the news in German and found yourself hopelessly “lost in translation”? If you’re relatively new to the language, that’s no surprise. National German newspapers and magazines, such as the FAZ, Die...
Pronouns in German: A No-Nonsense Beginner’s Guide
There is no sugarcoating it, German grammar is difficult to learn, especially for English speakers who aren’t used to gender-specific nouns, complicated verb conjugations, and complex grammatical cases. Pronouns in German are particularly...
Languages of Belgium – Which Languages are Spoken in Belgium?
Home to the headquarters of NATO and the European Union as well as some of the most well preserved medieval buildings in the world, Belgium is as beautiful as it is linguistically diverse. But what is the official Belgium language? What languages is...
German Speaking Countries
German is spoken as a first language by over 130 million people worldwide. Yet, which are the German speaking countries? German is an Indo-European language which has influenced many other dialects around the world. Its history dates made to the...
Halloween Vocabulary in German
The witching season is upon us! This time of year brings out all the spooks and ghosts as well as the opportunity to try out some new vocabulary from a different language! We have put together a list of Halloween vocabulary in German for you ghouls...
German Chat-up Lines
While it is generally considered that French is the language of love, we thought it would be interesting to look at some of the corniest German chat-up lines. It should be noted though that these corny lines are very universal and have been heard...
Favourite German Expressions
Our Favourite German Expressions and Phrases! German is a language rich in expressions and phrases that sometimes cannot be translated. You might learn some of them on our German language courses – so we have chosen some of our favourite, funny...
Oktoberfest 2017: Where to Celebrate in the UK
Oktoberfest 2017 Events in the UK! Oktoberfest, the most famous beer festival in the world, holds an important place in Bavarian culture. The 19th century original Munich event, a mix of a travelling funfair and a great beer festival, gave way to...
Top 10 German Expressions to Sound Like a Local
Best German Slang Words: Sound like a German local! German is one of the most important languages in the world with around 100 million speakers. An official language in 6 countries and several international institutions, German is also recognised as...
Top German Bierkellers In Manchester
Bierkellers In Manchester: Get A Taste Of German Culture In The UK A “bierkeller” is a traditional German bar that serves a wide range of German beers and food, in a social atmosphere and there is no better place than a bierkeller to practise...
Get into the Christmas Spirit!
German Christmas Markets for Everyone With Christmas just around the corner, it’s time to get into the Christmas spirit. If your enthusiasm needs a boost there is no better way to start off the Advent than to visit the most iconic of all Christmas...
The Cactus Guide to the Kölner Karneval Cologne
Our Guide to the Kölner Karneval Cologne Kölle Alaaf! That is how you might be greeted in Cologne where today, on the 11th November at 11.11 am, the official Karneval season begins. Karneval, also known as the fifth season, is a tradition that...
The Cactus Guide to Oktoberfest
Top 10 Tips for Oktoberfest Fun With Oktoberfest in full swing (17th September to 3rd October) Cactus has some top tips on what to do, wear, eat and what German expressions you cannot do without! 1. Entrance is free. Beer is not free. To enter the...