News
Here, you will find the latest school news, information about new courses as well as various weekly points of grammar or humour.
May 2023
Verb of the day :
Suffering from perfectionism ? Don’t worry, I have the perfect verb for you.
To fine-tune something : “to make small adjustments to (something) in order to achieve the best or
a desired performance.”
Examples :
Person A : Wedding arrangements done ?
Person B : Not quite, I still have to fine-tune a few things.
“Leandro, our football coach, tends to spend hours fine-tuning his game tactics. They call him the new Guardiola.”
May 2023
"Once in a blue moon"
Nope, it’s not a Star Wars planet. The moon tends to be more white/yellow than blue…
If something happens once in a blue moon, it happens rarely, not often at all !
Examples :
- “My husband picks up his socks from the floor once in a blue moon. That’s why I’m divorcing him.”
- “I only check my gmail account once in a blue moon.”
May 2023
Neutral disagreement…
…Something British and Swiss governors must do well even though England is not technically neutral.
English people master the art of understating. Here is a list of structures to politely show that you disagree.
Do it the British way. Stay diplomatic.
The “neutral disagreement” list :
I don’t completely agree with you on that."
completely : although this suggests you agree to a large extent, it usually means the contrary
"I really can’t agree with you on that."
"I can’t say that I share your view."
"We’ll have to agree to differ."
we’ll : a convenient way to stop the argument if there doesn’t seem to be any way to reach agreement on the subject.
"I’m not totally convinced by your argument."
"I can’t accept your point of view."
"I can’t help feeling that ..."
"I feel I must disagree."
"I really must take issue with you here."
issue : argue
May 2023
Using modal verbs in reported speech :
Have you ever thought about how many conversations or things you’ve heard you talk about in the third person ? Probably not … Simply because you’re spending most of your time a actually reporting speech.
Ironic, don’t you think ?
Today we’re going to look at how to move from direct to indirect speech with the modal verbs “must/have to”.
Have to/must becomes “had to” when used in indirect/reported speech.
Examples :
Direct speech : “I have to/must leave town to go and see Bruce in concert.”
Indirect speech : My boss told me she had to leave town to go and see a guy called Bruce in concert. He’s a boss too, apparently.
Direct speech : “I have to/must focus on on the alpha project".
Indirect speech : He said he had to focus on the Alpha project first.
April 2023
Joke of the week
"Buy machine factory"
An American manufacturer is showing his machine factory to a potential customer from Albania. At lunch time, when the boss blows his whistle, two thousand men and women immediately stop work and leave the building.
"Your workers, they're escaping!" cries the visitor. "You've got to stop them."
"Don't worry, they'll be back," says the American. And indeed, at exactly one o'clock he blows the whistle again, and all the workers return from their break.
When the tour is over, the manufacturer turns to his guest and says, "Well, now, which of these machines would you like to order?"
"Forget the machines," says the visitor. "How much do you want for that whistle?"
Joke vocabulary :
A customer : a client
A whistle : un sifflet (FR)
Guest : un invite (FR)
To order : commander (FR)
March 2023
Competition - Win a voucher
[CONCOURS] 🎉 Gagne 2 cours privés de français ou d'anglais en répondant à la question suivante: Combien de professeurs avons-nous?
Afin de gagner, il te faut:
- Répondre à la question
- Liker la publication
- Être abonné à la page
Pour des chances supplémentaires, tu peux taguer des amis & partager en story! Le gagnant sera contacté par message privé d'ici au 10 avril
Facebook de l'écoleInstagram de l'école
March 2023
Move from B2 to C1 level
Extending your vocabulary will not only allow you to sound more interesting but will also help you sound like dynamite.
For example, use “hasten” instead of accelerate.
Examples :
- “This new scandal will hasten the director’s departure.”
- “Credit Suisse crisis was hastened by risky investments.”
March 2023
Advanced structure of the day : "to bear in mind"
Worry not, not grizzly bears not involved in this one 😉
Some words in English have multiple uses. Bear is one of them.
You could say :
- “Be careful ! There’s a bear behind you.” (the animal)
- “I can’t bear Mondays.” (Je ne peux pas supporter les lundis)
Or …
- "Bear in mind that the apprentices have only been here for two weeks.”
- “Bear in mind that inviting 10 more people to the party would simply double the costs.”
- “Bear in mind that you’ve been sick lately. Don’t be so hard on yourself.”
“Bear in mind” means “take into account/don’t forget that…”
So yes, the pic used with this post is completely ridiculous but rather funny… Don’t you think ?
February 2023
Online classes
Nous le savons que trop bien, la vie est pleine de surprises et les routines sont ennuyantes. Mais nous avons la solution à cela ! 👓
Nous offrons un système de cours en ligne, que tu peux suivre où tu veux, quand tu veux. Ceci pour le français, l'allemand, l'anglais, l'espagnol et plein d'autres ! N'hésite pas à nous contacter pour plus d'informations.
February 2023
Besoin d'une traduction ?
Vous ne faites pas confiance à Google Translate ? Nous avons la solution pour vous ! The Balkan School of Languages offre un service de traduction dans multiples langues.
Contactez-nous pour plus d'informations.
February 2023
Time idioms :
Did you know that one of the most used English words is “time” ?
Surprised ? You shouldn’t be.
Here is a post covering typical expressions with the word “time”. Enjoy !
Examples :
You can spend time :
- “I spent 3 hours writing this report.”
You can waste time :
- “I wasted an hour waiting for that difficult client.”
Time can be a waste :
- “It's not worth going. The whole seminar is a waste of time.”
You can value time :
- “I value every minute I get to spend with my family.”
You can run out of time :
- “I didn't get the project finished as I would have liked. I ran out of time.”
You can spare time :
- “Can you spare me a few minutes?”
January 2023
CONCOURS
Gagne 2 cours privés d'anglais en répondant à cette question; Quel est le nom du fondateur / de la fondatrice de notre école de langues à Neuchâtel ?
Afin de gagner, il te faut:
Pour des chances supplémentaires, tu peux te rendre sur nos réseaux sociaux (Instagram, Facebook) et taguer des amis & partager en story! Le gagnant sera contacté par message privé d'ici au 10 février.
January 2023
ADULT LANGUAGE CLASSES
Whether it's for presentations at work or to ask for directions on your next holiday, we have the class made for you. Be it French, German, English, or just about any other language you may want to learn.
January 2023
IN-COMPANY CLASSES
Our tailor-made in-company classes will help your team boost their presentation skills.
Check our website for more information and don't hesitat to get in touch with us!
January 2023
Latest YouTube post
Idioms (part 7)
December 2022
The Queen's speech
This tradition started in 1932 and millions of people sit down to watch the Queen/King make a speech at 3pm on Christmas Day. According to scientific research, it helps digest the Christmas meal !
December 2022
Quantifier focus :
How much/too much or how many/too many ? The other existential question.
Good news : it’s much easier to understand than Shakespeare’ “to be or not to be” question.
How much and too much are followed by uncountable nouns. These include much-used nouns like : information, advice, salt, time, money. They never take an -s.
Examples :
- “How much time do you need to finish this project ?”
- “Too much money was invested in this project.”
How many and too many are followed by countable nouns : any noun that takes an “s”… Too many to list. Sorry.
Examples :
- “How many Wednesday episodes have you watched today ? I love that Netflix show.”
- “That show Wednesday which is on Netflix has too many characters. It’s hard to follow.”
December 2022
Joke of the week
Poodle: "My life is a mess. My owner is mean, my girlfriend is leaving me for a German shepherd, and I'm as nervous as a cat."
Golden retrierver : : "Why don't you go see a psychiatrist?"
Poodle: "I can't. I'm not allowed on the couch."
Joke vocabulary :
A poodle : un caniche (FR)
A mess : un bordel (FR)
Mean : méchant (FR)
To be allowed to : avoir la permission de (FR)
November 2022
Recherché : Enseignant (e) d'allemand
The Balkan School of Languages cherche un(e) fan de Goethe. Intéressé(e)? Contactez-nous à
info@balkanschool.com
Novembre 2022
Nouveau cours d'allemand - A1
Les inscriptions sont ouvertes
Nouveau cours d'allemand dès le 18 janvier 2023 - Mercredi 18h30 à 20h00
Contactez-nous pour une offre sans engagement
November 2022
Word of the day : belated (adjective)
We live in a fast-paced world, don’t we ? Despite our best intentions, we sometimes do things a little later than initially intended.
That’s where the adjective “belated” comes in. It means : coming or happening later than should have been the case.
Examples :
. “I think you owe him a belated apology for your attitude during the presentation.”
. “We made a belated attempt to get him to stay. Too little, too late, it seems.”
. “Happy belated birthday Hakim. Hope you had a great day and enjoyed some of that Swiss Whiskey of yours. Good luck with that project too !”
November 2022
Latest YouTube post
November 2022
Future continuous
Will + be + ing. To talk about something , often important, that will be ongoing in near future. Difficult to use in writing. Only for action verbs.
Avoid this : “Tomorrow at 8am, I will be cutting my finger nails.” (not special enough or just very strange)
Do this : “Tomorrow at 8am, I will be negotiating a big deal with Swedish clients. I’m very nervous.”
October 2022
Two ways to talk about success : to manage to + inf ; to succeed in + ing
Here are two ways of talking about your hopefully successful projects/careers…
Having two ways of expressing the same idea is a success too ;)
1) To manage to + infinitive :
. “I managed to convince Matt to lower his asking price.”
. “She managed to finish the project in record time.”
. “Did you manage to get John to stop eating kebabs in the office area ?”
2) To succeed in + ing (gerund) :
. “I succeeded in convincing Matt to lower his asking price.”
. “She succeeded in finishing the project in record time.”
. “Did you succeed in getting John to stop eating kebabs in the office area ?”
October 2022
Latest YouTube post
Idioms (part. 5)
October 2022
Past simple : Warning :
The past simple is used to talk about a specific moment in the past. That means there’s a specific context which is either stated (last week) or known by both people.
Typical time expressions linked with the past simple – all these time expressions refer to the past: yesterday, last night, last week, two weeks ago, in 2020, in January, on 14 June 2021, the last time I + past simple = past simple.
One of the biggest problems with this tense is mixing it with the present perfect (have/has + past participle) This is wrong: Yesterday, I have eaten too many kebabs. I ate too many kebabs.
The present perfect creates a link between the past and the present. “Yesterday” breaks that link.
October 2022
Nouveau cours d'espagnol débutant en groupe
Horaire encore à confirmer
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour plus de détails.
October 2022
Wishing a colleague/friend a happy birthday…
Every so often, someone you know at work will strangely bring some croissants to work…
This tends to happen if the person is really nice, was in a baking mood, didn’t log off (and someone wrote a message to the whole team in their name) or because it’s their birthday (strange Swiss work ritual).
Here are a few ways to say happy birthday a bit more professionally:
1) Wishing you (all) the best on your birthday. Now you can get back to work !
2) Hope your special day is filled with happiness (and not too many boring meetings).
3) Wishing you a happy birthday and that promotion you so deserve/that salary increase you’ve been dreaming of for years.
4) Our whole team is wishing you the happiest/best of birthdays. Now help the team by actually doing some work.
5) Sending you good wishes, happy thoughts to you on your birthday and two reports to check.”
6) You’re such a fantastic boss (not ironic). Wishing you warm wishes and happy thoughts.
October 2022
Nouveau cours de français débutant en groupe
Horaire encore à confirmer
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour plus de détails.
October 2022
Nouveau cours d'allemand débutant en groupe
Les mercredis, de 18h30 à 20h00
Début des cours : Mercredi 19 octobre
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour plus de détails.
September 2022
We all like good princess stories…
The latter sometimes become Queen stories. Some more epic and successful than others.
This one most definitely was.
A Queen beyond her nation, in many ways.
While energy cuts are being made amid the globalization war and Prime Ministers are lowering decency standards with alarming ease, Queen Elizabeth’s sense of duty and honour has always stood firm.
Although students often used a dismissive tone when discussing the Royals, the Queen, was never seen in a bad light. She somehow commanded respect.
The current world certainly could have done with a bit more of her reassuring valuable presence.
It’s also ironic that on the day the new satellite-supported performance measuring iPhone 14 is released – in many ways, the symbol of ephemerality and vacuity – Queen Elizabeth, who encapsulated dignity and strong values (with sometimes extremely bright clothes), passed away.
She will be missed.
Thank you for everything.
The Balkan School of Languages team.
September 2022
Latest YouTube post
On time vs In time / By vs Until: What's The Difference?
September 2022
“Will” has several uses… Here’s on of them.
Will can be used to indicate (un)willingness, a determination to do something , a promise :
. “I will get this job. I’ve always wanted to work in this kind of company.”
. “I will be there for you. You know you can count on me.”
. “I won’t negotiate with terrorists. It goes against my principles.”
September 2022
Latest YouTube post
False Friends Part. 4
August 2022
Stop using « very » …
We’re all guilty of using “very” very often… Damn, just did it.
Overusing “very” is a great way of not expanding your vocabulary. Oh dear.
Try progressively weeding “very” out of your written and oral communications.
Here are a few alternatives to using very + adjective :
“Very fat” -> obese
“Very roomy” -> spacious
“Very evil” -> wicked
“Very tasty” -> delicious
“Very rich” -> wealthy
“Very tired” -> exhausted
“Very clean” -> spotless
“Very cold” -> freezing
August 2022
ADVANCED Cambridge preparation class
Feel like taking your English skills to the next level ?
Here’s a class that will most certainly interest you :
C1 exam preparation - group class
Tuesdays from 18h30 to 20h30 (120 min. class)
Exam date : JUNE 2023
For more details, either …
… send us an email at info@balkanschool.com
… phone us on 032 724 78 20
… come and see us at Rue du Musée 4, Neuchâtel
Read/Speak/See you soon !
July 2022
Collocation of the day : to butt heads :
To butt (not too confused with the over-used but) means to hit with the head (or horns – for those who have some)… It’s, thankfully, often used metaphorically and nobody is literally being hit on the head.
So “to butt heads” might at first seem like a bit of a pleonasm but it’s a frequently used collocation which means to “to completely disagree or get into a heated confrontation with someone”.
This expression is often followed by the preposition : over.
Examples :
. “These two directors often butt heads over the budget.”
. “The new guy butted heads with his supervisor again. Don’t think he’s going to finish his trial period.”
. “The QC and QA departments always butt heads over who should report to top management.”
July 2022
Future simple : will + infinitive : Uses :
Time to focus on the future tense and “will”…
That’s right, the summer is about to get even hotter.
Here are the ways how the verb “will” is generally used in English …
A) 1ST conditional : If + present simple, will + inf.
B) To express beliefs/opinions about the future based on opinion.
C) To make promises/to show that you’re willing. (used in speeches)
D) For future facts.
E) to talk about the unplanned future.
Examples :
. “If you give me a promotion, I will bring croissants to the office every morning.”
. “I think Brian will become a kitchen seller.”
. “I will make you forget Boris Johnson. It’s a promise.”
. “I will be 47 years old in 2023.”
. “You say there’s a problem with machine x93. I will go to the production right away then.”
At the exam or when doing a grammar worksheet : look out for : Key time references and structures : tomorrow, soon, I hope/think (that), in two weeks’ time, etc.
July 2022
Word of the day : an ordeal
“An ordeal” is an advanced word and is used to describe a very unpleasant and prolonged experience. Use it instead of saying something was very bad.
Examples :
. “That holiday in Greece was an ordeal. From the endless queuing at the airports to the insects in the bed.”
. “The parents’ ordeal ended after two hours of out of tune singing and bad acting.”
July 2022
Present simple refresher
Don't be deceived by the word "simple" in the present simple...
Sleepless nights for teachers are being fed by mistakes made with this apparently easy tense. The biggest one : not adding an "s" when using the third person (she, he, it).
Here's a present simple refresher for you ;) Four key uses to remember.
Present simple
Habits/routine : (please note the use of frequency adverbs)
. “The task force meets every two weeks.”
. “We back up the servers daily.”
Facts :
. “As the Director speaks English fluently, he will conduct the negotiations.”
. “We don’t do business with non-certified retailers.”
Fixed expressions : “I look forward to hearing from you.”
. “I look forward to the completion of your training” said Darth Vader.
Timetables : “The shuttle leaves at 4pm on Fridays.”
After certain words : “as long as”, “when”, “provided that”, “on the condition that”, "unless" :
. “We will help you as long as you take part in the survey.”
. “Provided that you contribute to the project, we will update your job description.”
. “Unless you change your attitude you will lose your job young Skywalker.”
June 2022
New ADVANCED C1 class as per September
New class opening soon at the Balkan School of Languages.
Feel like taking your English skills to the next level ?
Here’s a class that will most certainly interest you :
CAE exam preparation
Group class
120 min. /a week / Schedule to be confirmed
Exam date : JUNE 2023
For more details, either …
… send us an email at info@balkanschool.com
… phone us on 032 724 78 20
… come and see us at Rue du Musée 4, Neuchâtel
Read/Speak/See you soon !
June 2022
Latest YouTube post
False Friends Part. 3
June 2022
The limits of my language
“The limits of my language mean the limits of my world.” – (Ludwig Wittgenstein)
Couldn't agree more Mr. Wittgenstein...
Juin 2022
Cours intensif d'anglais - 8 Harmos
Du 25 au 29 juillet 2022
Cours intensif / 2 h par jour sur 5 jours / contactez-nous pour plus de détails
May 2022
May or may not ?
Modal verb focus : MAY
May is not just a month. It’s also a modal verb you can use when asking a very formal question or giving formal permission. Not something you likely to do every day but you never know when you might meet the Queen at the biscuit section of a supermarket.
Examples :
. “May I leave the room my Majesty ?”
. “You may leave the room.” (judge speaking, auditor, police or examiner)
. “May I interrupt you ?” (you're talking to the new Balkan CEO)
Avril 2022
Cours intensifs de français
Cours intensifs - tous niveaux
Venez rejoindre nos cours en groupe - Niveaux A1 à B2 - Tous les jours de 8h30 à 11h45
April 2022
Blue-sky thinking
Idiom of the day : blue-sky thinking :
It’s not dreaming… Well, it could be.
It’s not about wishing grey clouds would go away, however.
“Blue-sky thinking” refers to brainstorming with no limits.
Sounds crazy, maybe because it is a little. Removing the limits of thinking can sometimes be beneficial and get you to think in a less grounded way. It can help you find completely new ideas.
Examples :
. “The problem with Tom is that is only good at blue-sky thinking. He’s not really connected to reality.”
. “Let’s do some blue-sky thinking to try to generate some funky ideas !”
March 2022
“It’s a sign/taste of things to come”
Phrase of the day : “It’s a sign/taste of things to come” :
Use this phrase when something happens that indicates how things will be in the future.
Example :
. “Three people I know in this company have lost their jobs recently – this is a sign of things to come.”
. «I think this trend (cashless festivals) is a sign of things to come.”
. “I hope this drop in interest for reading among young people is not a sign of things to come.”
February 2022
YouTube Updated
Like vs. As: What's The Difference?
January 2022
A storm in a teacup
Idiom of the day
Time for an expression which sounds very British…
And yes, it’s because this idiom contains a weather and tea reference 😉
“A storm in a teacup” is “a lot of unnecessary anger and worry about a matter that is not important.”
Basically, being human.
Examples :
. “The whole fight between the two candidates turned out to be a storm in a teacup.”
Person A : “Is there still a crisis in production ?”
Person B : “No, in fact, it was nothing. Just a storm in a teacup.”
. “This disagreement between the two trainees is a storm in a teacup. There’s no need to get the manager involved.”
December 2021
Latest YouTube post
https://youtu.be/VZx7bzlWT1A
November 2021
Structure of the week : neither ... no
“My sister’s boyfriend is not kind and not good-looking.”
Sounds good ?
No, it doesn’t. Grammatically and not great news for your sister 😉
This is where the structure “neither … nor” comes in to save the day.
The boyfriend will still be disappointing but that’s another problem.
So yes, you use neither … nor when you are talking about two or more things that are not true.
Examples :
. “The new trainee is neither bright nor organised. He was a casting mistake.”
. “This new Nike advert is nor original nor eye-catching.”
September 2021
Nouveau cours d'allemand B1.1
Lundi 18h00 à 19h30
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour plus de détails
August 2021
New ADVANCED C1 class as per September
New class opening soon at the Balkan School of Languages…
Feel like taking your English skills to the next level ?
Here’s a class that will most certainly interest you :
CAE exam preparation
Group class
120 min. /a week
Exam date : JUNE 2022
For more details, either …
… send us an email at info@balkanschool.com
… phone us on 032 724 78 20
… come and see us at Rue du Musée 4, Neuchâtel
Read/Speak/See you soon !
July 2021
Youtube Updated
June 2021
How about or what about ?
Quite a few English-speaking people don’t know the difference between “how about” and “what about” so don’t lose too much sleep over this grammar point. Accuracy is, however, something we should always aim for … Let’s not give in to the multi-tasking dictatorship and let’s further our expertise in communication.
“How about + ing ?” is used to suggest various possibilities of actions.
Examples :
. Person A : “I’ve got the afternoon off.”
. Person B : “How about going to the cinema to check out that new James Bond film – No Time To Die.”
. Person A : “I’m bored.”
. Person B : “How about listening to some Bruce Springsteen and doing the Courtney Cox dance ?”
“What about ? is generally used to talk about an objection or a potential problem.
Examples :
. Person A : “Let’s go now.”
. Person B : “What about my sister ? Aren’t you going to wait for her ?”
. Person A : “The reactor in Line B is making strange noises.”
. Person B : “What about changing the filter ?”
May 2021
New Youtube post
March 2021
Latest YouTube post
https://youtu.be/sH3QXsn2Vfk
Mars 2021
Nouveaux cours d'allemand et d'espagnol / Niveau débutant
En cours d'organisation - cours de 90 minutes en soirée - dès 3 participants
Contactez-nous pour l'envoi d'une offre détaillée
February 2021
Latest YouTube post
February 2021
Join our online courses
Do not hesitate to contact us for more info on our online courses - English - French - German - Italian - Spanish. Back to school as soon as this virus let's us ;)
January 2021
Structure focus : relative clauses
WHEN AND WHERE :
When and where can be used as relative clauses.
We can use when with times and where with places to make it clear which time or place we are talking about.
In informal language, we often use where or when to introduce defining relative clauses instead of at which, on which.
Examples :
. I know a restaurant where the food is excellent.
. There isn’t a day when I don’t feel rushed off my feet. I need to relax more.
. Is there a quiet place where we could talk in private ?
. Do you remember the place where we caught the train?
. Stratford-upon-Avon is the town where Shakespeare was born.
December 2020
Youtube post
Follow our channel ...
September 2020
ADVANCED C1
Cours préparatoire - ADVANCED C1 - Cambridge - Examen en juin 2021
Lundi de 18h30 à 20h30
September 2020
Joke of the week
A young guy turns up at a hotel reception:
"I'd like a single room, please."
"Certainly, sir," says the receptionist. "With bath or shower?"
The guy is a bit short of cash, so he asks, "What's the difference?"
"You have to stand in the shower," says the receptionist.
Joke vocabulary :
to turn up : se pointer (FR)
a single room : une chambre simple (FR)
to be short of : être à court de (FR)
to stand : se tenir debout (FR)
September 2020
Youtube post of the week
On our Balkan School channel .....
Septembre 2020
Nouveau cours d'allemand GOETHE B2
Un nouveau cours pour une préparation au GOETHE B2 aura lieu les jeudis de 18h30 à 20h30 dès la mi-septembre 2020.
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour une offre détaillée pour cette préparation à l'examen qui aura lieu en juin 2021.
Août 2020
Nouveau cours d'anglais ADVANCED C1 de Cambridge
Un nouveau cours pour une préparation à l'ADVANCED C1 de Cambridge aura lieu lundi ou mercredi de 18h30 à 20h30 dès septembre 2020.
N'hésitez pas à nous contacter pour une offre détaillée pour cette préparation à l'examen qui aura lieu en juin 2021.
June 2020
Youtube Posts
New Balkan School Channel
Juin 2020
Cours intensifs - été 2020
Contactez-nous pour les cours intensifs d'été
Cours d'anglais et allemand à différentes dates à votre disposition
May 2020
Joke of the week
A man says to his neighbour,
"I have an extraordinary dog. He brings me the newspaper every morning."
The neighbor responds by saying,
"That’s nothing special. Lots of dogs do that."
The man says,
"Sure, but I don’t have a subscription."
Joke vocabulary :
a neighbour : un voisin(e) (FR)
a subscription : un abonnement (FR)
Avril 2020
Nouveau cours d'espagnol "débutant"
Retrouvez notre nouveau cours d'espagnol "débutant" le mardi de 18h30 à 20h00 en "online" jusqu'à nouvel avis.
Mars 2020
Ready for new "online courses"
Tous nos cours ont désormais lieu par le biais de solutions "online" jusqu'à nouvel avis.
Février 2020
Joke of the week
Joke of the day : Scales...
A woman was watching her husband standing on the bathroom scale, sucking in his stomach.
Thinking he was trying to weigh less with this technique, she commented, "I don't think that is going to help."
"Sure it will," he said. "It's the only way I can see the numbers..."
Joke vocabulary :
scale : une balance (FR)
to suck in : rentrer l'estomac (FR)
September 2019
Joke of the week
Three more words :
Mrs. Pete Monaghan came into the newsroom to pay for her husband's obituary. She was told by the kind newsman that it was a dollar a word. Apologizing that she only had two dollars, she wrote this obituary: "Pete died."
"I remember old Pete, and he deserves more than two words," said the newsman. "I'll give you three more for free."
The widow thanked him and wrote, "Pete died. Boat for sale."
Joke vocabulary :
obituary : nécrologie (FR)
September 2019
New Italian class
A beginner's Italian class is starting soon in our school, every Monday at 6.30pm. If you'd like to join, just send us an e-mail, phone us or pop by! We'll happily send you an offer.
September 2019
New German class - GOETHE B2
A new preparation class for the Goethe B2 exam starts soon at the Balkan School of Languages! Want to join?
Pop us an e-mail, or phone us, we'll gladly send you an offer!
Décembre 2019
Cours d'anglais A1 et A2
Vous aimeriez apprendre l'anglais tout en acquérant une richesse culturelle ?
Nous vous proposons des cours d'anglais de niveau A1 qui ont lieu les mardis à 18h30 et de niveau A2 les lundis à 19h00.
Notre enseignante australienne saura vous faire voyager parmi les aborigènes.
C'est avec plaisir que nous nous tenons à votre disposition en cas d'intérêt.
September 2019
New class - Cambridge's FIRST exam preparation
A new preparation class for the Cambridge's FIRST CERTIFICATE exam will take place every Tuesday from 18h30 to 20h30. The exam is planned to take place in June 2020.
Please do not hesitate to contact us should you wish more information!
Août 2019
Joke of the week
Crossword time
A girl is doing a crossword puzzle. Her mum is sitting next to her.
Girl : "What's a 7-letter word for 'easily perceived or understood' that starts with 'O'?"
Mum : "Isn't it obvious?"
Girl : "It should be, but I can't figure it out. That's why I'm asking."
Joke vocabulary
A crossword : un mot croisé (FR)
To figure out : to understand
Obvious : évident (FR)
August 2019
Idiom of the day: come rain or shine
« come rain or shine » means whatever happens/the situation
Examples :
.... « Come rain or shine, I'll be at your wedding. I won't let you down brother ! »
. « Don't worry. We'll be at your seminar – come rain or shine ! »
. « Every morning at about 6am, come rain or shine, I go running 10 kms. »
July 2019
Joke of the week
Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride dressed in white?"
"Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life," her mother tried to explain, keeping it simple.
The child thought about this for a moment, then said, "So why's the groom wearing black?"
Joke vocabulary :
to attend : prendre part, participer à (FR)
to whisper : chuchoter (FR)
The bride : la mariée(FR)
The groom : le marié (FR)
July 2019
Idiom of the day : it's safe to say (that)
Here is a useful little structure to indicate you're confident about what you're going to say.
Examples :
. « It's safe to say that we have contained the contamination in the production zone. »
. « It's safe to say that Aston Villa FC will not get relegated next year. »
. « I think it's safe to say that he won't be putting his finger in a shark's mouth again ! »
May 2019
Joke of the week
A dentist...
A guy and a girl meet at a bar.
They get along so well that they decide to go to the girl's place.
A few drinks later, the guy takes off his shirt and then washes his hands.
He then takes of his trousers and washes his hands again.
The girl watches him and says, "You must be a dentist."
The guy, surprised, says "Yes! How did you figure that out?"
"Easy," she replied, "you keep washing your hands."
They started kissing and then made love.
After the sex, the girl says, "You must be a good dentist."
The guy, now with a boosted ego says, "Sure, I'm a good dentist, How did you figure that out?"
The girl said : "Didn't feel a thing!"
Joke vocabulary :
to get along : bien s'entendre (FR)
To figure out : comprendre (FR)
boosted : augmenté (FR)
Didn't feel a thing : je n'ai rien senti (FR)
May 2019
Structure Focus: What if + past simple
To talk about a future possibility you can use the structure « what if + past simple »...
Examples :
. « What if I retired at 50-years old ? I'd love that. »
. « What if you were allowed to marry several women ? Would you do it ? »
. « What if we replaced the current Google logo with a completely different one ? »
March 2019
Joke of the week
Joke of the week : A warning
After seeing one of her students making faces at others on the playground, Ms. Smith stopped to
gently reprimand the child.
Smiling sweetly, the school teacher said, "Johnny, when I was a child, I was told if that I made ugly faces, it would freeze and I would stay like that."
Johnny looked up and replied, "Well, Ms Smith, you can't say you weren't warned."
Joke vocabulary :
To make faces : faire des grimaces (FR)
playground : la cours de récréation (FR)
ugly faces : des grimaces (FR)
To freeze : se figer (FR)
to be warned : être averti (FR)
March 2019
Idiom of the week
Idiom of the day : a pipe dream
A « pipe dream » is an unrealistic hope or fantasy.
Examples :
. « A good Brexit deal is a pipe dream. I hope they'll be a second vote.»
. « His plans are not realistic – he'll never become a star. Those plans will never be more than a pipe dream. »
