Happy Easter! 😇

Why Easter actually?

In the Russian language the word Пасха is quite meaningful in terms of Jewish culture

Hebrew word Pesach means Passover ‘исход’

In English it’s a whole different thing

—
the name "Easter", and it’s commonly believed has been derive from the Old English word "ēastre" or "ēostre," which referred to a pagan festival celebrating the spring equinox (здесь) and the goddess Eostre (spring and fertility)

this connection to springtime aligns with the themes of rebirth and renewal that are central to the Easter celebration in Christianity
—

Make sure you understand this topic not just in your native language but also in eng - that’s a cultural milestone

📍pic Russian Orthodox Cathedral of the Dormition - London, Kensington*

*было просто чудесно, находясь в Лондоне, найти именно это место - это был совершенно обособленный (от всего остального города) мир ❤️

#culture

🤩🤩🤩

🤩
This year western and orthodox Easter has overlapped each other (not a big deal you’d say but, as far as I know, it’s quite a rare thing)

Anyway! while somebody is hatching a plan of removing migrants from the steps of Westminster Cathedral, others suggest we hop on fancy Easter meal 🍲

Have you already bought куличи and painted eggs*? 🤩🥮

Here last year we chatted about Easter - have a look

*if you consider yourself a christian

#dailydigest

It’s just spring 🤧

Слышали такое выражение?
Опять colloquial

#vocabulary

🇫🇷

After all this time..

The Norman Conquest (1066) has already been left behind but not the French influence, apparently
I’ve been facing this truth on and on

Hundreds if not thousands of words came from France 🥖

court
parliament
verdict
army
restaurant
chef
couture
chic
ballet
novel

+ latin-derived words via French (nature) + French suffixes and prefixes (marriage, curiosity + doublets (cowVSbeef) + idioms and fixed expressions

😱scare bleu - omg
😋bon appétit
😒comme ci, comme ça
😍joie de vivre
🤷🏼‍♀️c’est la vie

And that thing would bloom more and more if not for Brexit

Remember talking to a middle-aged guy, my fellow student in London, who had a flourishing business through France
But he was left without any perspectives after the Brexit thing
And that strike they’d faced was so noticeable and sad at the same time..
It was like the end of their previous careless life

c'est dommage ?

#culture
#vocabulary

Frankly speaking, I could really do with a sunny and dry weather as of now 🧣
Don’t ya think, msc guys..?

а вам что бы сейчас не помешало?

PS интересное выражение (супер разговорное и супер common), тк грамматика тут противоречит смыслу

#vocabulary

Когда я получала диплом по РКИ (русский как иностранный), делала это скорее для ‘галочки’ 👩🏼‍🎓

Но кто бы мог подумать что будет вот так..

Сегодня была на встрече с корейцами 🇰🇷
Будут учить русский, а я, по всей видимости, корейский
Никогда раньше не преподавала корейцам (только американцам, британцам и китайцам)

Сегодня очень ярко почувствовала, что я постепенно - со всей своей рки практикой - перестаю смотреть на русский язык глазами native speakerа

Теперь я его вижу как бы ‘препарированным’ на разные части речи, идиомы, грам.конструкции и тд

Очень интересное чувство..

А вот вам пару корейских идиом 🥢

🥣 식은 죽 먹기 (Sigeun Juk Mokkki)

Literal Translation: Like eating cold porridge
Meaning: It’s a piece of cake

🍰배가 아프다 (Baega Apeuda)

Literal Translation: Stomach hurts
Meaning: To be incredibly envious/jealous

🕵🏻‍♂️서울에서 김서방 찾기 (Soureso Gimsobang Chatkki)

Literal Translation: Like trying to find Mr. Kim in Seoul
Meaning: Something that is impossible or extremely difficult to find


#мысли
#culture
#СколькоОказываетсяМыЕщенеЗнаем

Last time at the American meeting we discussed parenting 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

The chat was based on a pod
In case you’re interested- give it a watch

I’ll share some vocabulary we used ➡️

all bark and no bite - makes threats but doesn’t follow through

fly off the handle - to lose control or lash out in anger

bite your tongue - to hold back your words

it takes two to tango - both people involved in a situation share responsibility for what happens

Вот тут я рассказывала про свои регулярные спикинг встречи с американским английским 🇺🇸

😁😋 Чуть позже выложу небольшое объявление

#dailydigest
#vocabulary

Sunday evening is not for anything but Classic English Trifle 🤤

Записываем рецепт!

For the custard layer
• 4 cups whole milk
• 8 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup butter

For the cake layer
• 9×13 white or yellow cake, baked and cooled
• 1/2 cup cream sherry
• 3 heaping tablespoons seedless red raspberry jam or preserves

For the fruit layer
• 2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
• 1 cup fresh raspberries
• 1 tablespoon cream sherry
• 1 tablespoon sugar

Whipped cream
• 1 1/2 cups heavy whipping cream
• 1 teaspoon powdered sugar

Suuuper common in the UK 🍰

PS did you love her accent?

PSps do you have a sweet tooth??(сладкоежка)
I do!

#dailydigest

❤️🤔

What’s the craic*? 🇮🇪

Everybody knows Irish Eng is different..
Here’s the proof

Vocab
Crisps for potato chips
Chips for French fries
Scone for a type of baked bread, often served with tea
Runners for trainers
Gardai for police
(но это еще ладно, тут может быть много отличий)

Grammar
I am after eating means I have just eaten (вполне логично, кстати)

It’s cold, isn’t it? might be said as Isn’t it cold, it is?

When an Irish person answers a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, they would use the same verb

“Did you watch the movie?”
“We did.”
“You don’t have college next week”
“Do I not?”

Expressions
I’m grand meaning I’m fine

Sure look it as a way to acknowledge something

Use of "ye" and "youse = the plural form of "you,"

I just happened to have an acquaintance from Ireland - I didn’t have any accent problems, neither had I any language usage snags**

Prob he was just adjusting to severe international community😅

But ok, truth be told - being in an Irish pub makes you feel a bit like a fish out of water in terms of the language 🍺

*how’s it going?
**затык, заминка

📍pics - Dublin, st Patrick’s Cathedral, The Temple Bar

PS как вам речь в подкасте?

❤️все понятно +-
🤔своеобразная

🚌 What does a bus have to do here?

Good morning, sir☕️
It’s been time you didn’t read any eng newspapers in the morning 📰

We’ve already mentioned here some word-games brits tend to play
Here’s one more example

chukka’d under bus by Harry (я сразу поняла, что это не просто какой-то видоизмененный глагол, а наверняка идиома)

chukka is a playing period of a polo game

the context in the article is about some kind of a drama connected to polo, actually 🏌🏻‍♂️

there’s an idiom about betrayal* - chucked under the bus
a colloquial expression that means to betray or sacrifice someone for one's own benefit, often in a context where someone is placed in a difficult situation or blamed for something
*предательство

А вот несколько синонимов ➡️

🔴he was thrown under the bus
🔴she was sold out
🔴you let me down

So, make sure, guys you never are the reason for someone to be chukka’d chucked under the bus

#newspapers

We had such a blast 💥

Спасибо всем, кто записался на наш hey up speaking club! и пришел!

Спасибо за доверие и за положительные отзывы (*и за любовь к английскому)!

Все были заинтересованы и мотивированы - это настоящий бальзам на душу мне, как преподавателю♥️

Планируем продолжать делать такие catch-ups! Как офлайн, так и онлайн🫰🏼

———
Двое ребят, кто не смог быть попросили меня прислать им worksheet

Реагируйте в комментариях или сразу DM me со словом ‘worksheet’ - тоже вышлю вам worksheet


#speakingclub

🔥🥰

📣Уже завтра пройдет наш hey up speaking club!

Это время точно не будет потрачено зря

Прикладываю скришоты из worksheet - основа, по которой будем активировать скилы завтра в 17:00

Помимо полезного worksheet, тебе также будет доступна возможность бесплатной 30минутной онлайн встречи, где разберем твои собственные западающие моменты по итогам офлайн встречи

Записывайся тут и погнали 🎯

Если пока не решаешься - вопросы можно
👉🏼задать тут👈🏼

Guys!

У нас потихоньку заполняется En-speaking club на субботу (чему я очень и очень рада🔥)

Но места еще есть! (количество человек будет максимально комфортное для камерного общения)

Если вы еще думаете и не решаетесь - этот тот самый момент, когда уже пора😅
Будем выжимать максимум!
Пишите мне напрямую и я пришлю всю инфо (hey up speaking club!)

Meanwhile я продолжаю высылать worksheets ребятам и оформлять последние штрихи 📝👌🏼
____
🔥Важный benchmark - для всех участвующих ребят пройдет 30минутная бесплатная онлайн встреча-фидбек по итогам прошедшего клуба🔥
____

Приходите - будем разговаривать, бустить ваш английский и пить вкусный чай☀️

Here there are some prompts to practise 📝

Come and join us in a Speaking Club this Saturday to activate juicy vocab 🥤

Will be talking about success and inspiration in all their ‘shapes and sizes’

#speakingclub b2-c1

Glastonbury, England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

The spring equinox, finally ☀️ (20th of March)

Now it’s time for late night walks and early morning time for yourself 🕯

In the picture we can see Glastonbury Tor (is known as being one of the most spiritual sites in the country. Its pagan beliefs are still very much celebrated)

Вот тот факт, что это место поклонения язычников дает о себе знать😅

Glastonbury - официально единственное место в UK, куда я больше ни ногой!

How has your spring been so far?

equinox - равноденствие

In the open spaces of Customer Contacts World Forum, where I am not loosing my hope of introducing myself to the AI technology capacities, a thought enlightened me - a good presentation is always about making connection with your audience - look them right in the eye and say what you want them to know

Soo simple, but soo rigid to implement

But then another thought 💭
what more do you want - jam on it?
idiom, inf

used to say that someone should be grateful for what they have or have been offered, and not demand something better

(They've given him a holiday in Italy. What more does he want - jam on it?)
__________
to implement - to perform
rigid - difficult

#vocabulary
#dailydigest

Afternoon press 📑

Интересный момент со многими существительными в английском - они с ними, по большей части, играют как хотят

Если удариться в грамматику - то это compound nouns
Они бывают разных видов->

1. Closed Form: The words are combined into a single word (e.g., toothbrush, notebook, football).

2. Hyphenated Form: The words are joined by one or more hyphens (e.g., mother-in-law, sister-in-law, editor-in-chief).

3. Open Form: The words are separate but still function together as a noun (e.g., high school, post office, swimming pool).

По сути, ты тоже можешь играть -> a true-meaningful -conversations-lover girl

В разговорной речи частое явление

Но 🔴коверкай грамматику, только тогда, когда знаешь изначальное правило

У меня всё🎀

#grammar

Just finished my weekly American practice 🤪

Not really long ago decided to hone in on my American English 🇺🇸

Found another fan of intercultural communication and now I’m teaching Russian and speaking English with a native at the same time 💥

Русский ставим с нуля, само собой

Для меня это самый настоящий challenge - если учить английскому с нуля это уже протоптанная дорожка*, то вот русскому - face to face - чуть другое (я еще и препод русского языка🐻)

Let’s see where it will lead us🤞🏼

*a well-worn path

Узнала новое выражение из нашей встречи
to be on one

He went back home and was on one about all these changes at his school
meaning under the influence of something/to have high emotions

Came upon interesting vocab from the comments

Нам тебя не хватало ->2 варианта и оба в пассиве -> you were missed / we were incomplete without you

bc = because

have it bad for someone (inf idiom) = to be very much in love 💕

God bless social media for intercultural communication 🤞🏼

#vocabulary

Good morning, sir☕️
Here’s your fresh newspaper 📰

footie - футбол (inf)
a punditry - an expert
freeze out заморозить/замерзнуть/на улице холодно
heartfelt (=soulful) проникновенный

get the hump (inf) - to get upset and annoyed with someone because you think they have done something bad to you ~обидеться

Как еще можно обидеться?

всё через пассив
to take offence
to be offended
(!to offend - обижать)
to be/get miffed (inf)

I really took offence at her words/ I was miffed at you and I am still angry

#newspapers
#dailydigest
#vocabulary


PS how’s everything after the holiday weekend? did you have a blast? 💥 💃🏼

Focus on the queen 👑👌🏼

My love to English and I💬

назову так свою будущую книгу, пожалуй🤞🏼😅

Почему-то радуешься за него, как за самого себя🤩

Listening workout💪🏼

Кто любит American accent??⤵️⤵️⤵️

“Юра Борисов, where’re you at…there he is
Wasn’t he amazing in Anora?

As the ___________ with a _____

Breakthrough performance
Welcome to the big time, brother
You have a bright future
You’re in the right place”

Ответы в комментариях

#checkEng

Hey up!
It’s Monday and spring has finally sprung just in time!

🥞
How has your Maslenitsa been?
Do you normally make those oily/scrumptious блины?

I met the bingeing week in UAE, trying out all sorts of Indian/Pakistani food 😅(for whatever reason..)
Caught myself thinking an extra pile of 🥞 would be just timely

Meanwhile newspapers in UK are marvelling at the weather.. spring!

In 🇦🇪 it’s not scorchio so far but there are some glimmers already
____
scrumptious- extremely tasty
bingeing - обжираловка
be timely - be appropriate
glimmer - проблеск

flip - подбрасывать/переворачивать
crepe - блинчик
scorchio - невозможно жаркий

#newspapers
#dailydigest

Настоящая english-friendly zone 🌱

Если хочешь попрактиковать свой английский без лишнего прессинга (в виде «вдруг я ничего не пойму», «у меня не тот акцент», я не смогу использовать сложные инструкции на ходу») - приезжай в …Дубай

Тут настолько охотно все говорят на английском, что ухо и глаз радуется
А самое главное, говори как хочешь!
Хоть с ошибками, хоть «не с тем» акцентом

И еще мне очень нравится как они везде добавляют хабиби

Мне это напомнило манчестерское love
(How much is that, love
How are you today, love)
Чудесно🌱


PS Может в этом и секрет - не париться - говорить как получается и точка

Am having my holidays ongoing 🥥
Gonna be off for a while 🍈

Meanwhile remain engaged, guys!

Here there are some refs for you

#vocabulary
#checkEng
#говорикрасиво
#мысли
#grammar
#непереводчик
#culture
#dailydigest
#grammarВзлом
#tonguetwisters
#помощьзала

Happy Saturday, everyone

💃🏼dressed to kill
💃🏼dressed to the nines

They will judge you on looks…

100% fashion is an ever-evolving reflection of culture, identity, and personal expression

I’m deeply convinced that being sharp-dressed is not just the way of self expression but also a sign of respect to everyone

Style remains a powerful medium for creativity and individuality, inviting everyone to participate in the ongoing dialogue about who we are and how we wish to be seen

(быть одетым с иголочки/одет сногсшибателено)

➡️Do you try to be dressed to the nines when it’s a special occasion (or don’t have time for it)?

#vocabulary
#мысли

Answers key word transformation

➡️Under NO CIRCUMSTANCE SHOULD you let anyone else use your credit card

(ни при каких обстоятельствах (under no circumstances-> требует инверсию -> should you)

➡️I need TO GET MY PASSPORT RENEWED because I’m going abroad this summer

to get something done одна из конструкций, которые передают завершенность действия - to get my hair cut, to get new security system installed

#checkEng

Потренируемся? 🏋🏼‍♂️

#checkEng

Выбрала 2 неочевидных примера из key word transformation

➡️You must never let anyone use your credit card

(SHOULD)

Under ____________ let anyone else use your credit card

➡️ My passport needs renewing because I’m going abroad this summer

(GET)

I need ____________because I’m going abroad this summer

Ответы с разбором чуть позже выложу

Modals in brief с хохмами*

1. Ability: "I can swim" = a skill возможность
2. Possibility: "It might rain" = uncertainty неуверенность
3. Permission: "May I leave?" = asks for consent спросить разрешение
4. Obligation: "You must finish your homework" = necessity необходимость
5. Advice: "You should see a doctor" = recommendation рекомендация


*jests/boffs

#grammar

Must или не must?

Нам в школе всегда говорили - когда «должен», говори must
Но так ли это на самом то деле?

📎deductions and conclusions - наверное

He must be no more than four years old - ему наверное не больше 4х лет
-Twelve years ago Kevin and I went on a six-week camping trip
-That must have been fun

📎strong obligation and necessity (но только когда это исходит от меня или же от авторитетного источника (teachers, doctors, rules, laws) - должен

Seat belts must be worn even in the back of the car
You must not make noise after 9 o’clock

📎polite invitations or encouragement - обязательно нужно

You must try some of this chocolate cake. It’s delicious

*must = present

#grammar

Good morning, sir ☕️ 📰
Here’s your fresh newspaper

Boff - a joke/a scientist
Wipe us out - destroy us
Scumbag - thug, отморозок
Let-off - smn was realised
Perv - извоащенец
Scrapped - utilised, cancelled
Busk - improvise
Boozer - alcohol drink or любитель выпить

#newspapers

A calm and unhurried Sunday 😴

Here’s your a lil bit late newspaper 🗞️

to sack - to get fired
nerves of steel - stress resistant
topple - overthrow
face smth - to deal with
hostage - prisoner
stardom - fame

#newspapers

👅

thorough тщательный [ˈθʌrə]
through через [θruː]
though хотя(хоть) [ðəʊ]
tough тяжелый [tʌf]
throughout повсюду [θruːˈaʊt]

#vocabulary

spot on*🌱

go feral - lose control переставать себе принадлежать

run wild/go rogue пуститься во все тяжкие

*в точку

I’m just outraged and terrified -

where are all those qualified native speakers…

Will share with you what nonsense I’ve found on profi ru

Gosh, I better didn’t see that 😩

FYI guys - сертификата TESOL недостаточно, чтобы называть себя qualified (а кто-то даже и этого слова не знает..)

А самое главное таких ребят тааак много
Минимальное образования, просто «я родился в Англии» (whaat)

Это все к вопросу о том, что native speakerы уже не видят краёв, they are totally lost

Я, конечно, все понимаю, нэйтив спикеры нужны, нейтив спикеры важны, но быть qualified никто не отменял (особенно когда это 9к за 90мин)

Lads and lasses,
всегда смотрите на образование (все-таки в этой профессии оно играет основополагающую роль)

На эту тему еще тут

Cheers ❤️

#мысли

A friend among strangers …😑

There are several words and expressions commonly used across the UK representing cultural characteristics of the country (yes we knew it!)

So if you travel around this area, have a look so you can fit right in

📍Comic relief - used in reference to the charity event that features comedy to raise funds for good causes

📍The Pennines are a mountain range in northern England, often referred to as the "backbone of England." They stretch from the North Peak region in the south to the Scottish border in the north and are known for their scenic beauty, walking trails, and rich wildlife

📍Hot cross buns are sweet, spiced buns made with currants or raisins and marked with a cross on top. They are traditionally eaten during Lent, especially on Good Friday, and are associated with Easter customs in the UK

📍Greggs is a popular bakery chain in the UK, known for its pastries, sandwiches, and baked goods. It has become a cultural icon

📍EastEnders is a long-running British soap opera that airs on BBC One. Set in the fictional borough of Walford in East London, it follows the lives of the residents and explores various social issues, relationships, and family dynamics

📍Penny for the guy is a traditional phrase associated with Guy Fawkes Night in the UK, celebrated on November 5th. Children would ask for a "penny for the guy" as they displayed a dummy (the "guy") representing Guy Fawkes, who attempted to blow up the Houses of Parliament in 1605

📍Rule, Britannia! is a patriotic song that originated from a poem by James Thomson in the early 18th century, set to music by Thomas Arne. It celebrates British naval power and national pride, often associated with British identity and heritage. The phrase "Rule, Britannia!" has come to symbolize the spirit of British patriotism

📍Scouse refers to the dialect and accent associated with the people of Liverpool, England. It is also used to describe the local culture and cuisine. Additionally, "Scouse" is often used informally to refer to a person from Liverpool

⬆️Any ideas what else (expressions)can be referred to cultural identity?

📍Pics - Liverpool

#culture

Hey lads and lasses,

Here’s where it all started (the language, yes) 📍

I remember when I was studying at uni I did enjoy everything connected to the history of the language
That was engaging, indeed

The timeline in brief ➡️

1️⃣Anglo-Saxon Settlement
2️⃣Old English
3️⃣Viking Influence
4️⃣Norman Conquest
5️⃣Middle English
6️⃣Early Modern English
7️⃣Modern English

Check comments for an expanded version

+ more than hundreds of distinct accents (будем все учить?😰)

1️⃣England:

Received Pronunciation (RP): Often considered the "standard" British accent
Cockney: Associated with East London

Estuary English: A blend of RP and Cockney, common in Southeast England

West Country: Found in the southwestern regions, such as Cornwall and Devon

Yorkshire: Distinctive accent from the Yorkshire region

Scouse: The accent of Liverpool

Geordie: The accent of Newcastle and surrounding areas

Mancunian: The accent of Manchester

Brummie: The accent of Birmingham

2️⃣Scotland:

Glaswegian: The accent of Glasgow

Edinburgh: The accent of Scotland's capital

Highland and Lowland accents: Various accents depending on the region

3️⃣Wales:

North Welsh: Accents from North Wales

South Welsh: Accents from South Wales, including Cardiff

4️⃣Northern Ireland:

Various accents, including those from Belfast and Derry


#culture

To get creative juices flowing - to help, enable, or inspire one to think in a creative manner, especially in order to create art 🪄

To abandon myself - to help, enable, or inspire one to think in a creative manner, especially in order to create art 🪄

#vocabulary

I’m a foodie!

Do you like cooking the same way they do?😅

I mean, this person has the most vivid imagination ever probs

*Twat - an idiot - an innocent way to express your emotions towards someone you feel like they’re st*pid🫢

British synonyms below ⤵️

*Wally
*Plonker
*Nutter

He's a bit of a nutter
What did you do that for, you plonker?
I look a right wally in these shorts!

Since my marriage I’ve been cooking a lot😅 And all that time I try to give it my best shot, I mean like each and every time

That’s the reason why I recently have felt the lack of scrumptious meal ideas 💡
And right after these thoughts I’ve found this diamond (in the pic)
I love it soo much

Now need something similar but in Eng!

#vocabulary

Everybody just seems to run wild about DeepSeek 🤯

Trump says “The release of DeepSeek, AI from a Chinese company, should be a wake-up call for our industries that we need to be laser-focused on competing to win”

Meanwhile I’m laser-focused on making the most out of AI in terms of my work👩‍💻

Sooooo

I asked AI about threats AI can pose for humanity 🫣
Here’s what it answers

⤵️ ⤵️ ⤵️

The rise of artificial intelligence brings several potential threats that warrant attention.

1. Job Displacement: Automation through AI can lead to significant job losses in various industries, impacting millions of workers.

2. Privacy Concerns: AI technologies often require massive amounts of data, leading to risks of unauthorized data usage and breaches of personal privacy.

3. Bias and Discrimination: AI systems may inherit biases present in their training data, leading to unfair treatment in areas like hiring or lending.

4. Security Risks: AI can be exploited for malicious purposes, such as creating deepfakes or enhancing cyber attacks.

5. Loss of Control: As AI becomes more autonomous, there's a risk that humans may lose oversight over critical systems and decision-making processes.


Соглашаемся or hogwash*?

*чушь

#мысли

Have you already heard about a new Chinese chat GPT - “a rival” to an American one (at least how they put it)?

Use wisely when you learn English
Enjoy https://chat.deepseek.com/

🔻To overtake - to grow, develop, or progress more quickly than something else

🔻Turning point - the time at which a situation starts to change in an important way

🔻Breakthrough - an important discovery or event that helps to improve a situation or provide an answer to a problem

Ответы key word transformation 😍

B1
Sing so well as

She doesn’t sing so well as her brother

As ___ as сравнительная конструкция
(Not)So ___ as сравнительная конструкция, но уже отрицательная

B2
The second time I’ve been

This is only the second time I have been to America

Present Perfect - действие началось в пошлом, но результат важен сейчас

C2
Came to light when

The mistake in the accounts only came to light when the figures were re-checked

Come to light - (idiom) to become known publicly

#checkEng