Genine Torres

If you’ve ever wondered how people express love in Chinese, the Qixi Festival is the perfect place to start. Often called Chinese Valentine’s Day, this romantic holiday, which falls on August 29th, 2025, is based on the legendary love story of Niulang (牛郎) and Zhinü (织女). In this

If you've ever been to a nijikai (二次会) in Japan, you know karaoke is where the real fun begins. Your coworkers grab the songbook, flip through pages of familiar hits, and suddenly everyone’s looking at you expectantly. Those moments made my stomach drop when I first arrived

If you’re reading this, there’s a 90% chance you already have playlists for every mood. Maybe you’ve got one for your morning jogs, long drives, or lazy Sundays. I know because I'm exactly like you. This is why I want to ask you: Have you

Looking for a fun way to surprise your friends? Skip the usual "friend" and try "amigo," "صديق" (sadiq), or "친구" (chingu) instead. You see, learning to say "friend" in someone's native language may seem like a tiny detail,

Since you're reading this, I have a feeling that you're trying to be the worldly traveler who knows a little bit of everything, so you memorize 'ich liebe dich' (I love you in German) for your European adventure, but then you realize you have

You might already know how to say I love you in Chinese. But have you ever wondered how people express love in German, Swahili, or Korean? Across the globe, those three little words take many different forms, and each version carries its own rhythm, culture, and emotion. In this guide,

When learning basic Japanese words, you might focus on greetings, simple questions, and polite phrases. But once you start watching anime or interacting with native speakers, you’ll quickly realize that textbook basics aren’t enough. Real Japanese actually relies heavily on context, tone, and expressions that carry meaning far

Ever notice Japanese words in anime that sound oddly like English? That’s no coincidence. When characters say things like "スマホ" (sumaho) for smartphone or "コンビニ" (konbini) for convenience store, they’re using Japanese English words—loanwords adapted from English into Japanese. These moments are fun

You're melting in 42-degree heat in Seville when a local walks by and mutters "¡Qué bochorno!" You know calor means heat, but what’s bochorno? Why does everyone disappear between 2 and 5 pm? And how do you ask for directions to the nearest helado shop