Journal: stories about connection across cultures

Two people talking at the water's edge at sunset

ESB223 October 2026Conversation7 min

The third culture: how intercultural couples build a language of their own

The gap beneath the language — and how to close it

Friends gathered on a waterfront at sunset, talking by the railings

ESB1/B222 October 2026Conversation6 min

When good news needs a listener

How we answer someone's good news can matter as much as the news itself.

Two people talking by the sea at dusk, softly out of focus

ESB1/B218 October 2026Conversation5 min

They liked you more than you think

After a conversation, most of us assume we made less of an impression than we did.

Two people at a small café table by a tall window, deep in conversation

ESB118 October 2026Conversation5 min

When a question does the work

Why small talk stalls, and what a better question does instead.

A figure behind a steamed-up café window, fairy lights blurred beyond

ESB1/B217 October 2026Wellbeing5 min

The quiet cost of thin talk

Connection is not the same as company.

The shadows of two people leaning close on a warm cream wall

ESB216 October 2026Language5 min

The language of the heart

What that tells us about closeness across languages.

A hand holding a Dime Más question card in Spanish with English beneath

15 October 2026Learning Spanish6 min

50 Spanish conversation questions you'll actually use (with English)

Fifty questions in Spanish with the English beside them, for dinner, a walk or a language exchange. They work in any language.

A Dime Más box on a pile of books in a room lit by a warm lamp

15 October 2026Conversation6 min

A night in without screens: a conversation game for two

Phones in another room, a box of questions and someone you like. That's the whole evening.

Dime Más card boxes and cards on a pile of books on a wooden table

15 October 2026Travel6 min

Gifts for someone learning Spanish (that they'll actually use)

Skip the novelty mug. The best present for someone learning a language is usually a reason to speak it with someone they like.

Dime Más card boxes on a shelf at home beside an old radio and a plant

15 October 2026Learning Spanish6 min

How to practise speaking a language at home, without a teacher

You don't need a classroom to practise speaking. You need a question, ten minutes and someone to listen, even if that's you.

Coffee being poured on a table by a bright window

15 October 2026Conversation5 min

How to run a language exchange that doesn't fizzle out

Language exchanges usually fizzle because nobody knows what to ask. A shared question and a timer go a long way.

The shadow of a hand holding a cup on a warm plaster wall

15 October 2026Learning Spanish5 min

How to stop translating in your head when you speak

Nearly everyone does it. Here's how to loosen the habit, without pretending it switches off in a week.

Someone writing in a notebook at a table with a cup of coffee

15 October 2026Learning Spanish6 min

Journaling in Spanish: 30 prompts for intermediate learners

Thirty prompts to write about in Spanish and then say out loud, for anyone who understands more than they can say yet.

Dime Más cards in the middle of a game on a table, with coffee and hands

15 October 2026Learning Spanish5 min

A1 to B2: what the Spanish levels actually feel like in conversation

The official descriptions only tell you so much. This is what each level tends to feel like when you're sat across from someone, and how to pick the right box.

A café terrace lit with string lights on a rainy evening

15 October 2026Travel5 min

Spanish phrases for travel that start real conversations

A few Spanish phrases and questions that get people talking when you travel, beyond ordering a coffee.

A warm café seen through a window, empty chairs and soft lights inside

15 October 2026Travel6 min

Spanish sayings (refranes) and the conversations they start

A few well known refranes, what they mean, and why asking someone about a saying usually gets you a story.

Two people talking across a table over coffee

15 October 2026Conversation7 min

Talking with your partner's family in another language: questions that help

You love the people, but the language still sits between you. A few questions that help without turning lunch into a lesson.

Hands holding Dime Más question cards against a warm peach background

15 October 2026Wellbeing6 min

Why speaking another language feels so scary, and what helps

Most of the fear isn't about grammar. It's about being watched while you look for the word.

Friends round a wooden table sharing dinner, seen from above

1 October 2026Conversation5 min

The question that turned dinner into a conversation

The plates were down and the talk was all logistics. Then someone asked something you couldn't answer with a nod.

Dos personas hablando a la orilla del agua al atardecer

B223 de octubre de 2026Conversación7 min

La tercera cultura: cómo las parejas interculturales construyen su propio lenguaje

La distancia que hay debajo del idioma — y cómo acortarla

Amigos reunidos junto al agua al atardecer, charlando junto a la barandilla

B1/B222 de octubre de 2026Conversación6 min

Cuando una buena noticia necesita a alguien que la escuche

Cómo respondemos a la buena noticia de alguien puede importar tanto como la noticia misma.

Dos personas en una mesa pequeña de café junto a un ventanal, en plena conversación

B118 de octubre de 2026Conversación6 min

Cuando una pregunta hace el trabajo

Por qué la charla superficial se queda corta, y qué consigue una buena pregunta.

Dos personas hablando junto al mar al atardecer, ligeramente desenfocadas

B1/B218 de octubre de 2026Conversación5 min

Te cayeron mejor de lo que crees

Tras una conversación, casi siempre creemos que causamos peor impresión de la que causamos.

Una figura tras el cristal empañado de un café, con luces difuminadas al fondo

B1/B217 de octubre de 2026Bienestar5 min

El coste silencioso de la charla superficial

La conexión no es lo mismo que la compañía.

Las sombras de dos personas muy cerca sobre una pared crema y cálida

B216 de octubre de 2026Lengua6 min

La lengua del corazón

Por qué la lengua materna pesa más, y qué nos dice eso sobre la cercanía entre lenguas.

Deux personnes qui parlent au bord de l'eau au coucher du soleil

B223 octobre 2026Conversation8 min

La troisième culture : comment les couples interculturels construisent leur propre langage

L'écart sous la langue — et comment le combler

Des amis réunis au bord de l’eau au coucher du soleil, qui discutent près de la balustrade

B1/B222 octobre 2026Conversation6 min

Quand une bonne nouvelle a besoin d’une oreille

La façon dont on accueille la bonne nouvelle de quelqu’un peut compter autant que la nouvelle elle-même.

Deux personnes à une petite table de café près d’une haute fenêtre, plongées dans la conversation

B118 octobre 2026Conversation6 min

Quand une question fait le travail

Pourquoi les banalités s’essoufflent, et ce que fait une meilleure question à la place.

Deux personnes qui parlent au bord de la mer au crépuscule, légèrement floues

B1/B218 octobre 2026Conversation5 min

Vous leur avez plu plus que vous ne le pensez

Après une conversation, nous pensons presque toujours avoir fait moins bonne impression qu’en réalité.

Une silhouette derrière la vitre embuée d’un café, des guirlandes lumineuses floues au-delà

B1/B217 octobre 2026Bien-être6 min

Le coût discret des échanges superficiels

Le lien n’est pas la même chose que la compagnie.

Les ombres de deux personnes penchées l’une vers l’autre sur un mur crème et chaleureux

B216 octobre 2026Langue6 min

La langue du cœur

Ce que cela nous apprend sur la proximité entre les langues.

Zwei Menschen, die bei Sonnenuntergang am Wasser miteinander reden

B223. Oktober 2026Gespräch7 Min.

Die dritte Kultur: Wie interkulturelle Paare ihre eigene Sprache entwickeln

Die Lücke unter der Sprache — und wie ihr sie schließen könnt

Freunde, die sich bei Sonnenuntergang am Wasser treffen und am Geländer plaudern

B1/B222. Oktober 2026Gespräch5 Min.

Wenn gute Nachrichten ein offenes Ohr brauchen

Wie wir auf die gute Nachricht eines anderen reagieren, kann so viel zählen wie die Nachricht selbst.

Zwei Menschen im Gespräch am Meer in der Abenddämmerung, leicht unscharf

B1/B218. Oktober 2026Gespräch5 Min.

Du kamst besser an, als du denkst

Nach einem Gespräch glauben wir fast immer, schlechter angekommen zu sein, als es wirklich der Fall war.

Zwei Menschen an einem kleinen Cafétisch an einem hohen Fenster, ins Gespräch vertieft

B118. Oktober 2026Gespräch5 Min.

Wenn eine Frage die Arbeit macht

Warum Smalltalk ins Stocken gerät, und was eine bessere Frage stattdessen bewirkt.

Eine Gestalt hinter einem beschlagenen Caféfenster, dahinter verschwommene Lichterketten

B1/B217. Oktober 2026Wohlbefinden5 Min.

Der leise Preis dünner Gespräche

Verbundenheit ist nicht dasselbe wie Gesellschaft.

Die Schatten zweier Menschen, die sich an einer warmen, cremefarbenen Wand nahekommen

B216. Oktober 2026Sprache5 Min.

Die Sprache des Herzens

Was das über Nähe zwischen Sprachen verrät.

Due persone che parlano in riva all'acqua al tramonto

B223 ottobre 2026Conversazione7 min

La terza cultura: come le coppie interculturali costruiscono un linguaggio tutto loro

Il divario sotto la lingua — e come colmarlo

Amici riuniti in riva all’acqua al tramonto, che chiacchierano vicino alla ringhiera

B1/B222 ottobre 2026Conversazione5 min

Quando una buona notizia ha bisogno di qualcuno che ascolti

Il modo in cui accogliamo la buona notizia di qualcuno può contare quanto la notizia stessa.

Due persone a un tavolino di un caffè accanto a un’alta finestra, immerse nella conversazione

B118 ottobre 2026Conversazione5 min

Quando una domanda fa il lavoro

Perché le chiacchiere di circostanza si inceppano, e cosa fa invece una domanda migliore.

Due persone che parlano in riva al mare al tramonto, leggermente sfocate

B1/B218 ottobre 2026Conversazione5 min

Sei piaciuto più di quanto pensi

Dopo una conversazione, pensiamo quasi sempre di aver fatto un’impressione peggiore di quella reale.

Una figura dietro la vetrina appannata di un caffè, con luci a filo sfocate sullo sfondo

B1/B217 ottobre 2026Benessere5 min

Il costo silenzioso delle chiacchiere sottili

Il legame non è la stessa cosa della compagnia.

Le ombre di due persone vicine su una parete color crema, calda

B216 ottobre 2026Lingua5 min

La lingua del cuore

Che cosa ci dice sulla vicinanza tra le lingue.

Duas pessoas a conversar à beira de água ao pôr do sol

B223 de outubro de 2026Conversa7 min

A terceira cultura: como os casais interculturais constroem uma linguagem própria

O intervalo por baixo da língua — e como fechá-lo

Amigos reunidos junto à água ao pôr do sol, a conversar perto do gradeamento

B1/B222 de outubro de 2026Conversa5 min

Quando uma boa notícia precisa de quem a ouça

A forma como recebemos a boa notícia de alguém pode importar tanto como a própria notícia.

Duas pessoas a conversar junto ao mar ao entardecer, ligeiramente desfocadas

B1/B218 de outubro de 2026Conversa5 min

Gostaram mais de ti do que pensas

Depois de uma conversa, achamos quase sempre que causámos pior impressão do que realmente causámos.

Duas pessoas numa pequena mesa de café junto a uma janela alta, absorvidas na conversa

B118 de outubro de 2026Conversa5 min

Quando uma pergunta faz o trabalho

Porque é que a conversa de circunstância empanca, e o que faz uma pergunta melhor em vez disso.

Uma figura atrás da janela embaciada de um café, com luzinhas desfocadas ao fundo

B1/B217 de outubro de 2026Bem-estar5 min

O custo silencioso da conversa fina

Ligação não é o mesmo que companhia.

As sombras de duas pessoas muito próximas numa parede creme e quente

B216 de outubro de 2026Língua6 min

A língua do coração

O que isso nos diz sobre a proximidade entre línguas.

B1/B22026年10月23日会話9 分

第三の文化：異文化カップルはどのようにふたりだけの言語を築くのか

言葉の下にある隙間——そして、その閉じ方

B1/B22026年10月22日会話8 分

いい知らせには、聞いてくれる人がいる

誰かのいい知らせにどう応えるかは、その知らせそのものと同じくらい大切かもしれません。

B1/B22026年10月18日会話7 分

あなたは思っているより好かれている

会話のあと、私たちはほとんどいつも、実際より悪い印象を与えたと思ってしまいます。

B12026年10月18日会話8 分

質問がはたらくとき

世間話が行き詰まる理由と、よりよい質問がかわりにしてくれること。

B1/B22026年10月17日ウェルビーイング7 分

薄い会話の静かな代償

つながりは、誰かと一緒にいることと同じではありません。

B22026年10月16日ことば8 分

心のことば

言語をまたいだ近さについて、それが教えてくれること。

B1/B22026年10月23日对话6 分钟

第三种文化：跨文化伴侣如何建立属于自己的语言

语言背后的那道隔阂——以及如何跨越它

B1/B22026年10月22日对话6 分钟

好消息，也需要有人倾听

我们如何回应别人的好消息，可能和消息本身一样重要。

B1/B22026年10月18日对话5 分钟

他们比你想的更喜欢你

一次谈话之后，我们几乎总以为自己给人的印象比实际更差。

B12026年10月18日对话5 分钟

当一个问题开始起作用

为什么寒暄会冷场，而一个更好的问题能带来什么。

B1/B22026年10月17日身心健康5 分钟

浅聊的无声代价

联结并不等于陪伴。

B22026年10月16日语言6 分钟

心的语言

这告诉了我们什么关于跨语言的亲近。

B223 أكتوبر 2026الحديث6 دقائق

الثقافة الثالثة: كيف يبني الأزواج من ثقافات مختلفة لغتهم الخاصة

الهوّة الكامنة تحت اللغة — وكيف تُجسِّرها

أصدقاء مجتمعون على ضفة الماء عند الغروب، يتحدثون بجانب السياج

B1/B222 أكتوبر 2026الحديث4 دقائق

حين يحتاج الخبر السار إلى من يصغي إليه

طريقة استقبالنا لخبر سار يخص غيرنا قد تكون بأهمية الخبر نفسه.

شخصان يتحدثان على شاطئ البحر عند الغسق، والصورة مشوّشة قليلًا

B1/B218 أكتوبر 2026الحديث4 دقائق

أحبّوك أكثر مما تظن

بعد المحادثة، نظن دائمًا تقريبًا أننا تركنا انطباعًا أسوأ مما تركناه فعلًا.

شخصان إلى طاولة صغيرة في مقهى بجانب نافذة عالية، مستغرقان في الحديث

B118 أكتوبر 2026الحديث4 دقائق

حين يقوم السؤال بالعمل

لماذا تتعثر الأحاديث العابرة، وماذا يفعل السؤال الأفضل بدلًا منها.

شخص خلف نافذة مقهى يكسوها البخار، وخلفه أضواء زينة ضبابية

B1/B217 أكتوبر 2026الرفاه4 دقائق

الثمن الصامت للأحاديث السطحية

الصلة ليست هي الصحبة.

ظلّا شخصين يميلان أحدهما نحو الآخر على جدار دافئ بلون الكريم

B216 أكتوبر 2026اللغة5 دقائق

لغة القلب

ما الذي يخبرنا به ذلك عن القرب بين اللغات.

Dime Más Cards

Dime Más Journal

One question, every week.

Stories that start conversations.

The third culture: how intercultural couples build a language of their own

When good news needs a listener

They liked you more than you think

When a question does the work

The quiet cost of thin talk

The language of the heart

50 Spanish conversation questions you'll actually use (with English)

A night in without screens: a conversation game for two

Gifts for someone learning Spanish (that they'll actually use)

How to practise speaking a language at home, without a teacher

How to run a language exchange that doesn't fizzle out

How to stop translating in your head when you speak

Journaling in Spanish: 30 prompts for intermediate learners

A1 to B2: what the Spanish levels actually feel like in conversation

Spanish phrases for travel that start real conversations

Spanish sayings (refranes) and the conversations they start

Talking with your partner's family in another language: questions that help

Why speaking another language feels so scary, and what helps

The question that turned dinner into a conversation