What even is Maltenglish?

If you’ve been hanging around our social media, you may have noticed that Maltese is our language of the week! One of Malta’s two official languages, Maltese holds the unique position of being the only Semitic language that is also an official language of the EU. But Malta’s tumultuous history has led to many other … Read more

Presenting: The uTalk Language Games!

We’ve been busy beavers here at uTalk for the past week or so, working hard to make sure everything stays running smoothly as we all transferred to working from home. Of course, we didn’t forget about any of you! We’ve also been working on a little special something to help keep you all busy, learning, … Read more

What Does the Loch Ness Monster Have To Do With Language Learning?

When it comes to learning a new language, where do you start? Pronunciation, maybe, or some listening? Then you’ll start learning words, phrases. Grammar. How to write. All these building blocks come together to help make up a language you can then communicate with. But, of course, communication is more than just words—it’s culture, too. … Read more

More Than Just Chinese: A Guide to Tonal Languages

This week’s language of the week is Punjabi, so, just like many of you, we’ve been learning more about it. Turns out, we discovered something quite interesting: Punjabi, the same as Mandarin, Cantonese and even Yoruba, is a tonal language! Not sure what that means? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Let’s start with what … Read more

Learning Languages with Music: A Taste of Ugandan Culture

Studies have proven that music can help when it comes to learning, boosting your mood and helping you to form memories. But when it comes to learning languages, in particular, there’s another way that music can help—they’re direct exposure to your target language! In this blog post, we’ll be looking at music from Uganda, as … Read more

The Turbulent Origins Behind International Mother Language Day

After protests turned deadly in East Pakistan in 1952, it seemed unlikely that the mainly-Bengali speaking protesters would ever realise their dream: that of Bengali being a recognised national language on the same level as Urdu. Years of unrest followed, culminating in acceptance of Bengali as an official national language and the creation of International … Read more

Namaste: Appreciation or Appropriation?

If you visit India, you might feel inclined to greet everyone with ‘namaste,’ a traditional Hindu greeting that shows your respect. But you might not hear the same thing in reply. In this blog post, we explore the origins of the word ‘namaste,’ how it is used in India today, and the impact of its … Read more

Valentine’s Day: Love Around the World

uTalk’s regular guest blogger and all-round language guru, Brian Loo Soon Hua, is back with our 500th published post, all about Valentine’s Day! Learn what to call your loved one in different languages—and maybe try some out on the 14th! It’s that time of year again; Valentine’s Day is just around the corner. If you’re … Read more