German

German Speaking Practice Online — Speak Naturally and Confidently | LEVITIN SCHOOL
05.10.2025

German Speaking Practice Online — Speak Naturally and Confidently

German

Choose your language → Why Speaking Practice Matters When it comes to learning German, grammar rules and vocabulary lists are important — but fluency begins the moment you start speaking.Many learners spend months memorizing words, yet freeze when it’s time to talk. Why? Because real communication is not built on theory — it’s built on […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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Von + Dative vs. The Genitive: Where German Really Draws the Line | LEVITIN SCHOOL
03.10.2025

Von + Dative vs. The Genitive: Where German Really Draws the Line

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Choose your language: Levitin Language School – Languages Introduction: The Myth of “Perfect Substitution” It is often claimed that von + dative has “replaced” the genitive case in modern German. Reality is far more nuanced. In casual speech, yes, von has expanded. But in many contexts von is clumsy, stylistically off, or grammatically impossible. This […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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Ficken: From Hitting to Swearing in German | LEVITIN SCHOOL
03.10.2025

Ficken: From Hitting to Swearing in German

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Language. Identity. Choice. Meaning.👉 Choose your language Why This Word Matters Few German words shock learners more than ficken. Today it is the direct equivalent of English “to fuck”. Vulgar, offensive, often taboo. But the story is more complex. Historically, ficken had a very different meaning: to hit, to rub, to move quickly. Only later […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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The Tone Problem: How International Business Goes Wrong Over One Sentence | LEVITIN SCHOOL
01.10.2025

The Tone Problem: How International Business Goes Wrong Over One Sentence

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Levitin Language School | Career and Language Skills 🔗 Choose your language Why Tone Matters More Than Grammar Most managers think grammar mistakes are the real danger in business English.The truth is different: grammar makes your email correct, but tone decides if people want to work with you. A single sentence, written with the wrong […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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Sein vs Haben — How to Choose the Right Auxiliary Verb in German | LEVITIN SCHOOL
25.09.2025

Sein vs Haben — How to Choose the Right Auxiliary Verb in German

German

Choose your language → Most learners of German stumble over one classic problem: should I use haben or sein as the auxiliary verb? In English, the answer is simple — we almost always use have. But in German, the choice between haben and sein follows strict rules, with some surprising exceptions. Let’s make it clear. […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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German Adjectives for Beginners: Rules and Examples | LEVITIN SCHOOL
24.09.2025

German Adjectives for Beginners: Rules and Examples

German

🔗 Choose your language Adjectives are words that describe nouns. In German, they are a little tricky because their endings change depending on the article and case. But don’t worry — the basic rules are simple once you see the patterns. Adjectives After Sein or Werden When an adjective comes after a verb like sein […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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The German Genitive Isn’t Dead: What It Still Does Better Than Anything Else | LEVITIN SCHOOL
24.09.2025

The German Genitive Isn’t Dead: What It Still Does Better Than Anything Else

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Choose your language: Levitin Language School – Languages Thesis: The Genitive Is Alive — Just Selective Saying “the genitive is dead” confuses frequency with function. In informal speech you’ll hear more von + dative, yes. But German still relies on the genitive for meanings and registers that von cannot replace without losing precision, flow, or […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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Between Words and Feelings: Why Translation Changes Across Languages, Generations, and Cultures
23.09.2025

Between Words and Feelings: Why Translation Changes Across Languages, Generations, and Cultures

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Choose your language: Levitin Language School – Languages Introduction: More Than Lyrics, More Than Words When we listen to a song or watch a film, we rarely think about how much of what we feel depends on language itself. A phrase that sounds natural and moving in Russian may feel flat in English, abstract in […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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Paradeiser vs Tomate: Why Austrians Don’t Eat Tomatoes | LEVITIN SCHOOL
23.09.2025

Paradeiser vs Tomate: Why Austrians Don’t Eat Tomatoes

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Language. Identity. Choice. Meaning.👉 Choose your language One Fruit, Two Words If you order a salad in Vienna and ask for Tomaten, people will understand you. But the local waiter may smile and reply: Ach, Sie meinen Paradeiser. Both mean tomato, but the word choice carries regional identity. Where Does “Paradeiser” Come From? The Austrian […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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“Nado zhit’” — A Song That Refuses to Die | LEVITIN SCHOOL
22.09.2025

“Nado zhit’” — A Song That Refuses to Die

Author’s Column | Tymur Levitin on Language, Meaning and Respect

Original Text (Russian) Надо жить, – мне сказала вчера, при свечах, кинув карты, цыганка,И в осеннюю полночь ушла, спрятав слезы под шелк полушалка.Надо жить, только, как и зачем, если знаю, что все ты забудешь,Если в бликах венчальных свечей не со мною стоять завтра будешь? Припев:Обманом глаз прекрасных бредить,Не каясь, досыта грешить.И для тебя, одной на […]

Tymur Levitin | LEVITIN SCHOOL Tymur Levitin
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