Blog

Thinking of moving to the Netherlands? Many people might say “you don’t need to learn Dutch”, but there are varying requirements to meet depending on whether you need a visa, a residence permit, or citizenship. We’ll clear that up. Do you need to speak Dutch to live in the Netherlands?...

Words matter. Culture matters. Culture influences our vocabulary. For example, Swedes have many words for forestry. The Sami culture (located in Finland, Sweden, Norway) has 800 words for reindeer herding. Each culture has its frame of reference when we interpret words. Some words are difficult to translate because of a...

As our interconnected world continues to expand, cultural differences can create clashes, which hinder intercultural connectivity and collaboration. It also creates a wealth of opportunities, allowing us to leverage our differences for improved innovation, productivity and connection. Now, more than ever the value of learning a second, third or even...

As more and more companies do business in international markets, they often encounter unforeseen challenges that can lead to hilarious and, at times, cringe-worthy blunders. It is imperative to triple check your work, making sure you’re taking the necessary cultural perspectives into account. From mistranslations to cultural insensitivities, these unintentional...

Combining language, intercultural competence and DEI to create business advantages. Join us this fall for a series of free webinars about the future of international business, the challenges organisations face, and how to overcome them. Sign up! Labour markets are rapidly changing, something organisations all over the world are noticing...

Update:   If you’re coming to this page after the Summer has ended, don’t worry! We offer our Legal English course year-round! And for those who might be interested, we also offer a Business English course! Please let us know if you have any questions or requests.   It’s finally...

Today, Harald Kruithof is BBi Communications’s Group CEO. Coming from the Netherlands, he has been in the language education business for many years. Hans Dahlin, our Group Manager for Mergers and Acquisitions, has also been involved in the language industry for some time. As both have always strived to stay...

Have you ever considered how the languages we speak shape our world, offering colour and narrative to the complexity of the human experience? The Sapir–Whorf hypothesis, also known as the hypothesis of linguistic relativity, discusses just this. To make a long story short, it was first proposed in 1929 and...

Are you prepared for the future of international business? As automation and changing demographics impact labor pools and access to markets, organisations worldwide should be up-to-date on European labour market trends. To combat smaller labor pools, both legislative incentives and educational support are explored to encourage immigration and integration into...

Do you shake someone’s hand when you meet them? Hand-shaking is a common practice in the United States when meeting someone for the first time. Are you comfortable blowing your nose in public? Japanese culture does not appreciate public displays of mucus, thus blowing your nose is best saved for...