Podcasts – Episode Library

Coffee Break French

CBF Mag 2.07 | La France derrière le regard impressionniste

The topic of this episode of the Coffee Break French Magazine is French painter and founder of impressionist painting, Claude Monet. As we hear about his life and work throughout the text, Mark and Pierre-Benoît focus on the language used before Sophie joins Mark to discuss some interesting quotations by Pissarro. We also hear examples

Coffee Break Italian

CBI Mag 2.06 | Pandoro o Panettone? Questo è il dilemma!

Pandoro o Panettone? That is the question Mark and Francesca are discussing in this episode of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine! While listening to a text about these traditional Italian Christmas cakes, take note of any new words or phrases you hear, such as tanto che, dibattito infiammato and brevettare. We also learn about the passive structures with venire instead of essere; nonostante +

Coffee Break German

CBG Mag 2.06 | Labskaus

We hope you’re hungry as this episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine is all about a traditional North German dish made of potatoes, beef, pickles and beetroot. This used to be a sailor’s dish but today it’s found all over Northern Europe, and there are lots of different variations. This episode will give you

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.17 | Qualifiers | Ich finde ihn ganz nett

In this episode of Coffee Break German Season 3 we are discussing the new topic of qualifying adverbs: sehr, ziemlich, außerordentlich, völlig. We also listen to a conversation between school students Manuela, Tina and Tobias, who are discussing the latest developments at school and what they think of them. Some vocabulary to look out for

Coffee Break Spanish

CBS Mag 4.06 | Isabel Allende

In this episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine, Mark and Anabel discuss a text about the life and work of a very famous novelist who was born in Chile – Isabel Allende. While learning more about Isabel Allende throughout the text, we discuss some interesting language points including regular and irregular participles and the

Coffee Break French

CBF Mag 2.06 | Mais d’où viennent les frites ?

Mais d’où viennent les frites ? That is the question Mark and Pierre-Benoît are addressing in this episode of the Coffee Break French Magazine! We hope you’re hungry as we hear a range of useful food-related words and expressions in this episode, such as manger sur le pouce, avoir la frite and ne pas avoir

Coffee Break German

CBG Mag 2.05 | Die Habsburger

We’re halfway through the Coffee Break German Magazine Season 3! In Episode 5 we listen to a text about the Habsburg dynasty and its legacy. We hear lots of new vocabulary and grammar points which Mark and Andrea explain along the way. Be sure to listen until the end to learn about a proverb which

Coffee Break Italian

CBI Mag 2.05 | Tempio del Valadier: un tempio scavato nella roccia

In this episode of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine we’re exploring a very special temple built inside a natural cave in the region of Marche. After hearing a text about this impressive piece or architecture, Mark and Francesca explain a variety of language points including: how to express nuances of colours; the present participle, and

Coffee Break German

CBG 3.16 | Temporal prepositions | Sie arbeitet seit zwei Jahren in München

We’re focusing on a brand new topic in this episode of Coffee Break German Season 3: temporal prepositions. Join Mark and Andrea as they discuss temporal prepositions, such as seit, ab, and von… bis, before hearing them in context during a dialogue in which Herr Kühne has a job interview with Frau Dr. Hofmann. Vocabulary

Coffee Break Italian

CBI 3.16 | Indefinite adjectives and pronouns | Scopriamo la Puglia con Nicola

Welcome back to another episode of Coffee Break Italian Season 3! The topic of this episode is indefinite adjectives and pronouns – words used to express indefinite quantities without any specific reference to quantities, people, things, or places. Throughout the lesson, Mark and Francesca focus on the most widely used indefinite adjectives and pronouns in

Coffee Break French

CBF Mag 2.05 | L’ancêtre du cinéma français

In this episode of the Coffee Break French Magazine we’re heading to the cinema! After hearing a text about French cinema, Mark and Pierre-Benoît break down the language, focusing on some useful vocabulary for talking about films, such as: réalisateur, le septième art and trucages. Listen out for examples of the subjunctive, the gerund and

Coffee Break German

CBG Mag 2.04 | Hansestädte

Welcome to another episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine! This time, our hosts, Mark and Andrea, focus on a text about the Hanse (a trade/military network of cities between the 12th and 17th century) and the Hanseatic cities of Germany. We discuss the cities which were part of the Hanseatic league and how this

Coffee Break Italian

CBI Mag 2.04 | Samantha Cristoforetti: un’italiana alla Stazione Spaziale Internazionale

Explore the life and work of Samantha Cristoforetti, Italy’s first female astronaut, and learn grammar points. We’re back with another episode of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine! This time, our text is all about the first female Italian astronaut, Samantha Cristoforetti! Join Mark and Francesca as they learn about her impressive life and work while

Coffee Break Italian

CBI 3.15 | Conditional perfect | Notizie dal telegiornale

Welcome back to Coffee Break Italian Season 3! In this episode we continue our journey through the conditional. Following on from the previous episode where we introduced this new mood and explained its functions; we are now focusing on the conditional perfect. We hear this grammar point in context during a conversation between husband and

Coffee Break Spanish

CBS Mag 4.04 | La selva amazónica

We’re taking a virtual trip to Latin America as we’re visiting the Amazon jungle in this episode of the Coffee Break Spanish Magazine! Join Mark and Anabel and learn some interesting facts about this amazing place while listening out for the use of the negative imperative; adjectives like indígena and frondoso; and verbs such as

Coffee Break French

CBF Mag 2.04 | Vingt-quatre heures dans la province du Québec

This week, we’re taking a virtual trip to the French-speaking area of Canada: Québec! Throughout the lesson we share some of the top attractions in this beautiful province of Canada. Along the way, we hear examples of direct object pronouns, the pronoun y and examples of the future tense of the verbs avoir and être. Listen

Coffee Break German

CBG Mag 2.03 | Die Deutsche Bundesliga

We’re back with another episode of the Coffee Break German Magazine! We’re talking football this week, specifically the highest professional German football league. As we learn how the league works, we focus on some interesting language points including adjective declination and superlatives before rounding off the episode with the following proverb: Da liegt der Hund

Coffee Break Italian

CBI Mag 2.03 | La Festa del Primo Maggio

Welcome to another episode of the Coffee Break Italian Magazine! In this episode Mark and Francesca discuss how the 1st of May, also known as ‘Labour Day’ or ‘May Day’, is celebrated in Italy. After listening to a text about this celebration we take a closer look at the language covered, including the use of