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Value or values—know which one you bring to clients

Cartoon of two businessmen, one holding a large coin and the other, a small one

While the words "value" and "values" are deceptively alike, they actually have two different meanings. 

  • Value (uncountable) is your worth. What you bring to the table. In Japanese, the equivalent to it would be the word 価値.
  • Values (countable, usually used with “s”) are your important and lasting beliefs or ideals. In other words, your principles. The Japanese word here would be 価値観.

Avoid saying DELICIOUS

strawberry torte

Japanese people say "delicious" far more often than native English speakers do. The reason is that "delicious" is a direct translation from a Japanese word that is very commonly used in Japanese. But translating directly from your native language is a big roadblock when you are learning a language.

Your accent may be okay

Woman with alphabet letters coming out of her mouth.

There is no such thing as a "native English accent". English speakers from Boston sound much different than those from South London, Sydney or Delhi. Sometimes the differences in accents between native speakers can be so great, we can't understand each other!

Fighting motivation

Keeping motivated is something that everyone struggles with from time to time. Whether it’s motivation to exercise, eat healthy, study, or learn a new language, we’ve all found ourselves lacking the drive and energy to work at whatever goals we’ve set for ourselves.

G.B.C. sample answer: Japan cultural experience

Spring blossoms in Kyoto

Here, we are going to look at a very common question which usually comes up at the start of a GBC interview. Of course, the answer to questions about Japanese cultural experiences is a very subjective one. I'm sure all of you will have his or her own answer.