4 Unique Valentine’s Day Gift Ideas for Language Lovers
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No matter how long you and your partner have been together, finding the right Valentine’s gift is often a tricky thing to do. One of the reasons why we often fail because we tend to buy things that we would love to receive ourselves, instead of thinking about what the other person might want.
For this reason, the first thing you have to do is ask yourself what your partner’s interests are. If they are into music, a ticket to a concert could be a great idea. Are they adventurous? Then you can buy them some camping gear and propose a weekend getaway.
Today, however, we want to help those looking for the perfect gift for a language lover. Has your partner already tried all the language learning apps out there? You don’t need to worry. Below, you will find four presents that your language-loving valentine will find both romantic and enriching.
Personalized journals
If you enjoy making personalized gifts rather than just getting something from a store, you can compile a photo album with your favorite memories together, and add inspirational and romantic quotes in a foreign language. That way, every time your partner opens it they will read something beautiful in the target language.
Imagine, for example, that your partner is learning Italian. You can accompany your pictures with phrases such as:
Questa è stata la prima volta che ci siamo incontrati. Sei ancora bella come lo eri allora.
(This was the first time we met. You’re still as beautiful as you were then.)
If your partner is not particularly romantic, then you can just add some motivational quotes so that they can learn how to say positive, thoughtful things in the language they love. Why don’t you try something like this?
Rendi la tua vita un capolavoro; non immaginate limiti a ciò che potete essere, avere o fare.
(Make your life a masterpiece; imagine no limitations on what you can be, have or do.
Bilingual books
Many people who are interested in languages are also interested in literature and learning in general. If your partner loves reading, a bilingual book might be the perfect gift for them. Usually, dual-language books come in beautiful, hard-cover editions that allow you to compare pieces of texts in the two languages. This way, readers get to learn lots of vocabulary by doing something they find interesting and meaningful.
Take, for example, the bilingual edition of “If No, Winter”, by Sappho, translated by the celebrated Canadian poet Anne Carson. This edition contains Sappho’s original verses in ancient Greek (shown in the original handwriting) alongside Carson’s translations.
But there are more contemporary options as well. Some best-selling novels, such as Hold, by Michael Donkor, are written in one main language but feature lots of terms and expressions in a second language. Donkor’s novel, for example, comes with a glossary of Twi words that appear throughout the book, which makes the novel a great learning resource.
A romantic dinner in a foreign restaurant
Whenever we think of other cultures, two things come to mind almost immediately. Their language and their food. By taking your partner out to a foreign restaurant, you can combine the two of them and learn some foreign terms while trying new flavors.
If you want to have extra fun, you can challenge your partner to use only the target language from the minute you get into the car till the moment you get back home. So, if you go to a Mexican restaurant, for example, you can’t just tell the waiter to bring you the menu in your old, plain English. Instead, you will have to say “¿Me puede traer el menú, por favor?”.
So make sure you learn some useful expressions before you the date! (“Esto está demasiado picante” (This is too spicy) might come in handy).
Language Course Gift Vouchers
Is your partner more serious about wanting to learn a language? Do you want to give them something that will stay with them for the rest of their lives? Then we might have the best gift you could find.
With a language course voucher, you’re giving the person you love more than a memorable night, a wonderful book, or a beautiful token. With a language course, you’re offering them an experience of personal growth and development.
At Language Trainers, we offer personalized online courses on dozens of languages. Whether your partner wants to learn a new language from scratch or improve their current skills, we’ll come up with a tailor-made plan to suit their needs and interests. Based on his or her level and objectives, we’ll pair them up with an experienced and qualified native teacher that is both fully knowledgeable about the language they teach and very supportive of their students.
This Valentine’s Day, then, go for something truly special. Reach out to us and let us help you come up with the best learning experience specially designed for the one you love.