BEFORE WE DIVE IN
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When speaking about football, I have noticed something curious about my students.
Of course they are happy when Barça win.
But they are even happier when Real Madrid lose.
At times the pleasure they take in their rival’s misfortune is greater than the pleasure they take in their own success.
The Germans have a word for this:
Schadenfreude.
It literally means “harm-joy” or “damage joy.”
This week it’s been a common reaction, not only among Barça supporters.
You see, one of the consequences of the conflict with Iran is that British influencers in Dubai have quickly come to realise that the city is not the safe paradise that many portray on their instagram accounts.
It has even sparked a debate in Parliament about whether the British taxpayer should rescue them, despite the fact that they don’t pay tax in the UK.
Although I’m sure no one wishes them any real ill will (animadversión), there has certainly been a certain pleasure taken by some in their current situation.
I hope they all remain safe.
But the reality they are now living is very different from the image of life they had crafted.
And many people seem to be enjoying that fact.
Like I said, the Germans have a word for that.
The city is great. But we’re leaving
This week’s three tips:
SOMETHING TO AVOID 🫣
🤦🏻♀️ “I have envy”
Be careful if you ever want to say “tengo envidia”.
So you wouldn’t say:
I have envy of them, or
They have envy of her
You would say:
I envy them
They envy her
✅ “I’m envious”
In English we use the verb or adjective forms instead.
I’m envious of their lifestyle
SOMETHING TO SOUND CONFIDENT 🧐
👔 Business expressions
“Take satisfaction in”
To feel pleased or content because something has happened.
It often implies a quiet or personal sense of pleasure, sometimes when another person has failed or been proven wrong.
Many people seemed to take satisfaction in seeing the influencers’ lifestyle fall apart.
SOMETHING TO WATCH 👀
NEXT STEPS ➡️
Keep learning,
Jack & Krystallo
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