My marketing lessons from supporting foreign language learners

As marketers (and apparently I am one), we must understand how people interpret our language. Here, then, are some marketing lessons I’ve taken from supporting foreign language learners.

We constantly have to ask ourselves whether we communicate clearly, sensibly, and without causing confusion. This has become clearer to me recently. Since taking a voluntary break from paid work, I’ve spent Friday afternoons helping Ukrainian women improve their practical English.

Their language skills vary (all far better than my Ukrainian), but many struggle with everyday conversations, especially nuances and idioms, which English has in spades (for example!)

Olga Popova, who leads the group, was head of marketing communications at a major Ukrainian bank, part of OTP Group in Hungary. Her English is excellent, yet we sometimes doubt whether we fully understand each other.

I’m not a teacher and lack experience explaining my language to those who don’t speak it. This often leaves me searching for words while facing a silent, attentive group.

My biggest challenge has been finding synonyms they can understand. My brain often goes blank, especially under pressure.

Google Translate isn’t always helpful. While it suggests dictionary synonyms, it rarely confirms whether the meaning aligns in both languages.

Last week, we discussed a grim story from the Birmingham Mail. A young thug had fired fireworks indiscriminately on a residential street.

The word ‘thug’ translates to ‘бандит’ (pronounced bandyt). Translating this back gives ‘bandit’, which we wouldn’t use in that context. Even after discussion, I’m unsure if we’ve fully understood each other’s interpretation of ‘bandit’; does it evoke an outlaw from the Wild West or something far less romanticised and closer to home?

The article also used the word ‘yob’. Apparently, in Ukrainian, this starts a very rude phrase. They still won’t tell me what it means!

We also tackled ‘attend’ versus ‘visit’. In English, we attend meetings but visit museums, yet Ukrainian uses one word: ‘Відвідaйте’. The distinction, I think, lies in intent—visiting feels more passive than attending.

Context matters, though. You could ‘visit’ a meeting in certain situations. Judging when to explain exceptions or keep it simple is another challenge. Over-elaboration often overwhelms, blurs the issue, and complicates understanding.

The urge to over-explain can be strong, but I’ve learned clarity comes from simplicity. People grasp information better in small, manageable parts.

For example, offer one call to action at a time. Don’t ask people to download a case study and subscribe to a newsletter. Guide them through one decision before presenting another. Share only what’s essential in the moment, not everything at once.

Those are some of the valuable lessons I’m learning from supporting foreign language learners with communications and marketing. There, I’ve brought it back round to marketing; I hope this message was clear!