Why love is harder in a second language

Name: Why love is harder in a second language
Uploaded: 2025-05-22T14:46:13Z
Duration: 15 min 50 s
Description: Saying “I love you” often feels more meaningful in your first language than in any other language you learn later in life, explains linguist and polyglot Magdalena Hoeller. Unpacking the hidden challenges of intercultural relationships — from language barriers and humor gaps to subtle power dynamics — she shares how couples can turn these struggles into opportunities to grow closer.

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Magdalena Hoeller |

TEDxCooks Hill

• October 2024

Saying “I love you” often feels more meaningful in your first language than in any other language you learn later in life, explains linguist and polyglot Magdalena Hoeller. Unpacking the hidden challenges of intercultural relationships — from language barriers and humor gaps to subtle power dynamics — she shares how couples can turn these struggles into opportunities to grow closer.