Bonjour, こんにちは, Здравствуйте, Hello
Zachary Thoennes (he/him) has been mastering the art of language since the age of three, embracing the crafts of vocabulary, grammar, and cultural appreciation for nearly three decades.
Thoennes is an interpreter, teacher, and seasoned linguist with more than a decade of teaching experience—backed with an incomparable arsenal including native fluency in Japanese (JLPT Level 2, Minor in Japanese via University of California, Los Angeles), above-and-beyond proficiency in the language of music (Bachelor of Music in Music Performance via University of California, Los Angeles), as well as an embrace of French, Russian, and Dutch. From teaching language domestically for over a decade and internationally for three years, to proofing translations for the Japanese Tourism Board, to serving as a cultural project coordinator and translator for a historic Japanese restoration project at one of Los Angeles's most famed historical institutions, The Huntington Library, Art Galleries, and Botanical Gardens, Thoennes is a proven linguistic linchpin who merges language and cultural understanding, navigating any business landscape with ease.
As a translator, teacher, and teammate, he revels in connecting others through the power of language, bridging gaps of understanding, and meeting the needs of clients and students alike. He wields an approach that is enthusiastic, holistic, and nurturing, using his seasoned tongue to meet others where they are at, patiently figuring out where they need to go from there in order to make connections. Beyond vocabulary and grammatical basics, he brings his passion for culture to his client work with unbridled enthusiasm for the history, art, music, and cuisine of the regions he’s immersed himself in—from traditional tea ceremony lessons to an extensive knowledge of ikebana magazines from the last few decades, Thoennes is always looking to celebrate culture through his work, even if that just means meeting teammates for a cup of matcha or recommending one of his favorite anime.
Thoennes’ qualifications include:
A life-long passion for translation (reading and writing preferred)
Near-native Japanese language proficiency (JLPT N2)
10+ years of domestic teaching experience
3 years of international teaching experience in Japan
A multitude of experiences with 1:1 coaching as well as classroom-style teaching
A Japanese Cultural Translation Assistant role for The Huntington Library, Art Galleries, and Botanical Garden’s world-famous Japanese Garden
Bachelor of Music in Music Performance via University of California, Los Angeles
Minor in Japanese via University of California, Los Angeles
Too many tailored anime or international music album recommendations to count
An affable, well-loved team-player attitude yielding an abundance of references, available upon request
