The Story

Hullo, this is Olive. 🫒 My life mission is to make language FUN.

The SOLUTION? Private Joke ® , the card game fusing comedy & creativity. Designed for classrooms, boardrooms, and everything in between, PJ invites players to invent, explore and experiment with language.

Equal parts Scrabble, Cards Against Humanity and Eurovision, Private Joke ® helps players giggle their way fluent.

This was all made possible through a successful Kickstarter campaign which saw 130 supporters raise an initial £4,586 to bring the game to life.

Join me in redefining languages one giggle at a time.

Avec du luv, Olive x

What People Think

Private Joke gave me a very rare opportunity of intentionally making "mistakes" in a safe environment. - Year 13 French A Level student.

It was so fun, the others came up with very franglais words while mine where just quite French. It was just so funny to hear how they chose to combine English and French; even just the order of the words/ letters. They came up with some incredible funny words. - Year 11 French GCSE student.

When something makes me laugh, I remember it. This was the first time I actually remembered French words. I want to play Private Joke again! - Year 7 student.

Such a fun way of introducing people to new languages! I really enjoyed playing Private Joke; it gave me an opportunity to experiment with some new letters and sounds from languages which I didn’t immediately recognise. Truly an exciting way to expose people to new languages! - First Year Modern Languages Student, University of Cambridge.

I really enjoyed the feature with the letter tiles. It was very interesting to discover new letters and the sounds that they make in some other modern languages! I could also use the phonetic sound of the letter to be more creative with the words which I created. 10/10 game. Year 13 Spanish A Level Student.

What Teachers Think

The Private Joke ® workshop enhanced the students' creativity by encouraging them to invent their own words and express them through engaging and playful presentations, fostering both imaginative thinking and confident communication. It was really good fun and I would certainly recommend this workshop. - Carrine Alderson, French Teacher & Language Acquisition Coordinator, St George’s School (2025)

One of the quietest students in my German class completely transformed, he got completely into it and turned into the entertainer round the table. That was great to watch! Overall all of the older students were fully engaged. - Julia Rowe, MFL Teacher, Southmoor Academy (2024)

As the game progressed, I watched in amazement at the creativity displayed by my pupils. They delved into the depths of their imagination, concocting words that would make even the most advanced linguist chuckle. What struck me most was the level of engagement from every single student. Everyone was actively participating, eager to contribute their unique word creations. Even the quieter students, who usually preferred to blend into the background, found their voices in this game. It was a joy to witness their confidence grow with each word they invented and explained. - Marie Allirot, French Teacher, Bede's Prep School (2024)

All PJs

View all

Your Questions Answered!

What is Private Joke®?

Private Joke ® is a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud card game that turns language learning into pure comedy. Equal parts Scrabble and Cards Against Humanity, it’s quick to learn, endlessly replayable, and guaranteed to spark laughter (& a few new favourite words).

How do you play?

  1. Each player starts with 5 letter tiles.
  2. Draw a card definition side up!
  3. Vote: does this word actually exist?
  4. If it exists, work together to build it using the letter tiles.
  5. If it does not, everyone invents their own word & the funniest (or most convincing) wins the round.

Who is it for?

Anyone over the age of 12! Language lovers (or haters) 😈, teachers, teenagers, creatives, chaotic dinner party hosts, boardroom execs who need a shake up, and anyone who’s ever said, “I want to learn a language but I don't know where to start!”

What languages does it support?

The Original Private Joke ® game is in English and features 15+ different languages. This game is great to inspire that first nugget of language inspiration and open to door to what's possible.

We’re building single-language versions in English, French, Spanish and German and these will be available for everyone to Print & Play by September 2025.

Do I need to be good at languages?

No way! You just need a questionable sense of humour. The whole reason I created PJ was to break down the barriers to entry so that anyone & everyone can feel like they have the ability to learn a language.

What makes it different from other games?

It’s the only game that combines humour, multilingual creativity & proper belly laughs while also teaching you about language, culture, and the joy of being human.

That's why I describe it as equal parts Scrabble x Cards Against Humanity. Private Joke ® has Scrabble-inspired letter tiles (but lettes AND word chunks) and Cards Against Humanity inspired funny prompts to work with.

How does this work in corporates?

Private Joke ® turns language into a tool for collaboration. communication & culture. Teams co-create an “internal language,” experiment with words, and see how meaning shapes understanding — both within teams & with clients. For example:

  • A lunch-and-learn to spark creativity, shared humour, and deeper connection, while giving colleagues a playful way to explore communication and team culture.
  • A full-day workshop focusing on creativity, empathy & understanding your clients on a deeper, human level. This focuses on "speaking their language" and developing scripts & language to enhance sales, customer success & aligning product market fit.
  • A half-day workshop on how to build & strengthen company culture for REMOTE tech teams. Create your own language.

How does this work in schools?

Private Joke ® slots neatly into language lessons, creative writing, and even cross-curricular projects. Students will enhance their vocabulary, confidence to speak, and motivation to acquire modern foreign languages. Teachers tailor the game to match their curriculum, making it just as useful for beginners as for advanced learners, all while keeping the classroom buzzing with laughter.

  • Private Joke Educators Edition - available in British English, Spanish, German & French.
  • Private Joke BIG Workshop (Whole Year / School Assembly) or SMALL Workshop (Individual Classrooms, available in English or French)
  • CPD for teachers (1/3/6 hour remote sessions available). Includes Educator Editions.