Happy English Podcast (Natural American English)

In this English lesson podcast, Michael welcomes a special guest - Lindsay McMahon from All Ears English. We are going to talk about what it means to be “warm,” in English. You know, being inviting, being someone other people want to talk to, supporting people, and making them feel heard. 

And we are going to show you how to use the following three phrases in your daily English conversations: “How’s everything on your end?” “I know what you mean.” “Tell me more about that.” 


The Happy English Podcast
Helping people speak English better since 2014
Over...

Go Right. That’s right. We’re meeting at seven, right? All right, let’s go. I’ll do it right away. I need it right now. 

Right is a very common word in everyday English, and in conversation, it does a lot more than talk about direction. We use it to show that we understand, to confirm information, to ask for agreement, to say okay, and to talk about something happening immediately. Have you wondered about the different ways we use right in conversation? If so, you’re in luck - because today, we’re going to look at how y...

You know, I keep putting off cleaning the garage. They called off the game because of the rain. I’ll drop you off at the station. What time does your flight take off? My alarm went off at five. 

Off is one of those little words that shows up in a lot of phrasal verbs, and the meaning can change quite a bit depending on the verb. Have you been confused by expressions like put off, call off, drop off, take off, and go off? If so, you’re in luck - because today, we’re going to look at...

It’ll take at least an hour. At least nobody was hurt. You could at least say thank you. At least I tried. 

At least is a very common expression in everyday English, and we use it in several different ways. Sometimes it means the minimum amount. Sometimes it helps us look at the positive side of a bad situation. And sometimes we use at least to tell someone, hey! You could have done something! Have you ever wondered how you an use at least? If so, you’re in luck - because today, we’re going to look at...

1095 – How to Use “Pretty” in Everyday English

It’s pretty good. I’m pretty sure. That was pretty expensive. We’re pretty busy today. That’s pretty much it. 

Pretty is a very common word in everyday English, and I’m not talking about pretty meaning beautiful. In conversation, pretty often means something like fairly, quite, or rather, and we use it all the time to soften or adjust how strong an adjective sounds. Have you wondered about expressions like pretty good, pretty sure, or pretty much? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at how...

The thing is, I’m busy tomorrow. Here’s the thing... That’s the thing. The funny thing is, I actually liked it. The good thing is, nobody was hurt. One thing I like about this neighborhood is how quiet it is. 

The word Thing is pretty basic word, but in daily English conversation, we use it in a lot of useful ways that go far beyond simply talking about an object. We use this word in phrases like the thing is, here’s the thing, that’s the thing, and, funny thing! So for today's English lesson podcast, we...

Anyway, what were you saying? Anyway, I should get going. I didn’t really want to go, but I went anyway. It was expensive, but I bought it anyway. 
Anyway is one of those very common conversational words that can do a few different jobs. Sometimes we use it to return to the main topic. Sometimes we use it to move a conversation forward or bring it to an end. And sometimes we use it to mean that something happened despite a reason for it not to happen. Have you ever wondered about the different ways we use anyway? If...

That’s fair. That’s not fair. Fair enough. To be fair, he did warn us. Give her a fair chance. Let’s split it fairly. 
Fair is a common word in everyday English, but we use it in several different ways. Sometimes it means reasonable or acceptable. Sometimes it means treating people equally. And sometimes we use expressions like fair enough and to be fair to react to what someone says or add balance to a conversation. Have you been confused by these different uses of fair? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at ho...

That’s fair. That’s not fair. Fair enough. To be fair, he did warn us. Give her a fair chance. Let’s split it fairly. 

Fair is a common word in everyday English, but we use it in several different ways. Sometimes it means reasonable or acceptable. Sometimes it means treating people equally. And sometimes we use expressions like fair enough and to be fair to react to what someone says or add balance to a conversation. Have you been confused by these different uses of fair? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look...

I stopped at the store on the way home. By the way, did you call John? Either way, we need to decide today. No way! You won the tickets? This jacket is way too big. 

Way is a simple word, but it shows up in a lot of very natural everyday phrases. And in many of these expressions, the word way has very little to do with a road or direction. Have you been confused by expressions like by the way, either way, no way, and way too...? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going t...

No wonder you’re tired—you only slept four hours. No wonder the room is cold. The window is open. She practices every day, so it’s no wonder she’s improving. Well, no wonder! 

No wonder is a very common conversational phrase in everyday English, and we use it when new information explains something that seemed surprising, confusing, or unexpected before. Have you wondered... how to use no wonder? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at how you can use no wonder naturally in everyday English.


The Happy English P...

What do you mean? I didn’t mean to upset you. I’ve been meaning to call you. You mean a lot to me , but I guess it just wasn’t meant to be. This lesson is meant to help you speak English better.

Mean is a small word, but we use it in a surprising number of everyday situations. We use it to ask for clarification, explain our intentions, talk about purpose, and even tell someone how important they are to us. Have you ever been confused by all these different uses of mean? If so, you’re in lu...

I found out that the store is closing. I can’t figure out how this app works. We ran out of coffee. Everything worked out in the end. It turned out to be a great restaurant. 

Phrasal verbs with out show up everywhere in everyday English, and the meaning of out changes depending on the verb. Have you been confused by expressions like find out, figure out, run out of, work out, and turn out? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at five useful phrasal verbs with out that you can use in ev...

Does that make sense? That makes sense. I’m trying to make sense of this. It makes sense to do that. Financially, it makes sense. 

Sense is one of those words that appears in a lot of very natural everyday expressions, especially when we’re talking about whether an idea is clear, logical, or reasonable. Have you ever been confused by the different ways we use make sense? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at how you can use make sense naturally in everyday English.


The Happy English Podcast

Good point. You have a point. That’s the point. That’s not the point. What’s your point? My point is... What’s the point of arguing? 

Point is a really common word in everyday conversational English, especially when we’re explaining ideas, agreeing with someone, disagreeing with someone, or trying to get to the main idea of a conversation. Have you been confused by all these different uses of point? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at how you can use point naturally in everyday English.



The Happy En...

Do you mind if I sit here? Would you mind closing the window? I don’t mind. Never mind. Keep that in mind. It slipped my mind. 
Mind is one of those small words that appears in a lot of everyday expressions, and the meaning changes depending on the situation. Sometimes it means that something bothers you. Sometimes it refers to your thoughts or memory. And sometimes we use it to make a polite request. Have you been confused by the different ways we use mind? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re going to look at how yo...

I saw Lisa at the station. We watched a movie last night. Look at this photo. Look, I understand what you’re saying. 

See, watch, and look are all connected to using our eyes, so it’s easy to mix them up. But there are some important differences. Sometimes something simply comes into view. Sometimes we choose to pay attention to something for a period of time. And sometimes we use look without talking about our eyes at all.

Have you been confused by see, watch, and look? If so, you’re in luck—because today, we’re goi...

"Do you like living in New York?" "It depends." "Should I buy a new laptop?" "Well...it depends." "Is English difficult?" "That depends."

"It depends" is one of those little English expressions that we use all the time in everyday English. But did you know that the phrase, "It depends" has a number of different meanings and uses? Most of the time, "it depends" means,  "there isn't one simple answer." In other words, the answer changes depending on the situation.

Today, we're going to look at how you can really use "it depends" in everyday conversation.

Can you bring me a coffee? I'm only taking one suitcase. What should I bring? Don't forget to take your umbrella. Bring your laptop. Take this to the office.

Bring and take seem like simple words, but they're easy to mix up. You've probably learned that bring means "move something toward the speaker" and take means "move something away from the speaker." That's a helpful place to start, but in real conversations we usually aren't thinking about grammar rules. Instead, we picture the situation. So today, we're going to look at how you can naturally use bring and...

I heard a strange noise. Listen to this song. Can you hear me? Are you listening to me?

Hear and listen. These words are both connected to sound and ears, so it's easy to mix them up. But there’s an important difference. Hearing usually happens naturally. A sound reaches your ears, even when you’re not trying. Listening is active. You choose to pay attention to the sound. 

Have you been confused by hear and listen? If so, you're in luck - because today, we’re going to look at the different ways you can use hea...

Come back. Call back. Pay back. Give back. Get back. Write back.

What do all of these expressions have in common? Well, of course, they all use the word back. But here's the interesting thing. In many of these phrasal verbs, back gives us the idea of returning - returning to a place, returning a phone call, returning money, returning something to someone, or returning a message. And these aren't unusual expressions that you'll only find in a textbook. They're expressions that we all use every day. 

So today, we're going to look at five  phrasal ve...

Go ahead. Go ahead and start without me. You go ahead. I'll catch up. Go right ahead. Go ahead, I'm listening.

Go ahead. Two simple words that you'll hear all the time in everyday American English. Sometimes we use it to give someone permission. Sometimes it means start or continue. Sometimes we use it to tell someone to go before us. And depending on your tone of voice, "Go ahead" can even sound like a challenge. So today, we're going to look at what "go ahead" really means and how you can use it in everyday conversation.
<...

Come on, let's go. Oh, come on! Come on, you can do it. Come on in. Come on over.

Come on. Two simple words, right? But depending on the situation and your tone of voice, those two little words can mean hurry up, I don't believe you, you can do it, enter, visit me, or even... that's ridiculous. It's one of those expressions you'll hear all the time in movies, TV shows, and everyday American conversation. So today, we’re going to look at the different ways you can use “come on” in everyday English.



T...

I missed the bus. I lost my keys. I forgot my wallet. I left my phone at the office.

These four words seem similar because they all describe situations where something goes wrong. But they don't mean the same thing. Did you fail to catch something? Did you no longer have something? Did you forget something in your mind? Or did you leave it somewhere? Once you understand the difference, you'll avoid some very common English mistakes. So today, we're going to look at how native speakers really use miss, lose, forget, and leave.


The...

I guess so. I guess not. I guess you're right. Let me guess. Guess what?

You probably learned that the verb guess means to answer a question when you don't know the answer. And that's true. But in everyday American English, guess has several other meanings. In fact, when native speakers say, "I guess," they're usually not making a guess at all. They're softening an opinion, showing they're not completely certain, or saying something in a more relaxed way. So today, we're going to look at how Americans really use guess.


The Happy English Podcast<...

I'm good. We're good. You're good. It's all good. You probably learned that good is the opposite of bad. So you might think, "I'm good" is simply a conversational reply to "How are you. And it is. But in everyday American English, I'm good has several different meanings. We use I'm good to politely refuse something, to say we don't need help, to tell someone everything is okay, and even to end a conversation. It's probably one of the most common expressions you'll hear in the United States. So today, we're going to look at how you can really use...

I'm kind of tired. That's kind of expensive. It was kind of weird. I kind of forgot.

If you've ever listened to English speakers, you've probably heard the phrase kind of over and over again. But here's the interesting thing. Most of the time, when we say "kind of" we're not talking about a type of something. We're using kind of to make what we're saying softer, less direct, or less certain. It's one of those little expressions that can make your English sound much more natural. So today, let's look at how you can really use kind...

That works. Works for me. Does that work? That doesn’t work for my schedule.

Did you notice, these expressions all use the verb work, but they’re not about having a job. In everyday American  English, we often use work to talk about whether a time, a plan, an idea, or a solution is acceptable, convenient, or possible. So if someone says, “Friday works for me,” they don’t mean Friday has a job. They mean Friday is good for their schedule. And that’s what we’re going to look at today.


The Happy English P...

Man! It’s hot as hell. It’s like an oven out there. I’m melting. Crank up the A/C. Time to beat the heat.

Hot weather. Everybody talks about it, right? But in English, especially in American English, we don’t only say, “It’s hot.” We have lots of natural expressions for hot days, humid days, uncomfortable days, and those summer days when you walk outside and immediately think, “Nope. I’m going back inside.” 

So today, we’re going to look at how Americans really talk about hot weather in everyday English.


The Ha...

I'm all set. You're all set. Are we all set? We're all set.

Have you ever heard someone say, "I'm all set," and wondered what they meant? You won't find this expression in many English textbooks, but if you spend any time in the United States, you'll hear it everywhere. At restaurants, coffee shops, doctor's offices, airports, hotels - just about anywhere. So what does "all set" actually mean? Well, it depends on the situation. Sometimes it means, "I don't need anything else." Sometimes it means, "Everything is ready." And sometimes it's just a polite way to end...

How much did it cost? How much did you spend? Did you pay cash? What did you buy?

Cost, spend, pay, and buy. These are four very common English words that are related to using money. and English learners often mix them up because they're all connected to money. But here's the thing. They don't focus on the same part of the situation. Sometimes we're talking about the thing we got. Sometimes we're talking about the money we used. Sometimes we're talking about the price. And sometimes we're talking about the person using the money. 

So t...

I noticed a strange noise. I realized I forgot my keys. She noticed he was quiet. She realized he was upset.

Notice and realize are two similar words in English, so they're are easy to mix up. And honestly, it's easy to understand why. Both words talk about becoming aware of something. But there's an important difference between them. When you notice something, you use your senses. When you realize something, you use your mind. Once you understand that difference, these two words become much easier to use naturally. And that is what we're going to look at...

Sure. Sure thing. Are you sure? I’m sure. Sure enough. Sure is one of those words that seems really simple, right? You probably learned that sure means certain. And that's true. But in everyday English, we use sure in a lot of different ways.  Sometimes it means certain. Sometimes sure means yes. Sometimes it means of course. And sometimes it's just a friendly way to agree with someone. So what's really going on with sure? That's what we're going to look at today.

The Happy English Podcast
Helping people speak English better since 2014
Over 1,000 episodes • 8 milli...

I’m fine. That’s fine. Fine with me. Fine.  Fine seems like such a simple word, right? You probably learned it very early in English class. “How are you?” “I’m fine, thank you. And you? I'm fine thank you.” Easy. 

But here’s the thing: Outside the classroom, in real English, fine can mean a lot of different things depending on the situation - and your tone of voice. Sometimes fine means okay. Sometimes it means acceptable. Sometimes it means, “I guess that’s okay.” And sometimes… when someone says, “Fine,” it definitely does not sound fine. So today, we’re going to...

You look tired. That sounds fun. He seems upset. Dinner looks amazing. Your voice sounds different.

Seem, look, and sound. These words seem simple, right? But English learners often mix them up. Can you say, “You seem tired,” and, “You look tired”? What’s the difference? Why do we say, “That sounds fun,” when we can’t actually hear fun? And when should you use seem instead? Yeah… there’s actually more going on here than you might think. So today, we’re going to look at how people really use seem, look, and sound in everyday English.


The H...

I’m waiting for the bus. I’m expecting a package tomorrow. We’re expecting guests this weekend. My teacher expects me to do my homework.

Wait and expect. These seem like simple words, right? But they can be easy to mix them up. Like, what’s the difference between, “I’m waiting for you,” and, “I’m expecting you”? Why can we say, “I’m expecting a package,” but not, “I’m waiting a package”? And what does it mean when someone says, “We’re expecting  guests”? Or even, “She’s expecting”? Yeah… there’s actually a lot going on here with these two words. So today...

Jack visited his parents last weekend. We went to Milan for vacation. I need to go to the doctor. I visited my friend in Brooklyn.

Visit and go to. Both words are used to talk about movement, but they are easy to mix up. Can you say, “I visited to New York”? Why do we say, “go to the doctor,” but, “visit the doctor”? And what’s the difference between, “I visited my friend,” and, “I went to my friend’s house”? Yeah… there’s actually more going on here than you might think. So today, we’re going to look at how people re...

1062 - No Big Deal / No Biggie - English Tips in a Minute | Happy EnglishHey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. 

Today, let’s look at two really common conversational responses - “no big deal” and “no biggie.”We use no big deal or no biggie to mean “it’s not a problem” or “don’t worry about it.” They’re casual, friendly ways to respond when someone apologizes or thanks you.

For example, imagine your friend says: “Sorry I’m a little late.”  You could reply: “No big deal.”
O...

Thanks. Thank you so much. I really appreciate it. You’re the best. I owe you one.

Saying thank you in English seems easy, right? Just say, “Thank you.” But honestly, in everyday conversation, we don’t always use the same expression. If someone holds the door open for you, “I sincerely appreciate your kindness” sounds way too formal. And if your friend helps you move all day, just saying, “Thanks,” might not feel like enough. That’s because how we thank someone depends on the situation and how much we want to show appreciation. And that’s what we’re going to...

Oops, sorry about that. My bad. I’m really sorry. I apologize for the confusion. No worries. Don’t worry about it.
Apologizing in English seems simple, right? You just say, “I’m sorry.” But actually, there are lots of different ways to apologize depending on the situation. If you bump into someone at the supermarket, you probably won’t say, “I sincerely apologize.” And if you accidentally send the wrong file to your boss, maybe “Oops, my bad” is not the best choice either. So today, we’re going to look at how people really apologize in English - naturally.