Cuz I don't want to argue, but I don't want to bite my tongue. Yeah, I think I'd rather die. You got me misunderstood, but at least I look this good.
We can't be friends. Matter of fact, you'll just be eaten. You clean till you pay and pens.
Wait until you like me again. Wait for your love. My love.
I'll wait for your love. Man, that song is beautiful. Today we're learning English with the incomparable Ariana Grande.
The song We Can't Be Friends from her newest album, Eternal Sunshine, that we just saw is about the media accusing Ariana Grande of being a home wrecker for Ethan Slater and his ex-wife, Lily J. These were all lies, but unfortunately, many people believe them. A home wrecker, by the way, is a person who is blamed for causing a relationship or a marriage to end, usually because they had romantic involvement with one of the partners.
In this lesson, we'll learn with the song and three funny interviews with Ariana. Now, before we get started, you should know that this lesson comes with its own vocabulary flashcards covering all of the key words and expressions that we'll learn today. Practicing with these daily is the easiest way for you to remember them forever.
So, if that sounds interesting to you, just click the link down description below to get our app and start your practice right after the lesson. All right, let's start by looking at a few expressions from that hit song. In the first line, she sings about not wanting to argue.
>> So, let's first understand this idiom to bite one's tongue. To bite your tongue means to stop yourself from saying something you want to say, usually to avoid conflict or offense. You're literally imagining holding your tongue between your teeth to keep the words from coming out.
For example, I wanted to tell my boss his idea was terrible, but I bit my tongue. Check out this other example from The Princess Witch. >> Bite your tongue.
>> It's completely out of the question. >> Certainly, sir. I I was just thinking out loud how very stupid of me.
Arian is saying she doesn't want to hold back what she's really thinking, even though it might lead to an undesired argument. To argue means to disagree with someone, usually in a heated or emotional way, but it doesn't necessarily mean yelling or getting physical. It's more about presenting opposing viewpoints with some intensity.
For example, they argued about politics for hours. Let's take a look at three other words that are easy to confuse with argue. Discuss, fight, and quarrel.
Knowing the subtle differences between similar words like this is really what separates intermediate learners from advanced ones. In English, to discuss is simply talking about something, examining different perspectives. It's neutral and calm, like let's discuss our vacation plans.
To fight suggests a more intense, aggressive conflict, either physical or verbal. It's stronger than arguing. The couple fought loudly all night.
Finally, to quarrel is similar to argue, but often implies a petty disagreement, sometimes ongoing. The neighbors are always quarreling about where to park. Then, Ariana adds, >> "I'd rather" is a way to express a strong preference between two options.
The full structure is, "I would rather do X than do Y. " It means you prefer the first option so much that you choose it over the alternative. Here, Arian is being dramatic in a poetic way.
She'd rather die than bite her tongue because holding back her feelings would be unbearable. You can use this in less dramatic situations, too. I'd rather stay home than go to that party.
I'd rather walk than take the bus. I'd rather have coffee than tea. Let's check out an example of connected speech in the song.
That's how natives cut, reduce, and link words together in fluent speech. again. >> In American English, when a t is between two vowel sounds, it usually becomes a tap t, which sounds like a soft d.
Here are some examples. Butter, water, fight about it. So, Ariana pronounces this as wait until.
Wait until your speaking will only improve with lots of practice. So try to sing that line just like Ariana >> like me again. Moving on.
Our first interview comes from Hot Ones with Shawn Evans. On this program, celebrities eat progressively spicier and spicier chicken wings while answering questions. At the start of the interview, Ariana doesn't feel so confident about her ability to handle spicy foods.
Let's see what she tells Shawn. >> You'll learn this quickly. I'm long winded.
By the way, I'm not coming in proud or cocky or confident. >> I'm shriveling. >> You just are.
Right. >> I'm shriveling and weak and honest. >> That's where we like That's where we like August.
Perfect positioning. Mhm. >> Hariana uses a colorful adjective to describe herself here.
>> You'll learn this quickly. I'm long- winded. >> When someone is long-winded, they talk for a long time, often giving more detail than necessary.
It literally comes from the idea of having a long wind. Like, you can talk and talk without running out of breath. For example, my professor is so long-winded, a simple question turns into a 20-minute lecture.
Here's another example from House of Cards. >> I hated that book. Long- winded for sure.
>> So, Ariana is being self-aware about her tendency to talk a lot. >> By the way, I'm not coming in proud or cocky or confident. >> I'm shriveling.
>> You just are. >> Cocky means overly confident in an arrogant, boastful way. It suggests someone thinks they're better than they actually are.
He's so cocky about his basketball skills, but he's not even that good. So rather than cocky, Ariana feels shriveling. >> By the way, I'm not coming in proud or cocky or confident.
>> I'm shriveling. >> You just are. >> This means becoming smaller, wrinkled, or weaker, like a plant without water or fruit drying up in the sun.
Here, Ariana is using it figuratively to describe how she feels. Small, weak, and intimidated by the spicy food she'll have to eat. You might hear the grapes shriveled into raisins or my confidence is shriveling.
And if your confidence ever shrivels when it's time to speak English, then I have something that can help. Our new real life AI coach. You can practice all the expressions that you're learning today like home wrecker, bite one's tongue, and long- winded in a safe speaking environment every day.
Your coach helps you to use these expressions in real conversation and gives you instant personalized feedback. The thing is, if you don't practice what you're learning today, it will disappear from your memory in hours or even minutes. You don't want to get into a conversation and know that you learned an expression that would be perfect to use but not remember it, right?
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Just click the link down in the description below to get started for free now. That's where we like That's where we like a guest. Perfect positioning.
>> Mhm. Now, let's look at the word formation of this word so we can understand it better. First of all, to pose is what you might do for a photo like these models are here.
Similarly, your posture is how you hold yourself. For example, if you work on your computer all day, you might develop a bad posture. So, positioning refers to where or how someone or something is placed.
In marketing, it's about how a brand presents itself. like how Coca-Cola's positioning is all about being a part of happy experiences. In this context, Shawn is playfully saying that Ariana's humble, nervous approach is the perfect mental position for a guest about to face the challenge.
Not overconfident, just honest. Moving on, we'll watch a hilarious interview with Ariana's co-star from the Wicked movie, Cynthia Orivo. In it, Arian is hooked up to a lie detector, so she has to give completely honest answers.
Did you ever get any work done to make yourself feel more popular >> to my face? To physical appearance? >> I'm going to ask all the questions.
>> Did you get your nose done? >> No. >> Did you get a boob job?
>> No. >> Did you get a face? >> Can you imagine?
No. Not yet. >> I'm open.
>> Truthful. >> This is the best day of my life. >> Take that, you YouTube people.
>> What about a chin implant? >> How do they do that? >> No.
I've had fillers in various places and Botox, but I stopped like four years ago. >> This we know. Yeah.
>> And that is the extent. >> Ari, have you got a BBL? >> Get the [ __ ] >> out of here.
>> Yes. >> She's being deceptive. >> Of course.
Yes. >> Would you? >> I should go back.
Okay. More. No.
No. No, that wouldn't work for me. I don't think that's my thing.
>> So, these questions were all about cosmetic procedures, a topic that Ariana has faced a lot of rumors about online. >> Did you ever get any work done to make yourself feel more popular? >> To get work done is a casual way to say someone has had cosmetic surgery to change their appearance.
It's an indirect, softer phrase than saying plastic surgery. For example, she looks so different. Did she get work done?
Now, let's learn about the specific procedures mentioned in the interview. >> Did you get your nose done? >> No.
>> Get your nose done or nose job, also known as rhinoplasty, is a surgery to reshape the nose. People might get this to make their nose smaller, straighter, or change a shape. >> Did you get a boob job?
>> No. >> A boob job is an informal term for breast augmentation, usually involving implants to increase breast size. The formal medical term is mamoplasty.
>> Did you get a face? >> Can you imagine? No, not yet.
I'm open. >> A facelift is a surgical procedure to tighten facial skin and reduce wrinkles, making someone look younger. The skin is literally lifted and pulled tighter.
>> Got a chin implant. How do they do that? >> Now, a chin implant is a surgical procedure where an implant is inserted to make the chin more prominent or reshape it.
And the next one is so hilariously absurd that Ariana can't believe it. >> Ari, have you got a BBL? Get the [ __ ] even the question >> out of here.
>> BBL is an abbreviation for a Brazilian buttlft, a procedure where fat is transferred from other parts of the body to the buttocks to make them look larger and more shapely. So Ariana is able to cut through rumor with lie detector test and she says >> truthful. >> This is the best day of my life.
Take that you YouTube people. Take that as an expression of triumph. It's like saying, "I told you so.
" or "In your face. " You say it when you've proven someone wrong or won an argument. Arian is saying this to all the people on YouTube who've been claiming she has had work done.
Now she has proof that she didn't. Check out this example. >> We wondered whose giggle belonged to who.
>> Take that, Drw's ex-wife and her hot lawyer boyfriend. >> Next, Arian is honest about cosmetic procedures she has tried. No, I've had fillers in various places in Botox, but I stopped like 4 years ago.
>> Fillers are injectable substances, usually hyaluronic acid, that are used to add volume to the face, smooth wrinkles, or enhance features like lips or cheeks. Unlike surgery, fillers are temporary and non-invasive. >> Yes, we know.
Yeah. >> And that is the extent. >> The extent means the limit of something, how far something goes.
When Ariana says that is the extent, she means that's all she's done. Nothing more. You might say, "I studied for an hour and that was the extent of my exam preparation.
" Or, "You said hello and that was the extent of our conversation. " All right. Next, Ariani used some vulgar language here out of shock.
>> Sorry. Have you got a BBL? >> Get the [ __ ] >> out of here.
Get the [ __ ] out of here is a vulgar expression of disbelief. It's like saying no way or are you serious. It can be used when you think something is ridiculous.
Ariana uses it because she finds the question absurd. If you want to sound more casual and unoffensive, you can just say get out of here. Adding [ __ ] makes it much stronger, but be careful who you use it with.
>> Yeah, >> she's being deceptive. >> Deceptive means misleading or dishonest. When someone is trying to trick you or hide the truth, it comes from the verb to deceive.
For example, the advertisement was deceptive. The product didn't work as promised. The lie detector claims Arian is being deceptive about having a BBL, though she's clearly joking around in her response.
And the whole segment is playful. >> No, that wouldn't work for me. I don't think that's my thing.
>> When something wouldn't work for you, it means it wouldn't be appropriate for your preferences. Like, that restaurant is too expensive. It wouldn't work for us.
Similarly, when something is not your thing, it means it's not something that you're interested in or that fits your personality. For example, skydiving. No thanks.
That's not my thing. Check out this other example. >> So, does this mean you're not coming to the ball?
>> No way. I mean, the whole thing is weird and antiquated. Not my thing.
Nice to meet you. >> Ariana is saying that she doesn't think a BBL would look good on her. Before we move on to the final interview, I want us to take a look at how common connected speech is in questions, which we saw many examples of in this lie detector test.
Did you ever get any work done to make yourself feel more popular? >> First off, when we have a word ending in D followed by the pronoun you, usually they morph into a or j. Cynthia is British and this happens in all accents of English.
So, did you becomes did you did you? Listen again to how she said these questions and then try saying them yourself. >> Did you ever get any work done to make yourself feel more popular?
Did you ever get any work done to make yourself feel more popular? >> Did you get your nose done? >> No.
>> Did you get your nose done? >> No. >> Did you get a boob job?
>> No. >> Did you get a boob job? >> No.
The same happens with would you questions which becomes would you would you listen and repeat >> would you >> I should go back >> would you I should go back >> how do they do that >> do often reduces to just a simple du duh listen to how Ariana said this question and try to say it just like her >> how do they do that how do they do So, when you hear questions, I highly recommend that you pay attention to exactly how natives pronounce them. All right, in our final clip, Ariana Grande and some of her castmates from Wicked play a game called Never Have I Ever. Does this game exist in your country?
Basically, you say something you have never done, and everyone else playing who has done that thing should raise their hand or take a drink of alcohol. This is really funny. Check it out.
>> Never have I ever had a costume mishap. >> When though >> in life, I think my bra came open one time on stage. >> Oh my god.
Yes. >> Yes. >> You didn't even feel the breeze.
It was just there. >> Yeah. They just they just they just stopped.
It just fell to the ground. But you got to stay in it and you got to keep rolling with the punches. Never have I ever had a costume mishap.
>> A mishap is a small accident or unlucky event. Something that goes wrong but isn't too serious. Like we had a little mishap on the way to the wedding.
We got a flat tire. Or there was a mishap in the kitchen when I dropped the cake. And here's another example.
>> And these forms indemnify the ministry against any um mishaps that may occur in the line of duty. >> Mishaps. So, a costume mishap would be something that goes wrong with your outfit during a performance.
By the way, can you do me a favor? Simply pause this lesson and take a moment to comment down below one series, movie, or celebrity that you'd love us to make a lesson with. We might just make it.
Me and the real life team read every comment. >> Yeah, they just they just >> bounce out. They just stopped.
It just fell >> to the ground. Bounce out means to spring or jump out suddenly due to elastic force or movement. Here's describing how her breast came out of the bra when it opened.
Popped or popped out is similar. It suggests something breaking free from where it was contained or fastened. For example, a button might pop off your shirt or a contact lens might pop out of your eye.
In Arian's story, her buttons popped off during a concert. They suddenly came loose and fell to the ground. Ariana has a positive attitude about it, though.
Let's hear what she says. But you got to stay in it and you got to keep rolling with the punches. >> To roll with the punches is an idiom meaning to adapt to difficult situations and keep going despite problems.
It comes from boxing. When a boxer moves with a punch instead of resisting it, the blow hurts less. It means staying flexible, not getting too upset when things go wrong, and continuing to move forward.
Check out this example. >> I knew this was going to be a bad day. >> Hey, come on.
We're going to be fine. We just have to keep our heads and roll with the punches. >> You've done a wonderful job today, but we're not done yet.
In fact, I'd say that the next part is the most important. It's your test. So, you're going to watch all of the clips again without subtitles to see after everything you've learned how much better you're able to comprehend.
And just to make it a little bit more difficult, I'll ask you some quiz questions along the way. Let's do this. cuz I don't want to.
>> What's the difference between these three words? If you bite your tongue, you actually hurt your tongue by accident. Stop yourself from saying something.
Speak without thinking. You got me misunderstood, but at least I look this good. We can't be friends, but I'd like to just be eaten.
You cling till you pay and pens. Wait until you like me again. Wait for your love.
You'll learn this quickly. I'm >> fill in the blank. My uncle is so he can talk for hours about his coin collection without stopping.
My uncle is so long- winded. He can talk for hours about his coin collection without stopping. >> You'll learn this quickly.
I'm long winded. By the way, I'm not coming in proud or cocky or confident. I'm shriveling.
>> You just are, right? >> I'm shriveling and weak and honest. >> That's where we like That's where we like a guest.
Perfect positioning. >> Mhm. Did you ever get any work done to make yourself feel more popular?
>> What does get work done mean in the context of appearance? to my face to physical appearance. >> I'm going to ask all the questions.
>> Did you get your nose done? >> No. >> Did you get a boob job?
>> No. >> Did you get a face? >> Can you imagine?
No, not yet. >> I'm open. >> Truthful.
>> This is the best day of my life. >> Take that, you YouTube people. >> What about a chin implant?
>> How do they do that? No, I've had fillers in various places and Botox, but I stopped like four years ago. >> This we know.
Yeah. >> And that is the extent. >> Ari, have you gone to BBL?
>> Get the [ __ ] >> out of here. >> Yes. >> She's being deceptive.
>> Of course. Yes. >> Would you?
>> I should go back. Okay. More.
No, no, that wouldn't work for me. I don't think that's my thing. >> Never have I ever had a costume mishap.
>> When though >> in life, I think my bra came open one time on stage. >> Oh my god. Yes.
>> Yes. >> You didn't even feel the breeze. It was just there.
>> Yeah. They just they just >> they just stopped. It just fell >> to the ground.
But you got to stay in it and you got to keep rolling with the punches. >> What does roll with the punches mean? Start a physical fight.
Give up when things get hard. Adapt to difficulties and keep going. Ah, yeah.
Thanks so much for joining me today. Remember to add all of the new expressions you learned to your long-term memory so they're available for you to confidently use next time you get into a conversation with our vocabulary flashcards and practicing with the AI coach. And if it's your goal to understand fast-peaking natives without getting lost, without missing the jokes, and without subtitles, be sure to hit the subscribe button and the bell down below, and that way you won't miss a single new lesson here on our YouTube channel.
And if you're sticking with us, you might want to check out this lesson next. But of course it'd >> unusually and exceedingly pecul. You're altogether quite impossible to describe.
