Learn English Fast with the English Learning Podcast Episode 88

Hello everyone and welcome to English Pod. My name is Marco. >> My name is Katherine and we've got a very sad dialogue today.

Actually, Marco. >> That's right. Today we have a very sad but interesting dialogue of something that happens all the time.

Um maybe you have a girlfriend, maybe you had a boyfriend and you break up. That means you are no longer boyfriend and girlfriend. Let's take a listen to today's dialogue and we'll be back in a moment to talk about what's going on.

Hello. >> Hey. Do you want to go out tonight?

>> No, I think I'll pass. [snorts] Mark broke up with me. I feel awful.

>> What? What happened? Just last week, you were talking about going on vacation together.

>> I I don't know what I did wrong. He said he needed some space to figure things out. He said I didn't do anything wrong.

That I'm a great person, just [snorts] not the one for him. >> That's so cliche. Mark's not worth your time, Lydia.

You deserve so much better. >> I know we had hit a rough patch, but I had hoped we could work it out next weekend when we both had some time off. I think he found someone else.

I had been getting suspicious because he had been spending a lot of time with a coworker. >> Whatever. He's a jerk.

Forget about him. There are many more fish in the sea. [laughter] >> Talk about being cliche, Maggie.

But you're right. There's no use for me to sulk around. Let's go out tonight.

[music] All right, we're back. So, obviously this girl Lydia is very torn. And she's very sad because her boyfriend broke up with her.

>> That's right. She's crying the whole time this dialogue was going on. >> That's right.

So, uh, but she did mention her and her friend mentioned some interesting things. Why don't we take a look at some of the words they used on language takeaway. >> Language takeaway.

>> So, first of all, her friend says, "Hey, do you want to go out tonight? " And what does Lydia say? >> She says, "No, I think I'll pass.

" >> All right. I think I'll pass. I will pass.

So, what does this verb mean to pass? >> So, that means she is politely rejecting the offer or the invitation. >> So, no thanks.

>> No thanks. That's basically what it means. >> I won't go.

So, um, hey, Marco, you want to go see a movie in a couple hours? >> No, I think I'll pass. I got homework to do.

>> All right. So, Marco will not come. [music] That means um to decline an invitation.

>> That's right. So, that's what it means to pass. Now, uh, as they continue to talk, they mentioned some of the problems with her boyfriend, but Maggie said, "Gh, that's so cliche.

" >> So, the boyfriend said something and Maggie thinks that what he said was very, very cliche. >> So, what is something that is cliche? >> Cliche means something that is said or done very often.

It's almost like we would expect it. Um, >> so like for example, what's a cliche phrase or a cliche action? >> Well, in the dialogue they were talking about ways of breaking up with people.

So, um, for example, it's not you, it's me. >> Break up. So, that's a cliche because it's a sentence.

It's a phrase everyone always says. It's not very maybe not very honest. Mhm.

>> Um or like a movie cliche would be um you know a couple they're getting married but they're their parents the parents of the bride they're divorced they hate each other >> but then at the wedding they get back together they're they're going to get married again. That's a cliche story. >> That's right.

>> Because you've heard it before. >> Right. All the time.

It's very common. >> So something that's very common something that you would expect that's almost that's a cliche. And a cliche, calling something a cliche is not a good thing.

It's usually a bad thing. >> That's right. Okay.

So, Maggie goes on to say that uh you know this guy Mark, her ex-boyfriend, he's not really worth it. She says you deserve so much better. Okay.

So, to deserve is a verb and it means that you should receive something uh or you should expect something. So, um almost like you know in this case you deserve better. You have earned something better.

you're a good person. You should receive a, you know, uh, you should have a a good boyfriend. >> That's right.

So, when when she says you deserve so much better, she's talking about deserving a better guy, a better man. >> Or, for example, so Marco, you work so hard at school, you're always doing your homework, you really deserve good grades. >> That means you should receive good grades.

>> Very good. Now, when Lydia said, "Yeah, you know what? I I just thought we were having some problems and uh we had hit a rough patch.

So, she's talking about a rough patch. What is that? >> A rough patch is actually something we talk about a lot in spoken English.

Uh it's a way to describe a a period of time. So, maybe a week or a month when things are difficult, you know, when maybe you argue with your boyfriend or girlfriend or when you're sad a lot or when you're confused. And so a period of time when you're angry or sad with your boyfriend or girlfriend, that's a rough patch.

>> So maybe we can apply a rough patch to another situation like at work. Maybe you're going through a rough patch at work. >> That means I'm always busy.

I'm always tired. I don't feel happy with my job. I'm going through a rough patch.

>> So it's usually a temporary period of time where things are going bad. >> It could be it could be a week. It could be a month.

It could be a year. Um but it's a it's a a fixed amount of time. It's not forever.

It's just a period. >> Okay, very good. And uh Lydia went on to say that, you know, she thought that maybe he was going out with someone else and uh she was suspicious because she was he was spending a lot of time with some other girl.

Okay. So to be suspicious is to think that something is happening but you don't know. >> So for example, Marco, I think you've been taking the milk from the kitchen.

>> Mhm. You are always drinking coffee and you always take milk in your coffee and there's no more milk. So, I think it was you.

>> I'm being suspicious. I'm thinking that maybe you did something bad or wrong >> that I'm guilty. >> So, maybe you're suspicious that someone is stealing the milk or maybe um you suspect or you're suspicious that your next door neighbor is maybe a car thief.

>> Right. So, you're very suspicious. That means you're always thinking that this person or someone else is doing something bad.

That's right. Okay. So, a lot of words there talking about relationships, talking about cliches.

Why don't we go back? Let's listen to the dialogue again and we'll be back in a bit with Fluency Builder. [music] >> Hello.

>> Hey. Do you want to go out tonight? >> No, [sighs and gasps] I think I'll pass.

Mark broke up with me. I feel awful. >> What?

What happened? Just last week, you were talking about going on vacation together. >> I don't know what I did wrong.

He said he needed some space to figure things out. He said I didn't do anything wrong. That I'm a great person, just not the one for him.

>> That's so cliche. Mark's not worth your time, Lydia. You deserve so much better.

I know we had hit a rough patch, but I had hoped we could work it out next weekend when we both had some time off. [snorts] I think he found someone else. I had been getting suspicious because he had been spending a lot of time with a coworker.

>> Whatever. He's a jerk. Forget about him.

There are many more fish in the sea. [laughter] >> Talk about being cliche, Maggie. But you're right.

There's no use for me to sulk around. Let's go out tonight. [music] >> All right, we're back.

So, now let's take a look at some of those phrases on Fluency Builder. >> Fluency Builder. >> All right, so Marco, these are cliche phrases that we hear in English when people are breaking up.

Okay, so there's some breaking up phrases, but there's also phrases that you might hear from your friend after you have a breakup. Okay, the first phrase we're going to look at, I think, is to need space. So, he said he needed some space, >> right?

And that's a cliche phrase, as we said, but it means that maybe her her ex-boyfriend or Mark uh needs more space, needs more time to be on his own or needs more time to do his own things. That's right. So, when you're in a relationship, you have a boyfriend or a girlfriend, you're always together.

I need some space means I want to be alone. >> I don't want to be with my boyfriend or girlfriend. Sometimes this is just a small period.

Sometimes it's forever. >> It depends. >> That's right.

So when somebody says that they need space, it means they need a little bit of more time to be on their own or to be alone as you said. And also he he had also given her another cliche phrase. Mark said that she is not the one for him.

>> Okay. So the emphasis here is the one. >> The one.

She's not the one for him. So in English we often talk about the one and this means the person that you will marry, the love of your life, >> your your significant other, your your other half. >> That's right.

And so you hope that you will marry the one. Um but her boyfriend realized he said, "Listen, [music] I like you, but you're not the one. You're you're not the person that I will marry.

" So this is a a phrase you often hear in breakups. So, if you're single, maybe you don't have a boyfriend or you're not married, you might say that you haven't found the one >> or yeah, you have a lot of different boyfriends, but you still haven't found the one. That means the one you will marry.

>> That's right. Okay, very good. And uh now towards the end of the dialogue, Maggie also gives her some advice and said, "You know what?

Forget about him. There are many more fish in the sea. " >> Okay, so this is a phrase that we often say when we're trying to make somebody feel better.

So the person is sad and we want to make them happy. And so there are many more fish in the sea means that um there are other men in the world. Okay, you're sad.

You broke up. I understand. But there are so many other men you could date.

So she's trying to say, "Hey, listen. Look at this world. There's so many different options.

" >> That's right. So it's the it's the similarity of how in the sea you have so many fish. In the world you have so many men, so don't worry about it.

>> And you can say this about women, too. So, for example, if I'm talking to my male friend or my brother and my brother just broke up with his girlfriend, I can say, "Hey, listen. [music] There are many more fish in the sea.

Many other women, >> so don't worry about it. >> Don't worry about it. You'll be okay.

" >> And Lydia says, "You know what? I think you're right. And there's really no use for me to sulk around.

" So, what does she mean to sulk around? >> To sulk. Now, this is something that is very visual for me.

I see somebody sulking. Their head is low. They're sad.

Someone who is sulking often wears their sweatpants or their pajamas. They don't they don't make themselves look good. >> Um to sulk around means to be in your house to be sad to watch TV and eat ice cream.

So stop sulking. Don't look sad, be happy. So to sulk is to act sad and to you know be very down.

>> So it's kind of like you're very it's kind of a combination of being lazy but and also sad at the same time because something bad happened to you. >> Exactly. And so we often say that in English, teenagers like to sulk, you know, oh, I'm so angry at my parents.

And your parents will say, hey, stop sulking. Go study. >> That's right.

Very good. Okay. So, a lot of great phrases here.

I think we can go back. Let's listen to this dialogue one last time. [music] >> Hello.

>> Hey. Do you want to go out tonight? No, [gasps] [sighs] I think I'll pass.

Mark broke up with me. I feel awful. >> What?

What happened? Just last week, you were talking about going on vacation together. >> I don't know what I did wrong.

He said he needed some space to figure things out. He said I didn't do anything wrong. That I'm a great person, just not the one for him.

>> That's so cliche. Mark's not worth your time, Lydia. You deserve so much better.

>> I know we had hit a rough patch, but I had hoped we could work it out next weekend when we both had some time off. I think he found someone else. I had been getting suspicious because he had been spending a lot of time with a coworker.

>> Whatever. He's a jerk. Forget about him.

There are many more fish in the sea. [laughter] >> Talk about being cliche, Maggie. But you're right.

There's no use for me to sulk around. Let's go out tonight. [music] All right.

So, talking about breakups, these cliche lines and and uh well, Maggie is obviously upset. What other cliche lines or breakup phrases have you heard apart from, "It's not you, it's me. You're just not the one.

" Um >> I need some space. >> I need some space. I I think of you more like a friend, you know, cuz there's like a boyfriend or girlfriend, but then there's a friend.

And so, listen, I like you, but I think of you more like a friend. >> Mhm. Yeah.

I think that's a typical one, especially if you're asking someone out on a date. They might say that, you know, oh, I really like you, but I I see you more as a friend than anything else. >> So, there's another one that's very popular.

Sometimes you hear people say, I'm just not ready for a relationship. >> And that's also a cliche line. >> Or, I'm not ready to commit.

I'm not ready to commit. Yeah. And and it's interesting because I think breaking up is one of the hardest things that people can do.

And I think maybe this is why you just use one of these phrases that are so popular and common because I guess it's kind of a a good way to explain in very soft terms what you want to say and to break up with someone. >> That's right. And I think that sometimes people are afraid to make the other person sad and so they say these things that are very, you know, general like, "It's not you, it's me.

" >> Right. Uh, but sometimes this makes the other person even more sad because they [clears throat] don't understand why that they're breaking up. So, >> what about breaking up over the telephone or breaking up with a letter?

>> Generally, uh, at least in America, we say that breaking up over email or letter or phone is not a good way to end a relationship. It's very cold. >> It's very cold.

So, the other person would be very angry if if uh if that happened. >> That's right. You just want to see the person and say, "Listen, let's have a conversation.

Let's talk about this face to face. " >> Okay. So, this is actually very interesting because as as we say, maybe in other countries or in other cultures is not really a negative thing to break up over the phone or maybe send an email saying, "You know what?

Uh, I don't want to see you anymore. " Right? So, I'd be very curious to hear about you guys and your cultures and what happens when people break up where you live.

So, let us know. We hope to see you there. And of course, we hope that you haven't had any very bad breakup experiences, but if you're comfortable sharing, we'd like to hear about your culture and your background.

>> All right, so we'll see you guys there. Bye >> bye. [music] >> Hello, my friend.

Before I begin, I want you to stop for a moment and think. What did you do with your day today? Did you learn something new?

Did you move one small step toward your dream? Or did you just scroll, watch, and let hours go away? I ask you this because I used to be that person, the one who thought life was long, time was plenty, and tomorrow was always waiting.

But I was wrong. This is my story. And maybe it can change your life like it changed mine.

Hello. Welcome back to my channel. I want to tell you a story.

This story is real. It is about something that changed my life. My name is John.

I am 78 years old. When I was young, I didn't care about anything. I woke up late.

I played games all day. I laughed a lot, but I learned nothing. I didn't read books.

I didn't work. I didn't think about my future. Every day was the same.

I was wasting time, but I didn't see it. Then one weekend, my uncle came to visit. He was quiet and serious.

He sat down with me and looked into my eyes. I smiled, but he didn't smile back. He said, "Don't waste your time.

Just that, nothing more. No long talk, no big story. " He stood up and walked away, but I couldn't forget his words.

They stayed in my head like a song on repeat. For many days, I thought about his words. At first, I didn't care.

I thought I had lots of time. But slowly, I started to feel different. I looked at my life.

I saw how many hours I lost. I asked myself, "What am I doing? " I had no answer.

I felt sad. I wanted to change. I wanted to use my time better.

I didn't want to waste my life. So, I began with small steps. I started waking up early.

I read one page of a book every day. I wrote down my thoughts in a notebook. I watched videos about learning.

I asked people for advice. I tried new things. Some days were hard.

I wanted to quit. But I remembered my uncle's words. They gave me power to keep going.

Now I am older. I am not rich or famous, but I am proud. I use my time well.

I learn new things. I help others and I feel happy. All this started with one short sentence.

Don't waste your time. That sentence changed my life. And maybe it can change your life too.

So listen to me. Don't wait. Don't be lazy.

Start today. In the beginning, I didn't know how to change. I was still the same person.

I was lazy. I didn't want to work hard. But I remembered what my uncle said.

So, I made a plan. It was a simple plan. I wrote three things on paper.

Wake up early, read every day, and write one idea. That was my plan. I put the paper on my wall.

I saw it every morning. It helped me start. Waking up early was not easy.

The first week was very hard. I wanted to sleep more. My bed felt warm and soft.

But I said no. I got up. I opened the window.

I looked at the sky. I took a deep breath. The morning air felt new.

It felt clean. My mind was quiet. I started to like mornings.

They gave me energy. They made me feel strong inside. Reading was also a big change.

I did not like books before. I thought they were boring. But I started with easy books.

Just one page a day, then two pages, then five. I read stories. I read facts.

I read about people who worked hard and changed their lives. Those stories gave me hope. They showed me that small steps can build a better future.

I wanted that future, too. Writing was the hardest part. I didn't know what to write.

My hand was slow. My words were simple. But I didn't stop.

I wrote one small idea each day. Sometimes I wrote about my dreams. Sometimes about my fears.

Sometimes I just wrote a word, but I wrote. And that small habit helped me understand myself. It helped me see what I wanted from life.

As the weeks passed, I felt proud. My life was still simple. But I was moving forward.

My days were not wasted. I was learning. I was growing.

I didn't feel lost anymore. I had a goal. I had a plan.

And I had a reason to wake up. All this came from one moment, one visit, and one sentence from my uncle. Don't waste your time.

I started to talk less and listen more. Before, I always wanted to speak. I wanted people to hear me.

But now I listened. I listened to people with experience. I listened to people with ideas.

I watched how they lived. I saw how they worked hard. I learned from their stories.

I saw that smart people don't waste time. They use time like gold. Every minute is important to them.

I also stopped doing things that gave me nothing. I watched less TV. I used my phone less.

I stayed away from people who only talked but never worked. They laughed all day but did nothing. I didn't want to be like them.

I wanted to grow. I wanted to be better. So I made a new rule for myself.

If something is not useful, I will not do it. That rule helped me stay focused. Soon I began to see small changes.

I was reading more. I was writing better. My ideas were clear.

I started to understand myself. I knew what I wanted. I didn't feel lazy anymore.

I felt strong. My time had meaning. I used to waste hours.

Now I used every hour for something good. That feeling was new to me and I liked it very much. One day my uncle came to visit again.

He looked at me and smiled. He didn't say much, but I think he saw the change in me. I told him what I was doing.

I showed him my notebook. He nodded and said, "Good. " That one word made me happy.

I knew I was going the right way. His short sentence helped me find a better life. So, I say this to you now.

You don't need to do big things. You don't need to move fast. You just need to move.

Start small. Start now. Listen to the right people.

Make good habits. Use your time for learning, not for wasting. If you do that, your life will start to change, too.

Just like mine did. Some days were still hard. I woke up and didn't feel strong.

I didn't want to read or write. I felt tired. I felt bored.

But I told myself, "Keep going. I remembered my uncle's voice. I said the words again.

Don't waste your time. That sentence became my guide. It helped me stand up when I wanted to quit.

It helped me try again when I failed. I made a list of dreams. I wrote down five things I wanted to do.

They were simple dreams. I wanted to finish a book. I wanted to learn a skill.

I wanted to speak better. I wanted to help someone. I wanted to feel proud of my work.

I looked at that list every day. It gave me direction. It gave me a reason to wake up early and use my time well.

I also started to help other people. I saw that many were like me before. They felt lost.

They wasted time. So, I talked to them. I shared my story.

I told them about my uncle. I said the same words to them. Don't waste your time.

Some listened, some laughed. But I kept sharing. I knew that even one sentence can open a door in someone's mind.

With time, I felt more confident. I started doing new things. I joined a class.

I learned from teachers. I met people who wanted to grow. They helped me learn faster.

We shared ideas. We studied together. Being around the right people helped me a lot.

I didn't feel alone anymore. I felt like I was part of something bigger. Looking back now, I feel thankful.

I am thankful for my uncle. I am thankful for his words. I am thankful that I changed.

Life is not always easy. But when we use time well, life becomes better. We become stronger.

We become wiser. And we feel more alive. That is what I want you to feel too.

I want you to know something important. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to be the best.

You only need to try. Trying is enough. Many people wait for the perfect time.

But the perfect time does not come. The best time is now. Even if you are not ready, start now.

Take one small step. That step can lead to a big change later. I was not smart when I started.

I was not strong. I didn't know many things. But I used what I had.

Time. Time is free, but it is also the most valuable thing. You can lose money and make it again.

But you cannot get your time back. Once it is gone, it is gone forever. That is why I protect my time now.

I don't let people or things waste it. I also learn to enjoy simple things. I didn't need to travel far.

I didn't need to buy expensive things. I found joy in learning. I felt happy after reading one good page.

I smiled after writing one clear sentence. I felt proud when I helped a friend. These small things gave me peace.

They gave me meaning. They helped me stay on the right path. But I didn't listen.

I knew what I was doing. I knew where I was going. I didn't want their life.

I wanted something better. I wanted to grow. So, I stayed quiet and kept working.

My time was too important for useless talk. Now, I want to ask you a question. What are you doing with your time?

Are you building something? Are you learning something? Or are you wasting your days?

Be honest with yourself. Your answer can show you your future. If you don't like your answer, then change it.

You can start today just like I did. If you are still here listening to this story, I want to thank you. It means you care.

It means you want to learn. That is a good sign. You are already better than the person who does nothing.

Many people never try. They waste time and make excuses. But not you.

You stayed. You listened. And maybe, just maybe, you are ready to change your life, too.

You don't need to be fast. You don't need to be great on day one. All you need is to begin.

Set one small goal. Wake up early, read one page, write one idea, help one person. Repeat it every day.

Don't stop. Some days will be easy. Some will be hard.

But every small step moves you forward. And that is how real change begins. Sometimes you will feel tired.

You will feel slow. And that's okay. Rest.

But don't quit. Take a deep breath. Look at how far you've come.

Think about your dreams. Think about your future. Then stand up again.

Do one small thing. That one thing is enough. Over time, all those small things become big progress.

You will be proud of yourself. I still remember my uncle's voice. It was calm but strong.

Don't waste your time, he said. I didn't understand it then, but now I do. His words were a gift.

A short sentence, but full of power. It changed me. It gave me a new life.

I hope it can help you too. Maybe my voice can be your reminder now just like his voice was mine. So this is my last message to you.

Use your time well. Time is your best friend. It is also your biggest test.

Don't throw it away. Use it to learn, to grow, to become better. One day you will look back and smile.

You will thank yourself for starting and maybe you will share your story too with someone who needs it. Time is free but it is priceless. You can lose money and earn it again but you can never earn back your time.

So use it well. Protect it. Respect it.

Because one day when you look back you will thank yourself.