Happy English Podcast

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

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...

Check out my new Live Course: Speak Naturally In American English: 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.”...

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...

I’m waiting for the bus. We waited to eat dinner. I’m waiting for my friend to call me back. Wait. Seems like a simple word, right? But even simple works can cause confusion. Can you say, “I’m waiting you”? Why do we...

Hi! Nice to meet you. It's nice to see you! Meet and see. These seem like simple words, right? They both relate to spending time with another person, but sometimes meet and see can be confusing. Can you say, “Nice to...

Can you check the schedule? I just want to confirm our reservation. Make sure you bring your passport. Check, confirm, and make sure. These words seem pretty similar, right? They all involve checking information...

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every week with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. Today...