Do You Understand Real English? Take This Listening Test! | English Podcast

[00:00:00]English learning [music] podcast >> Here you learn to speak and shine.

[00:00:05]>> Hi everyone and welcome back to speak English with Filza.

[00:00:10]>> Hello, hello. Great to be here with you again.

[00:00:13]>> Today's video is a listening practice video.

[00:00:16]That means you just relax and listen.

[00:00:20]>> No pressure, no stress. Just open your ears and enjoy the conversation.

[00:00:26]>> Listening is one of the fastest ways to improve your English, honestly.

[00:00:30]>> When you hear real conversations, your brain starts to understand patterns naturally.

[00:00:36]>> Exactly. You don't need to understand every single word. Just follow along.

[00:00:43]>> And here's a quick question for you before we begin.

[00:00:46]>> How do you usually make new friends?

[00:00:50]Think about your answer for a moment.

[00:00:52]>> There's no wrong answer here. Everyone's story is a little different.

[00:00:57]>> Keep that answer in your mind because today's topic is exactly that, making new friends.

[00:01:05]Let's get started.

[00:01:07]>> So Filza, tell me honestly, are you good at making new friends?

[00:01:12]>> Actually, not really.

[00:01:14]I'm a little shy at first.

[00:01:16]>> Really? You seem so confident on camera.

[00:01:20]>> Huh, that's different. Talking to a camera is easy. Talking to strangers is hard.

[00:01:27]>> I understand that. I used to be shy, too, believe it or not.

[00:01:32]>> You? Shy?

[00:01:34]I don't believe that at all.

[00:01:36]>> It's true. In school, I never talked to new people first.

[00:01:41]>> What changed for you?

[00:01:43]>> I moved to a new city for university and I had no choice.

[00:01:47]>> Oh, that makes sense. Sometimes life pushes us to change.

[00:01:52]>> Exactly. I had to talk to strangers or stay alone every single day.

[00:01:58]>> So, what did you do?

[00:02:00]>> I joined a sports club. It's easier to talk when you're doing something together.

[00:02:05]>> That's smart advice. Shared activities really do help.

[00:02:10]>> What about you? How did you make friends in a new place?

[00:02:14]>> Honestly, through my neighbor. She invited me for tea one day.

[00:02:19]>> That's so kind. Simple invitations can start real friendships.

[00:02:24]>> Yes. We talked for 2 hours that first day.

[00:02:29]>> What did you talk about?

[00:02:30]>> Everything, really. Food, family, our childhoods. It felt natural.

[00:02:37]>> That's the best kind of conversation. No pressure, just talking.

[00:02:42]>> I still remember, she asked me a question that surprised me.

[00:02:46]>> What was it?

[00:02:47]>> She asked, "What makes you laugh the most?"

[00:02:51]Nobody had asked me that before.

[00:02:54]>> Wow, that's a great question, actually.

[00:02:57]It's personal, but not too personal.

[00:03:00]>> Exactly. It opened up a real conversation immediately.

[00:03:05]>> I think small, interesting questions work better than boring ones.

[00:03:10]>> I agree completely. "How are you?"

[00:03:13]doesn't really start a deep conversation.

[00:03:16]>> True. Nobody wants to hear, "I'm fine, thanks." 50 times a day.

[00:03:21]>> Huh, so true.

[00:03:24]Can I ask you something a bit personal, Daniel?

[00:03:27]>> Sure, go ahead.

[00:03:29]>> Do you think it's harder to make friends as an adult?

[00:03:32]>> Definitely harder.

[00:03:34]When we're kids, we just play together and become friends instantly.

[00:03:38]>> That's so true. Kids don't overthink anything.

[00:03:43]>> Right. As adults, we worry about being judged or saying the wrong thing.

[00:03:49]>> I feel that, too, honestly.

[00:03:51]I always worry, What if they don't like me?

[00:03:55]>> I think everyone worries about that, even the most confident people.

[00:04:00]>> Really? Even you?

[00:04:02]>> Even me. I just try not to show it too much.

[00:04:05]>> That's good advice, actually. Fake it until you feel it, right?

[00:04:09]>> Exactly. Or at least smile first and worry later.

[00:04:13]>> Ha, I like that. Do you think social media makes it easier or harder?

[00:04:19]>> Honestly, I think it's both.

[00:04:22]You can meet people, but real connection takes more.

[00:04:25]>> I agree. Messaging someone online feels different from talking face-to-face.

[00:04:30]>> Definitely. There's something special about a real conversation, don't you think?

[00:04:35]>> Absolutely. You can hear the tone of voice, see the smile, feel the energy.

[00:04:40]>> That's exactly why we're doing this listening practice today, actually.

[00:04:44]>> Good point. Real conversations, real energy, even through a screen.

[00:04:49]>> All right, let's teach some useful vocabulary from our chat. Great idea.

[00:04:54]Let's boost your vocabulary now.

[00:04:56]>> Word number one.

[00:04:58]Stranger.

[00:04:59]A stranger is someone you don't know yet.

[00:05:02]>> Say it slowly. Stran-ger.

[00:05:05]Two syllables. Stranger.

[00:05:08]>> Example. I felt nervous talking to a stranger at the party.

[00:05:12]>> Now try this challenge sentence.

[00:05:14]Have you ever talked to a stranger on a train?

[00:05:17]>> Word number two.

[00:05:19]Confident.

[00:05:20]Confident means feeling sure about yourself.

[00:05:24]>> Pronunciation tip. Con-fi-dent.

[00:05:27]Stress the first syllable. Confident.

[00:05:31]>> Example.

[00:05:32]Daniel looks confident, but he was actually shy before.

[00:05:36]>> Challenge sentence. Do you feel confident speaking English in public?

[00:05:40]>> Word number three.

[00:05:42]Invitation.

[00:05:44]An invitation is when someone asks you to join them.

[00:05:47]>> Break it down. Invitation.

[00:05:51]The stress is on the third part.

[00:05:53]>> Example. My neighbor gave me an invitation for tea and we became friends.

[00:05:58]>> Challenge sentence. Have you ever received an interesting invitation?

[00:06:03]>> Word number four.

[00:06:05]Childhood.

[00:06:06]Childhood means the time when you were a child.

[00:06:09]>> Pronunciation. Childhood.

[00:06:13]Stress the first part clearly.

[00:06:15]>> Example.

[00:06:16]We talked about our childhood memories for hours.

[00:06:19]>> Challenge sentence. What's your favorite memory from your childhood?

[00:06:23]>> Word number five.

[00:06:25]Shared.

[00:06:26]Shared means something you both experienced together.

[00:06:30]>> Say it like this. Shared. One clear syllable. Rhymes with cared.

[00:06:36]>> Example.

[00:06:37]A shared hobby can help you make friends faster.

[00:06:40]>> Challenge sentence. What's a shared activity you enjoy with your friends?

[00:06:45]>> One bonus word.

[00:06:47]Genuine.

[00:06:48]Genuine means real and sincere, not fake.

[00:06:52]>> Pronunciation tip. Gen-u-ine.

[00:06:56]Stress the first part of the word.

[00:06:58]>> Example. Sarah gave me a genuine smile when we first met.

[00:07:03]>> Challenge sentence. What makes a friendship feel genuine to you?

[00:07:07]>> Great work. Now, let's do a listening challenge.

[00:07:11]>> I'm going to say one sentence. Listen carefully the first time.

[00:07:15]>> Ready, Daniel?

[00:07:16]>> My neighbor invited me over and honestly, I almost said no.

[00:07:20]>> Okay, everyone. What did Daniel say?

[00:07:23]Pause the video now and think.

[00:07:26]>> Take 5 seconds. I'll wait.

[00:07:30]>> Now, let's hear it again. A little slower this time.

[00:07:33]My neighbor invited me over and honestly I almost said no.

[00:07:48]>> Let's explain two tricky words there.

[00:07:51]Invited means someone asked you to come somewhere.

[00:07:55]>> And honestly means speaking truthfully, even if it feels a bit awkward.

[00:08:00]>> So, the full meaning is his neighbor asked him to visit, but he almost refused.

[00:08:05]>> Exactly right. Nice work if you understood that on your first try.

[00:08:10]>> Now, let's move to a real-life role-play.

[00:08:13]>> This time, we'll act out two neighbors meeting for the first time.

[00:08:17]>> I'll be Sarah, and Daniel will be Tom, her new neighbor.

[00:08:21]>> Perfect. Let's begin.

[00:08:22]>> Hi there. I don't think we've met. I'm Sarah from apartment four.

[00:08:27]>> Oh, hi Sarah. I'm Tom. I just moved into apartment six last week.

[00:08:32]>> Welcome to the building. How are you settling in?

[00:08:35]>> Pretty well, thanks. Still finding my way around, but it's a nice area.

[00:08:41]>> It really is. If you ever need anything, feel free to knock on my door.

[00:08:46]>> That's so kind of you. Actually, do you know a good place for groceries nearby?

[00:08:51]>> Yes, there's a small market just two streets away. I can show you sometime.

[00:08:56]>> I'd really appreciate that. Thank you.

[00:08:59]>> No problem at all. It's nice to have a new neighbor.

[00:09:02]>> It's nice to meet you, too, Sarah. I'm sure we'll talk again soon.

[00:09:07]>> Definitely. Have a great rest of your day, Tom.

[00:09:10]>> You, too. Bye for now.

[00:09:13]>> That's a perfect example of a friendly, natural first conversation.

[00:09:17]>> Notice how Sarah offered help without being asked. That's very common in English culture.

[00:09:24]>> Let's try one more short role-play, but in a different setting this time.

[00:09:28]>> Good idea. Let's imagine we're both waiting in line at a small coffee shop.

[00:09:34]>> I'll be a customer, and you can be someone else waiting, too.

[00:09:38]>> Excuse me. Is this the line for coffee, or is there a separate line for food?

[00:09:44]>> I think it's just one line for everything. I've been waiting about 5 minutes.

[00:09:49]>> Oh, thanks for telling me. I almost joined the wrong line by mistake.

[00:09:54]>> No problem at all. This place gets pretty busy in the mornings.

[00:09:58]>> I can imagine. Do you come here often?

[00:10:01]>> Actually, this is my first time here. A friend recommended it to me.

[00:10:05]>> Nice choice. I hope you enjoy it. Their coffee is really good, by the way.

[00:10:11]>> Thanks for the tip. I'll definitely order the coffee, then.

[00:10:14]>> That's another great example.

[00:10:16]A short, simple conversation with a complete stranger.

[00:10:21]>> Notice how the conversation started with a small, practical question, not a big introduction.

[00:10:27]>> Exactly.

[00:10:28]You don't need a special reason to start talking to someone new.

[00:10:32]>> Now, let's talk about common mistakes English learners make in this kind of conversation.

[00:10:37]>> Mistake number one.

[00:10:39]Learners often say, "I am agree with you."

[00:10:43]>> The correct way is simply, "I agree with you." No am needed. Agree is already a verb.

[00:10:50]>> That's a really common one. I hear it a lot, even from advanced learners.

[00:10:55]>> Mistake number two. Some people say, "I have 25 years."

[00:11:01]>> In English, we say, "I am 25 years old."

[00:11:05]Age uses the verb to be, not to have.

[00:11:09]>> This mistake happens because other languages use have for age, but English is different.

[00:11:16]>> Mistake number three. Learners sometimes say, "She is boring." when they mean something else.

[00:11:22]>> If a person feels no interest, we say, "She is bored." Boring describes the thing causing that feeling.

[00:11:30]>> So, a boring movie makes you feel bored.

[00:11:33]Two different words, two different meanings.

[00:11:36]>> Exactly. Mistake number four. People often say, "Please explain me this."

[00:11:42]>> The correct form is, "Please explain this to me." We need to me, not just me alone.

[00:11:50]>> Small change, but it makes a big difference to how natural your English sounds.

[00:11:55]>> Mistake number five. Learners sometimes say, "I very like this."

[00:12:01]>> The correct sentence is, "I really like this." or "I like this very much."

[00:12:07]>> Very can't go directly before a verb like like. It needs really instead.

[00:12:13]>> And one more. Mistake number six. People often say, "I'm agree." when giving an opinion in writing, too.

[00:12:21]>> Just remember, agree stands alone. No am, no is, no are needed before it.

[00:12:29]>> These small mistakes are completely normal. Everyone makes them while learning a new language.

[00:12:34]>> Exactly. The important thing is noticing them and slowly improving, one conversation at a time.

[00:12:42]>> Now, let's move to natural expressions that native speakers use every day.

[00:12:47]>> These are phrases you'll hear constantly in casual, friendly conversation.

[00:12:52]>> Expression one. No worries.

[00:12:55]This means, "It's okay. Don't worry about it."

[00:12:59]>> Native speakers use this to sound relaxed after a small problem or apology.

[00:13:05]>> Example.

[00:13:06]You forgot to call me back? No worries.

[00:13:09]It happens.

[00:13:11]>> Expression two. Let's catch up sometime.

[00:13:14]This means, "Let's meet and talk again soon."

[00:13:18]>> People use this when saying goodbye, especially to someone they haven't seen recently.

[00:13:24]>> Example.

[00:13:25]It was great seeing you. Let's catch up sometime next week.

[00:13:30]>> Expression three. I'm around if you need anything.

[00:13:33]This offers help casually.

[00:13:36]>> We use this to sound supportive without making a big deal out of it.

[00:13:41]>> Example. I'm around this weekend if you need anything at all.

[00:13:46]>> Expression four. That rings a bell. This means something sounds familiar.

[00:13:52]>> Native speakers use this when they almost remember something, but not completely.

[00:13:58]>> Example. Did you say her name was Sarah?

[00:14:01]That rings a bell.

[00:14:03]>> Expression five. Long time no see.

[00:14:07]We say this when we haven't seen someone in a while.

[00:14:11]>> It's very casual, so we usually say it to friends, not strangers.

[00:14:16]>> Example. Daniel, long time no see. How have you been?

[00:14:22]>> Expression six. Feel free to This invites someone to do something comfortably.

[00:14:29]>> We often use this in polite welcoming situations, like inviting someone to ask questions.

[00:14:35]>> Example. Feel free to ask me any questions you have.

[00:14:40]>> Expression seven. It's a small world.

[00:14:44]We say this when we find an unexpected connection.

[00:14:48]>> People say this with surprise, usually smiling, when discovering something they have in common.

[00:14:54]>> Example. You also grew up in that town?

[00:14:57]Wow, it's a small world.

[00:15:00]>> Expression eight. Take care.

[00:15:03]This is a warm and friendly way to say goodbye.

[00:15:07]>> It shows genuine kindness, more personal than just saying bye.

[00:15:12]>> Example. I have to go now. Take care and talk soon.

[00:15:17]>> These expressions will make your English sound much more natural and friendly.

[00:15:22]>> Now, let's practice pronunciation. Some words are tricky, so let's break them down together.

[00:15:29]>> Word one, neighbor.

[00:15:32]Break it into two parts.

[00:15:34]Neighbor.

[00:15:36]Try saying it with me.

[00:15:38]>> Word two, comfortable. This one is tricky. Break it down.

[00:15:44]Comf-fort-table.

[00:15:45]Four sounds, not five.

[00:15:48]>> Word three, definitely.

[00:15:51]Break it into parts.

[00:15:53]Def-fin-nit-te-ly.

[00:15:56]Say it slowly first.

[00:15:58]>> Word four, interesting. Try this. In-ter-res-ting.

[00:16:04]Many learners add extra sounds by mistake.

[00:16:08]>> Word five, actually.

[00:16:11]Break it down.

[00:16:12]Ac-tu-al-ly.

[00:16:15]Say it a few times.

[00:16:17]>> Great job practicing. Pronunciation improves with repetition, so keep practicing daily.

[00:16:24]>> Now, it's time for speaking practice.

[00:16:27]This is my favorite part.

[00:16:29]>> Mine, too. This is where you really put everything together.

[00:16:34]>> I'll ask questions, and you pause the video to answer out loud.

[00:16:38]>> Try to answer in full sentences, not just one word.

[00:16:43]Question one, how did you meet your best friend?

[00:16:47]>> Take a moment and think in English before answering.

[00:16:51]>> Question two, what quality do you look for in a good friend?

[00:16:56]>> Question three, do you find it easy or difficult to make new friends?

[00:17:02]>> Question four, what's an interesting question you could ask a new person?

[00:17:08]>> Question five, have you ever become friends with a neighbor?

[00:17:12]>> Question six, what do you usually talk about with new friends.

[00:17:18]>> Question seven.

[00:17:19]Do you prefer small groups of friends or large groups?

[00:17:23]>> Question eight. What's one activity you'd love to share with a new friend?

[00:17:29]>> Question nine.

[00:17:31]How do you feel when you meet someone new?

[00:17:34]>> Question 10. What advice would you give someone who is shy?

[00:17:39]>> Wonderful. You just practiced real spoken English with your own thoughts and ideas.

[00:17:45]>> That's exactly how confidence grows, little by little, question by question.

[00:17:51]>> Now, let's do a quick review of everything we covered today.

[00:17:56]>> We learned five new vocabulary words: stranger, confident, invitation, childhood, and shared.

[00:18:04]>> We practiced a listening challenge and two short role plays with a neighbor and a stranger.

[00:18:09]>> We corrected six common mistakes and learned eight natural expressions used by native speakers.

[00:18:16]>> We also practiced pronunciation on five tricky words and answered 10 speaking questions.

[00:18:22]>> That's a lot of great practice in just one video. You should feel proud.

[00:18:27]>> I'm really proud of you for staying focused and practicing until the very end.

[00:18:33]>> Remember, making friends and learning English have something in common.

[00:18:38]>> What's that, Daniel?

[00:18:39]>> Both take courage.

[00:18:41]You have to speak first, even when it feels a little scary.

[00:18:46]>> That's beautifully said. So, keep speaking, keep listening, and keep trying every day.

[00:18:53]>> Progress isn't always fast, but it's always happening, even when you don't notice it.

[00:18:59]>> Every word you learn today is a small step toward a bigger goal.

[00:19:04]>> And every conversation you try, even a short one, makes the next one easier.

[00:19:10]>> If you enjoyed this video, tell us in the comments how you make new friends.

[00:19:15]>> We genuinely love to read your answers and learn a little more about you.

[00:19:20]>> Also, if there's a [music] topic you want us to cover next, let us know below.

[00:19:24]>> We read every [music] comment and your ideas often become our next video.

[00:19:30]>> Thank you so much [music] for watching Speak English with Filza today.

[00:19:34]>> We'll see you in our next listening [music] practice video very soon.

[00:19:39]>> Until then, take care, keep practicing, and keep believing in your English.

[00:19:44]>> Bye for now, everyone.

[00:19:46]>> Bye, everyone. See you soon.