Happy English Podcast

Today, I want to talk about something that might seem small, but it actually plays a big role in everyday English — and that’s small talk. Small talk is one of those things that isn’t really taught in textbooks… but it’s something people do all the time in English-speaking countries. And if you’ve ever found yourself in an awkward elevator ride or sitting next to someone on a train and didn’t know what to say… this episode is for you. My AI English Tutor is HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/ Crickets Sound Effect by felix_quinol from Pixabay

Welcome to another Saturday Short, your quick tip for speaking English naturally. Today, let’s talk about three super common words in spoken English: 👉 Wanna, Gonna, and Gotta Now, you won’t find these in a textbook, but native speakers use them all the time in conversation. Today, we'll see how they work. My AI English Tutor is HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Have you ever been to the county fair? Those events have the whole nine yars, including the food. Yeah, that fair food is a total gut-buster, but it sure does taste good! Today, I want to give you a little behind-the-scenes tour of what an American fair is like, and at the same time, we’ll learn a few really natural, fun expressions that go along with the fair experience. My AI English Tutor is here Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com

Somebody asked me the other day how many phrasal verbs there are in English. That’s a tough question. So I said, beats me. And then she said, but you’re an English teacher. I dunno. I have no clue. How many phrasal verbs are there? Who knows! Native English speakers have a lot of ways to say at they don’t know. Today, I want to share some fun and natural ways to say “I don’t know” — the way native speakers really talk. Use my free AI English Tutor Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

I'm so excited to bring you my chat with Lindsay McMahon, the founder and cohost of the All Ears English Podcast. In this podcast English Lesson, you'll hear a natural English conversation between two native English speakers. We're talking about life in Japan, cultural differences and similarities, how things have changed in 25 years and how things have stayed the same. Use my AI English Tutor HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome to the very first Happy English Saturday Short. Every Saturday, I’ll be here with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you build your vocabulary, fix common grammar issues, and to help you sound more natural when you speak. These lessons are short — just a minute or two — but packed with practical English you can start using right away. So let’s kick things off with a useful phrasal verb: 👉 Turn down. There are a number of meanings for turn down but for today, we use turn down to mean refuse or say no to something. Like, “I had to turn down the job offer because it was too far away.” When Eddie asked Jenny to go to the party, she turned him down. Last night at the restaurant, they offered me a second slice of chocolate cake, and… yeah, I didn’t turn it down!” 😅 No surprise there, right? So how about you? What’s something you turned down recently? Leave a comment below, on the blog, or come tell me on Instagram @happyenglishny — and don’t forget to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Saturday Short. Thanks for listening — and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool. Use my AI English Tutor HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Sentence stress. It’s not the kind of stress, that keeps you up at night. And in fact, it’s not anything bad at all. It’s an essential part of English! And when I say sentence stress, I’m not talking about being stressed out about learning grammar. I’m talking about how we say certain words louder, longer, or more clearly — and how that changes the feeling, and sometimes even the meaning, of what we’re saying. Use m free AI English Tutor HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Are you ready to pack a picnic and have some fun in the sun? Before calling it a day, check out today’s English lesson podcast all about beach life, part of our summer series on American Culture. We’re gonna talk about beach life, which could be the beach at the ocean or a lake, and to some degree even the neighborhood swimming poll. Along the way, I’ll show you five idioms and phrases that match the sunscreen, beach umbrellas, and beach snacks theme: fun in the sun, catch some rays, pack a picnic, chill out, and call it a day. Use My AI English Tutor Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Just because you’re speaking fast, doesn’t mean you’re speaking fluently. Fluency is not about speed. Fluency is about rhythm. It’s about sounding natural — with the right pauses, the right tone, and the right feeling. Today, I want to help you speak more naturally by focusing on something that native speakers do all the time — even if they don’t realize it. And that is: Thought Groups. Use FREE: My AI English Tutor Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Wow! It’s really heating up out there today. In fact, I was totally burning up when I was walking the dogs. Thankfully I can cool down with the A/C. Today, I've got some phrasal verbs for you that we use to talk about hot weather. Phrasal verbs are such an integral part of English. I mean, native speakers not only use them all the time, but prefer to use them in conversation. And you should to. Using this kind of language will make your spoken English sound much more natural. My AI English Tutor is HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Someone recently asked me if teaching English was a side hustle. Really? I hustle, that's for sure, but this is my only job. And I got my foot in the door in 1994 in Japan. Wow time flies! Today, we have another episode in our summer series about American culture. It’s Week 7, and today we’re talking about something that’s kind of a rite of passage in the U.S.—summer jobs. My AI English Tutor is HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Just in case you were wondering, this is another podcast English lesson. And in case you like what I’m gonna teach here, I’ll give you some tips to help you remember it. Today, I want to help you out with a handful of phrases that all use the words “in” and “case.” In this lesson, we’re going over expressions like “in case,” “in case of,” “just in case,” “in any case,” “in that case,” and “whatever the case.” These are super common in daily English, and they each have their own little twist when it comes to grammar and meaning. My AI English Tutor is HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

I’m glad you popped in today. Now this lesson may not make your eyes pop out, but before you pop out or pop the question, you’re gonna want to learn these phrases and idioms with pop. You know, the word “pop” is such a fun little word in English. It’s short, quick, kind of energetic… and actually, that’s exactly how we use it — to describe things that happen quickly or suddenly. Today we’re going to check out some of the most common and useful “pop” expressions that native English speakers use all the time. My AI English Tutor: Get it here Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/ Cork Pop Sound Effect by freesound_community from Pixabay

I really hope this podcast English lesson catches on. It took me a while to write it, because sports aren’t really my thing, but I stepped up to the plate and did it. And the inspiration for this lesson came out of left field. It’s Week 6 of our American culture summer series, and today we’re talking about summer sports—you know, the kinds of things that make you sweat, smile, and maybe fall on your face a little. We’re talking baseball, skateboarding, surfing, and beach volleyball. Let’s dive right in—no pun intended. My AI English Tutor Get it Here: Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Have you worked on your English yet today? Have you studied a lot? Have you ever wanted to improve your pronunciation? Work > worked, study > studied, Want > wanted. Let’s dive in! Today we’re gonna clear up that mystery. I’m talking about the pronunciation of -ed in past tense verbs. Believe it or not, there are three different ways to pronounce -ed, and once you know the rules, it actually makes a lot of sense. And do do this, we need to divide the verbs into three groups. My AI English Tutor: Get it here Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

Oh man, it’s a scorcher out there. I just came back from walking Max, and I’m melting. I mean, it’s so hot, you can fry an egg on the sidewalk. How’s the weather where you are? Oh, hot there too? Why don’t we beat the heat together with this podcast English lesson. English has some fun ways to talk about this kind of weather. That’s what we’re going to check out today. Cool Words for Hot Weather. My AI English Tutor: Get it here Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

I want you to know that I didn’t just throw this lesson together. And please, if you’re driving, feel free to turn it up! And if you’re at home, kick back, and enjoy as we dive into backyard fun. Every week, all summer long, we’ve been looking at how Americans live, relax, and celebrate the season. This is part of my This Week in American Life series—and today, we’re talking about something simple but super common: Backyard Fun. I’m talking about lawn games, grilling, iced tea, lemonade… and just hanging out with friends and family right outside your back door. My AI English Tutor: Click HERE Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

I almost hit the wall when I backed up my car. I was in the middle of talking to Jack when he suddenly cut me off to tell me that I should slow down. Anyway, why don’t you pull up so we can go through this lesson! If you’ve ever driven in the U.S., or you’re just curious about how we talk about driving in everyday English, then today’s episode is for you. We’re going to talk about phrasal verbs that we use when driving—and trust me, there are a lot of them. Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

I’m sure you won’t forget this lesson. Even though my usual recording software won’t work with my new microphone, I won’t give up brining this to. I know you like to study here, so I won’t disappoint you! Today, we’re going to talk about a small word that packs a lot of meaning—“won’t.” That’s W-O-N-apostrophe-T. It’s short for “will not,” but depending on the context, it can mean a lot more than just “not in the future.” Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

The temperature was already 30 degrees at 7:00 this morning. Let me tell you, it’s time to beat the heat. A nice dish of chocolate ice cream is one of my favorite ways to cool off, and on a day like this, that really hits the spot! It’s Week 4 of our summer series, and this time, we’re talking about how Americans beat the heat. Well, two things come to mind right away: ice cream and movie theaters. Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/transcript Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/