Episode 0088

Hello English learners, welcome back to English Pod. My name is Marco.

And I'm Erica. And today we're looking at some more romance. We're talking about dating.

Dating, exactly. And not only dating, but asking someone to become your boyfriend or girlfriend.

Yeah, that's true. And so we're going to be focusing on language, um, to express your romantic feelings, and also maybe, um, some phrases you can use to ask someone out.

Hey, you're early. Where's everyone?

Well, I told them not to come. I made a reservation just for the two of us. I thought we could have a quiet evening all to ourselves.

Oh, why?

Jennifer, there's something I want to ask you.

Sure, what is it?

Mm, okay, here's the thing. I've always seen you as more than just a friend, and I can't take it anymore. I know you better than anyone. I know the pros and cons of your personality. I even know what side of the bed is yours. I think we would be great together, don't you?

Are you serious? We've been friends for years. We can't just change that overnight.

I know. I never had the guts to tell you until today. So what do you say? Are you willing to give me a shot?

Uh, uh.

All right, I wonder, is she going to say yes?

I don't know, she seems a little bit confused.

Well, I guess it's always strange when your best friend suddenly wants to be your boyfriend or girlfriend.

It does happen, though. It does happen.

So why don't we take a look at some of the vocabulary that was used in this dialogue to express these feelings? And let's start with fluency builder.

Fluency Builder.

Okay, so we're doing things a little differently today. Uh, we're looking at phrases and not just vocabulary words. So, he used some wonderful phrases to ask her to be his boyfriend. And he started with this, here's the thing.

Here's the thing.

Here's the thing.

All right, that's a very strange phrase. Here's the thing. Is it giving her something?

Not quite. He's not giving her um, an object, but he he's giving her um, some information.

Okay. So it's a very common way to start an idea.

That's right.

You're about to tell the person the main problem or the main.

The main piece of information.

Right. So you would start with, here's the thing, and then start explaining.

Okay, why don't we do an example?

For example, you could say, all right, here's the thing. People don't like you.

Right. Well, I hope they don't say that to me. But another example, uh Marco, here's the thing. We're behind in our podcasting, we have to work overtime.

Okay. So the main idea.

Yeah.

Very good. Moving on to our next phrase.

He said, I can't take it.

I can't take it anymore.

I can't take it anymore.

So he can't take it anymore. Take what?

Well, why don't we find out by listening to some examples?

Example one.

Example two.

Example three.

All right, so basically is you can't stand it. You can't tolerate it anymore.

Exactly. This is a phrase we use um, when we are really frustrated.

But yeah, when we're frustrated or when we just can't handle it anymore.

Mhm. And well, after he finished his declaration of love, she responded by saying, are you serious?

Are you serious?

Are you serious?

Are you serious?

Okay, so what does she mean?

She's just saying, really?

Exactly, it's another way of saying, really?

Yeah. So this is a phrase that's really, um, it's quite informal, isn't it?

Yeah, I guess you wouldn't use it in a business context.

No, and it's also something that's used mostly by younger people.

Right, if you say something that's amazing or that's incredible, hard to believe.

You might get this response.

Are you serious?

Right. So he is very serious, but he confessed that he never had the guts to tell her.

Mhm. Have the guts.

I never had the guts to tell you.

I never had the guts.

All right, so to have guts.

That's to be brave.

To be brave, courageous.

Yep.

So we have some examples of how we would use guts in different situations, so let's listen.

Example one.

I don't have the guts to go skydiving.

Example two.

I don't have the guts to give a speech.

Example three.

I've never had the guts to say no to my boss.

All right, so to have the guts to do something.

Hey, but Marco, this word guts is an interesting one.

Yes, it is, because guts can also mean your internal organs.

Like your stomach and your intestines and your lungs.

Exactly. Those are your guts.

Yep. So when you have guts, you're really brave.

Exactly, you're courageous.

Mhm.

All right, very good. Why don't we listen to the dialogue for the second time? We're going to slow it down a little bit. And we'll come back and look at some phrases and putting it together.

Hey, you're early. Where's everyone?

Well, I told them not to come. I made a reservation just for the two of us. I thought we could have a quiet evening all to ourselves.

Oh, why?

Jennifer, there's something I want to ask you.

Sure, what is it?

Mm, okay. Here's the thing. I've always seen you as more than just a friend. And I can't take it anymore. I know you better than anyone. I know the pros and cons of your personality. I even know what side of the bed is yours. I think we would be great together, don't you?

Are you serious? We've been friends for years. We can't just change that overnight.

I know. I've never had the guts to tell you until today. So, what do you say? Are you willing to give me a shot?

I, I.

All right, so that's a little bit clearer this time. But while I was listening, I noticed that there's some more great phrases that you can use together with different words. So let's look at those now and putting it together.

Putting it together.

All right, let's take a look at the first one. He said, I made a reservation just for the two of us.

The two of us.

Just the two of us.

So just the two of us, um, quite simply, it means you and me, just us, right?

Right, just us.

So, so why is this phrase important?

I think it's a great way to to show the idea of only us, right?

Right.

And we can use it together with any number we want.

So, what about the four of us?

Mhm. Just the four of us.

Okay.

Just the eight of us.

Okay.

So, so it suggests the idea of only us.

Okay. So he made the reservation just for the two of us because he thought they could have a quiet evening all to ourselves.

All to ourselves.

All to ourselves.

All to ourselves.

If you have something all to yourself or we have something all to ourselves.

We have that thing all alone. We don't have to share it.

We don't share, very good. So, I guess you can say my parents are out of town, so I have the apartment, I have the house all to myself.

Mhm. Or even, uh, she wants to eat the cake all to herself.

Very good. So that's a very good phrase. And you can use it with any pronoun.

Well, so the guy is explaining that I've always seen you as more than just a friend.

I've always seen you as.

I've always seen you as.

So basically is the perception or the way you consider that person.

The way you think about that person.

So I can say, I've always seen you as a good friend.

I've always seen you as a leader.

Okay, so our last phrase is also the last thing we heard in the dialogue. He said, are you willing to give me a shot?

Are you willing to give me a shot?

To give me a shot.

Give me a shot.

All right, I think we have some more examples of how we could use give me a shot in different situations, so let's listen.

Example one.

Example two.

The HR manager wasn't going to hire me, but he decided to give me a shot.

Okay, so when you give someone a shot, you take a chance, right?

Give that person or give an opportunity.

Mhm. All right, so we don't know if she will give him a shot or not, but why don't we listen to the dialogue once more to hear these phrases in action?

Hey, you're early. Where's everyone?

Well, I told them not to come. I made a reservation just for the two of us. I thought we could have a quiet evening all to ourselves.

Oh, why?

Jennifer, there's something I want to ask you.

Sure, what is it?

Mm, okay, here's the thing. I've always seen you as more than just a friend, and I can't take it anymore. I know you better than anyone. I know the pros and cons of your personality. I even know what side of the bed is yours. I think we would be great together, don't you?

Are you serious? We've been friends for years. We can't just change that overnight.

I know. I never had the guts to tell you until today. So what do you say? Are you willing to give me a shot?

Uh, uh.

All right, so an interesting dialogue, and it opens up a a cultural point.

That's right. Um, so in the dialogue, the guy was asking her if she would be his girlfriend, right?

Right. But I guess it's not very common among adults at least.

Yeah, we don't say like, okay, so please will you be my boyfriend now? In English speaking countries.

Right, right, right.

Um, you would do that maybe in high school or. But even even then, I think it's still a little funny.

Um, I think for us, when we start to have romantic relationships, it just sort of happens naturally, right? You never really have this conversation, will you be my boyfriend?

Right. I guess afterwards, you just start talking about other things, which.

You just consider that you guys are already boyfriend and girlfriend, but there's no real.

There's no official starting point.

Yeah, there's no official point that says, okay, now we are boyfriend and girlfriend. Which is interesting, because in other countries they do go through the formality of asking somebody to become their boyfriend.

Yeah. But even um, you know, like 20 or 30 years ago, in English-speaking countries, you would do this.

Oh yeah, of course.

And it was called going steady.

Going steady.

So you would ask, will you go steady with me?

And that means, let's become a stable couple.

Exactly.

All right, so we want to hear your stories and, well, how do you do it in your country? Do you ask someone out? Do you maybe just give them the first kiss and that's an automatic yes?

Well, I don't know, but I'm looking forward to hearing from our listeners. So guys, uh check out our website, Englishpod.com. You can leave your questions and comments there.

All right, we'll see you guys there, and until next time.

Goodbye.

The English Pod audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

You and me.

Two of us.

Just for us and no one else.

All to ourselves.

Phrase used to begin explaining a situation or problem.

Here's the thing.

Good things and bad things about a person.

Pros and cons.

Courage, brave.

Guts.

To let someone have a try.

Give someone a shot.

Phrase used to indicate that you are dating someone.

Going out.

To become someone's boyfriend or girlfriend.

Get with.

To ask someone to join you on a romantic date.

Ask out.

Having a very close relationship, very warm and friendly.

Intimate.

To kiss.

Make out.

Let's try that faster.

You and me.

Two of us.

Phrase used to indicate that you are dating someone.

Going out.

Having a very close relationship, very warm and friendly.

Intimate.

To ask someone to join you on a romantic date.

Ask out.

Good things and bad things about a person.

Pros and cons.

To let someone have a try.

Give someone a shot.

Phrase used to begin explaining a situation or problem.

Here's the thing.

Courage, brave.

Guts.

To kiss.

Make out.

Just for us and no one else.

All to ourselves.

To become someone's boyfriend or girlfriend.

Get with.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Good evening, sir. Do you have a reservation?

Hi, I'm calling to make a dinner reservation.

I have a reservation for a group of four.

I couldn't take her complaining anymore, so I broke up with her.

Are you serious? Why do you suddenly want to move out?

Guts.

I don't have the guts to go skydiving.

Guts.

I don't have the guts to give a speech.

Guts.

I never had the guts to say no to my boss.

What do you say we go for dinner?

So, what do you say? Will you come?