Episode 0100

And today we are going to have a very casual, normal conversation.

That's right. So we're going to listen in on some small talk between a taxi driver and the passenger.

Small talk. So that's basically, um, small, short conversations you have with someone that you don't know very well.

Okay. So typical questions like how old are you, where you're from, etc.

Yep. That's right.

And this can be really hard for English learners because they often don't know what the right thing to say or the right thing to talk about. So we're going to give you a lot of phrases in this lesson that you can use in small talk.

Okay. So we don't have anything to preview today, so let's listen to the dialogue for the first time and then we'll come back.

Where to, miss?

Hi, Crenshaw and Hawthorn at the Holiday Inn that is on that corner.

Sure thing.

So, where are you flying in from?

From China.

Really? You don't look very Chinese to me, if you don't mind me saying so.

It's fine. I am actually from Mexico. I was in China on a business trip visiting some local companies that manufacture bathroom products.

Wow, sounds interesting. Excuse me if I'm being a bit nosy, but how old are you?

Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her age?

Don't get me wrong. It's just that you seem so young and already doing business overseas.

Well, thank you. In that case, I am 26 years old, and what about yourself?

I'm 40 years old and was born and raised here in the good old USA. Although I have some Colombian heritage.

Uh, yeah, of course.

Uh...

All right, so I don't think this guy spoke much Spanish, do you?

No, even though he has Colombian heritage, I think he doesn't speak much. But maybe he's just a little bit rusty.

Maybe, but what he does speak is English. And since this is English pod, why don't we look at some of the phrases that they used for small talk and fluency builder.

Fluency Builder.

All right, so today on Fluency Builder, we're going to take a look at phrases that both the passenger and the taxi driver used to make small talk. So, why don't we start with the first one?

All right, so the taxi driver tells the passenger that she doesn't look very Chinese, "if you don't mind me saying so."

Right. So he said, "You don't look very Chinese to me, if you don't mind me saying so."

If you don't mind me saying so. So what does he mean by this last part of his sentence?

Well, this is a phrase that we use, um, to soften a sort of statement that might be a little bit rude.

She could be Chinese. Right? So it may be a little bit rude to say that, but he kind of apologizes.

That's right.

Right? By saying, if you don't mind me saying so.

Okay. So for example, I could say, hey Marco, you look a little tired today, if you don't mind me saying so.

Okay. So does it always go at the end?

You could use it at the beginning. If you don't mind me saying so, I just don't think this is a good idea.

Okay, very good. So, you can use this phrase in the beginning or at the end of a sentence.

Right. And it makes your statement a little bit less rude.

If you don't mind me saying so. Now, again, he also apologizes a little bit when he says, "Excuse me if I am being a bit nosy, but..."

Excuse me if I'm being a bit nosy, but...

Excuse me if I'm being a bit nosy, but...

Okay. So let's take a look at this. Nosy. What's this?

Okay, when somebody is nosy, it means they're very curious. They are asking too many questions.

Yeah, asking more questions than they should ask.

Right. So he apologizes and says, well, excuse me if I'm asking too many questions, and then he asks her another question.

He asked her how old she is.

Right. So again, it's a polite way of maybe asking a question that might be a little bit sensitive.

Yeah, or a little bit impolite.

Okay. So, of course, asking a woman her age maybe is a little bit impolite, right?

Yes, typically women don't like that too much. Um, but our next phrase, we heard the taxi driver say, "Don't get me wrong."

Don't get me wrong. Don't get me wrong.

Okay, so don't get me wrong. He says, well, don't misunderstand what I'm saying.

That's right.

This phrase is used so commonly in English that I think it would help us to hear some examples.

Example one.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I think you stole my computer. It's just that you were the only one who could get into my room.

Example two.

I do have a few problems with the plan, but don't get me wrong. I still think it's a good idea.

Example three.

I don't get me wrong. I think John's a nice guy. He's just a bit disorganized.

All right, very good example. So don't get me wrong, right?

That's right.

And now for the final phrase on putting it together today.

Well, the passenger, the woman, um, says her, her age, she says, I'm 26 years old, and what about yourself?

What about yourself? What about yourself?

All right. Now this sentence isn't very correct, actually, right?

Yeah. Technically it's not correct in grammar, but it is used so commonly every day by American English speakers that we thought we'd show it to you.

Okay. So you would say, I am 26 years old and what about you?

That's right.

Okay. But commonly you will hear people say, what about yourself?

And if you use this, um, you'll sound really fluent and really native-like.

Okay, very good. So, what about yourself?

So again, it's, it's just like what about you?

Okay, what about yourself?

So we've taken a look at these four phrases on putting it together. Why don't we listen to the dialogue for the second time? We're going to slow it down a little bit and then we'll come back and take a look at some vocabulary words on language takeaway.

Where to, miss?

Hi, Crenshaw and Hawthorn at the Holiday Inn that is on that corner.

Sure thing.

So, where are you flying in from?

From China.

Really? You don't look very Chinese to me, if you don't mind me saying so.

It's fine. I am actually from Mexico. I was in China on a business trip visiting some local companies that manufacture bathroom products.

Wow, sounds interesting. Excuse me if I'm being a bit nosy, but how old are you?

Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her age?

Don't get me wrong. It's just that you seem so young and already doing business overseas.

Well, thank you. In that case, I am 26 years old. And what about yourself?

I am 40 years old and was born and raised here in the good old USA. Although I have some Colombian heritage.

Uh, yeah, of course.

Well, we've got some interesting vocabulary words and phrases here in language takeaway. And the first one...

Well, after she gets in the taxi and tells him where she wants to go, he answers by saying, "Sure thing."

Sure thing. Sure thing. Sure thing.

So, if I say, yeah, sure thing. What does that mean?

Well, let's listen to some examples to help us understand.

Example one.

Do you mind lending me a hundred bucks? Sure thing.

Example two.

Could you please send me the email by the end of the day? Sure thing.

Example three.

Do you mind lending me a hundred bucks? Sure thing. Could you please send me the email by the end of the day? Sure thing.

Example four.

Can you get some milk on the way home? Sure thing, I'm on my way now.

Okay, so sure thing, basically, yeah, no problem or okay.

Or I'll do it. I'll do it. Yep. It's fine.

Yeah. So, it's a very common way you will hear this a lot when somebody agrees or says yes, no problem.

Yeah, and again, it will help you sound really native-like to use this phrase.

Well, the next one, the taxi driver says, um, I was born and raised here.

I was born and raised here. Born and raised.

Okay. So, this is a way of saying I was born in this country and I haven't left this country.

That's right. So I'm from this country.

Okay. Born and raised here in the good old USA.

Good old USA.

The good old USA.

So this is a pretty interesting way of saying America.

Right. It's actually more of a phrase, right? The good old USA.

Yeah.

Okay. So it means the good United States of America.

Yeah, it's kind of a fond way or a friendly way of describing America.

All right. And we have one more word for language takeaway.

Well, the taxi driver was talking about his Colombian heritage.

Colombian heritage. Heritage.

All right, so if I have Colombian heritage, what does that mean?

Your grandmother or, you know, grandfather, great-grandmother or someone in your family is from Colombia.

Okay. And what about the word heritage by itself?

Yeah, so your heritage is basically your culture, um, your...

Customs.

Yeah, your customs, your, your history.

Okay. So, heritage.

A country rich in heritage.

Lots of, uh, good old historical culture in that country.

Okay, very good. So, now it's time for us to listen to the dialogue for the last time. Now we can understand all these phrases and these great words that we've just looked at, and then we'll come back and talk a little bit more.

Where to, miss?

Hi, Crenshaw and Hawthorn at the Holiday Inn that is on that corner.

Sure thing.

So, where are you flying in from?

From China.

Really? You don't look very Chinese to me, if you don't mind me saying so.

It's fine. I am actually from Mexico. I was in China on a business trip visiting some local companies that manufacture bathroom products.

Wow, sounds interesting. Excuse me if I'm being a bit nosy, but how old are you?

Don't you know it's rude to ask a lady her age?

Don't get me wrong. It's just that you seem so young and already doing business overseas.

Well, thank you. In that case, I am 26 years old. And what about yourself?

I'm 40 years old and was born and raised here in the good old USA. Although I have some Colombian heritage.

Uh, yeah, of course.

Uh...

So Marco, this taxi driver makes a bit of a mistake when he asks the woman how old she is.

Yes, um, yeah, exactly. There are a couple of questions that in some cultures are considered to be normal and okay, but in other cultures they're not really well accepted.

Okay. So in Anglo culture, for example, um, it's really impolite to ask a woman how old she is.

Right. Women are a little bit more sensitive about their age. Others aren't so much, but it's usually better to just not ask.

Yeah. And what else should we avoid talking about in small talk?

Well, for example, when you ask a person their occupation, you can ask what they do for a living, but don't ask how much money they make.

That's right. Anglo people are really sensitive about talking about money. We hate talking about money.

Right. So don't ask somebody their salary or how much money they make. It's just not considered to be polite.

And another good one to be careful of is asking if someone is married or not.

Right. Sometimes you're just being friendly and you want to know if that person has family or something. But you have to be careful when and where you ask this question.

Right. So if they've mentioned their family, or if they've talked about their kids or something else to do with their family, then it's okay.

Right. You can say, well, oh, how long have you been married? Yeah. But if a guy asks a girl, oh, are you married? It kind of sounds like maybe he's interested in her, or that he's trying to, to come on to her and, and to be maybe more than friendly, right?

That's right. Okay.

So, some great small talk tips and phrases here at English Pod. Now, if you have any questions about this lesson or any other lessons, be sure to visit our website at englishpod.com.

And if you also have any doubts about which questions you think are appropriate of asking somebody, yeah, come into the website and let us know.

The English Pod audio review.

Listen to the meaning, then say the vocabulary word.

That subject is too personal, impolite.

Mind your own business.

Phrase you use when you don't want to answer a question.

That's personal.

Arrive.

Come in from.

Too much information.

TMI.

Too interested in others' private matters.

Nosy.

About a person's private thoughts, feelings, etc.

Personal.

Because of that.

In that case.

To look for private information about someone.

Snoop.

A polite phrase to use where you are saying something sensitive.

If you don't mind me saying so.

Do not misunderstand me.

Don't get me wrong.

Where would you like to go?

Where to?

In foreign countries.

Overseas.

To live in a place your whole life.

To be born and raised.

The United States.

Let's try that faster.

Because of that.

In that case.

Where would you like to go?

Where to?

Arrive.

Come in from.

In foreign countries.

Overseas.

The United States.

About a person's private thoughts, feelings, etc.

Personal.

Do not misunderstand me.

Don't get me wrong.

To live in a place your whole life.

To be born and raised.

Too interested in others' private matters.

Nosy.

To look for private information about someone.

Snoop.

Too much information.

TMI.

A polite phrase to use where you are saying something sensitive.

If you don't mind me saying so.

That subject is too personal, impolite.

Mind your own business.

Phrase you use when you don't want to answer a question.

That's personal.

Now say the word and hear it in a sentence.

Come in from.

Where are you coming in from so late at night?

Come in from.

Flight number 441 just came in about an hour ago.

Come in from.

I think I'll be coming into Chicago at about noon tomorrow.

If you don't mind me saying so.

If you don't mind me saying so, I think the curry could be a little hotter next time.

If you don't mind me saying so.

The problem, if you don't mind me saying so, is pretty simple. You need a new computer.

If you don't mind me saying so.

You look really good in that dress, if you don't mind me saying so.

Nosy.

Phil is always asking so many personal questions. Frankly, I think he is just too nosy.

Nosy.

People should just mind their own business and stop being so nosy.

Nosy.

I don't mean to be nosy, but did I hear you say you are from Canada?

Don't get me wrong.

Don't get me wrong. It's not that I think you stole my computer. It's just that you were the only one who can get into my room.

Don't get me wrong.

I do have a few problems with the plan, but don't get me wrong, I still think it's a great idea.

Don't get me wrong.

Don't get me wrong, I think John is a nice guy, but he is a bit disorganized.

In that case.

30 people are coming to the party? In that case, we'll need some more beers.

In that case.

Charles is having an affair? In that case, I think Mary needs to get a divorce.

In that case.

The car is that expensive? In that case, I don't think I will be able to afford it.