A practical mini lesson that will teach you the necessary vocabulary and expressions to buy a train or subway ticket in Spanish.

Super Basic Spanish

Learn Basic Spanish: Comprando un billete de tren (Buying a Train Ticket)

SANDRA: So … what should we do?
JULIE: Well, I like to do arts and crafts, and I’m really good at
drawing. What do you think?
SANDRA: Hmm … how about playing a board game? That would 
be more fun.
JULIE: OK. Let’s play Scrabble! I’m really good at spelling, too!
SANDRA: Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that!

LANGUAGE NOTES
• So … Notice how the “o” sound is drawn out here, combined with the intonation, which 
shows boredom.
• I’m really good at “Really” means “very” and is used to emphasize “good.” It goes before 
the adjective.
• What do you Notice the pronunciation here — it sounds like “Whaddaya.”
• Hmm … is used to show that the speaker is thinking. It is also used to show that the speaker 
disagrees with an idea.
• How about is used to make a tentative suggestion. The speaker is introducing an idea and 
doesn’t want to sound too strong.
• Let’s is used to make a strong suggestion. The speaker feels confident about the plan.
• Oh, yeah? We’ll see about that! “Oh, yeah?” is used in a joking way to show a bit of friendly 
competition. Notice the emphasis on “that,” which refers back to “good at spelling.”

English Conversation practice (30-day challenge)

Day 22: What you are good at!

En este audio puedes escuchar frases con los verbos:

Necesitar
Saber
Hacer
Poder
Querer

¿Comprendes todas las frases?

A1.1. Español básico para principantes. 

Clase 7. Verbos de supervivencia. Frases simples 2.

I discuss some of my favorite idioms! 
Can't see the forest for the trees
better late than never 
fishing for compliments 
could care less 
go above and beyond (the call of duty) 
go the extra mile 
You give them an inch and they take a mile. 
on the fence/in two minds about
Take it easy

Nit-Picky English with Nika 

Interesting Idioms

Across the world, millions of people are watching other people play video games on platforms such as YouTube, Facebook and Twitch.

Twitch in particular has become the world's biggest video game streaming platform, with over 240 million people using the site each month, and over 7 million people actively streaming.

Imagine that — a whole business, worth billions of dollars, based on people wanting to watch other people play video games.

But why do people want to do this — instead of just playing the games themselves?

One possible reason is the personality of the players. People enjoy watching how these gamers react and make jokes as they play the games. One study in 2021 found that people like to watch gamers simply because they find their personalities attractive.

They may also be attracted by a player's skill. Some simply find it enjoyable to watch a professional gamer play a difficult video game, while others may hope to learn and improve their own skills by watching.

Another study in 2016 looked at people who watch gamers on Twitch in particular. It found that people watch these gamers not only to learn from them, but also to see what a game is like before they decide whether or not to buy it.

The same study found that people also watched games online because they could interact with other people who liked games, and it gave them a sense of community.

This kind of online community would become especially important during the COVID-19 pandemic, when Twitch's audience grew by about 80%.

However, according to the 2016 study, the biggest reason people like to watch video gamers is simply because they want to relax and forget about their daily life.

Just as there are many different kinds of video games, there are also many different kinds of gamers. And it seems people's reasons for watching these gamers are just as varied.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Why Do People Watch Other People Play Video Games?

This episode introduces three idioms that use the word egg. Listen to the examples to hear how to use them. Please send me a message if you would like a copy of the audio script.

Idiom Corner

Итак, после небольшой простуды и поездки в Питер, я вернулась! Ура! Продолжим чтение русской литературы повестью Александра Сергеевича Пушкина “Барышня-крестьянка”. Да, стихи пока не будем брать, сегодня - проза.

Слова, которые объясняю в эпизоде: жи́ли - жить - to live; вообрази́ть - представить себе мысленно - to imagine; пре́лесть - очарование, вызываемое чем-то или кем-то красивым, приятные, пленяющие явления, впечатления - beauty, delight, loveliness, fascination; уе́здные ба́рышни - county young ladies; воспи́танный - человек с хорошим воспитанием, умеющий хорошо вести себя - fostered, mannerly, civilized; тень - shadow; садо́вые я́блони - garden apple trees; зна́ние - knowledge; почерпну́ть - взять, заимствовать откуда-нибудь - to gather, take; уедине́ние - пребывание в одиночестве - privacy, solitude, isolation; развива́ть - to develop, evolve, build; страсть - сильное увлечение, сильная любовь с преобладанием чувственного влечения - passion, desire; рассе́янный - не умеющий сосредоточиться, невнимательный - dispelled, distracted; звон колоко́льчика - bell ringing; бли́жний - наиболее близкий по расстоянию - near, neighbor; полага́ть - считать, думать -  to  believe, think, suppose; посеще́ние - visiting; ве́чное воспомина́ние - eternal memory.

Спасибо всем, кто слушает мой подкаст! Подписывайтесь, ставьте лайки и обязательно пишите, что еще хотите вместе почитать. Ведь чтение по-русски углубляет ваши знания языка! Хороших вам книг, друзья! 

Reading Russian

Отрывок из повести “Барышня-крестьянка” А.С. Пушкин

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1C2vge-gftu6DzcqC_XdAPy8J1ekDi3dq/view?usp=drivesdk

Teacher Joseph's Podcast

Spewing out (with transcript)

I talk about an old BBC Radio show which still exists today. Desert Island Discs.