Real English Conversation Practice: Shadow This with Only 200 Words

0:00 Most people who study English spend almost

0:02 all of their time reading and listening and then they get into a real

0:06 conversation because they have never actually practiced speaking.

0:10 Today, we're going to fix that.

0:12 This video is a speaking practice session.

0:15 You're going to shadow a full real conversation from beginning to end.

0:20 Meaning you say the words out loud at full speed

0:25 in real time the way you would in an actual conversation.

0:29 And here's the part I love about this particular video.

0:32 The entire conversation uses only 200 words.

0:37 Not because it's a beginner video,

0:39 but because real conversations between real people,

0:43 even important ones, run on a surprisingly small set of words.

0:48 Here is how this video works.

0:50 First, I will show you the full list.

0:52 Then, we will go through some tricky words.

0:55 Then, you will shadow a real conversation between two people.

1:00 A woman has made a big decision.

1:01 Her friend is not sure if it's a good one.

1:04 By the time this video ends, you will have said more English out loud

1:10 than you probably have in the last several days,

1:14 or maybe years, or maybe in your whole life, depending on how much you practice.

1:18 If you're new here, welcome to Lingua Marina.

1:21 I make videos that help you speak English the way real people actually speak.

1:24 11 years ago, I moved from Russia to the US

1:27 and I'm trying to master English every single day.

1:30 I speak to native speakers.

1:31 I run another channel called Silicon Valley

1:33 Girl where I talk about entrepreneurship and AI.

1:36 So, if you want to learn with me, subscribe so you do not miss the next video.

1:40 And before we start, tell me in the comments, when did you find my channel?

1:44 Was it today, last month, or last year?

1:47 I'm always curious cuz I've been here for a while.

1:50 Let's see who's here in the comments.

1:52 And let's get right into it.

1:54 This is the list.

1:56 Take a few seconds and look at it.

2:03 Some of these words you have known since your first week of English,

2:07 but read through them again slowly.

2:10 With these words, you can tell someone you love them.

2:12 You can explain why you made a hard choice.

2:16 You can have an argument with someone and then fix it afterward.

2:20 The conversation you're about to practice uses only the words on this list.

2:26 I want to go through the words we highlighted.

2:28 These are the ones people get wrong most often,

2:31 either because the pronunciation is surprising or because the word

2:35 means something slightly different from what you might expect.

2:39 Let's start with pronunciation.

2:41 These are the words where the spelling gives

2:43 you no warning about how they actually sound.

2:46 Honestly, the H at the start is silent.

2:50 You say honestly, not honestly.

2:52 If you pronounce the ha, it sounds unnatural to a native speaker.

2:56 You will hear Sarah say this in the conversation.

2:58 Honestly, I have been thinking about it for almost a year.

3:02 Sure, this does not sound like shoo-er.

3:07 It sounds like sure, sure.

3:09 One syllable.

3:10 Are you sure?

3:11 I'm sure.

3:12 Er, er.

3:13 This is how I learned Lithuanian.

3:16 Whole, W is silent.

3:17 It sounds exactly like hole.

3:20 The whole thing, the whole life.

3:22 There is no W sound at all.

3:24 Serious, three syllables, see-ri-ous.

3:28 Some learners compress it down to two syllables.

3:31 Slow it down.

3:32 Serious.

3:34 That sounds serious.

3:36 Yeah, this is the informal version of yes and native speakers use it constantly.

3:41 It sounds like yeah, not yeah.

3:45 Short and fast.

3:46 You will hear it in the conversation right at the start.

3:49 Right and wrong, both have silent w, just like whole.

3:54 Right sounds like right.

3:56 Wrong sounds like wrong.

3:59 In this conversation, Daniel asks Sarah,

4:01 "Have you written anything down?" The w is completely silent.

4:06 Once.

4:07 I will let you know once I talk to them.

4:09 Now, the ones where the pronunciation is fine,

4:12 but the meaning is not quite what you think.

4:15 These are words you've probably been using for years,

4:18 but there is a layer to them that most learners miss.

4:22 Guess.

4:23 There are two uses and they feel completely different.

4:27 The first is when you try to answer something you are uncertain about.

4:30 Guess what happened?

4:32 The second is, I guess so, or just I guess.

4:36 Which means something like probably, but I am not completely certain.

4:41 Americans use I guess all the time to soften an answer.

4:45 You will hear Sarah say, "I guess I do." At the very end of the conversation.

4:50 Rather.

4:51 I would rather means you prefer one thing over another.

4:56 I would rather try and fail than spend another year wondering.

5:00 It is stronger than I prefer.

5:02 It signals a real choice someone has thought about.

5:05 Fair.

5:06 On its own, it means just or equal.

5:09 But fair enough in conversation means, "Okay, that makes sense.

5:13 I accept that." Daniel says it when Sarah

5:16 tells him she will talk to her family later.

5:19 It is a way of dropping the subject without disagreeing.

5:22 Still.

5:23 In conversation, still means something is continuing from before.

5:29 "Are you still worried?" means you were worried before,

5:33 and I am asking if that has not changed.

5:36 It is different from yet, which is about whether something has happened by now.

5:40 Yet used in questions and negative sentences.

5:44 "Have you decided yet?" means up to right now, has a decision been made?

5:49 Not yet means no, but maybe later.

5:52 Till is about continuation, yet is about whether something has happened at all.

5:56 Actually, most learners use actually to mean in fact, and that is correct.

6:01 But native speakers also place it at the end

6:04 of a sentence to express mild surprise at their own feeling.

6:08 That was hard to hear actually.

6:09 It is not emphasis.

6:10 It is closer to I did not quite expect that.

6:14 You will hear Sarah use it exactly this way after talking to her manager.

6:19 Same.

6:19 As a full one-word response, same means me, too, or I feel the same way.

6:25 Daniel says, "Same.

6:27 I am here." It is very common in spoken English and in text messages.

6:31 Learners almost always say, "Me, too," which is correct,

6:35 but same is what native speakers reach for first.

6:38 And the last group, these are pairs of words that look

6:41 or sound similar enough that learners use them when they mean the other.

6:46 Even at advanced level, these come up.

6:48 Say and tell.

6:49 Say is just the act of speaking.

6:51 Tell requires a person.

6:54 Remember as this woman but whenever I say tell, this goes on in my head.

6:58 Tell requires a person.

7:00 A person who receives the information.

7:03 You tell someone something.

7:05 You can't just tell something.

7:07 She said it was fine, works.

7:09 She told me it was fine, works.

7:12 She told it was fine, does not work.

7:15 Tell always needs a person after it.

7:17 You will hear both in this conversation.

7:19 Right and write.

7:22 These two words sound completely identical.

7:24 Both are pronounced right.

7:27 The only way to know which one is meant is context.

7:31 Write is an action, you write something down.

7:34 Right means correct or a direction.

7:38 Both appear in this conversation,

7:40 so pay attention to the meaning when you hear them.

7:42 Ask and tell.

7:43 You ask a question, you tell information.

7:46 The difference sounds simple, but learners mix them up constantly.

7:50 She told me if I wanted coffee is wrong.

7:53 It should sound like, she asked me if I wanted coffee.

7:56 Ask is always a question or a request.

7:59 Tell is always delivering information to someone.

8:02 You cannot tell a question.

8:03 You will hear both in this conversation.

8:05 Here and listen.

8:06 Hearing happens without any effort.

8:09 It's automatic.

8:10 You hear things.

8:11 You hear a sound, you hear someone talking near you, whether you want it or not.

8:15 Listening is a choice.

8:18 You decide to pay attention.

8:20 Learners often say, "I was hearing him." when they mean,

8:24 "I was listening to him." or "Please hear carefully."

8:27 instead of "Please listen carefully." You will hear Sarah say,

8:32 "Daniel, listen." in the conversation.

8:34 She's asking him to stop reacting and actively

8:38 pay attention to what she's about to say.

8:40 Let's get into the conversation.

8:43 We are going to go through this conversation in two passes.

8:46 The first time, just listen.

8:48 Sarah is calling her friend Daniel.

8:50 She has made a big decision about her job and she needs to tell someone.

8:54 Daniel is not sure it's a good idea.

8:58 Just listen, follow the story,

9:00 get familiar with what Sarah says and how she says it.

9:04 Let's start.

9:05 Daniel, hey.

9:06 Do you have a moment?

9:07 Yeah, of course.

9:08 What is it?

9:08 I need to tell you something.

9:10 I have been thinking about it for a long time and I finally decided.

9:13 Okay, that sounds serious.

9:15 What is it?

9:15 I am leaving my job.

9:17 Wait, what do you mean?

9:18 I mean, I am done.

9:19 I gave them my answer this morning.

9:21 them your answer this morning and you did not tell anyone first?

9:23 I told myself every day for a long time.

9:26 That was enough.

9:27 Okay.

9:28 How long have you been at this job?

9:29 Four years, since I came back.

9:31 Four years and you never said anything was wrong.

9:33 I told myself it would get better, that I just needed more time.

9:37 But it did not get better.

9:38 No.

9:38 At some point I said, "This is not going to change.

9:41 I need to be the one to move." Section two.

9:44 Sarah has just dropped the news.

9:45 Now Daniel wants answers.

9:47 Are you serious, Sarah?

9:49 When did you decide this?

9:50 A few weeks ago.

9:51 But honestly, I have been thinking about it for almost a year.

9:55 A year?

9:56 Why didn't you say something?

9:57 Because I wasn't ready to talk about it.

10:00 I needed to be sure first.

10:02 And you are sure now?

10:03 Yes, I am.

10:04 Okay.

10:04 I am trying to understand.

10:06 What is your plan?

10:07 What about money?

10:08 I have been saving.

10:09 Not a lot, but enough to give myself some time.

10:11 How much time?

10:12 Maybe six months.

10:13 Maybe a little more.

10:15 Have you thought about what happens if six months is not enough?

10:18 Yes.

10:18 Then I find work again.

10:20 But I am not going to decide that now.

10:22 You sound ready.

10:23 I have been thinking about it every day for a long time.

10:26 I know what I want to do.

10:27 This is a big thing, Sarah.

10:29 I know.

10:29 Does anyone at work know yet?

10:31 My manager knows.

10:32 We had a long talk last week.

10:34 How did that go?

10:35 Better than I thought.

10:36 She said she understood.

10:37 That was hard to hear, actually.

10:39 Why hard?

10:40 Because I thought she would try to talk me out of it.

10:43 But she did not.

10:43 She said, "If this is what you need,

10:45 then go." That sounds like someone good to work for.

10:48 She is.

10:48 Honestly, I did not think it would feel that way.

10:51 Section three.

10:53 Daniel is still not convinced.

10:55 Sarah tells him the real reason.

10:57 Six months is not a lot, Sarah.

10:59 Daniel, listen.

11:00 I know six months is not a lot.

11:02 But I cannot stay in a place where I feel like I am my time.

11:07 Every morning I wake up and think, "Is this really what I want to do

11:10 with my life?" I didn't know you felt that way.

11:12 I should have told you sooner.

11:14 I'm sorry.

11:14 Why did you not say something?

11:16 Even just that you are not okay?

11:18 Because I did not want to worry you.

11:20 And I did not know how to say it yet.

11:22 You should always tell me things like this.

11:24 I know.

11:25 I know that now.

11:25 Don't be sorry.

11:26 So, what do you want to do instead?

11:28 I want to build something of my own.

11:30 I have an idea.

11:31 It is small right now, but it is real.

11:34 I would rather try and fail than

11:36 spend another year wondering what would have happened.

11:39 That sounds like you.

11:40 What does that mean?

11:41 It means you have always known what you want,

11:43 even when it makes everyone around you nervous.

11:45 Section four, Daniel starts to come around, but he has still has questions.

11:49 It means I know you, and I know that when you decide something,

11:52 you have thought about it more than anyone else would.

11:54 But Sarah, what is the idea?

11:56 You said you have one.

11:57 What is it?

11:58 It is a service for people who are moving to a new country,

12:01 helping them with the things no one tells you about.

12:04 The real things, not just the paperwork.

12:07 Okay, that is specific.

12:08 Have you told anyone else about this?

12:10 A few people.

12:11 They think it is good.

12:12 And what happens after six months if it is not working yet?

12:15 Then I look for work again.

12:17 I am not saying this will work.

12:18 I am saying I need to find out.

12:20 You sound calm about this.

12:22 I have been thinking about it for a long time, Daniel.

12:25 The calm came later.

12:26 At first, I was terrified.

12:28 And now?

12:28 Now I am ready, or close enough.

12:31 Have you written anything down?

12:32 A real plan?

12:33 Yes, I have something.

12:34 It is not perfect, but it is a start.

12:37 Can I see it?

12:38 Of course.

12:38 I would really like that.

12:39 Show me when you are ready.

12:40 I will.

12:41 Maybe next week.

12:42 And what do you need from me right now?

12:44 Not later, right now.

12:45 Just this.

12:46 To talk it out with someone who knows me.

12:48 You have that.

12:49 I know.

12:50 That is why you are the first person I called.

12:52 Last section, how does it end?

12:54 So, are you saying you support me?

12:56 Or are you still worried?

12:58 I am always going to worry a little.

12:59 That is just how I am.

13:00 Daniel.

13:01 Yes, I support you.

13:02 I just needed to hear the whole thing.

13:04 That is why I called you first.

13:06 Your family doesn't know yet?

13:07 I will tell them when I am ready.

13:08 Okay, take your time.

13:10 I will let you know once I talk to them.

13:12 Same.

13:12 I am here.

13:13 Just stay open.

13:14 I need that from you.

13:15 Fair enough.

13:16 So, what happens now?

13:17 Now I figure it out.

13:18 One day at a time.

13:19 We will figure it out together.

13:20 Yeah, I know.

13:22 Okay, I am here if you need anything.

13:24 Thank you, Daniel.

13:25 This conversation helped more than you know.

13:27 Go, you have work to do.

13:28 I guess I do.

13:29 Talk soon.

13:30 Talk soon.

13:30 Now, the most important part.

13:33 Everything you just did, listening to each section,

13:37 following the story, that was preparation.

13:40 This is where the real practice happens.

13:43 The whole conversation from the beginning, no stopping, no slowing down.

13:48 Shadow Sarah and Daniel when they speak.

13:51 Do not wait for a pause.

13:53 Stay with their pace.

13:54 Match the feeling behind what they are saying,

13:58 and do not stop even if you miss something.

14:01 Keep going.

14:02 This is what fluency actually feels like.

14:05 Words coming out before your brain has finished thinking about them.

14:10 That is what we are training right now.

14:12 Daniel, hey.

14:13 Do you have a moment?

14:14 Yeah, of course.

14:15 What is it?

14:15 I need to tell you something.

14:16 I have been thinking about it for a long time, and I finally decided

14:20 Okay, that sounds serious.

14:22 What is it?

14:22 I am leaving my job.

14:24 Wait, what do you mean?

14:25 I mean, I am done.

14:26 I gave them my answer this morning.

14:27 You gave them your answer this morning, and you did not tell anyone first?

14:30 I told myself every day for a long time.

14:33 That was enough.

14:34 Okay.

14:34 How long have you been at this job?

14:36 Four years since I came back.

14:38 Four years, and you never said anything was wrong?

14:40 I told myself it would get better, that I just needed more time.

14:43 But it did not get better.

14:45 No.

14:45 At some point I said, "This is not going to change.

14:48 I need to be the one to move." Are you serious?

14:51 Sarah, when did you decide this?

14:53 A few weeks ago.

14:54 But honestly, I have been thinking about it for almost a year.

14:57 A year?

14:58 Why didn't you say something?

15:00 Because I wasn't ready to talk about it.

15:02 I needed to be sure first.

15:04 And you are sure now?

15:05 Yes, I am.

15:06 Okay, I am trying to understand.

15:08 What is your plan?

15:09 What about money?

15:10 I have been saving.

15:11 Not a lot, but enough to give myself some time.

15:13 How much time?

15:14 Maybe 6 months.

15:16 Maybe a little more.

15:17 Have you thought about what happens if 6 months is not enough?

15:20 Yes, then I find work again.

15:22 But I am not going to decide that now.

15:24 You sound ready.

15:25 I have been thinking about it every day for a long time.

15:28 I know what I want to do.

15:30 This is a big thing, Sarah.

15:31 I know.

15:32 Does anyone at work know yet?

15:33 My manager knows.

15:34 We had a long talk last week.

15:36 How did that go?

15:37 Better than I thought.

15:38 She said she understood.

15:39 That was hard to hear, actually.

15:41 Why hard?

15:42 Because I thought she would try to talk me out of it, but she did not.

15:46 She said, "If this is what you need,

15:48 then go." That sounds like someone good to work for.

15:50 She is.

15:51 Honestly, I did not think it would feel that way.

15:53 6 months is not a lot, Sarah.

15:55 Daniel, listen.

15:56 I know 6 months is not a lot,

15:59 but I cannot stay in a place where I feel like I am wasting my time.

16:03 Every morning, I wake up and think,

16:05 "Is this really what I want to do with my life?"

16:07 I didn't know you felt that way.

16:09 I should have told you sooner.

16:10 I'm sorry.

16:11 Why did you not say something?

16:12 Even just that you are not okay?

16:14 Because I did not want to worry you, and I did not know how to say it yet.

16:18 You should always tell me things like this.

16:20 I know.

16:21 I know that now.

16:22 Don't be sorry.

16:23 So, what do you want to do instead?

16:24 I want to build something of my own.

16:27 I have an idea.

16:28 It is small right now, but it is real.

16:30 I would rather try and fail than

16:32 spend another year wondering what would have happened.

16:35 That sounds like you.

16:36 What does that mean?

16:37 It means you have always known what you want,

16:39 even when it makes everyone around you nervous.

16:41 It means I know you, and I know that when you decide something,

16:44 you have thought about it more than anyone else would.

16:46 But, Sarah, what is the idea?

16:48 You said you have one.

16:49 What is it?

16:50 It is a service for people who are moving to a new country,

16:54 helping them with the things no one tells you about.

16:56 The real things, not just the paperwork.

16:59 Okay, that is specific.

17:00 Have you told anyone else about this?

17:02 A few people.

17:03 They think it is good.

17:04 And what happens after 6 months if it is not working yet?

17:07 Then, I look for work again.

17:09 I am not saying this will work.

17:10 I am saying I need to find out.

17:12 You sound calm about this.

17:14 I have been thinking about it for a long time, Daniel.

17:17 The calm came later.

17:19 At first, I was terrified.

17:20 And now?

17:21 Now I am ready.

17:22 Or close enough.

17:23 Have you written anything down?

17:24 A real plan?

17:25 Yes, I have something.

17:26 It is not perfect, but it is a start.

17:29 Can I see it?

17:30 Of course.

17:30 I would really like that.

17:32 Show me when you are ready.

17:33 I will.

17:33 Maybe next week.

17:34 And what do you need from me right now?

17:36 Not later.

17:37 Right now.

17:38 Just this.

17:39 To talk it out with someone who knows me.

17:40 You have that.

17:41 I know.

17:42 That is why you are the first person I called.

17:44 So, are you saying you support me or are you still worried?

17:48 I am always going to worry a little.

17:49 That is just how I am.

17:51 Daniel.

17:51 Yes, I support you.

17:52 I just needed to hear the whole thing.

17:54 That is why I called you first.

17:56 Your family doesn't know yet?

17:57 I will tell them when I am ready.

17:59 Okay.

17:59 Take your time.

18:00 I will let you know once I talk to them.

18:02 Same.

18:02 I am here.

18:03 Just stay open.

18:04 I need that from you.

18:05 Fair enough.

18:06 So, what happens now?

18:07 Now I figure it out.

18:09 One day at a time.

18:09 We will figure it out together.

18:11 Yeah, I know.

18:12 Okay.

18:12 I am here if you need anything.

18:14 Thank you, Daniel.

18:15 This conversation helped more than you know.

18:17 Go.

18:17 You have work to do.

18:18 I guess I do.

18:19 Talk soon.

18:20 Talk soon.

18:21 You just had a real conversation in English.

18:23 Someone's making hard decisions, someone else is trying to understand it.

18:27 Both of them are figuring it out together.

18:30 And you were right there with them saying the words out loud.

18:34 Every single word in that conversation came from a list of 200.

18:38 200 words used well in a real moment between two people.

18:43 That is what fluent English actually sounds like.

18:46 Please, I'm looking forward to reading your comments.

18:48 This is the new format for this channel.

18:50 Did you like it?

18:51 If you did, please let me know and I'll see you in the next video.