The English have an idiom called “Break the ice.” It means “to make contact, start a conversation,” and literally means “to break the ice.” But how will we break this ice? Of course, with a smile and small talk!
A rich vocabulary and knowledge of tenses in English are not all that is needed for communication. It is equally important to practice your speaking skills. Do you want to communicate easily and maintain a dialogue on any topic? Essential conversational phrases are just the place to start.
In this article you will find the most common and simple colloquial phrases and expressions in English with translation that will help maintain a dialogue with a foreigner and will be useful in everyday communication.
Greetings
There are many more ways to say "Hello" in English other than "Hello" and "Hi". Moreover, greetings differ depending on the situation. Agree, it would be inappropriate to say “What’s up” at a business meeting, just as it would be inappropriate to greet an old friend with a cold “Hi”.
> Universal greetings
Suitable for any situation.
Hello! - Hello! / Hello!
Good morning! - Good morning!
Good afternoon! - Good afternoon!
Good evening! - Good evening!
>Friendly greetings
Usually used in conversations with friends or colleagues.
How is it going? - How are things going?
How's life? - How is life?
How are things? - How is it?
Long time no see! - Long time no see!
What are you up to? - What are you planning? (has a negative connotation)
> Greetings in slang
Popular words and phrases among young people. It can often be found both in TV series and in ordinary speech.
Hi there! - Hello!
Hiya - Hey, you, hello! (Combination of "hi" and "you")
Hi, howdy? - Hey there! How are you? (Short for "Hi, how do you do") + can be heard in southern US dialects
Hey (guys)! - Hi guys)! (Informal greeting, usually addressed to a group of close friends)
Watcha doin'? - What are you doing? (Short for “What are you doing?”)
Wagwan? - What's up? (Short for “What’s going on.” Usually this phrase can be answered with “Nagwan”, or
“Nothing is going on”, or simply “not really”) + can be heard in Jamaica
What's up - How are you? (Usually used among close friends)
> Greetings after a long separation
These phrases will help when meeting with an old acquaintance or colleague.
Nice to see you - Glad to see you
Long time no see - Long time no see / How many years, how many winters
It’s been too long - How much water has flown under the bridge...
I haven't seen you in a while - Long time no see
How are things? - What's up?
What's new? - What's new?
Where have you been hiding? - Where have you been?
It’s been ages (since I saw you)! - I haven’t seen you for ages!
Introductory words
These are words that make speech more coherent and natural. They help the interlocutor follow the train of thought, and give you time to find the right words for the next phrase.
In short / in brief - briefly
In a word - in a nutshell
As far as…concerned / as to… - regarding...
Not to mention - not to mention
First of all/ above all - first of all
What’s more - besides
By the way - by the way
After all - in the end; after all
Just for the record - by the way; so that you know
If I’m not mistaken - if I’m not mistaken
In other words - in other words
On the contrary - on the contrary
The thing is - the fact is that
So as to / so that - so that
Either way - one way or another
As a rule - usually, as a rule
As well as
All the same - no difference
On one hand - on one side
On the other hand - on the other hand
Such as - such as
As I said before - as I already said
Believe it or not, but - believe it or not, but
If I remember it right / If I recall it correctly - if I remember correctly
Agreement/disagreement
In English, as in all others, there are many shades between clear “yes” and “no”. If we do not want to offend the interlocutor, avoid a direct answer to a question, emphasize what was said, or show our enthusiasm and interest in some matter, the following words and phrases come to the rescue:
Perhaps - Perhaps, maybe
Of course / Sure - Of course
Definitely - Definitely, certainly
Absolutely - Certainly
Naturally - Naturally
Probably - Probably
You are right - You are right
It can hardly be so - It’s unlikely to be so
Very well - Very good
Most likely - Most likely
Most unlikely - Hardly
Not a bit - Not at all
I believe so / suppose so - I believe this is so
I doubt it - I doubt it
No way - No way, no way
Exactly so - Exactly so
Quite so - Quite right
I agree with you - I agree with you
I am afraid you are wrong - I'm afraid that you are wrong
I’m afraid so - I’m afraid so
I’m not sure - Not sure
I don’t think so - I don’t think so; hardly
In a way / to a certain extent - In a sense
No doubt - Undoubtedly
I’m in - I’m “for” (in response to a proposal to do something)
I think I’ll pass - Better without me
Deal! - It's coming!
It's a great idea! - Great idea!
Not a very good idea - Not the best idea
Phrases to keep a conversation going
These expressions will help you show interest in what was said, clarify the question, express your opinion, or ask your interlocutor about his last words. They are suitable for both beginners and those continuing to learn English.
What's the matter? - What's the matter?
What's going on? / What's happening? - What's happening?
What's the trouble? - What is the problem?
What's happened? - What's happened?
How was it? - Well, how? (How did everything go?)
Did I get you right? - Did I understand you correctly?
Don’t take it to heart - Don’t take it to heart
I didn’t catch the last word - I didn’t understand the last word
Sorry, I wasn’t listening - Sorry, I didn’t listen
It doesn’t matter - It doesn’t matter
It is news to me - This is the news
Let us hope for the best - Let's hope for the best
May I ask you a question? - Can I ask you a question?
Oh, that. That explains it - That’s it, this explains everything
Say it again, please - Repeat again, please
So that's where the trouble lies! - So that's what it's all about!
Things happen - Anything can happen
What do you mean? - What do you have in mind?
Where were we? - Where did we leave off?
You were saying something? - Did you say something?
Lucky you! - What a score!
Good for you! - So much the better for you! (Often used as sarcasm: “Well, well, I’m glad for you!”)
I'm so happy for you! - I'm so happy for you! (Said absolutely sincerely)
What do you know! - Who would have thought!
Polite phrases
Communicating with a polite person is pleasant in any language, so it’s worth remembering some phrases that will make you a pleasant interlocutor:
I'm so sorry! - I'm really sorry!
I beg your pardon! - I'm sorry!
I’m sorry, I can’t - Sorry, I can’t
Sorry, I meant well - Sorry, I wanted the best
It's very kind of you! - It is very kind of you!
It’s my pleasure - With pleasure.
Not at all - You're welcome
Thank you very much! - Thank you very much!
Thank you anyway! - In any case, thank you!
Thank you in advance! - Thanks in advance!
You are welcome - Please
Don't mention it! - Do not mention it!
May I help you? - Can I help you?
Could you do me a favor? -Would you do me a favor?
No problem / that’s ok! - Everything is fine!
Don't worry about it! - Don't worry about it!
This way, please! - Here please!
After you! - After you!
Take it easy - Don't worry
Never mind - Don't worry
Don’t take it to heart - Don’t take it to heart
Farewells and wishes
Everyone knows such a saying as “leaving in English,” that is, without saying goodbye. It is said that the French invented it as revenge on the British in the 18th century. During the war of 1756-1763. French prisoners of war left the unit without permission, and the British called this “to take French leave,” which meant “to leave in French.”
In retaliation, the French came up with a similar phrase, only about the British. Later, both expressions were used to refer to people who left a ball or gala reception without saying goodbye to their hosts. And if in Russian we talk about this behavior “to leave in English”, now the English themselves would say “to leave without saying goodbye” (to leave without saying goodbye to anyone).
After a pleasant conversation, we need to end the conversation and say goodbye to the person. Here are a few phrases that will help you do this easily and naturally:
Bye-bye! - Bye bye!
See you! - See you!
See you soon! - See you later!
See you later! - See you later!
Till next time! - Until next time!
Good luck! - Good luck!
Take care! - Take care of yourself!
Talk to you later! - We'll talk to you later!
I must be off! - It's time for me to leave!
Until we meet again! - See you!
Have a nice day! - Have a good day!
Have a good weekend - Have a good weekend
Have a safe trip - Have a nice trip
Farewell! - Good luck!
Say hi to... - Say hello...
Send my love to... - Say hello... (for relatives or loved ones)
Spoken slang
There are a lot of slang expressions in the English language, which today are increasingly used in conversation, songs, films and even books. Below we will look at the words that can be found when communicating with foreigners, especially Americans.
Wanna = want to = want
I wanna stay here for a while - I want to stay here for a while
Gonna = going to = going to
I’m gonna sleep tonight - I’m going to sleep tonight
Gotta = have got to / have to = must
I gotta go - I have to go
Shoulda = should have done = had to
This phrase is used when we want to express regret for not doing something in the past or when we want to criticize someone.
I shoulda told him the truth - I should have told him the truth
Jim shoulda ask me before taking my book - Jim should have asked me before taking my book
Woulda = would have done = would have done
Used when we talk about a hypothetical situation in the past:
I think she woulda said “no” - I think she would say “no”
Coulda = could have done = could do
Used when we criticize something that someone could have done in the past, but did not do
You coulda warned me in advance! - You could have warned me in advance!
Gotcha = got you = got you
Ok, gotcha! - Okay, I understand you!
Y'all = you all = all of you
She’s got great news for y’all - She has great news for all of you
Kinda = kind of = kind of like
I’m kinda busy - I’m kinda busy
Slang helps us communicate more informally and in a friendly way. But remember that using abbreviations and slang in business correspondence, conferences or when communicating with unfamiliar people is bad manners.
How to start a conversation in English
First of all, remember the simple rules that will make you a pleasant conversationalist:
- Don't talk about too personal topics or money
- Don't just talk about yourself
- Don't interrupt
- Respect personal space
You should not stand too close to the person so as not to cause a feeling of discomfort. Also, you don’t need to touch him again, pat him on the back, take him by the hand, and so on.
When communicating, it is better to ask so-called “open questions”, to which the interlocutor can give a detailed answer. Ask the person what he is interested in, what books or films he likes, where he has been, and so on. It is better not to touch upon topics of religion and politics.
One of the ways to win over your interlocutor and start a conversation is to make a compliment or an appropriate remark regarding the situation around him. For example:
I love this view! - I like this view!
What a lovely dress! - What a wonderful dress!
One of the win-win options is to ask the person to express his opinion on the topic of conversation. This can be done using general phrases:
What do you think? - What do you think?
What's your opinion? - What is your opinion?
What are your ideas? - What do you think?
Do you have any thoughts on that? - Does anything come to your mind about this? How do you feel about that? - What do you think about it?
Such phrases are suitable for any event to start a conversation, be it a gala reception, a conference, a wedding, or just a conversation in a restaurant.
I’m here for the first time, what about you? - This is my first time here, and you?
Have you tried the cheesecake? It's delicious! - Have you already tried cheesecake? He's amazing!
How did you first get interested in…? - When did you first become interested in...?
And of course, the most neutral conversation, contrary to all prejudices, is a conversation about the weather.
It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it? - It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
Looks like it’s going to rain - It seems like it’s about to rain
The art of small talk
When we talk about casual communication in English, we cannot fail to mention the short conversations that we encounter every day: with work colleagues, with strangers, while traveling, and so on. This is a conversation on abstract and neutral topics.
Usually this dialogue happens during the first meeting of the day: we exchange “standard phrases” and wish all the best to the interlocutor. Usually they talk about the weather, inquire about health, and so on. Usually there is little useful information in such conversations; it is rather just a tribute to politeness and etiquette.
The British are the best at small talk, so we should also learn a few phrases that will help us communicate.
About the weather:
Wonderful day, isn’t it? - It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
It looks like it’s going to rain - It seems like it will rain
It’s hot/cold/sunny/windy/cloudy/rainy today - Today is hot/cold/sunny/windy/cloudy/rainy
What about the weather? Isn't it good? What do you think? - What about the weather? Isn't the weather nice? How do you think?
Did you hear what the weather forecast is? -Have you heard the weather forecast?
At work or an event:
Looking forward to the weekend? – Are you looking forward to the weekend?
Well, it has been a long week - Yes, it was a long week
You look like you could have a cup of coffee - It looks like you could use a cup of coffee
Are you enjoying the party/conference/presentation? - Do you like a party/conference/presentation?
Pretty nice place, isn't it? - Nice place, isn't it?
So, how do you know...? – How did you meet...?
On the street:
The bus/train must be running late - The bus/train must be late
Do you like this park? - Do you like this park?
What's your dog's name? - What is your dog's name?
Nice day to be outside, isn’t it? - It's a good day for a walk, isn't it?
This place is really good for shopping! - This is a great place for shopping!
You need to end the conversation politely and correctly so as not to offend your interlocutor. They will help with this universal phrases:
Oh, I really have to go now or I’ll be late. Glad to see you again! - Oh, I really need to go now or I'll be late. I will be glad/glad to see you again!
Maybe another time, ok? - Maybe another time, okay? Oh, I must go now. Thank you for the talk! - Oh, I have to go already. Thank you for the interview!
Now you know everything about how to start a conversation in English, maintain a conversation and say goodbye politely. Good luck!
Spoken English is the speech that is used in everyday environments. These are the sayings and phrases that native speakers say in a store, at home, while meeting with friends, at a party, etc. Standard spoken phrases in English can be divided into several categories, such as ''Home and family'', ''Greetings'' '', ''Apologies'', ''Weather'', ''Hobbies'', ''Dating'', etc.
It is important to note that colloquial phrases in English can be one word ( Hello!, Hi!, Welcome!), and a combination of several words ( to tell you the truth, see you later, wish you a great day). We will give examples of basic colloquial phrases in English with translation, make interesting sentences with them and play out several situational examples. Go!
Conversational phrases in English: everything you need to know to keep the conversation going
So what is spoken English? Colloquial vocabulary of the English language is a kind of speech patterns, standard phrases that we use every day in our speech. The peculiarity of this type of English is that we use common colloquial phrases every day without thinking about what we said. The fact is that for a basic conversational level you need to know a minimum of vocabulary and grammar.
This is not a strict official speech, where speech structures must be thought out to the smallest detail. The main thing here is to preserve the meaning and to ensure that one necessary phrase is interconnected with the other and complements it. This way you can talk to foreigners easily and without embarrassment.
We suggest learning basic colloquial phrases for everyday communication using tables. Below are a few suggestions to consolidate the result.
English greetings and farewells
How to start a conversation in English? That's right, using words of greeting. In the table below, we consider the most popular options:
| Good afternoon | Good afternoon |
| Good morning | Good morning |
| Good evening | Good evening |
| Hi! | Hello! |
| Hello! | Hello! (Hello!) |
| See you tomorrow! | See you tomorrow! |
| Good bye (Bye) | Bye! |
Note! These phrases are appropriate to use exclusively in a conversational environment. Such friendliness is not suitable for an official style. Even if you are on good terms with your colleagues at work, it is better to leave familiarity for cafes and at home, and at work you should adhere to corporate rules and appropriate official communication.
Reference: in addition to classic phrases for speaking English, there are also other options, for example, book ones. In this case, a striking example would be the word farewell, which means ‘ 'Goodbye''. When we talk about this word, the masterpiece of Ernest Hemingway comes to mind AFarewelltoArms, or AfarewelltoGuns, as it is also known. The essay can be translated into Russian as “Farewell to Arms.” It follows from this that the word farewell- more of a book version than a colloquial one. Just take note of this word for yourself.
After we have greeted each other, to keep the conversation going, it is customary to ask how the other person is doing. For this, there are also standard phrases for communicating in English:
Note! After you have answered Good,Fine or simply Ok, it is appropriate to add Thank you, or a simplified version of the phrase Thanks. These are basic rules of politeness that everyone should know.
And further: remember that phrases like How are you? - a basic example of greeting, which is as appropriate as washing your hands before eating. This does not mean that the person who says the phrase is really interested in your life. It's just a greeting, nothing more. In this case, you need to answer briefly Fine,thanks, and under no circumstances complain about life! In America this is considered a sign of bad taste. This is not accepted. Personal conversations should be left for friendly conversation when talking with girlfriends at evening gatherings.
Phrases for expressing your opinion
The English language is very bright and colorful, and it is colored by the individual words and phrases that we use in our conversation. Some of these phrases are words to express confidence or, conversely, uncertainty.
Let's look at some options :
Be careful with the phrase I bet. This means that you are so sure of something that you are willing to argue. When we say I am certain, it means that you are very sure of something. But the phrases I am really pretty sure, I am absolutely sure are purely colloquial. When writing dialogues, be careful what you say.
Here are a few examples to better explain the situation:
- We have a lot of things to do before we leave but we will visit all our friends, by all means => We have a lot of things to do before we leave, but we will visit all our friends by all means became.
- I am really pretty sure that this girl was in our school canteen several days ago => I am really quite sure that this girl was in our school canteen several days ago.
- Do you think that this is our new teacher? – Yes, I am asbolutely sure => Do you think this is our new teacher? - Yes, I'm absolutely sure.
- I am certain that these questions will be on agenga today => I am convinced that these questions will be on the agenda today.
- These boys are no doubt the examples of real gentleman => These guys are undoubtedly examples of real gentlemen.
- These people are by no means be blamed => These people should not be blamed under any circumstances.
Expressing uncertainty
Note! I guess has a synonym – I think. Both options are used when the speaker is not entirely sure of what he is saying. But... The first option means - I guess, the second - I think. In any case, the parallel between them is quite subtle and both options are appropriate when a person is in uncertainty. But! There is still a slight difference. The fact is that I guess is an informal option that is typical of American English. In the British English phrasebook we see the option I think. Spoken English for beginners, as you can see, also has its own nuances. Therefore, be careful when you start speaking in general phrases.
Another pair of synonyms - maybe/perhaps. Both words mean => maybe, maybe. The only difference: maybe– an option more for oral speech. The word is also used in written style, but purely in a conversational environment. At that time perhaps is more formal and is often used in writing.
Other English topics: Verbs of movement in English: walk, run, walk and almost 100 more examples
Here are a few examples for a better understanding:
- I think she knows better than you. Last time she did her best, as always => I think she knows better than you. Last time she did everything as best as possible, as always.
- I guess we would better buy white flowers. I always see them in your sister’s bedroom => I think we should buy white flowers. I always see them in your sister's bedroom.
- Maybe your parents will be tolerant and agree to take this homeless dog => Maybe your parents will be tolerant and agree to take this homeless dog.
- I am not sure they come home tonight => I am not sure that they will come home tonight.
- You see, the reason is, I am not quite sure, if they really understood the task =>
When we want to express our opinion ( to show/express our opinion), we also use certain words and phrases. They make the conversation more lively and rich.
Let's look at the phrases in sentences:
- To tell you the truth, things are much better than you think => In truth, things are much better than you think.
- To be honest, your new hair-do is not so good as you wished => To be honest, your new hairstyle is not as good as you wanted.
- It seems to me that these guys have all skills to success => It seems to me that these guys have all the skills to succeed.
- To my mind, black is not the best way to color the walls => In my opinion, black is not the best way to paint the walls.
- In my opinion, you had to study harder to pass this exam. There is no one to blame but you => In my opinion, you should have studied harder to pass the exam. The only one to blame is you.
- In my humble opinion, this dress doesn’t suit you any more => In my humble opinion, this dress doesn’t suit you any more.
Expressing consent
Everyone knows that when we agree with something, we say yes. But this is not the only word with which you can express your agreement. Let's look at other words and phrases =>
A few sentences with words and phrases of agreement:
- This time I will wear blue dress, and you – red. – Deal! => This time I will take the blue dress and you will take the red one. - Agreed!
- We had to add less flour in dough because it is too thick. It won't be delicious. – I agree with you. We added too much flour => We should have added less flour to the dough because it is too dense. It won't be tasty. - Agree with you. We added too much flour.
- Will you come with us tomorrow? – Sure! I have nothing to do => Will you come with us tomorrow? - Certainly! I have nothing to do.
- There will be a great party tomorrow. And there is a dress code. We all have to wear gorgeous dresses of lilac color. Will you come? – I guess so => Tomorrow there will be a grand party. Dress code announced. We should all be wearing gorgeous purple dresses. You will come? - I think yes.
Reference: word Absolutely means agreement and does not need to be translated as absolutely. It is not right. Correct translation -> I completely agree with you, definitely, of course. The correct option must be chosen based on the context.
Note! There is an interesting phrase in English Ican't(couldn't't)agreemore, which means I couldn't agree more. If you want to make your conversation more colorful and a dry topic livelier, don't neglect interesting expressions.
Let's give an example in a sentence:
- This cake is so delicious I want to give you one more piece! — I can't agree more! => This pie is so delicious that I want to give you another piece! – I couldn't agree more!
We disagree
The table shows that the words we use to indicate disagreement are quite interesting. In addition to standard Idon'tthinkso And Ofcoursenot, other phrases are also used in colloquial speech. Let's look at them in sentences =>
- Yesterday I saw your girl with another guy! – You must be kidding! She was with me waiting for my parents! => Yesterday I saw your girlfriend with another guy! – You must be joking! She was with me, we were waiting for my parents!
- Tomorrow I and your sister will visit our friends. You will stay home cleaning the house. – Nothing of the king. I go with you! => Tomorrow your sister and I will visit our friends. You will stay home and clean. - Nothing like this. I'm coming with you!
- Today we are going to bake bread. We have everything we need. Let us start! – Are you kidding? I bought everything for pizza, as you asked me. Give me back my money! => Today we will bake bread! We have everything we need. Let's start! - Are you kidding? I bought everything for the pizza, just like you asked me to. Give me back my money!
- I will buy you a beautiful dress for the evening. It costs 10,000 dollars. Are you satisfied with the price? – Absolutely not. I will find another one. This one is too expensive => For this evening I will buy you a beautiful dress. It costs $10,000. Are you satisfied with the price? - Of course not. I'll find another dress. It's too expensive.
- I solved the problem in the way we decided yesterday. Everything should be correct. – I don’t agree with you. You have done something wrong. The system works not in an appropriate way. The head is unsatisfied => I solved the problem in the same way as we solved yesterday. Everything must be right. - I disagree with you. You did something wrong. The system is not working properly. The manager is unhappy .
Other English topics: Set phrases in English: popular colloquial expressions and idioms
Using such phrases in conversation makes it more beautiful and enjoyable. You should not forget about the elements of politeness even when talking with loved ones and acquaintances. A few examples:
- What about your close friends? Don't you want to invite them? We will have a lot of fun! =>What about your close friends? Would you like to invite them? It will be a lot of fun!
- Can I offer you one more slice of lemon? This will make your tea more tasty => May I offer you another slice of lemon? This will make your tea more delicious.
- Of course this is your deal but I will recommend you to listen to our advice => Of course this is your personal business, but I would advise you to listen to our advice.
- Would you like to come with us? We have one more seat in the car => Would you like to come with us? We have one more place in the car.
- Why don’t you give all your old things to homeless people? They will be grateful to you! => Why don't you give all your old things to homeless people? They will be very grateful to you!
Important! If I were you -> a phrase from a conditional sentence, its constituent element. Notice how these sentences are formed:
- If I were you, I would buy this dress => I would buy this dress if I were you.
- I would be silent if I were you => If I were you, I would be silent.
As you noticed, the second part of the conditional sentence is formed by the method would+verb. Wherein If I were you can appear either at the beginning or at the end of a phrase (if you forgot something, grammar will help you repeat the necessary material). The meaning itself does not change when rearranged.
What words to express feelings and evaluate them
We use these phrases for each individual case to compose sentences =>
- What the hell! What did you do with my new coat! It is all dirty! => What the hell! What did you do with my new coat! It's all dirty!
- I am so glad for you! You were one of the brightest students in the university so you deserve that job! Congratulations! => I'm so happy for you! You were one of the smartest students in the university, so you deserved this job! Congratulations!
- Did you bake this cake by yourself? Fantastic! It is so delicious! => Did you bake this cake yourself? Amazing! Delicious!
- Hello! How are you? I heard you bought a new house! - Hi! Good, thanks. But it could be better if my wife consulted me before buy this house! => Hello! How are you I heard you bought a new house! - Hello! OK, thank you. But it might have been better if my wife had consulted me before buying this house!
- I will not come with you tomorrow. I have not enough money to pay for this journey. – Oh, what a pity! We will bring you a souvenir! => I won't go with you tomorrow. I don't have enough money to pay for this trip. - Oh, what a pity! We'll bring you a souvenir!
- Look at my new bycicle! It is the last model! – Cool! I always wanted the same! => Look at my new bike! This is the latest model! - Cool! I've always wanted one like this!
Let's sum it up
English colloquial vocabulary is colorful and varied, and so is your everyday speech. The important thing is that you don't need complex grammar to speak well in spoken language. Of course, you need to know the basics, but the subtleties can be left for a formal setting.
In the article, we gave examples of the most popular colloquial phrases and divided them into topics that you can conveniently distribute for study every day. Learn words and phrases little by little, be sure to create examples and mentally imagine different situations. Knowing colloquial phrases for communication, you can easily communicate with foreigners, even as a beginner student. It's simple: the main thing is to be confident in your abilities and conquer new heights every day.
Develop your own taxonomy and improve your knowledge. Get good dictionaries full of lexical rules, and learn something new day by day, and generally throughout the day, whenever you have a free minute. Remember: success comes to those who do not give up and strive for excellence! So allow yourself to be successful!
We also advise you to study useful material about 1000 words in English that you need to know; it will definitely come in handy when learning new words in the English language.
Learn and improve yourself!
I recently conducted an individual Skype consultation for one of the participants in the English Diet conversational English training. At the end of the conversation, Galina sadly remarked:
– Of course, I understand that the main thing in learning a language is practice, but where can I find English-speaking interlocutors if I live in a small town, far from enterprises where expats work and from places of interest to tourists? For training via Skype, native speakers charge from 20 dollars, for them this is the minimum rate, but for me it’s a lot of money. I really enjoy training with you, but I’m afraid to forget everything I learned during the training.
“Galina,” I answered, “we live in the 21st century!” There are several billion people in the world who speak English, and now almost everyone has a telephone or computer with Internet access. I'm sure you'll easily find someone to talk to.
- No, I won’t succeed. Who wants to talk to me? I don’t trust dating sites, but where else can I find normal people to communicate with?
– Have you ever tried it? – I asked Galina.
“I don’t even want to waste time on this,” she said sharply.
We completed the consultation, but the sediment, as they say, remained.
And so I decided to give Galina and all my subscribers a small gift: record a lesson on how you can find an English-speaking interlocutor within an hour and talk with him on any topics that are interesting to you and him. I launched a video recording program and registered in real time on a language exchange site https://www.conversationexchange.com/. There I found a native speaker of British English and talked with him for about half an hour. All together it took me less than two hours. When I cut out pauses and technical points, I got an interesting video in which:
the registration process on the language exchange site is described step by step;
a fragment of a conversation with a native speaker of British English is given;
practical advice is given on organizing and conducting such conversations and using them effectively to improve your English.
Below is a list of language exchange sites I like.
Beginners often find it difficult to speak English. Written assignments are given without problems, everything is clear by ear, it’s possible to read, but talking to a living person is for the life of me. Words don't come out and that's it. How to overcome this psychological language barrier?
1. Don't be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are not only inevitable, they are necessary.
In wrestling, before teaching how to knock an opponent down, one learns how to fall correctly. Falling is an integral part of wrestling, so an athlete must be able to fall without getting injured. In learning a language, you have to “fall”, that is, make mistakes, no less often. This is a required part of the study. It cannot be avoided. Moreover, without mistakes you cannot improve your language proficiency.
It goes something like this.
- You need to express some idea, for example, say the time in English.
- The first time you say it wrong.
- In the second one too.
- But in the third or tenth it will be correct.
Errors in oral speech are one of the tools for learning a language. Having made a mistake, we notice it and mentally correct it, the likelihood of stepping on the same rake becomes less. The more we make mistakes, the better we speak.
2. Don’t try to speak perfectly correctly
You may be thinking that if, while ordering a hamburger at a diner, you construct a phrase incorrectly, the waiter will drop the tray in horror, and all the visitors will immediately stop chewing and stare at you with reproachful glances. Don’t worry, this won’t happen! From school, we are accustomed to the idea that mistakes are something bad, shameful, and that they are punished for them. But in life everything is different.
Firstly, native speakers themselves speak, making mistakes that would get you a bad mark in an English lesson at school, secondly, you can see a foreigner a mile away, so no one will be surprised by your accent or roughness of speech, and thirdly, It is impossible to achieve the ideal in language learning. If you assign someone to you who will write down everything you say in Russian all day long, you will be very surprised when you read the notes. We speak our native language carelessly and with errors.
If you think about every word, translate phrases in your mind, remembering, and carefully follow, it will be difficult to speak, and your speech will turn out to be slow, with frequent pauses and “escapes.”
3. Correspondence in English is a great form of practice
Corresponding in English is a great practice that is often neglected. Unlike oral speech, when correspondence there is time to think, choose words, look into. There is no difficulty in understanding spoken language, because in a conversation sometimes it is not so much difficult to say something as to understand the interlocutor.
In addition, starting to correspond with foreigners is psychologically easier than talking. If you feel horrified at the thought of speaking even to a stranger in English, try texting first, and then move on to more personal verbal contact.
By texting, you will expand your active vocabulary, better learn to compose sentences, and learn to express thoughts in English simply and briefly. All this will help in oral speech, but you need to understand that the skill of free fluent speech is developed only with speaking practice.
4. Speak English using language social networks
Writing practice, watching films in English, reading indirectly help to learn to speak, as they contribute to the expansion of vocabulary and understanding of speech. But for the most part, speaking skills are developed through speaking practice.
Conversation practice cannot be replaced by anything. It cannot be replaced by translation or listening exercises. It's like learning to play tennis by watching matches on TV. Of course, watching and analyzing other people's games is useful, but skills are developed only when you pick up a racket and go out onto the court.
Finding a foreign interlocutor is very easy with the help of language social networks, like. In general, the Internet has brought many conveniences to learning languages, but the ability to communicate via video with foreigners is the most significant. For many, this is the only possible way to speak English.
5. Express yourself more simply
In our native language, we communicate in writing more “smartly” than orally: we select beautiful phrases, not the most obvious epithets, we introduce witticisms and sayings. But oral speech is spontaneous: words roll off the tongue faster than we have time to think about them. If you start speaking with prettiness, carefully choosing words and using graceful turns of phrase, your speech will come out strained, with pauses.
In a foreign language, you also shouldn’t be too clever in your conversation. The simpler you express your thoughts, the easier, freer, and often more understandable your speech will be.
Follow the simplest path:
- Choose simpler words. Knowledge of synonyms makes speech richer, but words large, huge, enormous in conversation can be replaced with a simple big, especially if you remember them uncertainly.
- Speak in simple sentences. It’s better to say three short phrases without any problems than to get confused in one long one.
In other words, take words and constructions that lie on the surface of memory, are in the most active part of the active vocabulary. With practice, this asset will become more and more, and speech will become richer.
6. Don’t be shy to ask again.
Many find it more difficult than with a Russian-speaking teacher who speaks English. Indeed, at first, even a simple “Good morning” may seem like a jumble of inarticulate sounds - this goes away with practice in listening and communication. But what to do if you don’t understand certain remarks or words of your interlocutor?
There are two options:
- Pretend that you understand everything and continue talking as if nothing happened.
- Ask again.
I admit that I myself sinned with the first option. As a result, firstly, I still did not understand the essence of the missed phrase, and secondly, the interlocutor, seeing that I “understood him perfectly,” continued to speak, without making allowances for the fact that I was not a native speaker, complicating everything and complicating it speech.
It’s much better to ask again. Don't worry about showing your incompetence or looking stupid. English has many pronunciation options, so the situation when the interlocutor did not hear or misunderstood something is normal even among native speakers. And if you are interested in the meaning of some incomprehensible words, you only demonstrate curiosity and concern for language.
7. Take the initiative
When you are, he structures the lesson in such a way that you talk more: ask questions, retell cases from life, express an opinion, argue. At first, your speech is difficult, but then you warm up and become so carried away by the conversation that you stop paying attention to mistakes and noticing that you are speaking a foreign language. Such free, casual and enthusiastic chatting in English greatly helps to develop speaking skills.
But if you are just communicating with a foreigner on Skype, you may come across a talkative interlocutor, and you will be tempted to turn into a listener and answer in monosyllables, like: Yes, No, Wow! Really? Such “talks” are of little use. Don't let this happen, try to actively participate in the conversation.
Conclusion
Since childhood, we have become accustomed to treating English as a school subject; in our minds, it is inextricably linked with good and bad grades, punishments and tests. But language is primarily a means of communication, and not notebooks, diaries and lessons. Feel free to speak English. Talk, converse for your own pleasure, without worrying about mistakes, and with practice you will notice that your speech becomes more and more relaxed and correct.
Friends! I don't currently tutor, but if you need a teacher, I recommend this wonderful site- there are native (and non-native) language teachers there 👅 for all occasions and for any pocket 🙂 I myself took more than 80 lessons with the teachers I found there! I advise you to try it too!
How to learn to speak English quickly and competently? This question is asked every day by millions of students around the world, for whom encountering a language barrier has become an unpleasant stage in learning a language. However, any obstacle can be overcome, the main thing is to choose the right means to achieve your goals. We have collected for you the simplest and most effective tips that will help you improve your spoken English and achieve fluency in communication.
Speaking skill is the most important skill in learning any foreign language. Some students admit that they easily master grammar, enjoy reading foreign literature and calmly listen to audio recordings. But when it comes to speaking English, they fall into the state of “I understand everything, but I can’t answer anything.” And this often happens not because of a lack of knowledge or a limited vocabulary, but because of a lack of speaking practice and a psychological barrier.
We talked about the psychological reasons for the appearance of a language barrier and 15 effective ways to combat it in. We would like to invite you not to delve into the details of the emergence of the barrier, but to direct all efforts to eliminate it.
Our student Ilya Usanov communicated with foreign partners and investors on his fingers until he began to learn English. .
What's stopping you from speaking English?
Let's look at not psychological, but specifically linguistic reasons that may stand between you and fruitful communication in English.
Insufficient level of language knowledge
The vocabulary of native speakers is 10,000 - 20,000 words. For anyone learning English, 2,000 words are enough for comfortable communication on everyday topics, which corresponds to level . As you can see, everything is not so scary!
To start speaking, you must master a minimum grammatical vocabulary:
- present tense - Present (Simple, Continuous, Perfect);
- past tense - Past Simple;
- future tense: Future Simple and construction be going to;
- modal verbs: have to, must, can, may, might, should;
- indirect speech;
- passive voice.
If your English knowledge is at or level, you need to improve it to Pre-Intermediate. If you have already overcome this bar, then you are ready to communicate in English. Yes, such conversations will not be ideal and easy, but you will definitely be able to express your thoughts in accessible ways.
Nothing to say on the topic
If you feel like you don’t know what to talk about, start by developing your Russian speech. Take any object or phenomenon. Think about what thoughts and emotions you feel towards him. Try to find several subtopics within this broad topic. Then talk about this subject or phenomenon for at least one or two minutes. Exhale. Try the same thing, but in English.
For example, take the topic “Vacation”. It finds its own response in each of us. Some people travel to the same favorite country every year, others appreciate diversity and contrast. Some save for renovations and rarely allow themselves tourist trips, while others cannot live without constant adventures. What can you tell us about the topic of vacation?
Structure of answering oral questions
We analyzed the monologue. What about dialogue? Let's imagine that you are asked a common question. For example:
What is your favorite kind of food? -What is your favorite food?
If panic arises in your head and the gastronomic variety creates complete chaos, take your time. The fate of humanity does not depend on your answer now. Think calmly and only then speak according to an approximate scheme:
- Introductory sentence:
It’s difficult to choose because I like many different dishes. - It’s difficult to choose, because I like many dishes.
- Answer:
I think pasta with meatballs is my favorite. - I think pasta with meatballs is my favorite dish.
- Reason/Example:
My wife cooks it very well. And I also like to order this meal at a restaurant. It is so delicious. - My wife cooks it amazingly. And I also like to order this dish in a restaurant. It's so delicious.
- Conclusion:
Well, if I had to choose just one, I would definitely prefer pasta with meatballs. - Well, if I had to choose only one thing, I would choose pasta with meatballs.
By practicing answering questions this way, you can get rid of the “I have nothing to say” problem.
We have looked at the reasons that interfere with conversational speech. Now let's move on to practice. Are you preparing for negotiations, presentations or other work-related communications? Most likely, now you are nodding affirmatively. It’s the same with speaking English: you also need to carefully prepare for it. But not everyone has time for this. If you need to speak English confidently “yesterday”, we have a solution.
Speaking practice
Many of our students complain that since school they have been cramming complex grammar rules and doing long written exercises in English, but have never learned to speak. To fix this situation, we created:
The idea to create the “Conversation Practice” course did not appear by chance. Before starting their studies at our school, potential students communicate with our managers, who clarify their preferences and wishes for the learning process. Many people say that they want to overcome the language barrier, but at the same time they do not want to study with boring textbooks, they want to learn English in a fun and interesting way, but “without homework and boring grammar”! Based on the wishes of students and the principles of teaching a foreign language, we created our course.
If you decide to take this course, you will be able to make new acquaintances and apply the secrets of success (talking about the weather and the latest news), maintaining a conversation on cultural topics (movies, TV series, books). You will learn to talk about everyday problems: if you spill coffee on yourself or get stuck in traffic, you will be able to explain it without any problems.
Together with your teacher, you will role-play typical telephone conversations and interviews with international companies, and prepare for tourist trips and business trips. Abroad, you can easily go shopping, order food in a restaurant, visit a doctor, etc.
The main bonus is no long written assignments. Just you, the teacher and the conversation! !
The more words you know, the more conversational topics are available to you and the more accurately you can express your thoughts. Therefore, if you are carried away by speaking practice, do not forget about replenishing your vocabulary. We wrote about how to do this in the article “”.
2. Making your speech lively and natural
To make your speech beautiful and natural, when learning a new word, look in the dictionary, which lists its synonyms and antonyms, as well as related phrasal verbs and idioms. Our article “” will help you decide on the optimal dictionary. This way you will diversify your speech and increase your vocabulary.
3. Learn phrases
If you ask modern polyglots how to learn to speak English quickly, many of them will answer the same way: “Learn cliché phrases and speech structures.” Expressions such as Let's talk briefly about... (Let's talk briefly about...), I am inclined to believe that... (I am inclined to think that...), I've got an impression that.. (I have the impression that...) will help you start a conversation competently and beautifully.
But what if you didn’t understand well what was said to you? You need to learn to catch the key words in a statement. Pay special attention to nouns and verbs, because they are the main words in any sentence. The rest will become clear from the general context of the statement, intonation, emotions, facial expressions and gestures of the speaker. Practice listening more often and get used to the sound of someone else's speech. In the meantime, you can ask the other person to repeat:
| Phrase | Translation |
|---|---|
| Would you repeat that? | Won't you repeat it? |
| Excuse me? | Sorry? |
| I beg your pardon? | I'm sorry? |
| Sorry? | Sorry? |
| Speak up, please. | Speak up, please. |
| Would you mind repeating that (speaking up), please? | Could you say it again (speak louder), please? |
4. Activate vocabulary
Active vocabulary - those words that you use in speech or writing, passive - you recognize in someone else's speech or when reading, but do not use it yourself. The larger your active vocabulary, the more ways you have to express yourself and the easier it is for you to express yourself in English. Work on expanding it: learn new words and introduce them into your speech. In the article "" we told you how to turn a passive stock into an active one.
5. Learning to paraphrase
If you are afraid that during a conversation you may forget a word, then do not worry, because you can learn periphrasis - an indirect, descriptive designation of an object. And in order for you to be able to paraphrase, we will give some tips.
- If you forget a complex word, use a simpler one: a department store - a supermarket (department store).
- Use that, which, who to describe a thing or object:
It’s a very large shop that sells food and other products for the home. - This is a large store that sells food and other household products.
- Use antonyms and comparisons:
It is opposite to a neighborhood shop. = It’s not a neighborhood shop. - It is the opposite in meaning to a convenience store.
- Use examples:
“Sainsbury"s” and “Tesco” are examples of best supermarkets. - Sainsbury"s and Tesco are examples of the best supermarkets.
6. Learn to ask questions
The strategy for any successful conversation is to talk less about yourself and be more interested in the opinions of other people. To do this you need to master . For example, a person tells you that he likes to decorate his apartment.
I like decorating my flat. - I like to decorate my apartment.
Think about what questions you could ask this person?
What materials do you like the most? - What materials do you like best?
Did you learn something about decor? -Have you studied anything in decor?
Could you please show me your best work? - Can you show me your best work?
Would you like to take part in some decorators contest? - Would you like to take part in a decorating competition?
7. We use a special textbook
Aids for the development of oral speech are a good help for every English learner. They give you topics to talk about, interesting ideas and expressions, and new phrases that can be used successfully in any conversation. To choose a suitable textbook for yourself, check out our review “”.
8. Improving pronunciation
Work on your pronunciation: if you mix up sounds or pronounce them unclearly, you are much less likely to be understood. Do you want to speak correctly? Imitate the speech of people who speak clearly and distinctly. You can imitate your English teacher, BBC announcer, favorite actor or English-speaking friend, if you have one. When you learn to pronounce sounds clearly, your fear of being misunderstood will disappear and you will not feel embarrassed by your accent. We wrote even more tips in the article “”.
9. We are engaged in modern listening
English listening doesn't have to be monotonous or intimidating. You can train your listening comprehension of English speech using modern podcasts, audio series and radio shows. Some of them are adapted for learning, others contain useful colloquial phrases from real, live speech from native speakers.
Even if you have little free time to study, you can install apps on your smartphone with podcasts, radio shows and audio dramas. Listen to them on your way to work, during your lunch break, while traveling, while shopping, etc. We recommend listening to the same recording several times. If possible, you can repeat after the announcer. This simple trick will improve your listening skills. You can read more about this in the article "".
10. Watching videos
How to quickly learn to speak English using videos? Watch videos on topics that interest you, listen to how and what native speakers say, and repeat after them. This way you will not only master spoken phrases, but also be able to learn correct articulation by imitating the characters in the video. Many videos for people with different levels of language proficiency can be viewed on the resources: engvid.com, newsinlevels.com, englishcentral.com.
11. Sing songs
12. Read aloud and retell what we read
Reading aloud works similarly to listening to video and audio, only here you read the text yourself and retell what you read. As a result, new words and phrases are remembered. In the article “” we covered in detail the selection of the right books for your level.
13. Record your voice
Choose a general conversation topic, for example, a story about your favorite book. Turn on the voice recorder on your smartphone or laptop and record your voice. After that, turn on the recording and listen to it carefully. Pay attention to when you hesitate, where you pause, how fast your speech is, good pronunciation and correct intonation.
Usually, the first recordings for English learners are not a test for the faint of heart: firstly, we are not used to hearing ourselves from the outside, and secondly, English-language speech at the first stages of learning sounds strange and incomprehensible. We recommend that you do not despair. Imagine that this is not your voice, but some outside student who really wants to learn English. What would you advise him to work on? After a month or two, compare the first and last entries: the difference will be noticeable, and this will inspire you to further exploits in learning English.
14. We talk as often as possible
Do you dream of speaking English in your free time, but your friends are not interested? Try participating in conversation clubs with other English language learners. Such meetings are held both live and online. This is a great opportunity to start speaking and get used to other people's speech. In a relaxed atmosphere, you can chat on various topics, on occasion, introduce interesting words and phrases that you heard somewhere, and just have a good time.
At our school, all students can sign up for free in conversation clubs with both Russian-speaking teachers and native speakers from the UK. Clubs can be selected to suit your level and in accordance with interesting topics: sightseeing, art, friends and loved ones, a sense of humor - the list is inexhaustible. The big advantage is that you will study in small groups of up to 7 people. If you do not study with us, but want to communicate in English, sign up for ours.
The more you communicate in English, the sooner you will achieve fluency. And to make it easy for you to find someone to talk to, we wrote the article “”. From it you will learn how easy it is to find a friend among native speakers.
15. Finding a partner
Have you bought a membership to a fitness club but quit after a couple of months? Have you decided to learn the guitar, but your enthusiasm has faded and you have switched to something new? Perhaps you simply lack motivation and support. You need someone who will support your desire to learn English. Try to find a friend who will go to courses and conversation clubs with you, chat on different topics and motivate you in every possible way to continue learning.
16. We don’t theorize
Practice, practice and only practice of speaking will bring the desired results. Theory alone will not be enough: no matter how much useful advice you read on how to start speaking English, the language will not be given to you until you begin to put all the advice into practice. Yes, you know that yourself. Whatever you undertake, be it driving, cooking or yoga in hammocks, without practice, theoretical manuals will become waste paper.
Today you received a guide to action on how to learn to speak English. We hope you will not only carefully read our tips, but also begin to put them into practice. If you want to start studying at Inglex, but are still thinking about it, be inspired by the experience of our teachers from the article “”.
