Best Languages and all that jazz Podcasts (2025)

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930 - I’m Tryin’ To → Ahm Tryin’ Uh - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English 2:26

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5h ago2:26

2:26

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. And if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Michael on YouTube. In fact, the idea for today’s lesson came from a …

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929 - Does That Make Sense? - English Tips in a Minute | Happy English 2:04

1d ago2:04

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Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Saturday with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently. And if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Michael on YouTube. Today, let’s look at a really common phrase you’ll hear in ev…

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928 - Rattle Off - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English 1:55

1d ago1:55

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Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. And if you want to watch this lesson just look for Happy English Michael on YouTube. Today’s phrasal verb is rattle off. When…

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New play ‘Kyoto’ looks at the global agreement that first aimed to curb greenhouse gas emissions

4d ago

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Hurricane Melissa devastated Jamaica and Cuba two weeks ago, bringing with it a short but deadly storm to New York City that killed two people in flash floods. With the world seeing stronger and more frequent weather events 28 years after the signing of the Kyoto Protocol — a global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions — many crucial questi…

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927 - How to Use ‘Make’ and ‘Do’ in English - What’s the Difference?” 11:05

4d ago11:05

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I get it - make and do can be super confusing. You’ve probably learned that both verbs mean "to take action" in some way. But for example, how do you know when to say make a mistake or do your homework? That’s what we’re going to clear up. Today we’re going to talk about two small but mighty verbs in English: make and do. These verbs show up everyw…

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Sermon - "Wait, what was your last name again?" - Sign Language - Pastor Jazz Cathcart 10:03

5d ago10:03

10:03

Bible Reference: John 2:1-11 We are in week one of a fresh new series called "Sign Language: The Gospel according to John". There was nobody this side of Glory closer to the Jesus than John. And in his biography of Jesus' life, ministry, death, and resurrection, he shares seven of Jesus' miracles that he says were "signs"... miracles with a message…

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926 - How to Agree and Disagree Politely in English 8:57

6d ago8:57

8:57

I guess you're here because you think podcasts are a good way to learn English. Yeah, absolutely — I was thinking the same thing. You might even think they are the best way to learn. Well, I see your point, but I’m not sure everyone would think so. Maybe we can agree to disagree. That’s the language we’ll look at today. In this podcast English less…

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925 - Sunday Speak - Lemme, Gimme, Gemme - Reductions in American English 2:38

7d ago2:38

2:38

In everyday spoken American English, we often use reduction. Here, reduction means we shorten or soften sounds when we speak. It’s when certain words or syllables lose their full sound to make speech smoother and faster. Today, let’s look at three really common reductions: lemme, gimme, and gemme. Like, instead of saying let me, we reduce it to lem…

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924 - Saturday Short - Sounds Like a Plan 1:49

8d ago1:49

1:49

Today, let’s look at a really natural and friendly phrase you’ll hear all the time in everyday English - “Sounds like a plan.” We use sounds like a plan when we agree to someone’s suggestion or idea. It’s a casual, upbeat way to say “That’s a good idea” or “Let’s do that.” For example, your friend says: “Let’s meet at 6 for dinner.” You can reply: …

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923 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Whip Up 1:37

9d ago1:37

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Today’s phrasal verb is whip up. When you whip something up, it means you make or create something quickly - usually food, but it can also be ideas, energy, or excitement. Like, yesterday morning I was in a rush, so I whipped up some scrambled eggs before heading out the door. And the other day, my neighbor whipped up a batch of cookies and brought…

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From shipwreck to symphony: Prisoners in Italy turn migrant boats into violins

10d ago

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In a workshop in Milan, in northern Italy, Enrico Allorto, a master craftsperson known as a luthier, is bent over a bandsaw, slicing through a plank of wood salvaged from an abandoned migrant boat. At a workbench nearby, Nicolae, an inmate from Opera high security prison, is gluing narrow slats of the recycled timber together. Another former prison…

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922 - Office Speak- What Do These Phrases Really Mean? 11:12

11d ago11:12

11:12

Let’s table this. That’s what the boss said. And then someone else said, we need to pivot. So then I suggested we take it off line, but the boss said, Let’s not reinvent the wheel. Ah, the language of business. have you ever been in a meeting or on a Zoom call and someone says something like, “Let’s circle back on that” or “We need to pivot”… and y…

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921 - Business English Idioms for Everyday Work Life 10:41

13d ago10:41

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I know that I promised to keep you in the loop, so I’m touching base with you in this podcast English lesson to let you know I’ve been thinking outside the box and everything you need to improve your English is here in the pipeline. Today, we're going to look at six of the most common idioms you’ll hear in American offices, and help you sound more …

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920 - Sunday Speak - The Schwa Sound- The Secret to Natural Speech 2:07

14d ago2:07

2:07

One of the biggest secrets to sounding natural in English is something called the schwa sound. It’s the most common sound in American English, and it’s a huge reason why native speakers sound so smooth and relaxed when they talk. The schwa sounds like uh - not strong or clear, just soft and lazy: uh. We use it in many unstressed syllables and small…

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919 - 6-7 Is The Hottest Slang From GEN-Z 2:31

15d ago2:31

2:31

In today’s Saturday Short, Michael talks about one of the newest slang expressions to hit the English language — “6-7.” You’ll learn where this Gen Z phrase came from, how people use it online, and why it’s more about vibe than grammar. It’s short, fun, and a perfect look at how English keeps evolving. So, what does “6-7” really mean? Let’s find ou…

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918 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Zone Out 1:54

16d ago1:54

1:54

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. Today’s phrasal verb is zone out. When you zone out, it means your mind starts to wander and you stop paying attention…

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917 - How Halloween is Really Celebrated in the USA 8:45

17d ago8:45

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Boo! Did I scare you? I hope not. Halloween is literally right around the corner, and depending on where you live that may or may not have any particular meaning for you. But in the USA? Well, let’s go trick or treating... Thanks for tuning in. And hey, Happy Halloween! 🎃👻 If you’re listening to this on October 31st - or even a day or two later - I…

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A new museum exhibit that highlights creatures in the deep sea

17d ago

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What comes to mind when you think of a sea monster? Serpents? Loch Ness? The shark in Jaws, perhaps? What about the creatures in the deep sea, more than a thousand feet down, where the sunlight doesn’t reach? Are they certified monsters? Or just creatures we don’t yet understand? A new exhibit at Harvard University’s Museum of Natural History wrest…

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916 - How to Use “Yet” in Conversations 10:04

18d ago10:04

10:04

“Are we there yet?” That’s a question you’ve probably heard - or maybe even asked - especially if you’ve ever taken a road trip with kids: “Are we there yet?” “Not just yet!” Yet is just a three-letter word, but it’s packed with meaning. It helps you talk about time, expectations, contrast, and even emphasis. And once you learn how to use yet natur…

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915 - How to Use “Get” in 5 Different Ways In English 10:16

20d ago10:16

10:16

Let me ask you something - have you ever noticed how often people say get in English? I mean seriously - we get tired, we get pizza, we get better, we get going, we get caught in the rain, and we get used to the cold. Well, some of us. Get is one of the most flexible and common verbs in English - and native speakers use it all the time in conversat…

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914 - Sunday Speak - Ya Didja Whaddaya - Connected Speech In American English 2:02

21d ago2:02

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Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English Sunday Speak. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point tip to help you speak English more naturally. Now, In spoken American English, we often connect words together, and when we do, the sounds change. That’s called connected speech. You’ll hear it all the time in words an…

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913 - Saturday Short - You Know What? Guess What? 2:17

22d ago2:17

2:17

Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to another Happy English Saturday Short, your quick tip for speaking English better. Today, let’s look at two really common and super natural phrases you’ll hear in everyday English: “You know what?” and “Guess what?” We use both of these when we want to grab someone’s attention - usually before we sha…

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912 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Buckle Down 1:46

23d ago1:46

1:46

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. Today’s phrasal verb is buckle down. When you buckle down, it means you start working seriously and with focus — espec…

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911-Understanding And Using The Subjunctive Mood In English 10:32

24d ago10:32

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I suggest you listen carefully to this podcast. And if you’re with a friend right now, I suggest he listen carefully as well. Or she listen carefully. I mean, if I were you, I’d definitely stick around for this one. Today we’re diving into a part of English grammar that doesn’t follow the usual rules - but native speakers use it all the time withou…

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Tattoo artists in South Korea anticipate lifting of restrictions with mixed emotions

27d ago

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Yoon Na-ri sits at an outdoor café near her apartment in Seoul. Even though the weather is a little brisk, she removes her olive green jacket and places it on an empty chair beside her, revealing tattoos on both arms. “I have 17 tattoos and I’ve been to six different tattoo artists,” says the 39-year-old who works for an e-commerce firm. Yoon Na-ri…

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910 - How To Use Should, Wish, And If Only To Express Regret In English 9:33

27d ago9:33

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Hey, let me ask you a question - have you ever made a decision… and then later thought, “Oh man, I shouldn’t have done that”? Or maybe you’ve thought, “If only I had done it differently.” Yeah. That, my friend, is regret - and we all feel it sometimes. Regret is one of those universal emotions - something everyone experiences. And in English, we’ve…

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909 - Sunday Speak - The American Flap T Pronunciation 1:40

28d ago1:40

1:40

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English Sunday Speak. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point tip to help you speak English more naturally. Now, in American English, there’s a special sound we make with the letter T. It’s called the flap T, and it sounds kind of like a soft D sound. You’ll hear it in words like…

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908 - Saturday Short – Learn To Use The Conversational Phrase, You Know What I Mean? 1:54

29d ago1:54

1:54

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English Saturday Short, your quick tip for speaking English better. Today, let’s look at a super common phrase you’ll hear in everyday English: “You know what I mean?” We use you know what I mean? to seek agreement or to check if the other person understands us. It’s kind of like soft…

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907 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Meaning and Usage Of Flake Out In English 1:55

30d ago1:55

1:55

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday with a quick, one-poi nt English lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. Today’s phrasal verb is flake out. When you flake out, it means you agree to do something - like meet up, help out, o…

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906 - How to Use ‘By’ in English - Time, Deadlines, and Authorship Explained 9:19

1M ago9:19

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Welcome - and by the way - thanks for stopping by today! I’ve been thinking… by is one of those little words that shows up everywhere in English. It’s just two letters, but it does a lot of work. Today we’re gonna take a close look at by - and I think you’ll be surprised at how many different ways we use it. You’ve probably seen BY in phrases like …

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905 - Creepy, Spooky, and Downright Scary - Halloween Words in English 8:27

1M ago8:27

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With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it’d be fun to do a little Halloween-themed English. So for the next three weeks, we’re going to dive into some spooky vocabulary, creepy idioms, and even take a look at how Halloween is celebrated in the U.S. Let’s kick it off today with something super useful - Halloween vocabulary! Now, you might…

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904 - How come we can say foods, hairs, and freedoms? 11:14

1M ago11:14

11:14

Did you know? Eating healthy foods can make you healthy, but I heard that drinking certain wines with cheeses can make you happy. Foods? Wines? Cheeses? You know, English is a strange language sometimes. Like, words that are usually uncountable suddenly show up with an “s” on the end. Like…foods, cheeses, and wines? Wait a minute — aren’t those unc…

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903 - Sunday Speak - Use "I Dunno" To Sound More Natural 1:42

1M ago1:42

1:42

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English Sunday Speak. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point tip to help you speak English more naturally. Now, one of the most common phrases in English is “I don’t know.” But in everyday conversation, most native speakers don’t pronounce each word clearly like that. Instead, w…

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902 - Saturday Short - How To Use Let Me Tell You Something In English 1:56

1M ago1:56

1:56

Hey there! It’s Michael here and welcome back to another Happy English Saturday Short, your quick tip for speaking English better. Today, let’s look at a really common and powerful phrase: “Let me tell you something.” We use let me tell you something when we want to share our feelings, give an opinion, or emphasize what we’re about to say. It helps…

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901 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Meaning and Usage of Crank Out In English 1:59

1M ago1:59

1:59

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. Today’s phrasal verb is crank out. When you crank something out, it means you produce it quickly, often in large amoun…

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900 - Thank You, and What I’ve Learned From 900 Podcasts 7:59

1M ago7:59

7:59

Hey, can you believe it? This is Episode 900 of the Happy English Podcast. Nine. Hundred. Episodes. I can hardly believe it myself. Here’s what I’ve learned along the way! I just want to take a moment today to say how grateful I am to YOU. Whether this is your first time listening, your 50th time, or you’ve been here since Episode 1, thank you. The…

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899 - How to Use 'Ain’t' in Real English Conversation 9:27

1M ago9:27

9:27

Here’s a question. Have you ever heard someone say ain’t in a song or a movie? Like, or “I ain’t got no time for that”? Maybe you wondered… is ain’t actually English? Well, it sure ain’t in the textbooks, but it is in real life! And I ain’t kidding. Today we’re diving into a word that confuses a lot of English…

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Sermon - "Capsized with a Coke" - Secret Society - Pastor Jazzion Cathcart 10:00

1M ago10:00

10:00

Bible Reference: 1 Samuel 30:1-20 "...but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God." -1st Samuel 30:6 In 2013, what happened to Harrison Okene of Nigeria"made international headlines. Serving as a cook on a tugboat off the coast of Nigeria, a massive wave hit the boat causing it to completely capsize and sink to the bottom of the ocean floor tr…

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898 - 4 Ways To Use So In English 9:22

1M ago9:22

9:22

You know, I started this podcast in 2014 so I can help people speak English better. And now, there are so many podcast episodes, It’s almost near a thousand. So, check this one out. Today, we’re talking about so. Just two letters - S-O. But this little word works overtime in English. We use so to show a result, to give a reason, to add emphasis, an…

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897 - Sunday Speak - Using Hang On To Ask Someone To Wait 1:42

1M ago1:42

1:42

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English Sunday Speak. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point tip to help you speak English more naturally. Sometimes, you need to ask someone to wait. In situations like this, you could say “Please wait a moment.” And sure, that’s correct English — but it sounds a bit formal and…

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896 - Saturday Short - Using Kind of, Sort of, and A bit To Soften Your Sentence 1:48

1M ago1:48

1:48

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English Saturday Short, your quick tip for speaking English better. Today, let’s look at three really natural phrases: kind of, sort of, and a bit. We use these to soften what we’re saying. They make a statement sound less strong, less direct — and that makes your English sound more n…

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895 - Friday Phrasal Verb - Using Jazz Up Make Something More Exciting 1:46

1M ago1:46

1:46

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday, with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn one new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. Today’s phrasal verb is jazz up. When you jazz something up, it means you make it more interesting, exciting, or at…

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Sermon - "Individualized Educational Plan" - Secret Society - Pastor Jazz Cathcart 8:24

1M ago8:24

8:24

Bible Reference: Acts 20:16-27 God has placed divine assignments on your life. Yes, He is audacious and awesome enough to tie up the advancement of His Kingdom with the His kid's completing their individualized assignments. He's that good. And He considers you that important. .................. If this message adds value to your life, hit that like…

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894 - Usage and Meaning Of "Even" In Negative Sentences 8:02

2M ago8:02

8:02

They didn’t even say thank you. Not “they didn’t say thank you.” They didn’t even say thank you. So… what’s the deal with even in negative sentences? In Episode 880, we looked at how to use even in general - like for comparisons and emphasis. But today, we’re going to zoom in on something more specific… and honestly, something really common - using…

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893 - The Difference Between So, Too, & Very In English 9:48

2M ago9:48

9:48

It was very cool this morning. Like around 11 degrees celsius. When I took Max for a walk I was actually surprised it was so cool. Like, there’s a nip in the air kinda cool. Boy, I’m hoping this coming winter isn’t too cold. Let’s see how it goes. These three little words - too, very, and so - all come before adjectives, and they all talk about how…

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892 - How To Talk About Reason Without Saying Because In English 9:25

2M ago9:25

9:25

I’m so hungry. No time for lunch today. No wonder my stomach is grumbling. That’s why i decided to order a double cheeseburger and some fries...at the diner. Because is a great word - and it’s totally correct. But when it comes to speaking naturally, we often don’t use because directly. Instead, we give the reason in a more casual, fluent way. So t…

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891 - Sunday Speak - Using How Come Instead Of Why 1:51

2M ago1:51

1:51

Now, when you want to ask why in English, sure, you can just say “why.” But in everyday conversation, native speakers often use a more casual phrase: “How come?” “How come” means the same as “why,” but it sounds softer, friendlier, and very conversational. And, it’s easy to use. You can use it by itself! Like, your friend says, “I’m skipping lunch …

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Everybody is NOT a child of God... It's based on this CONDITION - Pastor Jazzion Cathcart 12:56

2M ago12:56

12:56

I met and made a new friend last week and our conversation included her saying to me, "I don't agree with any such idea that God judges or condemns people. I believe we are ALL God's children." Unfortunately my friend is WRONG. And we got to talk about it. In order for you to BECOME one of God's children, you have to understand that because of your…

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890 - Saturday Short: How to Use Negative Questions Naturally in English 1:54

2M ago1:54

1:54

We often use a negative question like “Isn’t this…?” or “Aren’t you…?” in conversation. Technically, these are not questions for asking something. They are a casual and friendly way to confirm something or make a suggestion. For example, if you and your friend are at the peir on a sunny day, you might say: “Isn’t this a perfect day for fishing?” Yo…

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889 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Meaning And Usage Of Slack Off In English 1:58

2M ago1:58

1:58

Today’s phrasal verb is slack off. When you slack off, it means you become lazy about your work, your studies, or your responsibilities. You don’t try as hard as you should. Like, my friend Eddie started going to the gym in in July, but by the middle of this month, he really started to slack off. And in the office, Jenny was slacking off all week, …

Languages And All That Jazz Podcasts