Learn English by speaking it

Your first English phrases

From section 1, First Steps. Every phrase in the course comes with a tip like these.

• 👋
  Hello

  Works at any time of the day.

• ☀️
  Good morning

  Say it before noon. Later in the day it's 'Good afternoon'.

• ☕️
  A coffee, please

  'A' + what you want + 'please' orders almost anything.

• 🪑
  A table for two

  Say it at the door; the number is how many of you.

• 🚉
  Where is the station?

  'Where is' + a place.

• ⬅️
  Turn left

  'Left' is the opposite of 'right'.

• 🔢
  One, two, three

  Count on your fingers as you say it.

• ✋
  Four and five

  'And' joins the numbers.

• 🔢
  Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three

  After twenty the numbers take a hyphen: twenty-one, forty-five.

• 💶
  That will be forty euros

  What a shop says when it adds everything up.

The English course, section by section

Each section has five units of five lessons, a review and a grammar guidebook.

1. A1 Section 1: First StepsSay hello, order, count and find your way

   First Words

   Say hello and introduce yourself

   Greetings · Introductions · Politeness · Getting Help · Small Talk

   “Hello”

   Food & Drinks

   Order like a local

   At the Café · Ordering Food · Tastes · Drinks · The Bill

   “A coffee, please”

   Getting Around

   Find your way in a new city

   Asking the Way · Taking a Taxi · Public Transport · At the Hotel · Sightseeing

   “Where is the station?”

   Numbers & Money

   Count, pay and tell the time

   Counting · Prices · Time · Days · At the Bank

   “One, two, three”

   The Calendar

   Bigger numbers, months and dates

   Bigger Numbers · Months · Dates · Picking a Day · How Long

   “Twenty-one, twenty-two, twenty-three”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • I am, you are. 'Am' goes with 'I' and 'are' with 'you'. They are forms of 'to be', the verb for who and how you are.
   • Questions with 'what' and 'where'. 'What' asks about a thing, 'where' about a place. The verb comes right after the question word.
   • Please, thank you, sorry. Three words that make everything softer. Add 'please' to a request and answer 'thank you' with 'you're welcome'.
   • Ordering with 'please'. Name the thing, then add 'please'. 'A' is for one; a number replaces it for more.
2. A1 Section 2: Everyday LifeShops, health, family, food and your routine

   Shopping

   Buy what you need

   At the Shop · Sizes & Colors · At the Market · Pharmacy · Returns

   “I am just looking”

   Health & Safety

   Get help when you need it

   How You Feel · At the Doctor · Emergencies · The Body · Staying Safe

   “I don't feel well”

   Family & Friends

   Talk about the people in your life

   My Family · Friends · About You · Describing People · Invitations

   “This is my mother”

   Daily Life

   Your day from morning to night

   Morning · At Work · Evening · Free Time · Chores

   “I wake up at seven”

   Food & Cooking

   Groceries, the kitchen and eating at home

   At the Supermarket · Fruit & Vegetables · In the Fridge · Simple Cooking · Eating at Home

   “Where is the bread?”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • 'Do you have…?'. The question for anything a shop might sell. The answer is 'yes, we do' or 'no, we don't'.
   • Comparing with '-er'. Short adjectives add '-er' to compare: big, bigger; small, smaller.
   • 'One' instead of the noun. 'One' stands for the thing you are talking about, so you do not repeat it.
   • Saying what hurts. 'My' + body part + 'hurts'. For a pain in the head say 'I have a headache'.
3. A2 Section 3: Making PlansWeather, feelings, home, clothes and your phone

   Weather & Plans

   Talk about today and tomorrow

   Weather · Seasons · Making Plans · Trips · Changing Plans

   “It is sunny today”

   Feelings & Opinions

   Say what you think and feel

   Feelings · Opinions · Likes & Dislikes · Compliments · Wishes

   “I am happy”

   Home & Living

   Your place and the people around it

   My Home · Renting · Problems at Home · Neighbors · Guests

   “I live in an apartment”

   Phone & Internet

   Calls, messages and Wi-Fi

   Phone Calls · Messages · Wi-Fi & Data · Apps & Photos · Tech Problems

   “Can I call you later?”

   What to Wear

   Clothes, the weather and your own style

   Getting Dressed · Dressing for the Weather · What Suits You · Looking After Clothes · Style & Taste

   “I am getting dressed”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • 'It is' + weather. The weather always starts with 'it is': it is sunny, it is raining, it is cold.
   • Talking about plans. 'I am going' and 'we leave' talk about the future when a plan is already fixed.
   • 'Can' and 'can't'. 'Can' asks if something is possible; 'can't' says it is not.
   • 'I am' + feeling. Feelings go after 'I am'. 'A little' and 'so' change how strong they are.
4. A2 Section 4: Out & AboutTravel, driving, hobbies and celebrations

   Travel

   From the airport to the road

   Check-in · Security · On the Plane · Arrival · Renting a Car

   “Here is my passport”

   Around Town

   Errands and everyday services

   Post Office · Hair Salon · Gym & Pool · Library · Laundry & Repairs

   “I want to send a package”

   Sports & Hobbies

   What you do for fun

   Sports · Music & Movies · Books & Games · Outdoors · Hobbies at Home

   “Do you play any sports?”

   Celebrations

   Parties, gifts and holidays

   Parties · Gifts · Holidays · Weddings & Babies · Traditions

   “You are invited”

   On the Road

   Driving, parking and getting around on two wheels

   Driving · Parking · At the Gas Station · Problems on the Road · Walking & Cycling

   “Can you drive me home?”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • 'Here is' to hand things over. Say 'here is' as you give something: a passport, a ticket, a CV.
   • Yes/no questions with 'is'. Put 'is' first to make a question: 'the flight is on time' becomes 'is the flight on time?'.
   • 'For' + a length of time. 'For' says how long something lasts: for three days, for a week.
   • 'I would like' + verb. 'I would like to' + verb is the polite way to say what you want to do.
5. A2 Section 5: Time TravelWork, the past, the future and real talk

   Work & Study

   At the office and in class

   My Job · At the Office · Meetings · At School · Applying for a Job

   “What do you do?”

   Talking About the Past

   Yesterday, last weekend and long ago

   Yesterday · Last Weekend · Childhood · Experiences · Telling a Story

   “What did you do yesterday?”

   Future & Goals

   Plans, dreams and promises

   Tomorrow · Goals · Dreams · Promises & Offers · Predictions

   “Tomorrow I will work from home”

   Real Conversations

   Keep a chat going like a native

   Keeping It Going · Reacting · Asking Nicely · Disagreeing Politely · Saying Goodbye

   “How is it going?”

   Making Friends

   How you met, staying in touch and saying yes or no

   How We Met · Keeping in Touch · Inviting · Saying Yes or No · Getting Closer

   “We met through a friend”

   Guidebook: 16 grammar notes

   • Talking about your job. 'What do you do?' asks about your job. Answer with 'I am' + the job or 'I work' + how.
   • 'Will' for what comes next. 'Will' + verb is the simple future: I will be, I will send.
   • '-ing' for right now. 'I am' + verb with '-ing' is something in progress: studying, looking.
   • Past with '-ed'. Most verbs add '-ed' for the past: stay, stayed; visit, visited.
6. B1 Section 6: Connecting IdeasLonger sentences with because, but and so

   Because & But

   Give reasons and contrasts

   Giving Reasons · Contrasts · Consequences · In Order · Adding Ideas

   “I am late because of the traffic”

   Describing Places

   Say what a place is like

   My Neighborhood · In the City · In Nature · Inside a Place · First Impressions

   “I live in a quiet neighborhood”

   Step by Step

   Explain how to do something

   In the Kitchen · Following a Recipe · How It Works · Detailed Directions · Rules & Signs

   “Can you pass me the knife?”

   Comparing & Choosing

   Say which one and why

   Better or Worse · The Best of All · Which One? · Price & Quality · Making a Decision

   “This one is better than that one”

   Giving Advice

   Should, could and if I were you

   Asking for Advice · Suggestions · Warnings · Encouragement · Health Advice

   “What would you do in my place?”

   Guidebook: 17 grammar notes

   • Because and because of. 'Because' is followed by a whole sentence, 'because of' by a noun. Both answer the question 'why?'.
   • But, although, however. All three mark a contrast. 'But' joins two halves, 'although' opens the weaker half, 'however' starts a new idea after a comma.
   • So and that is why. 'So' comes after the cause and introduces the result. 'That is why' says the same thing at the start of a sentence.
   • First, then, finally. These words put steps in order and let the listener follow you: first, then, after that, finally.
7. B1 Section 7: Handling SituationsProblems, interviews, money and paperwork

   Complaints & Problems

   Say what went wrong, politely

   At the Hotel · At the Restaurant · Faulty Products · Late & Lost · Getting It Fixed

   “I am afraid there is a problem with my room”

   Job Interview

   Talk about yourself with confidence

   About Yourself · Strengths & Weaknesses · Your Experience · Questions to Ask · Salary & Start Date

   “Thank you for inviting me to this interview”

   Money Matters

   Accounts, bills and transfers

   Opening an Account · Paying Bills · Sending Money · Budgeting · Fees & Insurance

   “I would like to open a bank account”

   Paperwork

   Appointments, forms and documents

   Making an Appointment · Filling In Forms · At the Office · Documents · Deadlines & Renewals

   “I would like to make an appointment, please”

   Living Abroad

   Settle in a new country

   Finding an Apartment · Utilities & Repairs · Meeting Locals · Settling In · Local Customs

   “Is the deposit one month or two?”

   Guidebook: 15 grammar notes

   • Softening with 'I am afraid'. 'I am afraid' before bad news warns the listener and keeps you polite. It has nothing to do with fear.
   • 'There seems to be'. Instead of accusing, say what it looks like: there seems to be a mistake. It leaves the other person room to fix it.
   • A problem that is still going on. 'Have' or 'has' + the past form covers a problem that started earlier and is still true now.
   • 'Would' for polite and imagined things. 'Would' asks about a job you do not have yet and softens any request: what would a typical day look like?
8. B2 Section 8: Speak Your MindOpinions, stories, what-ifs and idioms

   Debating Opinions

   Argue your point and listen

   Strong Opinions · Both Sides · Persuading · Doubts · Changing Your Mind

   “If you ask me, this is the wrong approach”

   Telling Stories

   Make people listen

   Setting the Scene · What Happened Next · Surprises & Twists · Feelings in the Story · The Moral

   “This happened a couple of years ago”

   News & Society

   Talk about the world

   In the News · The Environment · Technology & Us · Work & Life Balance · Traditions & Change

   “Did you hear about what happened downtown?”

   What If

   Imagine, regret and wish

   If I Had Time · Imagining · Regrets · Wishes · Plan B

   “If I have time tomorrow, I will call you”

   Idioms & Expressions

   Sound like a native

   Everyday Idioms · Feelings in Idioms · Casual Talk · Being Funny · Sounding Natural

   “It costs an arm and a leg”

   Guidebook: 18 grammar notes

   • Opening an opinion. 'If you ask me' and 'in my opinion' announce that what follows is your view, not a fact.
   • On the one hand…. 'On the one hand' opens the first side, 'on the other hand' the opposite one. They come as a pair.
   • Agreeing with a negative. 'I couldn't agree more' sounds negative but is the strongest yes in English.
   • Doubting politely. 'Not entirely convinced' and 'too good to be true' let you doubt someone without calling them a liar.

Speak English with an AI partner

The same 385 scenarios work in English. Your partner answers in English, rates each message Perfect, Good or Revision needed, and every scenario has goals to tick off. A few to start with:

18 English stories, read aloud

Short stories at A1, A2 and B1, each read by one of the characters, with questions at the end.

Mia is at the station.

It is eight o'clock in the morning.

From “The Late Train”