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BBC Radio


Everyday expressions and real English conversations to help make your everyday conversations  easier. 

Find more at bbclearningenglish.com

Follow us at 
bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus


The English We Speak

An expression that means you're focused on one thing at a particular period of life

TRANSCRIPT
Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2024/ep-241209

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:
Visit our website 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish 
Follow us 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters

LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including:
✔️ Learning English for Work
✔️ Learning English from the News
✔️ Learning English Stories

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: In my travel era

An expression to change someone's perspective. Learn it here

TRANSCRIPT
Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2024/ep-241216

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:
Visit our website
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Follow us
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters

LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including:
✔️ Learning English for Work
✔️ Learning English from the News
✔️ Learning English Stories

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: The flip side

If you 'can't go wrong' with a suggestion, you can't fail if you use it.

TRANSCRIPT Find a full transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2024/ep-241223 

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: 
Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish 
Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters 

LIKE PODCASTS? 
Try some of our other popular podcasts including: 
✔️ Learning English for Work 
✔️ Learning English from the News 
✔️ Learning English Stories 

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: You can't go wrong with

Many of us hope to turn over a new leaf when a new year starts.

TRANSCRIPT 
Find a full transcript for this episode 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2024/ep-241230

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:
Visit our website 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Follow us 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters

LIKE PODCASTS?
Try some of our other popular podcasts including:
✔️ Learning English for Work
✔️ Learning English from the News
✔️ Learning English Stories

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: Turn over a new leaf

This expression is all about following the rules.

TRANSCRIPT
Find a full transcript for this episode
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2025/ep-250106

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:
Visit our website
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Follow us
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters

LIKE PODCASTS?
Try some of our other popular podcasts including:
✔️ Learning English for Work
✔️ Learning English from the News
✔️ Learning English Stories

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: By the book

An informal British English word that means to wander or stroll around casually.

TRANSCRIPT
Find a full transcript for this episode
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2025/ep-250113

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:
Visit our website
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Follow us
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters

LIKE PODCASTS?
Try some of our other popular podcasts including:
✔️ Learning English for Work
✔️ Learning English from the News
✔️ Learning English Stories

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: Mooch

A word for when you suddenly realise or understand something. Learn it here 

TRANSCRIPT
Find a full transcript for this episode
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2025/ep-250120

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:
Visit our website
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish
Follow us
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER:
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters

LIKE PODCASTS?
Try some of our other popular podcasts including:
✔️ Learning English for Work
✔️ Learning English from the News
✔️ Learning English Stories

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: Twig

Welcome to our new music series My Song, My Home. In each episode we meet a new musician who tells us about their home town and performs a song to help you learn.

Learn vocabulary from song lyrics and hear natural English speakers.

In this episode, we meet musician Bailey who sings for us by the sea.

WATCH BAILEY PERFORM: See St Ives and watch Bailey’s song https://bbc.in/3PD6Omr 

WORKSHEET: Find a full transcript, song lyrics and test what you’ve learned https://bbc.in/3DqYkfn 

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: 
Visit our website 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish 
Follow us 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus 
 
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters 
 
LIKE PODCASTS? 
Try some of our other popular podcasts including: 
✔️ 6 Minute English
✔️ Learning English from the News 
✔️ Learning English Stories 
They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

My Song, My Home: Bailey in St Ives

A word that means you want two people to be in a relationship.

TRANSCRIPT 
Find a full transcript for this episode ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2025/ep-250127 

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: 
Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish 
Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus 

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters 

LIKE PODCASTS? 
Try some of our other popular podcasts including: 
✔️ Learning English for Work 
✔️ Learning English from the News 
✔️ Learning English Stories 

They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

The English We Speak: Ship

Welcome to our new music series My Song, My Home. In each episode we meet a new musician who tells us about their home town and performs a song to help you learn.

Learn vocabulary from song lyrics and hear natural English speakers.

In this episode, we meet musician Josh who sings for us at the BBC.

WATCH JOSH PERFORM: Find a video of Josh’s song on our website https://bbc.in/4jleE1w 

WORKSHEET: Find a full transcript, song lyrics and test what you’ve learned https://bbc.in/4gDtyPf 

FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: 
Visit our website 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish 
Follow us 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus 
 
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: 
✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters 
 
LIKE PODCASTS? 
Try some of our other popular podcasts including: 
✔️ 6 Minute English
✔️ Learning English from the News 
✔️ Learning English Stories 
They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

My Song, My Home: Josh in London

In this series you can learn authentic English words and phrases. In this edition of The English We Speak, Li finds Neil's cat 'just a bit surprising' and teaches us a useful phrase to prevent people taking offence at something.

The English We Speak: Don't get me wrong!

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