Learn English through real stories, history, and culture. The Learn English Podcast helps B1–B2 English learners improve listening comprehension, vocabulary, and cultural understanding through engaging episodes about American history, world events, language, travel, and fascinating true stories.
Each episode uses clear, natural English and provides meaningful context so you can understand new words, learn expressions, and build confidence. You’ll hear English the way native speakers use it—through stories about people, places, and events that shaped the world.
This podcast is perfect for upper-intermediate English learners (B2), independent learners, ESL students, and anyone who wants to learn English naturally without a textbook. Listen at your own pace, follow along with the vocabulary, and enjoy topics ranging from Native American history and U.S. culture to mysteries, science, geography, and everyday English.
🎧 You'll learn:
• English vocabulary in context
• Listening comprehension strategies
• Real American culture and history
• Clear explanations of challenging words
• Natural English expressions and phrases
New episodes published weekly. Follow the show and keep learning English!
Stuck at the Intermediate English Level? Here’s How to Finally Break Through
Épisode 48
lundi 23 septembre 2024 • Durée 21:59
⏳ Are you stuck at the intermediate level of English and feel like you're not improving, no matter how hard you try? In this episode of The Learn English Podcast, you’ll discover why so many learners hit the dreaded “intermediate plateau” and what you can realistically do to break through it. I explain how progress slows as your level increases, why most people quit at this stage, and the exact habits, tools, and mindset shifts you need to finally move forward. This episode is designed for B1–B2 English learners who want honest advice, real motivation, and a clear plan to keep improving their listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills.
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1) plateau: a period of little or no progress or improvement
2) intensive study: studying something with great effort and concentration
3) input hypothesis: the theory that language acquisition occurs through exposure to comprehensible input
4) polyglot: a person who knows and is able to speak several languages
5) opinion pieces: articles that express a person's thoughts and feelings on a particular topic
6) colloquial phrases: informal expressions used in everyday speech
7) metaphors: a figure of speech in which one thing is said to be another thing
8) analogies: a comparison between two things that are not obviously similar
9) young adult literature: books written for young adults
10) AI: artificial intelligence
Are American High Schools Really Like the Movies? (Learn English Through Culture)
Épisode 47
lundi 16 septembre 2024 • Durée 17:56
🎧 Are American high schools really like the movies? In this episode, I share my real experience as a U.S. high school teacher and explain what students actually see every day, from yellow school buses and football culture to cliques, announcements, and campus security. This episode helps B1–B2 English learners improve listening comprehension while learning useful vocabulary and real-life cultural details about schools in the United States. If you’ve ever been curious about American school life or want to understand movies and shows more clearly, this episode is for you.
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1) Depicted: shown or represented in a picture or description
2) Adolescence: the period of time when a young person is developing from a child into an adult
3) Pickup and drop-off zone: a place where people can pick up or drop off passengers
4) School district: a geographical area that is responsible for providing public education
5) K-9 /canine unit: a group of police dogs and their handlers
6) Cliques: small groups of people who spend time together
7) Marching band: a group of musicians who play instruments while marching
8) Cheerleaders: people who lead cheers and dances at sporting events
9) Pep rally: a meeting of students and teachers to encourage a sports team
How to Make English Part of Your Daily Life and Get Real Results
Épisode 38
mardi 4 juin 2024 • Durée 22:10
💡 What if improving English didn’t require more study — just better daily habits? In this episode, we explore easy ways to make English a natural part of everyday life. You’ll hear practical, realistic suggestions that learners can use even with busy schedules: listening while commuting, reading before bed, swapping native content for English alternatives, and finding opportunities to speak more often.
These small routines build fluency over time, and when you make English part of daily life, progress becomes easier, faster, and more enjoyable. This episode is perfect for anyone who wants to stay consistent, increase input, and feel more confident speaking naturally.
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Exercise and Fitness Vocabulary for English Learners — Speak More Naturally
Épisode 37
lundi 27 mai 2024 • Durée 17:28
🏋️♀️ Today we explore useful English vocabulary for talking about exercise, health, and fitness. You’ll hear how native speakers use everyday phrases like working out, getting winded, and going to the gym, as well as fitness slang like ripped, cut, buff, and shredded.
We explain real examples, teach natural expressions, and help you talk about workouts confidently in English. This episode is ideal for learners who want practical vocabulary they can use immediately in conversation.
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1) Resistance training - Exercise that improves muscle strength by working against resistance.
2) Cardiovascular exercise (cardio) - Exercise that increases heart and lung activity.
3) Calisthenics - Exercises consisting of a variety of body-weight training.
4) - The activity of lifting heavy objects for exercise.
Baseball Idioms in American English — Speak More Naturally
Épisode 36
lundi 13 mai 2024 • Durée 16:50
⚾ Today we’re learning some of the most common baseball-based idioms in American English. From ballpark figure to hit it out of the park, these phrases appear all the time in everyday conversation — even if you're not talking about sports. We’ll break down what each one means, where it comes from, and how you can start using them to sound more natural when speaking English.
Baseball has shaped American language for over a century, so understanding these idioms will help you connect culturally and linguistically with native speakers. Listen in, learn the expressions, and practice using them to build confidence and fluency.
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1) Idioms - A group of words established by usage as having a meaning not deducible from those of the individual words.
2) Baseball - A game played with a bat and ball between two teams of nine players, each taking turns to field and bat.
3) - A rough numerical estimate or approximation.
How U.S. Colleges Work: Community College, State Schools & Private Universities
Épisode 35
lundi 6 mai 2024 • Durée 25:13
🎓 It’s graduation season in the United States, which makes it the perfect time to learn how American colleges work. In this episode, we explore community colleges, state universities, and private institutions, how long degrees take, and why the cost of education can vary so much.
You’ll learn useful academic vocabulary while understanding admissions, tuition, student housing, and financial aid — all explained clearly for English learners. Listen and discover how the U.S. system compares to your own.
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1) : The time period when colleges and universities hold commencement ceremonies for graduating students.
How to Talk About Past & Future Events in English
Épisode 34
lundi 29 avril 2024 • Durée 14:45
⏳ Are you confused about how to talk about time in English? Maybe you’re not sure when to use “ago,” “last week,” “in the next year,” or “three weeks from now.” This episode explains the phrases native speakers use when they describe events in the past or the future.
We walk through everyday examples so you can understand when to say last summer, this Friday, or within the next month. By the end of this episode, you’ll feel more confident expressing time clearly and naturally in conversation. A great listening practice episode for ESL and EFL learners who want to sound fluent and accurate when talking about life events.
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1) Demarcate: To set the boundaries or limits of; separate or distinguish.
2) Clarify: To make (a statement or situation) less confused and more comprehensible.
3) Decade: A period of ten years.
Earth Day Explained: Learn English Through History & Environmental Vocabulary
Épisode 33
lundi 22 avril 2024 • Durée 15:11
🌍 In this episode, we explore the history behind Earth Day, how it became an international event, and the environmental movement that shaped it. You’ll learn key vocabulary for speaking about the environment, activism, laws, and sustainability—all while improving your listening skills in real context.
We look at the first Earth Day in 1970, the creation of the EPA, the Clean Air and Water Acts, and how the day is celebrated around the world today. This episode blends English learning with history, culture, and environmental awareness, giving you language you can use in real conversation.
Listen, learn, and grow your English naturally—one real topic at a time.
🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:
1) raise awareness (v): to make people more conscious or knowledgeable about something
2) environmental issues (n): problems that harm the environment
3) turbulent (adj): characterized by a lot of change or conflict
4) grassroots (adj): involving ordinary people rather than those in positions of authority
5) resounding success (n): a very successful event
6) rally (n): a public meeting at which people express their opinions or support for a cause
How Americans Say Dates & Time — A Clear Guide for English Learners
Épisode 32
lundi 15 avril 2024 • Durée 15:41
📅 This episode teaches you how Americans really talk about dates, days of the week, and time. You’ll learn the difference between 12/1/24 vs December 1st, how ordinal dates work, when we use o’clock, and why most Americans do not use 24-hour time. These patterns help you speak naturally and understand native speakers more easily.
We also compare American and British usage, explain why month-day-year is standard in the US, and walk through real examples you will hear in everyday conversation, school, travel, and work. By the end, you’ll feel confident writing and saying dates, reading calendars, and using time expressions like a native English speaker.
Use this episode to strengthen your listening comprehension, vocabulary, and fluency — and check the episode notes for a vocabulary list you can review afterward.
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1) slash: a diagonal line (/) used in writing to separate things
2) ordinal form: a number used to indicate position in a sequence (e.g., first, second, third)
Better English Vocabulary for Talking About Being Ignored
Épisode 31
lundi 8 avril 2024 • Durée 16:09
🗣 Feeling ignored is frustrating, but knowing the right English phrases helps you express it clearly. In this episode, we explore 10 different ways to talk about being ignored in English, including synonyms like disregard, dismiss, brush off, and tune out. You’ll learn how to use each phrase naturally and understand the subtle differences between them.
We discuss real-life examples, context, tone, and situations where native speakers use these expressions. This episode will strengthen your vocabulary and give you multiple new ways to describe being ignored in everyday conversation. Listen now and level up your English.
🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:
1) ignore: general term for not listening or paying attention
2) nuance: subtle difference
3) precise: exact
4) disregard: formal, not considering something important
5) dismissive/dismissing: formal, treating something as unimportant
6) brush off : casual, ignoring someone or something unimportant
7) not paying attention: neutral, simply not focused on something
8) tune out: gradually stop paying attention, can be intentional or unintentional
9) pretend: act as if something is true although it is not
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10) Intercom / PA system: a system for communicating between different parts of a building
11) Bulletin: a notice or announcement
📝 Vocabulary list:
1) blank stare (n. idiom): a facial expression showing that someone is confused or surprised and does not know what to say
2) polyglot (n.): a person who can speak several languages
3) brainstorm (v.): to think of a lot of ideas quickly
4) subconscious (adj.): not consciously thought about or planned
5) downtime (n.): free time when you are not working or studying
6) substitute (v.): to replace something with something else
7) dedicated (adj.): giving your full attention and effort to something
8) Chores (n): household tasks
9) relatively short (adj. phrase): comparatively short; not very long
10) commute (v.): to travel regularly between your home and your place of work or education
Weightlifting
5) Exercise class - A group session led by an instructor for physical exercise.
6) Trainer (personal trainer): A professional who helps individuals create and implement an exercise routine. They provide guidance, motivation, and ensure proper form to avoid injury.
7) Jacked / Ripped / Swole / Buff / Yolked: These are all informal terms for someone who is very muscular. They are often used to describe men.
8) Trim / Tone: These terms describe a lean, fit physique, often used for women. "Trim" suggests a healthy weight and lack of excess fat. "Toned" implies well-defined muscles without being bulky.
9) Gym rat: This is a playful term for someone who goes to the gym very frequently and enjoys spending time there.
10) Soreness / Muscle soreness: This is the pain or discomfort you feel in your muscles after exercise, especially when you haven't been working out regularly.
11) In shape - Physically fit.
12) Out of shape - Not physically fit.
13) Huffing and puffing / Can't catch your breath / Out of breath / Winded: This idiom describes someone who is breathing heavily and with exertion, often because they are working out hard.
4) Rough estimate - An approximate calculation or judgment of the value, number, quantity, or extent of something
5) Stadium - A large, typically open-air, structure with tiers of seats for spectators at sports events.
6) Not even in the ballpark - Way off from the estimation; completely different.
7) Hit it out of the park / Knocked it out of the park - To do something extremely well or successfully.
8) Hit a homerun: to do something very well; to succeed completely
9) Major League Baseball (MLB) - The highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada.
10) Minor League - A baseball league of a level below that of Major League Baseball.
11) Elite - A select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms of ability or qualities.
12) Prestigious: having a reputation for being very good or important
13) Playing hardball : to adopt a tough, aggressive, and unyielding approach to negotiations, discussions, or dealings
Graduation season
2) Higher education: Education that takes place after high school, typically at a college or university. This includes undergraduate and postgraduate studies.
3) Chaotic: Disorderly or confused.
4) Public institution: A college or university that is funded by the government, generally resulting in lower tuition fees compared to private institutions.
5) Private institution: A college or university that is not funded by the government and relies on private funding sources, leading to higher tuition fees.
6) Senior year: The final year of high school.
7) Tuition: The cost of attending a college or university for the academic instruction itself.
8) Associate's degree: A two-year degree awarded by community colleges.
9) Bachelor's degree: A four-year degree awarded by colleges and universities.
10) Semester: One half of an academic year, typically lasting around 15-18 weeks.
11) Financial aid: Money provided by the government, colleges, or organizations to help students pay for tuition.
12) Competitive: A college or university that is difficult to get into due to a high number of applicants.
13) Elite: A highly prestigious university.
4) Century: A period of one hundred years.
5) Millennium: A period of one thousand years.
Talking about the Past
yesterday - the day before today
a go - used with numbers of days, weeks, months, etc. to indicate how long ago something happened (e.g., three weeks ago)
this past - refers to a recent time period (e.g., this past week)
last - used with specific days of the week, months, seasons, holidays, or years (e.g., last Friday, last month)
in the last - used for longer periods in the past, often when something started in the past and continues to the present (e.g., In the last 20 years, technology has changed rapidly)
Talking about the Future
this - refers to the current week, month, season, or year (e.g., This Friday, I'm going to the movies)
next - refers to the following week, month, or year (e.g., Next summer, we're planning a trip to Europe)
in/within - used with "the next" for a general timeframe in the future (e.g., In the next few days, I'll call my mom)
from now - used with a number and a unit of time (e.g., Three weeks from now, we're moving)
7) demonstration (n): a public expression of protest or support
8) cleanup effort (n): an activity in which people clean up a dirty or untidy place
9) beautify (v): to make something look more attractive
10) emissions (n): harmful gases or particles that are released into the atmosphere
