American English Podcast

This is part two of a very special story about my dear friend, Nina, who is from Germany. In the story of our friendship, which I'll wrap up in the this episode, you'll learn 10+ German loanwords in English. A loanword is a words borrowed from a foreign language.American English has many German words; how do we pronounce them?  Well, I know a lot of you are saying we butcher them, that's okay (I don't disagree with you!) In general, the pronunciation of a words depends on how popular / common a word is. If a German word is common in American English, naturally, there's an expected way to pronounce it, even if it's not how it is pronounced normally in German. The goal of this episode is to teach you how we pronounce the common ones and what to do when you come across uncommon loanwords. Here is a sample of some of the words in today's episode.  kitschy beer garden schnitzel bratwurst  sauerkraut strudel rucksack schmear  lox  delicatessen schlep  Other words mentioned: Bauhaus architecture, hefeweizen, liverwurst, wiener and some Yiddish terms such as schmuck and schmooze.Note: German loanwords in English follow English rules! While nouns are capitalized in German, in English, they are lowercase UNLESS they are proper nouns like Volkswagen OR if they derive from a proper noun, such as Rottweiler. Diacritical marks, such as the umlaut, are optional! *****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's story time! Welcome to a true story about my friend, Nina, who is from Berlin, Germany. In the story of our friendship you'll learn 10+ German loanwords in English. A loanword is a words borrowed from a foreign language.American English has many German words; how do we pronounce them?  Well, I know a lot of you are saying we butcher them, that's okay (I don't disagree with you!) In general, the pronunciation of a words depends on how popular / common a word is. If a German word is common in American English, naturally, there's an expected way to pronounce it, even if it's not how it is pronounced normally in German. The goal of this episode is to teach you how we pronounce the common ones and what to do when you come across uncommon loanwords. Here is a sample of some of the words in today's episode.  doppelgänger wanderlust schadenfreude Volkswagen kindergarten Rottweiler gesundheit! fest  angst or angsty waltz über kaput Note: German loanwords in English follow English rules! While nouns are capitalized in German, in English, they are lowercase UNLESS they are proper nouns like Volkswagen OR if they derive from a proper noun, such as Rottweiler. Diacritical marks, such as the umlaut, are optional! *****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  *****Support the showSupport the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, you’ll hear the incredible story of a man named Larry Walters, or "Lawn Chair" Larry, who bought over 40 weather balloons, attached them to a lawn chair in his backyard and flew 16,000 feet up in the air. The story is weird and funny, and it gives way to a larger discussion about “Cluster Ballooning.” I’ll explain challenging words and phrases as I go along!Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, you'll learn all about the common English expression "up in the air." You'll learn the expression's origin, how to use it in a multitude of situations and you'll do pronunciation exercises with it. The second part of this episode, is all about Larry "Lawnchair," a man who gave birth to cluster ballooning as an activity. Stay tuned!***** Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Maine is the easternmost and northernmost state in the contiguous United States, and it’s known for its expansive forests, breathtaking coastlines, and its unique New England culture. Today, we're going to talk to Brent (Speak English with This Guy), who is a middle school English teacher from Maine. You'll hear from a local all about the food culture, lifestyle and accent of Mainers (or Maniacs!), as well as a crazy story about moose. Hear why our only one-syllable state is such a wonderful place all while getting to know a local.  Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). ***OUR GUEST***If you want to hear Brent more often, why not check out his podcast? It's called: Speak English with This Guy!  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

At the beginning of May every year, horse racing season begins. In the U.S., it starts off with The Kentucky Derby, a horse race that is often referred to as “the most exciting two minutes of sports.” 🐎 Since 1875, eager spectators have been pouring into Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to watch the ca. 20 racers make their way to the finish line.  Just given how long the event has been around, you can probably imagine how many traditions there are at the event. In today’s episode, you’ll learn about those traditions and the culture and history that makes the event what it is today.Would you want to visit? Disclaimer: This episode discusses drugs, alcohol and gambling, and therefore it’s listed as explicit! Be sure to sign up to Season 3 or All Premium Content if you want the English learning material that goes along with this episode. *****Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM CONTENT FOR SEASONS 1 - 3  (with 5 in-depth courses to improve your English,  includes all transcripts + mp3s) Get ONLY the Transcripts for Episodes 001 - 150 Get the Free E-Book: 101 American English Slang Words  American English Accent Course *****Support the show Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, you'll learn how to use the common English expression "To Jump the Gun." Be sure to stay tuned until part 2 to learn all about the Kentucky Derby, "the most exciting two minutes of sports."*****Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today you’ll hear about a trip to the grocery store. Imagine yourself as the main character of this story; visualize the interior of the store and that you are walking down the aisles. Picture everything from the moment you grab your cart or basket at the entrance, to the moment you check out at the register and head home. ⚠️ Like most 5-Minute Episodes, this episode type is extra challenging, but short. Listen to it multiple times and consider transcribing the audio as a listening exercise. You can also dive deeper into this lesson by joining the Academy. Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, we're talking to Natalie Sawicki, a songwriter from Los Angeles, who spent most of her life in Connecticut! She shares so much about this charming small state; you’ll hear about the fall foliage, New England fashion, local delicacies and much more. Let's Discover “The Nutmeg State" with a local! ***** Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Follow Natalie's work on Instagram @natsawicki. ***** Connecticut is a small state. In fact, it's the third smallest state in the United States after Rhode Island and Delaware. For comparison, it's 5,543mi², making it just a tad bit bigger than Montenegro and about 14% bigger than Jamaica. Yet, where it lacks in size, it makes up for in population. 3.6 million people call Connecticut home, making it a state with one of the highest population densities in the country. Geographically, you'll find Connecticut surrounded by three other states: New York, Rhode Island and Massachusetts. From the Connecticut panhandle in the southwest corner, you can reach New York City by train in a matter of minutes. So what does it look like? Well, grab your camera! As a tourist in Connecticut, you're surrounded by lush greenery in the spring, warm oranges, reds and yellows in the fall and snow in the winter. Connecticut has four very distinct seasons.  While the north is mountainous, part of the Appalachian Mountains are in the northwest corner, the entire state is covered in rolling hills and trees, making it picture-worthy year-round. Not to mention all of the rivers! The Connecticut River is one of the most famous. It's actually the reason Connecticut is called Connecticut, it comes from a local indigenous language, Mohegan-Pequot, and Connecticut means long tidal river. So whether you want to visit one of the many New England coastal communities, the impressive architecture of Yale University in New Haven, or the hustle and bustle of the capital, Hartford, you're in for a treat! Pick some local berries and apples while you're there, meet some locals and make the most of  "The Nutmeg State." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this 3-part episode, you'll hear a casual discussion about one of life's most mundane topics: peeing and pooping. It's taboo to talk about, which is strange given how it's one of the most common things in the world.  In part 1, you’ll hear about potty training,  you’ll hear a joke and learn some fun things. If you're interested, here's the Potty Training book I was talking about! (The E-book is FREE.) In part 2, you’ll learn peeing and pooping vocabulary, which is very taboo to talk about, yet it’s useful for a multitude of reasons, which I’ll mention.  In part 3 you’ll hear two crazy stories about people —no names— who literally pooped on the party.  I hope you’ll find them funny and they’ll help you recall some crazy stories you’ve heard. Just wanted to let you know what to expect! Hope you enjoy this. I think I’m going to go hide now. This lesson, like other Chats with Shana episodes, are LESS structured. If you prefer more formal lessons, check out any of the other ones.  Want to take your learning further?  ⭐ ⁠Visit the website⁠ for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices