English Listening Practice: Daily Life Easy Conversations for Beginners | English Learning Podcast
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>> Hello learners. This is Emily
>> and I'm Liam.
>> Welcome back to English in Comfort, the
place where you can learn English while
you relax, lie down, or even while you
sleep. No pressure, no stress, just
natural, real English you can use in
your everyday situations.
>> And for today's situation, we're
focusing on something we all need to do
sometimes.
We're going to talk about asking for a
favor.
>> Asking for a favor. Yeah. So, what
exactly is a favor? It's when you ask
someone to do something for you. you
know, something nice. Maybe it's a small
thing. Maybe it's a big thing.
>> Of course, you're not ordering them.
You're just asking
politely.
>> Speaking of favors, um Liam, can I ask
you a favor?
>> Huh? What is it?
>> Well, you know, I really, really like
this new car. It's so nice.
Um,
can you buy me that car?
>> A car? Emily, that's not a favor. That's
That's too much.
>> I know. I know. I'm just joking.
Okay. So, first, let's listen to this
conversation.
Don't worry if you don't understand
every single thing. Just listen first
and then we will break it down for you.
We will go through it and we will
explain everything in the simplest way.
>> Let's see how people ask for a favor in
everyday situations.
>> Oh,
>> what's wrong, Sarah?
>> My phone. The battery just died.
Completely dead. And I really need to
make a call.
>> Oh, that's not good. Who do you need to
call?
>> I need to call my mom. She's waiting for
me. And I can't tell her I'll be late.
>> Oh, I see.
>> So, um, Tom, would it be possible for me
to use your phone for a quick call?
>> My phone? Yeah, sure. No problem. Here.
>> Oh, thank you so much. You're a
lifesaver.
I really appreciate it.
>> No worries at all.
>> It will be very quick.
>> Take your time. It's fine.
>> Thanks again, Tom. This really helps me
out.
>> Anytime, Sarah.
All right. So, Sarah's phone died and
she needed to make a call. The key part,
the really important part is how she
asked Tom for help.
>> Yeah. She didn't just say, "Give me your
phone." That would be um a little rude,
right?
>> That's right. She was very polite. She
said, "Tom, would it be possible for me
to use your phone for a quick call?"
Let's look at this phrase. Would it be
possible?
>> Would it be possible?
It's like you're asking a question, but
it's a very soft question. You're not
putting pressure on the other person.
You're giving them a chance to say yes
or no easily.
>> Yes. You're asking, "Is this thing
possible for you to do?" You're showing
that you understand. Maybe it's not
possible. Maybe they're busy. Maybe they
don't want to. It's a nice gentle way to
ask.
>> You can use it for so many things like
would it be possible to get a coffee?
Or would it be possible to meet
tomorrow?
>> But there are other ways to ask for a
favor, too. We can use other phrases
that mean the same thing, just a little
different. Can you give us other ways,
Liam?
>> Oh, yeah. Like
a really common one is could you
possibly,
>> right?
Could you possibly? When you say
possibly, you're making it even more
gentle. You're saying, is there even a
small small possibility that you can do
this for me?
Yeah. Like, could you possibly lend me a
pen for a minute or could you possibly
help me lift this box?
You're being very, very polite.
Another one or another really good
phrase is, "I was wondering if this one
is very friendly and relaxed. It's like
you're thinking out loud."
>> Yeah. You're saying, "I have this
question in my mind.
I was thinking about it." So, you're not
just throwing the question at them.
You're preparing them.
>> So, for example, you could say, "I was
wondering if I could borrow your book."
Or, "I was wondering if you have a
minute to talk." It's a nice smooth way
to start.
One more is do you mind? This one is
also very simple but useful.
>> So you would say
do you mind helping me with this? Or do
you mind opening the door for me?
>> So we have a few options. We have would
it be possible, could you possibly, or I
was wondering if and do you mind?
All of them are great for asking for a
favor in a nice polite way.
>> We just talked about how to ask for a
favor in a polite way.
Now let's talk about the other side.
How do you accept a favor?
>> Let's see. In the conversation, Sarah
asked Tom, "Would it be possible for me
to use your phone?" And Tom's answer was
very quick and easy. He said, "Yeah,
sure. No problem."
>> That's it. Yeah, sure. Is a super simple
and friendly way to say yes. It sounds
very natural, right? It's not a formal
yes, I will allow this. It's just
relaxed.
>> Exactly. And notice the way he added no
problem. That's a key phrase. It means
this is not difficult for me. It's not a
problem at all. I am happy to help you.
>> Right? It makes the other person feel
comfortable like oh thank you and you
can say no problem it was easy.
>> So yeah sure no problem is a great
common way to accept but there are other
phrases we can use too. Another one is
simply of course.
>> Of course. It might sound too simple,
but it is a very common and polite way
to say yes to a favor.
>> Yes. Like, why would I say no? If a
friend asks to borrow a pen, you can
say, "Of course." It shows you're happy
to do it.
>> And what about glad to help?
>> That's a lovely one.
glad to help or I'd be happy to. These
phrases show that you are not just
saying yes, but that you are happy about
it. You feel good about helping the
person.
>> Yeah, it's very warm. Like, I'm not just
helping because I have to. I'm helping
because I want to. So, if someone asks,
"Do you mind helping me with this bag?"
You can say, "Not at all. I'd be happy
to.
>> There's also another very casual one
which is just anytime.
>> Anytime.
I love that one. It means you can ask me
for a favor. Anytime.
Not just now, but in the future, too.
It's a very friendly and open way to
respond.
So, when you want to say yes to a favor,
you can use these simple phrases.
Yeah, sure. No problem. Of course, glad
to help or anytime.
So, we've learned how to ask for a favor
and how to accept one. Now, let's see
how Sarah thanked Tom in the
conversation. She says, "Oh, thank you
so much. You're a lifesaver."
A lifaver.
That's a great expression. It means that
the person helped you in a very
difficult or important situation.
It's like they saved your life.
Of course, your life wasn't really in
danger, but it feels that way because
you were in a difficult situation with
your dead phone battery, right? It's a
way of saying you helped me so much and
I'm very, very grateful.
You can use it for something simple,
too, like if a friend brings you a
coffee when you're super tired.
Oh, thank you. You're a lifaver.
Sarah also said, "I really appreciate
it." This is a fantastic phrase. When
you say you appreciate something, you're
saying that you understand how valuable
or important the person's help is.
>> Yeah, I appreciate it. is a little more
formal than just thanks, but still very
friendly, like thanks for helping me
move.
I really appreciate it.
>> But of course, there are other simple
ways to say thank you, too. You don't
always need a big phrase,
>> like just a simple thanks a lot or thank
you so much. The so much or a lot just
makes it feel bigger and more sincere.
>> Or you can say that's so kind of you.
This shows you think the person is a
good person for helping.
Now let's look at the other side of the
coin. What if someone asks you for a
favor, but you can't do it? You have to
decline. It's not easy to say no, right?
You don't want to be rude. You want to
be polite.
So, let's first listen to this
conversation and see how it goes.
>> Hey, Tom. Do you have a minute?
>> Yeah, sure. What's up?
>> I was wondering if maybe you could help
me with something tomorrow.
I need to move a really heavy bookcase
and I could really use an extra hand.
Oh, what time tomorrow?
>> Just for like 10 minutes in the morning
around 10:00.
>> Um,
>> I'm so sorry, but I can't. I'd love to
help you out, but I have a dentist
appointment at that exact time. I'm
afraid I won't be back in time.
>> Oh, okay. No problem at all. I totally
understand.
>> I'm really sorry. Maybe I can help you
later in the day if you still need it.
That's so kind of you, but don't worry
about it. Thanks for even thinking about
it.
>> Okay, before we see how to say no,
I want to quickly talk about this phrase
Sarah used in the conversation, Sarah
asked Tom for a favor, and she said, "I
could really use an extra hand."
>> Ah, I could really use an extra hand.
That's a common phrase. It's a very
simple and natural way to ask for help.
It means you need help from another
person because you only have two hands
yourself.
>> Yeah. It doesn't mean you want to cut
off their hand or anything. It just
means you need their help. So, you can
use it when you're doing something
difficult alone.
>> Like if you're carrying a lot of bags,
you could say, "Wow, these bags are so
heavy. I could really use an extra hand.
Or if you're trying to move a table,
this table is too big for one person. I
could really use an extra hand.
>> It's just a common way to say, "Please
help me."
>> It really is. And we also heard Sarah
use the phrase we talked about before.
She said, "I was wondering if maybe you
could help me."
>> Yeah. It just shows how common that
phrase is.
>> Okay, now the tricky part. We need to
talk about how Tom said no.
>> Yeah, it's not easy to say no, right?
You don't want to be rude. Tom said,
"I'm so sorry, but I can't.
I'd love to help you out, but I have a
dentist appointment.
>> That's such a great way to decline.
He started with an apology.
I'm so sorry.
This shows that he feels bad that he
can't help. It's not that he doesn't
want to.
>> Then he used the phrase, "I'd love to,
but this is maybe the most important
part. You're telling the person, "My
desire is to help you." And then the
butt explains why you can't,
>> right? It makes your no feel much
softer. You're showing your good
intentions. And then you can give your
reason. Tom said, "I have a dentist
appointment." You don't have to give a
long explanation. A short, honest reason
is best.
What are some other ways to say no
politely?
>> Well, another good one could be,
"Unfortunately, I'm not able to."
>> Unfortunately, I'm not able to.
>> It's a bit more formal, but it's very
polite. You can say, "Unfortunately,
I'm not able to. I have to work late
tonight." Or you can say, "I wish I
could, but I have to work late tonight."
That's a good one, too.
I wish I could, but my car is in the
shop right now.
>> And one more, a very simple one is just
saying, "I'm afraid I can't."
Tom said, "I'm afraid I won't be back in
time."
>> Yes.
I'm afraid means I'm worried about the
fact that I have to say no to you.
So, Emily, we talked about accepting
favors, but what if you want to say yes,
but you want something back?
>> Ah, you mean negotiating a favor?
Yeah, that's something we do sometimes,
especially with friends. It's like a
trade. You do a favor for me and I do a
favor for you,
>> right? It's an exchange. Like, if you
help me move my heavy furniture, I'll
help you fix your computer. A trade. But
sometimes, doesn't that feel a little
weird or rude?
>> It can. Yeah. If a stranger asks, "Can I
use your phone?" and you say yes, you
wouldn't say great.
Now, can you also buy me a coffee? That
would be rude.
>> Exactly.
It's a very natural thing to do with
people you are very close to.
>> Let's listen to this conversation.
>> Hey Sarah, do you have a second?
>> Yeah. What's up? You look a little
stressed.
>> I am. Um, I have a big favor to ask. I
know this is super short notice, but my
best friend's wedding is tomorrow, and I
totally forgot about my shift.
>> Would you be able to cover my shift for
me?
>> Oh, wow. Tomorrow? That's really fast
notice.
>> I know, I know. I'm really sorry. I just
I really have to be there. It's a very
big deal for him.
Hm. Well, I could, but I really have
something important on Friday. So, I'll
cover your shift. If you cover my shift
on Friday for me, we can just switch
shifts.
Oh, you want to switch? That would be
amazing. Yeah, of course. I can
definitely do that. Friday works
perfectly for me.
>> Great. So, it's a deal then. I'll take
your shift tomorrow and you take my
shift on Friday.
>> Yes. Thank you so much, Sarah. You're a
lifesaver. I really owe you one.
>> No problem at all, Tom. Have fun at the
wedding.
>> See how Sarah was so smart?
She didn't just say yes to Tom's favor.
She made a deal with him. She
negotiated.
Yes, she did. She said, "I'll cover your
shift if you cover my shift on Friday."
That phrase is key.
I'll do this if you do that.
>> It's a very clear way to make a deal.
It's like you're saying, "My help is
conditional. It depends on the other
person's help." And you can use that
same structure for other situations,
too. Like, I'll help you with your
homework if you help me with my video
game.
>> Yes. Or, I'll lend you my car if you
fill it with gas. It's very simple and
direct.
>> But there are other phrases you can use
to offer a deal, too. Like, how about we
trade? or would you be willing to
>> like would you be willing to help me
clean the kitchen if I cook dinner for
you?
>> Or you can also say something like I can
do that, but could you?
Like, I can help you move your couch,
but could you help me move my table
later?
And another way,
what if I lend you my jacket and you
lend me your sweater?
>> Yeah, that's also a super casual,
friendly way to do it.
All right, I guess that's all for today.
Thank you so much for listening and for
letting us be a part of your English
learning journey. We really appreciate
it.
>> We do.
So, we have a question for you from
today's video. We talked a lot about
favors. What is one favor that you would
like to ask us? Maybe a small one or
even a big one. Share your answer with
us in the comments. We'd love to hear
from you. And if you enjoyed this
conversation, subscribe for more English
listening and speaking practice, daily
conversations, English tips, and so much
more.
>> Keep practicing, keep improving, and
take care, everyone.
