Shadowing-Übung: Like - Englisch Sprechen Lernen mit Video

Hi there, this is teacher Harry here and welcome back to my lessons.

And the lesson today is all about English phrases for small talk.

English phrases for small talk.

So what does that mean?

Well, as you probably know, small talk is a very important part of the English language.

It's the beginning of many conversations.

It's the ending of many conversations when people are in elevators or lifts before and at the end of business meetings, small talk is really important.

And many, many of the students who come to me want to understand small talk, how to begin a conversation, how to end the conversation,

because they usually know, and I'm sure you're the same, you usually know the technical language you want to use if you're having a conference call,

but you might feel a little bit insecure or a little bit embarrassed

or shy about entering the conversation at the beginning or the end when they're using small talk.

So this lesson is going to help you hopefully with that.

So I'm going to give you small talk on different topics.

So as we said, this is English phrases for small talk.

And as always, I really appreciate it.

If you could subscribe to my channel and you can also listen to me on my podcast.

And at the end of the lesson, I'm going to give you my contact details, should you wish to contact me.

Okay, so let's get started.

So the first small talk is about the opening conversation.

So when you're meeting somebody in the elevator, as I said, or at the beginning of a presentation, and nowadays at the beginning of Zoom,

perhaps while you're waiting for the boss or whoever, whoever has organized the meeting, while you're waiting for them to join, there may be a little bit of small talk.

So what sort of opening conversations can you have?

Let me Let me give you a few.

Hi, I'm Harry.

What brings you here?

So if you're meeting in a bar or you're meeting in a conference room, you know, hi, I'm Harry.

What brings you here?

So it's a very informal way of asking the person why are they coming to this particular conference

or why are they attending this particular meeting?

Hi, I'm Harry.

Is this your first time here?

It's another way of getting the conversation started because then you're asking the person, is this the first time they've been to this college event?

Is this the first time they've been to these lectures?

Is this the first time that they've been to this sports hall or gym or yoga session?

Whatever it might be, this is a way for you to start the conversation.

So hi, Hi, I'm Harry.

Is this your first time here?

It's my first time.

Is this your first time here?

Okay.

Or you can even ask the person, Hi, I'm Harry.

What are you here for?

Meaning so what's your reason for being here?

Okay, so you can ask them that in the same way.

Or if we're meeting somebody that we haven't seen for a period of time,

then the best way to start the small talk with them is, Oh, hi, Pete.

Oh, hi, Michael.

Wow.

Long time no see.

Yeah.

Long time no see, meaning it's been a long, long time since we met.

Now, it could be weeks, it could be months, it even could be years.

There's no definition of what that time should be.

But, you know, oh, hi, Pete.

Long time no see.

Oh, hi, Pete.

It's great to see you again.

Yeah.

Hi, Pete.

It's great to see you again.

That will get you started.

Yeah.

Oh, I haven't seen you for ages or I haven't seen you in ages.

You can use either of those prepositions.

I haven't seen you for ages.

I haven't seen you in ages.

Yeah.

How are things?

Yeah.

Meaning how is your life?

How are things?

How is your business?

How is your family?

Just generally, how are things?

So really, really informed.

Okay.

So there are the opening conversations.

Now, as always, particularly if if you're talking to people in Western Europe, particularly the UK and here in Ireland,

the weather is a really important part of small talk.

So you need to have conversational expressions that you can use if the weather comes up.

So here's a few.

Oh, beautiful day, isn't it?

Yeah.

So if you're just talking about the weather, you're looking at the window, oh, beautiful day, isn't it?

Or if it's not such a beautiful day, you might say, oh, miserable day, isn't it?

Well, it's really so wet.

I haven't seen rain like this in a long time or miserable day.

Typical, typical of Ireland, typical of the UK, typical of London.

So good day, oh, beautiful day, isn't it?

So you might raise the intonation in your voice.

Beautiful day, isn't it?

Yeah.

So you give that intonation, oh, miserable day, isn't it?

So you speak down a little bit

because you might be a little bit sad as everybody else would be because the weather is so bad.

So beautiful or miserable, change the intonation.

And then you use, isn't it?

Yeah.

So to sort of rhetorical question.

100

It looks like it's going to snow.

101

It looks like it's going to rain.

102

So again, you're putting forward a suggestion or what you think based on your experience.

103

Oh, yeah, it looks like it's going to snow or it wouldn't surprise me if it snows.

104

It wouldn't surprise me if it rains.

105

Well, it'd be great if it rains.

106

We haven't had a drop of rain in weeks.

107

Yeah, we haven't had a drop of rain in weeks.

108

We haven't had a drop of rain for weeks.

109

So again, talking about the weather, a hot summer, if you're lucky enough to have a hot, dry summer, or be great to have some rain.

110

We haven't had rain in weeks.

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We haven't had rain for weeks.

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Okay, so very typical sentences, expressions that you can use that will get you into those conversations particularly when they're talking about the weather.

113

Okay, so when we're talking small talk, a lot of the conversation is about catching up with people.

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So what sort of expressions or phrases can you use when you're literally catching up with them,

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trying to find out what has happened in their life since the last time that you met.

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So something like, Oh, the last time I saw you, you were changing your job or the last time I saw you,

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you were expecting a baby or the last time I saw you, you were going to write a book, you know, so whatever it might be, it leads it into the conversation.

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So the last time I saw you, you were, and then you're leaving the opening for them.

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Yeah.

120

Okay.

121

Did you end up getting that promotion?

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No, so it could be to do with the job.

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Did you end up getting that promotion?

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Did you end up getting that new job that you applied for?

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Did you end up doing that traveling that you had promised yourself?

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I remember you were planning to go on a world cruise, or you were planning to start a new business,

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or you were planning to take up jogging or tennis or whatever the sport might be.

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So again, leading you into certain questions about the activities they may

129

or may have been about to do the last time that you met them.

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Did you hear about the business?

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Did you hear about the guys we went to college with?

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Did you hear about Mrs. Murphy who used to live around the corner from us?

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Okay.

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So just again, introducing the topic that will get your colleague or the person you're talking to, to continue the conversation.

135

But you won't believe it when I tell you what has happened to me.

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You won't believe it when you hear the story about our ex boss.

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Do you remember that guy?

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Yeah.

139

Well, yeah.

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And then you go on to tell the story.

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Wait till I tell you.

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Wait till I tell you the last time.

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You know, we met there on a Friday.

144

Well, the very next day, my car got stolen or something happened.

145

Okay.

146

So these are good ways to catch up, introduce you to them as to what's happened to you.

147

And then you asking them what has happened to them.

148

Okay.

149

So just let me give them to you one more time.

150

The last time I saw you, you were whatever.

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Yeah.

152

Did you end up getting that promotion?

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Did you end up doing whatever you were going to do?

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I remember you were planning to.

155

Okay.

156

Did you hear about?

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You won't believe it when I tell you.

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Wait till I tell you.

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Okay.

160

So good ways to get into conversations about catching up with somebody.

161

Okay.

162

So the next few little sentences about where you want to ask somebody specifically

163

about their business or about their work or about their studies, what they've been focusing on.

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Okay.

165

Are you still working for the company in the high street?

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Are you still working for that IT company?

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Are you still working in the local hospital?

168

So how are your studies going?

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Are you nearly finished?

170

You must be almost finished your studies by now.

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What year are you in?

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Or just generally.

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So how's work going now?

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What's work like these days?

175

How do you like working remotely?

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So if you want to bring it right up to modern times, and that's a very popular topic

177

and will be a popular topic for some time now about the difference between working in the offices or working remotely.

178

So now, what do you think about working remotely?

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How's it going for you?

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Do you like it?

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Do you not like it?

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Okay.

183

Okay.

184

So now if you meet somebody and you want to ask them about other people in their lives, Okay, so it could be their family, it could be business colleagues,

185

it could be people they you used to hang around with together

186

if you were in university together or in the same football club, whatever it might be.

187

So there are ways in which you can make an inquiry about other people connected to them.

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So how are the kids?

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Getting big, I'm sure.

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Yeah.

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How's Adam doing?

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Yeah.

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How's Mary?

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Did she actually get married?

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Oh, please say hi to your wife for me when you get home.

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Or please say hi to the guys in the football team.

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I haven't seen them for ages since I stopped playing.

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Or please give my regards to all the gang.

199

Please give my regards to your wife.

200

Please give my regards to your sister.

201

I remember that holiday we had.

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It was really great fun.

203

Okay, so you're inquiring or asking about other people and you want to pass on your regards.

204

You want just find out what they're doing and how they're getting on with life.

205

Of course, when we're meeting people, what we really like to do is talk about other people because usually they're not there.

206

And it's a great way of having some small talk.

207

Have you seen Mary recently?

208

Did you see what David was doing?

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Yeah.

210

So those type of conversations.

211

So here are some expressions and phrases you might like to use.

212

Oh, have you seen Michael recently?

213

He's got a really interesting hairstyle.

214

Yeah, I'm not so sure it's suitable to the office.

215

Yeah.

216

Or have you heard from David, I believe he's stopped working and he's traveling around the world.

217

So just a way of finding out or introducing certain topics that were people, what they're doing, or what they might have changed in their lives.

218

Or did you see he got married again?

219

Or, oh, he finally got married.

220

So you again, you're introducing conversational pieces about other people.

221

And if you want to be very nice to people or speak nicely about people, then you might make comments about their new look, how they look.

222

And if that happens to be the person you're talking to, then you might be very complimentary, of course, about how they've changed.

223

So, oh, I like your new hairstyle.

224

Wow.

225

Yeah.

226

Oh, you've really lost weight.

227

That workout in the gym has really worked wonders.

228

Yeah.

229

So you introduce nice topics that make that person feel good.

230

They smile, and therefore the conversation will continue in a happy mood.

231

I really love those shoes.

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Where did you get them?

233

Wow, I'd love a pair like that myself.

234

They really suit that dress or they really suit those trousers.

235

Oh wow, they really look smart.

236

Wow, you look great.

237

So just a simple, you look great.

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You don't have to make any comment about anything else about the weight or the hair or whatever it might be.

239

Wow, you look great.

240

It's, it's great to see you again.

241

Oh, you've got glasses.

242

They really suit you.

243

Yeah, they're really stylish.

244

Wow.

245

Yeah.

246

Where did you get them?

247

So again, comments on their appearance, comments on the look, what they are wearing, what they've done to themselves, all complimentary, of course.

248

So So nothing that's negative and the conversation will, will continue because the danger with small talk is you say something that somebody wasn't expecting,

249

it might be a little bit of a shock

250

and the conversation will stop dead and people will be looking at each other a little bit embarrassed.

251

So you want to be complimentary and open to allow the conversation to continue.

252

Okay, so then when, when all of the business is done for the day, the meetings are over, whatever has happened,

253

the conference has ended, then we've got small talk to do with closing conversations and you know, people, some people get up and they just disappear

254

or some people are hanging around having a coffee or whatever it might be.

255

So this is the ideal opportunity for conversation to strike up again.

256

And again, you don't want to be left in the, in the dark, you don't want to be left on the end of the conversation, just looking at people, you want to be able to join in and contribute.

257

So here are some conversational pieces for closing conversations.

258

Oh, look, sorry, I've really got to go, but give me a number.

259

Let's catch up or give me your email and I'll drop your line.

260

Okay.

261

Oh, look, I'd better let you go.

262

I've taken up so much of your time.

263

I'm sure you want to get your boss.

264

I'm sure you want to get home to the wife and kids.

265

Okay.

266

Well, it was really great talking to you.

267

We've got, we must catch up again soon.

268

Yeah, it's really been wonderful.

269

It's been amazing.

270

I haven't seen you for such a long time.

271

So it's great to get all of the news.

272

Look, let's catch up again soon.

273

Let's do it again soon.

274

It's let's not wait until the next meeting to give me a shout.

275

We'll get together for coffee or we'll get the family together.

276

Look, I'm really sorry, but I have to leave now.

277

Is that okay?

278

I'll talk to you later or I'll drop your line or send you on that document that I promised.

279

Look, it's time for me to head out.

280

I am going to, to catch a train.

281

Can I give you a lift?

282

Or do you want to share a taxi?

283

Or if you're walking my way, perhaps we could walk there together.

284

Okay.

285

So again, nice, soft, easy, comfortable ways of ending conversations so that you can leave,

286

or you can just say your goodbyes, or you can just make sure that the contact or the communication is going to continue either by email or by WhatsApp,

287

whatever it might be when you when you contact these people.

288

So the next time you meet them, there's no embarrassing gaps.

289

Okay, so we've looked at the beginning of the conversation, how to open the conversation.

290

We've looked at different topics that might come up, and particularly the weather and also things like sport will always come up.

291

How people look is another topic that will always come up because people if they haven't met you for a long time,

292

time, we'll like to let you know that it's good to see you and that you're looking well.

293

And then finally, how to close those conversations, how to get out of an awkward situation, perhaps that's, oh, look, I really have to go now or is that the time?

294

So you'd find a way to just say, look, back out, I need to go, I need to get my train, or I need to get that bus.

295

Or indeed, if the conversation is a little bit boring, and you're a little bit bored, it's an ideal way for you to just to back out and not sound a little bit too rude.

296

Okay, well, hopefully those small talk and those phrases about small talk will help you.

297

If there's anything else that you want, any small talk conversations that come your way and you'd like to have some help,

298

well, drop me a line and I'll give you some heads up on that and we'll be able to work through them.

299

As I said at the beginning, please subscribe to the channel and you can listen to me quite easily on the podcast.

300

And if you want to contact me, well, then you can do so on www.englishlessonviaskype.com.

301

happy to hear from you.

302

Very happy to see what you are doing and what you want me to do for you.

303

And until the next time, thanks for listening.

304

Cheers.

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Wortschatz und Sprechhinweise zu dieser Lektion

Dieses Video enthält 304 Sätze und 3013 Wörter zum Nachsprechen. Der gesprochene Teil dauert 16:22. Der Sprecher spricht schnell, etwa 184 Wörter pro Minute – rechne mit verbundenen und verkürzten Lauten. 91 % der Wörter gehören zu den 3.000 häufigsten im Englischen, der Wortschatz ist also leicht zu verfolgen. 64 der 304 Sätze sind Fragen – gut, um Frageintonation und kurze Antworten zu üben.

Wichtiger Wortschatz in diesem Video

Die 15 anspruchsvollsten Wörter aus dem Video, mit Aussprache und Bedeutung:

Wort	Aussprache	Bedeutung
phrase Substantiv	/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/	Redewendung, Phrase
miserable Adjektiv	/ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/	elend, erbärmlich
regards Substantiv	/ɹɪˈɡɑɹdz/	Gruß, Grüße
complimentary Adjektiv	/ˌkɑmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/	schmeichelnd, bauchpinselnd
intonation Substantiv	/ɪntəˈneɪʃən/	Satzmelodie, Sprachmelodie
remotely Adverb	/ɹɪˈmoʊtli/	entfernt
hairstyle Substantiv		Frisur, Haarfrisur
bore Verb	/boɹ/	langweilen
colleague Substantiv	/ˈkɒliːɡ/	Kollege, Kollegin
subscribe Verb	/səbˈskɹaɪb/	abonnieren
embarrassed Adjektiv	/ɪmˈbæɹ.əst/	verlegen
podcast Substantiv	/ˈpɑdˌkæst/	Podcast, Audio-Internetsendung
embarrass Verb	/ɪmˈbæɹəs/	verlegen machen, demütigen
inquire Verb	/ɪnˈkwaɪɹ/	sich erkundigen, nachfragen
preposition Substantiv	/ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/	Präposition, Verhältniswort

Phrasal Verbs, die du hören wirst

Wort	Bedeutung
end up Verb	sich herausstellen, am Ende irgendwo / etwas sein
come up Verb	erscheinen
find out Verb	herausfinden, erfahren
back out Verb	sich zurückziehen, aussteigen
get on with Verb	fortfahren, sich begeben
get up Verb	aufstehen
hang around Verb	abhängen, herumhängen
put forward Verb	vorbringen

Sätze zum Wiederholen

Kurze, vollständige Sätze aus dem Video, die du im Alltag wiederverwenden kannst:

Is this your first time here?
What are you here for?
Meaning so what's your reason for being here?
Meaning how is your life?
How's it going for you?

Grammatik in diesem Video

Die Strukturen, die der Sprecher am häufigsten verwendet, mit den genauen Worten aus dem Video:

Struktur	Im Video
„Used to“ used to + Verb – eine frühere Gewohnheit oder ein Zustand, der nicht mehr gilt	used to live · used to hang
Present Perfect have/has + Partizip Perfekt – eine vergangene Handlung, die jetzt noch wichtig ist	has organized · they've been · haven't seen
Passiv be + Partizip Perfekt – wichtig ist, was geschieht, nicht wer es tut	is done · be left
Möglichkeit mit „might / may“ might/may + Verb – etwas ist möglich, aber nicht sicher	might feel · may be · might be

Aussprache, auf die du achten solltest

Der Sprecher verwendet 102 Kurzformen und abgeschwächte Formen, zum Beispiel you're, haven't, I'm. Sprich sie in der kurzen Form, so wie du sie hörst.

Die Laute „sh“ und „zh“: conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, preposition /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/, stylish /ˈstaɪlɪʃ/, shout /ʃaʊt/
Lange Wörter – auf die Betonung achten: miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/, complimentary /ˌkɑmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/, conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/

Laute, die Deutschsprachigen schwerfallen:

/w/ — mit runden Lippen, nicht wie das deutsche „w“ (/v/): inquire /ɪnˈkwaɪɹ/, workout /ˈwɝk.aʊ̯t/, inquiry /ɪnˈkwaɪ(ə)ɹi/, awkward /ˈɔk.wɚd/
Stimmhafter Auslaut — /b/, /d/, /g/, /z/, /v/ am Wortende nicht verhärten: phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/, regards /ɹɪˈɡɑɹdz/, colleague /ˈkɒliːɡ/, subscribe /səbˈskɹaɪb/, trousers /ˈtɹaʊzɚz/
/æ/ — offener als „ä“: embarrassed /ɪmˈbæɹ.əst/, podcast /ˈpɑdˌkæst/, embarrass /ɪmˈbæɹəs/, taxi /ˈtæksi/

So übst du mit diesem Video

Höre dir das ganze Video einmal an, ohne zu sprechen, und notiere die Wörter, die du nicht kennst.
Beginne mit 0,75-facher Geschwindigkeit, sprich Satz für Satz nach und wechsle zur normalen Geschwindigkeit, sobald es leichtfällt.
Nimm dich auf und vergleiche mit dem Original; achte dabei auf Wörter wie phrase, miserable, regards.

Was ist die Shadowing-Technik?

Shadowing ist eine wissenschaftlich fundierte Sprachlerntechnik, die ursprünglich für die professionelle Dolmetscherausbildung entwickelt und durch den Polyglotten Dr. Alexander Arguelles populär gemacht wurde. Die Methode ist einfach aber wirkungsvoll: Du hörst englisches Audio von Muttersprachlern und wiederholst es sofort laut — wie ein Schatten, der dem Sprecher mit nur 1–2 Sekunden Verzögerung folgt. Anders als passives Hören oder Grammatikübungen zwingt Shadowing dein Gehirn und deine Mundmuskulatur, gleichzeitig echte Sprachmuster zu verarbeiten und zu reproduzieren. Studien zeigen, dass es Aussprachegenauigkeit, Intonation, Rhythmus, verbundene Sprache, Hörverständnis und Sprechflüssigkeit signifikant verbessert — was es zu einer der effektivsten Methoden für die IELTS Speaking-Vorbereitung und reale englische Kommunikation macht.

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Wortschatz und Sprechhinweise zu dieser Lektion

Wichtiger Wortschatz in diesem Video

Phrasal Verbs, die du hören wirst

Sätze zum Wiederholen

Grammatik in diesem Video

Aussprache, auf die du achten solltest

So übst du mit diesem Video

Was ist die Shadowing-Technik?