शैडोइंग अभ्यास: Easy English Podcast for English Conversations | Asking for Directions - वीडियो के साथ अंग्रेजी बोलना सीखें

Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Everyday English Academy, where we make English simple and enjoyable.

I'm Sarah.

And I'm Mike.

Hello to all of our wonderful listeners wherever you are in the world right now.

It is so great to be with you today.

Mike, why do you look so tired today?

Oh, Sarah, I had the worst experience yesterday afternoon.

What happened?

Well, I wanted to buy some fresh bread from this bakery my friend told me about.

You know, the one with the amazing sourdough?

Oh, yes, I know that place.

Did you find it?

Eventually, but it was a disaster.

A disaster?

It's just a bakery, Mike.

How bad could it be?

My phone died.

Oh, no. Yes, the battery just gone.

And I was in a neighborhood I don't know very well.

Wait, so you had no map, no GPS, nothing?

Nothing.

Just me and my terrible sense of direction.

Oh, this is going to be good.

What did you do?

I had to ask people for directions, like the old-fashioned way.

You mean actually talking to strangers?

Yes.

Can you believe it?

And here's the funny part.

I asked three different people, and they all gave me completely different answers.

No way.

I'm serious.

The first person told me to go straight for five minutes.

The second person said, turn right immediately.

And the third person, she looked at me like I was crazy and said the bakery was in the opposite direction.

So where did you end up?

I walked in circles for 20 minutes.

I was so lost.

Did you finally find it?

Yes, but only because I saw the sign by accident.

Pure luck.

Mike, this is exactly why we need today's topic.

What topic?

How to ask for directions in English, and more importantly, how to understand what people tell you and not get lost like Mike.

Hey, I eventually found it.

After 20 minutes of walking in circles.

Okay, okay, you're right.

I need this lesson too.

We all do.

And before we start, we want to remind you, if you're enjoying Everyday English Academy,

please hit that subscribe button.

Yes, please.

And give us a like.

It really helps us reach more English learners around the world.

Share this episode with your friends who are learning English.

Learning together is more fun.

Alright, Sarah.

Let's help people avoid my embarrassing situation.

Where do we start?

Let's start with the basics.

How do you actually ask for directions?

Mike, when you stopped the first person yesterday, what did you say?

Well, I tried to be polite.

I said, excuse me.

Good.

That's the perfect start.

Excuse me is how we politely get someone's attention in English.

Right.

And then I said, how do I get to the bakery on Main Street?

Perfect.

How do I get to is one of the most common and natural ways to ask for directions.

It sounds simple, right?

It is simple, and that's the beauty of it.

You don't need complicated English.

Just, excuse me, how do I get to the train station?

Or, excuse me, how do I get to the museum?

What if you want to sound a bit more formal?

Great question.

You can say, could you tell me the way to?

This sounds a little more polite, a little more formal.

Could you tell me the way to the library?

Exactly.

Both phrases work perfectly.

Use whichever feels more comfortable for you.

Now, here's something important I learned yesterday.

You should also ask if the place is far.

Yes, because sometimes people give you directions to a place that's 30 minutes away on foot.

Exactly.

So after you ask, how do I get to the bakery, you can add, is it far from here?

That's so useful.

Is it far from here?

This tells you if you should walk or maybe take a bus or taxi.

The first person I asked yesterday said, oh, it's not far, just five minutes.

And was it five minutes?

It was not five minutes, more like 15.

Yes, people have very different ideas about time and distance. So true.

Some people say five minutes when they mean 15.

Some people say close when they mean far.

That's why it's good to ask follow-up questions.

100

You can say, how many minutes roughly?

101

Ooh, roughly, that's a good word.

102

What does that mean exactly?

103

Roughly means approximately, about, not exactly, but close to the real number.

104

So if someone says it takes roughly 10 minutes,

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they mean it might be 9 minutes or 11 minutes or 12 minutes, somewhere around 10.

106

Exactly.

107

It's not precise, it's an estimate.

108

I love that word.

109

How long does it take roughly?

110

Yes, or how far is it, roughly?

111

Very natural, very useful.

112

Okay, so now we know how to ask for directions.

113

But Sarah, the hard part is understanding the answer.

114

Yes, this is where it gets tricky.

115

When that first person started giving me directions yesterday, she spoke so fast.

116

She said something like, go straight ahead, then turn left at the big tree,

117

then go past the coffee shop, then… Wait, wait, wait.

118

Too much information.

119

Exactly.

120

I was so confused.

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I just smiled and said thank you, but I had no idea what she said.

122

This happens to everyone, Mike.

123

Even native speakers sometimes can't follow fast directions.

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Really?

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Really!

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So let's break down the most common words people use when giving directions.

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First, straight ahead.

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Straight ahead.

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That means continue in the same direction, right?

130

Yes.

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If someone says, go straight ahead, it means don't turn left,

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don't turn right, just keep walking forward in the same direction.

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Walk straight ahead for two blocks.

134

Perfect.

135

Now, what's a block?

136

A block is the distance between two streets?

137

Exactly.

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In cities, a block is the space between one street and the next street.

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So, two blocks means you pass two streets.

140

Okay, that makes sense.

141

What other words do we need to know?

142

Around the corner.

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This is super common.

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Around the corner.

145

So it means very close?

146

Yes.

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It means the place is just past the next turn.

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Very near.

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Very close.

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The post office is just around the corner.

151

Exactly.

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It's so close.

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You just need to turn once and you'll see it.

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That's helpful.

155

What about when people say things like, It's next to the bank.

156

Or, It's across from the school.

157

Ah, yes.

158

These are location words.

159

Next to means beside, right beside something.

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The pharmacy is next to the supermarket.

161

Yes.

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And across from means on the opposite side of the street.

163

So, if I'm standing in front of the supermarket and the pharmacy is across from it, I need to cross the street?

164

Exactly.

165

You need to go to the other side.

166

Got it.

167

These words are really practical.

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They are.

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Now, here's another word you'll hear a lot.

170

Go past.

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Go past?

172

Yes.

173

Go past means you continue walking beyond a place without stopping there.

174

Oh, so if someone says, go past the coffee shop, it means I walk past it, I don't stop, I keep going.

175

Exactly.

176

Go past the park, go past the school, and then turn right.

177

That makes sense.

178

So I'm using that place as a reference point, but I'm not stopping there.

179

Right.

180

And speaking of reference points, do you know the word landmark?

181

Landmark.

182

Is that like a famous building?

183

Yes.

184

A landmark is a well-known place or building that people use to give directions,

185

like, turn left at the big church, or it's near the old theater.

186

So landmarks help people explain where something is.

187

Exactly.

188

And if you're in a new city, it's good to learn the main landmarks so you can understand directions better.

189

That's smart.

190

Okay, Sarah, here's my question.

191

What if someone gives you directions and you just don't understand?

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This is so important, Mike.

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You need to speak up.

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But I feel embarrassed.

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Don't be embarrassed.

196

It's totally normal.

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You can say, I'm sorry, could you repeat that, please?

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Could you repeat that, please?

199

Yes.

200

Or you can say, I didn't catch that.

201

Catch means understand in this context.

202

I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.

203

Could you say it again?

204

Perfect.

205

People will understand, and they'll usually explain slower or more simply.

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What if they use a word I don't know?

207

Just ask.

208

Say, what does that mean?

209

Or where is that exactly?

210

It's better to ask than to walk in the wrong direction for 20 minutes.

211

Exactly.

212

Learn from your mistakes, Mike.

213

I definitely did.

214

Oh, and here's another thing that happened to me.

215

The second person who gave me directions said, Go down this street until you hit a dead end.

216

Ooh, dead end.

217

Yes.

218

I had no idea what that meant.

219

A dead end is a street that doesn't continue.

220

It just ends.

221

There's no way to keep going forward.

222

So it's like a wall or a fence at the end?

223

Exactly.

224

The street stops.

225

You can't keep going.

226

So you have to turn around or turn left or right.

227

If you hit a dead end, you've gone too far.

228

Yes, that's a very common sentence.

229

If you reach a dead end, turn around.

230

That's such a useful phrase.

231

I wish I knew it yesterday.

232

Well, now you know.

233

Okay, Mike, let's talk about something else.

234

What if you need to give directions to someone?

235

Me?

236

Give directions?

237

Yes, maybe a tourist stops you on the street and asks for help.

238

Oh, that happens sometimes.

239

I always feel nervous because I want to help, but I'm not sure how to explain clearly.

240

The key is to keep it simple.

241

Don't give too much information at once.

242

What do you mean?

243

Well, imagine someone asks you, how do I get to the library?

244

Don't say, go straight ahead for three blocks, then turn left at the green building, then go past two coffee shops and a bakery,

245

then turn right at the traffic light, then walk for another five minutes.

246

That's way too much.

247

Exactly.

248

Instead, break it into small steps.

249

Say, go straight ahead for three blocks.

250

Then, turn left.

251

You'll see a green building.

252

The library is next to it.

253

Ah, so give them one or two steps at a time?

254

Yes, and use landmarks.

255

Don't say, turn left at Winston Street.

256

Most people don't remember street names.

257

Say, turn left at the big supermarket.

258

That's much easier to remember.

259

Also, if the place is really close, you can say, it's just around the corner, or it's across from here.

260

And if it's far? Be honest.

261

Say, it's quite far, maybe 20 minutes on foot.

262

You might want to take a bus.

263

That's really helpful.

264

I don't want to send someone walking for an hour when there's a bus.

265

Exactly.

266

And if you're not sure about the directions yourself, it's okay to say, I'm sorry, I'm not sure.

267

Maybe ask someone else.

268

Better than giving wrong directions.

269

Absolutely.

270

Honesty is always best.

271

You know what I find interesting?

272

Different countries give directions in different ways.

273

Oh, yes, this is so true.

274

Like in some countries, people use compass directions.

275

They say, go north or go east.

276

Right, but in many English-speaking countries, people don't use north, south,

277

east, west very much for everyday directions.

278

What do they use instead?

279

They use landmarks and left-right directions turn left at the bank or go past the park.

280

That makes sense.

281

It's more visual.

282

Yes.

283

And in some countries, people use time instead of distance.

284

They say it's five minutes away instead of saying it's one kilometer away.

285

I've noticed that.

286

In English, people almost always say minutes, not kilometers.

287

Exactly.

288

It's a 10-minute walk is much more common than it's 800 meters away.

289

And what about pointing?

290

Is it polite to point when giving directions?

291

It's usually okay if you're pointing at a building or a street.

292

Like, see that tall building?

293

Go that way.

294

But don't point at people.

295

Good advice.

296

Alright, Mike, let's practice a bit.

297

I'll ask you for directions and you give them to me.

298

Ready?

299

Ready.

300

Excuse me, how do I get to the nearest coffee shop?

301

Oh, sure.

302

Go straight ahead for roughly two blocks, then turn right.

303

The coffee shop is on your left, across from a bookstore.

304

Is it far from here?

305

No, not at all.

306

It's just around the corner, maybe three minutes on foot.

307

Perfect.

308

Thank you so much.

309

You're welcome.

310

How was that?

311

That was excellent.

312

Clear, simple, and friendly.

313

Thank you.

314

I feel more confident now.

315

Good.

316

Now let me give you directions.

317

Ask me something.

318

Okay.

319

Excuse me, could you tell me the way to the train station? Of course.

320

Walk straight ahead until you see a big church.

321

Go past the church and keep going for about five more minutes.

322

When you reach the traffic light, turn left.

323

The train station is right there.

324

You can't miss it.

325

Wait, I didn't catch the part after the church.

326

Could you repeat that?

327

Sure.

328

After you go past the church, keep walking straight for five minutes.

329

Then turn left at the traffic light.

330

Got it.

331

Thank you.

332

No problem.

333

See?

334

If you don't understand, just ask.

335

It's totally fine.

336

This is really useful, Sarah.

337

I think our listeners are ready to ask for directions now.

338

I think so too.

339

Just remember, be polite, speak clearly, and don't be afraid to ask someone to repeat if you don't understand.

340

And when you're giving directions, keep it simple and use landmarks.

341

Exactly.

342

All right, everyone, that brings us to the end of today's episode.

343

Before we go, we have a question for all of you.

344

Yes.

345

Tell us in the comments.

346

Have you ever gotten lost in a new city?

347

What happened?

348

Did you ask someone for directions?

349

Was it easy or difficult to understand them?

350

Share your story with us.

351

We love reading your comments.

352

And remember, if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Everyday English Academy me.

353

Click that subscribe button, give us a like, and share this with your friends who are learning English.

354

Thank you so much for listening today.

355

You're doing an amazing job with your English.

356

Keep practicing, keep asking questions, and don't be afraid to talk to people in English.

357

Next time you need directions, you'll be ready.

358

Take care everyone!

359

See you in the next episode.

360

Goodbye!

361

you

शैडोइंग तकनीक क्या है?

शैडोइंग (Shadowing) एक विज्ञान-समर्थित भाषा सीखने की तकनीक है जो मूल रूप से पेशेवर दुभाषिया प्रशिक्षण के लिए विकसित की गई थी। विधि सरल लेकिन शक्तिशाली है: आप मूल अंग्रेज़ी ऑडियो सुनते हैं और तुरंत इसे ज़ोर से दोहराते हैं — जैसे वक्ता की छाया 1-2 सेकंड की देरी से। शोध से पता चलता है कि यह उच्चारण सटीकता, स्वर, लय, जुड़ी हुई ध्वनियाँ, सुनने की समझ और बोलने की प्रवाहशीलता में काफ़ी सुधार करता है।

शैडोइंग अभ्यास: Easy English Podcast for English Conversations | Asking for Directions - वीडियो के साथ अंग्रेजी बोलना सीखें

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