Shadowing Practice: 1071 - How Americans Talk About Hot Weather - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
161 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Man, it's hot as hell.
2
It's like an oven out there.
3
I'm melting.
4
Crank up the AC.
5
It's time to beat the heat.
6
Hot weather.
7
Everybody talks about it, right?
8
But in English, especially in American English, we don't only say it's hot.
9
We have lots of natural expressions for hot days,
10
humid days, uncomfortable days, and those summer days when you walk outside and immediately think, nope, I'm going back inside.
11
So today, we're going to look at how Americans really talk about hot weather in everyday English.
12
Welcome to another Happy English podcast coming to you from New York City.
13
And here's your English teacher, Michael.
14
All right.
15
Thank you, John, and thanks, everyone.
16
It's Michael here from Happy English and I help people speak English better.
17
And this is Happy English Podcast episode 1071, How Americans Talk About Hot Weather.
18
And by the way, if you're enjoying learning English with me, make sure to to follow or subscribe so you don't miss new episodes.
19
Let's start with a simple way to say it's very hot.
20
Of course, you can say it's very hot today.
21
That's perfectly fine.
22
But in real conversation, people often add more feeling.
23
For example, imagine you step outside at noon and the sun is strong.
24
You might say, wow, it's really hot out here, or it's so hot today.
25
Those are simple and natural.
26
But if it's very hot, you might hear, it's scorching today, or it's a scorcher today,
27
or it's brutal out there.
28
Scorch means burn.
29
So scorching means extremely hot. And brutal?
30
Well, brutal is something very difficult or uncomfortable.
31
So if someone says, oh man, the heat is brutal today, they mean the weather is really hard to deal with.
32
Next, let's talk about more colorful expressions.
33
One common phrase is, it's like an oven out there.
34
Imagine you open the front door the hot air hits your face, and it feels like you're opening an oven door.
35
Well, you can say, oh, it's like an oven out there.
36
This is a very natural way to describe a really hot day.
37
Another common one is, it's like a sauna outside.
38
We also say this when the air is hot and humid.
39
For example, if you're walking around New York in July, and your shirt starts sticking to you,
40
you might say, man, it's like a sauna out here.
41
And yes, people also say, it's hot as hell.
42
This is very common, very natural, and very casual.
43
And it means extremely hot.
44
For example, if your friend texts you, oh, hey, you want to walk to the store, you could reply, are you kidding?
45
It's hot as hell out there.
46
Just remember, this is casual English.
47
It's fine with friends, family,
48
or close co -workers, but maybe not the best choice in a formal meeting or with someone you don't know well.
49
Now, let's talk about how people complain about the heat because honestly, complaining about the weather is kind of a national hobby.
50
You might hear, I'm melting.
51
Of course, you're not really melting.
52
It's just a funny exaggeration.
53
Like when you're waiting for the bus and the sun is blaring down.
54
You can say, oh man, I can't stand here much longer.
55
I'm melting.
56
You might also hear, I'm burning up, which means you feel extremely hot.
57
Or, I'm sweating like crazy.
58
This one's very natural when you're walking outside, carrying bags, or standing on a subway platform with no air conditioning.
59
Yeah, in New York, there's no air conditioning on the subway platforms.
60
Here are a few more.
61
I'm sweating buckets or I'm sweating like a pig.
62
Both means I'm sweating a lot.
63
And I know what you're thinking.
64
Oh, Michael, pigs don't sweat.
65
I know that.
66
But the phrase, I'm sweating like a pig is pretty common on a sweltering hot day.
67
I'm drenched means my clothes are very wet usually from sweat or rain,
68
and my shirt is sticking to me is exactly what happens on a humid day.
69
Imagine you walk 10 minutes from the train station to your office, and by the time you arrive, your shirt feels wet.
70
You might say, oh, I'm drenched.
71
My shirt is sticking to me.
72
Very real summer English.
73
Next, let's talk about staying cool.
74
One useful expression is beat the heat.
75
To beat the heat means to do something in order to stay cool
76
or in order to avoid the worst part of the heat.
77
For example, hey, let's go to the mall and beat the heat.
78
Or I'm going to the pool to beat the heat.
79
You might also say, I'm staying inside today, or I'm not going out in this weather.
80
Both are very natural.
81
On really hot days, a lot of people just want to stay indoors where there's air conditioning.
82
And speaking of air conditioning, you'll hear a lot of expressions with AC.
83
AC means air conditioning.
84
You can say, turn on the AC, or can we turn up the AC?
85
And if it's really hot, you might say, hey, crank up the AC.
86
Crank up means to increase the power or make it stronger.
87
Like you get into your car after it's been parked in the sun, and it feels like an oven in there.
88
You might say, oh man, I got to crank up the AC.
89
Very natural.
90
You could also say, I'm hiding in the AC.
91
That means you don't want to go outside because it's too hot.
92
For example, your friend asks, oh, you want to go for a walk?
93
And you could say, nope, I'm hiding in the AC today.
94
Or maybe you say, let's find some shade.
95
Shade is a cooler place where the sun is blocked like under a tree or next to a building.
96
So if you're out walking with a friend, you might say, hey, let's walk on that side of the street.
97
There's more shade.
98
And by the way, did you know that the word shades with an S is a slang term for sunglasses?
99
Yeah.
100
Next time you see your friend wearing a pair of sunglasses, just tell them, hey, nice shades.
101
It's the perfect summer compliment.
102
Next, let's look at some classic small talk for hot days.
103
Americans often use the weather as a conversation starter, especially when the weather is extreme.
104
Someone in the elevator might say, huh, can you believe this heat?
105
Or while you're waiting in line at the store, somebody might say, boy, it's a hot one today.
106
Another classic phrase is, hot enough for you?
107
This is very casual and it's kind of a joke because of course it's hot enough.
108
Hot enough for you?
109
That's something you might hear from a neighbor, a cashier, or someone waiting at the bus stop.
110
Humidity is another big topic.
111
Humidity means there's a lot of moisture in the air and that makes the heat feel heavier and more uncomfortable.
112
People often say, it's so humid today, or the humidity is awful.
113
And by the way, if you're in New York or on the East Coast, sometimes people drop the H.
114
So you'll hear things like, it's so humid today, or the humidity is awful.
115
You might also hear, oh, it's not just the heat, it's the humidity.
116
That's a classic summer complaint.
117
For example, maybe the temperature is only 80 degrees, but the air feels heavy and sticky.
118
You could say, ah, it's not just the heat, it's the humidity.
119
Very natural.
120
Now, let's compare a few expressions because they don't all have the same feeling.
121
It's hot.
122
That's neutral.
123
It's really hot.
124
It's stronger.
125
It's scorching.
126
Means it's extremely hot hot.
127
It's brutal out there.
128
That means the heat is uncomfortable and hard to deal with.
129
It's hot as hell.
130
Again, that's very casual and strong.
131
It's like an oven out there.
132
That paints a picture of very intense heat.
133
It's like a sauna.
134
That gives us the image of hot, humid air.
135
and I'm melting.
136
That's kind of a funny exaggeration we use to emphasize how hot we feel.
137
So here's the key idea.
138
On hot days, English speakers don't only describe the temperature.
139
We react to it.
140
We complain about it.
141
We joke about it.
142
We use expressions like it's brutal.
143
I'm melting.
144
It's like an oven.
145
Let's go beat the heat.
146
These phrases help your English sound more natural because they show the feeling of the situation, not just the weather.
147
So here's your challenge.
148
The next time it's hot where you live, don't just say, it's very hot.
149
Try using one of today's expressions.
150
You can say things like, it's scorching today, or it's like a sauna out there, or I'm staying inside to beat the heat.
151
Choose one that matches your real situation because, you know, the best way to remember English like this in any other word
152
or phrase is to take that word or phrase, write it in a sentence that's true for you or true in your world, and then memorize your sentences.
153
Hey, thanks for listening.
154
And remember, learning another language is not easy, but it's not impossible.
155
And I'm here to help you on your journey.
156
This podcast is brought to you by Happy English.
157
Please visit myhappyenglish .com.
158
Show your support for Happy English by leaving us a review.
159
Get English.
160
Get happy.
161
Happy English.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B1256
36 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Food, Shopping and the Weather
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
10 sentences
Dangerous heat wave hits the US with highs exceeding 100 degrees
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B15
449 sentences
How To Talk About June in English | Easy English Podcast
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B13
18 sentences
Natural Small Talk Everyone Gets Wrong #englishmistakes #conversationtips #speakingpractice
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B1138 sentences
How to Survive Australian Beaches | Learn Australian English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B12
552 sentences
Weather | Learn English quickly with podcast | Episode 2
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
220 sentences
Learn English by Listening – Talking About Energy Levels 🔋 | Episode 49
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
99 sentences
#106 Mmm or Hmm? Trying new and unusual food | SBS Learn English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A21
17 sentences
Weather
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B1354 sentences
Learn English with Real Conversations Podcast | How to Use “DO” vs “MAKE”
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
679 sentences
Learn 75 English Phrases You'll Actually Use in Real Life | Slow English (A2-B1)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
106 sentences
Summer 🌞⛱️ British English Podcast - Listening Practise for Intermediate English Learners
British AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 161 sentences and 1567 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:37. The speaker talks at a steady 135 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- sweat /swɛt/ (verb) — To emit sweat.
- oven /ˈʌ.vn̩/ (noun) — A chamber used for baking or heating.
- phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ (noun) — A short written or spoken expression.
- brutal /ˈbɹuːtəl/ (adjective) — Savagely violent, vicious, ruthless, or cruel, often in an unintelligent manner.
- melt /mɛlt/ (verb) — To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat.
- humidity /hjuːˈmɪd.ə.ti/ (noun) — Dampness, especially that of the air.
- humid /ˈhjuːmɪd/ (adjective) — Containing perceptible moisture (usually describing air or atmosphere); damp; moist; somewhat wet or watery.
- shade /ʃeɪd/ (noun) — Darkness where light, particularly sunlight, is blocked.
- casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/ (adjective) — Happening by chance.
- uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/ (adjective) — Not comfortable; causing discomfort.
- crank /ˈkɹæŋk/ (noun) — A bent piece of an axle or shaft, or an attached arm perpendicular, or nearly so, to the end of a shaft or wheel, used to impart a rotation to a wheel or other…
- complain /kəmˈpleɪn/ (verb) — To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment.
- podcast /ˈpɑdˌkæst/ (noun) — A program, especially an audio program, produced on a regular basis, delivered over the Internet in a compressed digital format and designed for playback on…
- awful /ˈɔːfʊl/ (adjective) — Very bad.
- nope /noʊp/ — No.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- talk about (verb) — Used to draw attention to the speaker's characterization of someone or something.
- deal with (verb) — To handle verbally or in some form of artistic expression; to address or discuss as a subject.
- look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
- burn up (verb) — To catch fire and burn until destroyed.
- get into (verb) — To move into (an object), such that one ends up inside it.
- go back (verb) — To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time.
- go for (verb) — To try for, to attempt to reach.
- hear from (verb) — To receive updates or opinions from (someone).
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 43 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shade /ʃeɪd/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, cashier /kaˈʃɪə/, exaggeration /ɪɡˌzæd͡ʒəˈɹeɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: humidity /hjuːˈmɪd.ə.ti/, uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/, exaggeration /ɪɡˌzæd͡ʒəˈɹeɪʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like sweat, oven, phrase.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | been parked · is blocked · is brought |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might say · might hear · might also hear |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the worst |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm melting · I'm going · you're enjoying |
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.