Shadowing Practice: 50 Important English Expressions: English Vocabulary Lesson (Travel Phrases) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello my adventurous students.
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Hello my adventurous students.
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Today you're going to learn all the phrases you need to know before traveling to North America.
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Welcome back to JForrest English.
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Of course, I'm Jennifer.
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Now let's get started.
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So your bags are packed and you're ready to visit North America.
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Let's talk about all the phrases that you need, starting with greetings.
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Now as a tourist, you're going to be using these greetings when you go to stores, restaurants or interact with service providers.
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Like when you rent a car, Oregon book a tour, you can simply say hello because for more in personal interactions when you don't know the person socially, we just say hello.
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That's the standard greeting in these situations.
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You could also say hi there, so add there.
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Hi there. Hi there.
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When you go into a restaurant, a store.
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Hi there. Of course you wouldn't wave.
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I'm just doing that.
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Well, I guess you could.
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Hi there. Hello.
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Now time is specific, you could say.
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Good morning, good afternoon or good evening.
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Don't say goodnight because that's what we use before you go to sleep.
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So after 4:00 to 6:00 PM you can say good evening.
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Now only for morning native speakers we drop the good and we just say morning, morning, but we don't say afternoon.
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You always say good afternoon, good evening, but you can simply say morning morning.
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Now after your greeting you can state your reason for your visit.
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So if you're at a restaurant, you can say hi there.
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We have a reservation under forest.
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Usually the reservations are made under your last name for 7:00 PM.
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You could include the time, but you don't need to because the reservation will have the time.
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Or you could approach booth and say good morning.
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Could you please tell me when the next ferry to Staten Island comes?
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Notice how I use, could you please?
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That's to sound more polite.
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Now don't worry about taking notes because I summarize everything in a free lesson PDF.
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You can look in the description for the link.
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How about this one?
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Excuse me, Do you carry sunscreen?
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Do you carry?
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You're asking the store if they have.
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Do you carry sunscreen?
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Now notice, excuse me, this isn't necessarily a greeting, but it's what we use to get someone's attention.
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So if the store person is stalking a shelf, you can say excuse me and then they will stop what they're doing and look at you.
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So it's used to get attention.
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Now, technically you can say, pardon me, pardon me, do you carry sunscreen?
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But pardon me isn't very common in North America in this context.
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In North America we use pardon me if we don't understand something.
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So if someone's talking to me and maybe there's a lot of background noise, I might say, pardon me to ask them to repeat themselves.
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But we don't really use it to get someone's attention, so just use excuse me to get someone's attention.
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Now let's review all the phrases you need if you don't understand someone or if you don't hear them because there's a lot of background noise or maybe they just spoke very quietly.
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Like I said, pardon me, pardon me.
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Now you can also say excuse me, but it's more in a questioning tone.
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Excuse me, sorry, I didn't catch that.
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Now you can always say sorry, English isn't my first language, so you're giving them the information they need to know so they can adjust.
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Because if you tell a native speaker, oh, sorry, English isn't my first language, they'll naturally just try to speak slower or louder or in a different way to help you understand.
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And don't be afraid to say can you repeat that slower, please?
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The person will not be offended or upset if you say that, so don't be afraid to use it.
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Or you can say sorry.
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I'm not sure what MMM means that means or if you know the specific word you can say.
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I'm not sure what a transfer means.
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Can you explain it a different way?
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Can you give me more information?
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Can you help me understand?
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Or simply you can say sorry, I don't understand.
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English isn't my first language and they will naturally know.
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They need to speak slower, louder, or explain it a different way.
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Can you repeat that, please?
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I'm sorry, I didn't catch that.
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As a tourist, you're going to be spending money at stores.
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So let's talk about the phrases you need when you go into a store or when you take all of your items to check out.
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When you're ready to pay, you can just say hi there or any of the other greetings.
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Now previously the stores would ask you cash or credit, but this isn't common in North America today.
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It's assumed you're going to pay with a credit card, so they generally don't ask you about the payment method.
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They will probably just point at the machine and then you can tap your card cash credit.
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Now there are some St.
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vendors. A street vendor would be a small shop or something that isn't a physical store.
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It is possible that they only accept cash, but this is becoming less and less common.
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Basically everywhere you go in North America you can pay with your card.
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Even the smallest St.
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vendors, because they have a little device they put on their phones and then their phone turns into a payment processor and you just tap your card on the phone.
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So even at very small vendors, you can likely pay with your card, but of course bring a little cash with you.
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You can ask how much is this for one item?
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How much are these for?
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Two or more items now.
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After you pay, they might ask you do you need a bag now?
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They might say need a bag or simply bag with a rising intonation to show it's a question.
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Plastic bags are not used at most stores in North America.
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They are banned for environmental reasons.
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So if you need a bag, most likely you have to pay for that bag.
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Instead of plastic stores, use paper bags and they're probably about $0.15 per bag.
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Or you can get a reusable bag depending on the quality 1 to $3.00.
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A lot of smaller stores, convenience stores, markets, they still use plastic bags but the bigger stores generally don't.
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But you can always ask them can you give me a bag please or I need to buy a bag.
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Now sometimes I hear students say please I need to buy a bag and they put please at the beginning of a statement but that is not common in North America and it sounds a little awkward.
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So put please at the end.
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I need to buy a bag please.
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Please commonly comes at the beginning when it's the imperative.
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So you're giving an instruction.
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Please put the receipt in the bag.
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Put the receipt in the bag is the instruction and you can add please at the beginning to sound more polite.
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You could also add it at the end after you pay.
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They might say do you need want a receipt?
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Again, to try to be more environmental and save paper, they don't automatically print receipts.
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They might just say, need a receipt, Want a receipt or receipt?
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You can say no, that's OK.
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No thanks. Yes, please.
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Now, right before you pay, they might say something really long that you don't understand.
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They may be asking you for a donation, which is very common.
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Do you want to donate $1.00 to the Children's Hospital?
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They might ask you if you have a Points or Rewards membership with that store.
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Or they might ask you if you want to sign up for something like a Walmart MasterCard or a Points card or a membership.
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If you don't understand, just say no thanks.
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No, thanks.
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Because they're probably just trying to give you something additional.
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Now if you go into a clothing store or a larger store, they will greet you and they'll ask you if you're looking for something specific.
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You can say I'm just looking, I'm just browsing, But in North America, looking is more common.
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I'm just looking.
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Thanks. Well, thanks.
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I'm just browsing.
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Oh, I'm just looking, Thanks.
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Or if you are looking for something specific you can say I'm looking for a small backpack.
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Where can I find men's socks?
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Do you carry sunglasses?
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If you're buying clothing, you can ask where can I try this on?
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Where are the fitting rooms, the changing rooms, which is where you try things on?
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You can also ask them what's your return policy to know if the item is returnable or exchangeable.
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Now let's talk about dining out at restaurants.
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When you go to a restaurant, you can use your greeting.
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Hello. Hi there.
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Good afternoon.
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Table for two please.
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Or you can state we have a reservation under and then your name.
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Generally just your last name under forest.
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Or maybe you want to make a reservation.
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Can we make a reservation and they'll ask you when or what day, how many people and what time?
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Table for two please.
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Now if you're staying at the restaurant, you can ask them, do you have any tables outside?
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Do you have any tables on the patio?
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So they mean the same thing.
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The patio or outside is an area that is outside.
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So you have inside or outside.
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Outside is on the patio.
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And if you're inside and you see this really nice table by the window, you can say can we sit by the window please?
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Are there any booths available?
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So maybe they're putting you at a table with chairs, but you want to sit it in a booth.
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Just ask them.
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Are there any booths available?
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If you have any allergies, you can tell your server I'm allergic to.
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I'm allergic to shellfish.
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Or maybe you see an item, a stir fry with chicken, and you want to know, can you make that vegetarian?
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Can you make that vegan?
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Can you make that gluten free to order?
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Just say all have I'll have the stir fry with shrimp please.
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Alternatively, I'd like I'd like the stir fry with shrimp please but I'll have is way more common now.
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You may want to modify your order.
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I'll have the stir fry with shrimp please, but no onions.
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Hold the onions without onions.
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They all mean the same thing.
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Can you add Pickles?
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So if you want something additional, can you add Pickles?
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Can you make it extra spicy?
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This is something my husband asks every time.
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Can you make it extra spicy?
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Can you put the sauce on the side?
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So maybe if they put a sauce over top, can you put it on the side?
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Saw us on the side Again, please just know that modifying your orders is extremely common and accepted in North America, so don't be shy.
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If you want something specific just ask, They will do it for you.
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And don't forget to ask for water, because as a tourist you need to drink a lot of water.
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Can you bring us some water please?
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They might ask you sparkling or still bottled does say tap water.
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Tap water is fine.
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Sometimes the restaurants try to sound more fancy and say house water.
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But it's the water that comes out of the tap which is drinkable in all of North America.
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So if you don't want to pay for water, just say tap water is fine and know that water is free everywhere you go.
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In North America you can go into any place and ask for water for free.
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You might ask them where are the bathrooms or restrooms?
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Either word choice is fine.
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Where are the bathrooms?
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Where are the restrooms?
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Just don't say where are the toilets because we don't use that word for restaurants.
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Now if you had a big meal and you didn't finish at all, you can say can I have A to go box please And they'll bring you a box and you put your leftovers and then you take it with you.
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Can I have A to go box please Or you can say can you wrap this up so they will take your food put it in A to go box and bring it back to you.
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Can you wrap this up?
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Can you pack this up?
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They mean the same thing.
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If they try to offer you dessert or coffee and you don't want it, say just the check please.
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You can say check or bill.
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Just the check please.
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Just the bill please.
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Can you bring me the check or bill please?
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Or you can simply ask where do I pay?
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Just the check please.
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Where do I pay?
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It's $25.00, right?
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In North America.
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Tips gratuity are rarely added to the bill automatically, so it's your choice to leave it.
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When you pay, there'll be an option on the machine.
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It's not required, but it is highly expected and a 10 to 20% tip, depending on the formality of the restaurant and the level of service is expected.
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But again, it isn't required.
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Now at any restaurant, cafe or store, you can ask them do you have Wi-Fi or is there Wi-Fi here?
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And if you know there's Wi-Fi because there's a sign, you can ask them what's the Wi-Fi password.
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Now sometimes the Wi-Fi passwords are just random letters or numbers and maybe you you didn't hear it, you couldn't understand it, You can just give them your phone.
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Can you put it in for me, please?
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Can you write it down, please?
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Can you repeat that slowly, please?
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Now let's talk about getting around so how you move from one location to another.
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You don't really need to know how to ask for directions anymore because your phone has GPS and will tell you exactly where to go.
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But let me share some common phrases with you.
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Excuse me, Do you know how to get to the Empire State Building?
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Excuse me, which way is Central Park?
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Excuse me, does this train go to Central Park?
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Excuse me, which train will take me to Central Park And noticed I used Excuse me for all of them because that is the most common standard in North America to get someone's attention.
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You could also say, excuse me, do you mind taking our photo?
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Because that is the one thing that people still ask other people for.
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Not directions anymore.
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But excuse me, do you mind?
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Do you mind taking with that ING?
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Do you mind taking our photo?
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Excuse me, could you please take our picture so you can say photo or picture interchangeably?
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And as a final tip, before you pack your bags and head to North America, just remember that North America is incredibly diverse and we interact with non-native English speakers every single day.
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Every time we leave the house, we go to stores, restaurants, our work environments, our social environments.
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We interact with non-native English speakers.
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N Americans in general are friendly, open and accepting.
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So don't feel any bit of nervousness or shyness because you have an accent or make grammar mistakes.
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It will not impact your experience as a tourist, but of course you do need to be able to communicate in a way that a native speaker understands, and all of these phrases will help you do just that.
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So making sure you download that free PDF.
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And if you want me to teach you more phrases that you can use in North America as a tourist, put more phrases, more phrases, more phrases in the comments below.
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And of course, make sure you like this video, share it with your friends and subscribe so you're notified every time I post a new lesson.
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And you can get this free speaking guide where I share 6 tips on how to speak English fluently and confidently.
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You can click here to download it or look for the link in the description.
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And I have 50 more phrases that you need to know for your everyday speech right here, so watch it right now.
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About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will explore essential English expressions that are particularly useful when traveling in North America. The phrases covered will help you navigate various situations such as dining at restaurants, interacting with service providers, and asking for information while on the go. By practicing these expressions, you will enhance your communication skills and feel more confident during your travels. This lesson emphasizes practical vocabulary to facilitate meaningful interactions and improve your understanding of the English language.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Hello - A standard greeting used in various situations.
- Good morning / Good afternoon / Good evening - Time-specific greetings that can help set the tone for social interactions.
- Hi there - A casual yet friendly greeting suitable for informal contexts.
- Excuse me - A polite way to get someone's attention or ask for assistance.
- Could you please - A phrase to add politeness when making requests.
- Do you carry...? - A way to inquire about the availability of items in a store.
- Pardon me - Typically used to ask someone to repeat themselves, especially in noisy environments.
Practice Tips
To effectively improve your English speaking skills using the phrases from this lesson, consider implementing shadowing techniques in your practice sessions on this shadowing site. Begin by watching the video and listening closely to the speed and tone of the instructor. Once you feel comfortable, repeat phrases immediately after the speaker, mimicking their pronunciation and intonation. This method will not only aid your English speaking practice but also improve your overall English pronunciation.
Focus on specific segments of the video that resonate with you, practicing frequently until you feel confident using those travel phrases in real conversations. Combining this shadow speech technique with the vocabulary learned will significantly enhance your fluency. Make sure you continue to learn English with YouTube as a resource; revisiting the video multiple times will reinforce your understanding and command of these essential expressions.
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.
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