How to Talk About yourself in English | English Conversation Practice (YouTube Video Transcript)

(00:00:00) Your YouTube transcript will appear here (00:00:00) Hello and welcome to Daily English Talk. (00:00:03) >> Hi there. We're so happy you're here (00:00:05) with us today. (00:00:06) >> I'm Emma (00:00:07) >> and I'm Jack. On this channel, we (00:00:09) practice simple everyday English (00:00:11) together. (00:00:12) >> If you enjoy our video, please give it a (00:00:15) like and subscribe to our channel. It (00:00:17) helps us a lot. (00:00:18) >> Yes, please subscribe. It makes Emma do (00:00:20) a happy dance. [laughter] (00:00:22) >> Okay, maybe a small dance. Today we have (00:00:26) a very important topic for all learners. (00:00:30) It's the first thing you need to know. (00:00:32) We are going to learn how to talk about (00:00:34) yourself in English. (00:00:35) >> That's right. How to talk about yourself (00:00:38) in English. Let's get started. So, Jack, (00:00:43) how are you feeling today? (00:00:44) >> I'm feeling wonderful. Thank you. And (00:00:47) how are you, Emma? (00:00:48) >> I'm a bit nervous, but also excited. (00:00:51) >> Nervous? Why are you nervous? (00:00:54) >> Because talking about yourself can be a (00:00:56) little scary, right? In a new language. (00:00:58) Oh, I see. But don't be nervous. It's (00:01:01) just you and me and all our friends. (00:01:04) Wave at camera. It's a safe place. (00:01:07) >> You're right. It is a safe place. Okay, (00:01:10) I feel better. (00:01:11) >> Good. And our friends, how are you all (00:01:14) feeling today? Ready to learn? (00:01:17) >> I hope so. Let's begin. (00:01:19) >> Okay, the best way to start talking (00:01:21) about yourself is with your name. So, (00:01:25) let's practice. Hello, my name is Jack (00:01:28) >> and my name is Emma. But sometimes (00:01:32) people ask, "What's your full name?" (00:01:35) >> Ah, good point. My full name is Jack (00:01:39) Benjamin Brown. (00:01:40) >> And my full name is Emma Claire Smith. (00:01:44) >> So, you can say my name is or my full (00:01:48) name is (00:01:49) >> perfect. After your name, what is the (00:01:52) next most common question? where you are (00:01:55) from. So, Emma, where are you from? (00:01:58) >> I am from a small town called Maple (00:02:01) Creek. (00:02:02) >> Maple Creek. That sounds lovely. (00:02:04) >> It is. It's very pretty. And you, Jack, (00:02:07) where are you from? (00:02:08) >> I am from the city. I'm from Chicago. (00:02:12) It's a big city in the United States. (00:02:14) >> So, you can say I am from place or I (00:02:20) come from place. (00:02:22) >> Exactly. Now, let's talk about where we (00:02:25) live now. It can be different. Emma, (00:02:28) where do you live now? (00:02:30) >> I live in a city now, too. I live in (00:02:32) Austin, Texas. (00:02:34) >> Oh, nice. I live in Seattle, Washington. (00:02:38) So, we live in different cities now. (00:02:40) >> Yes. So, I am from is for your origin. I (00:02:45) live in is for your city now. (00:02:48) >> Great explanation. Okay, next big topic. (00:02:52) What do you do? This means your job or (00:02:55) your studies. (00:02:56) >> Yes, Jack. What do you do? (00:02:59) >> I am a graphic designer. I make designs (00:03:03) on my computer. (00:03:04) >> That's a cool job. I am an English (00:03:06) teacher. I teach English to wonderful (00:03:09) students like you. (00:03:11) >> She's a great teacher, right? (00:03:13) >> Thank you, Jack. But what if you are a (00:03:16) student? (00:03:17) >> Oh, right. Then you can say, I am a (00:03:19) student. You can also say I study at (00:03:22) university or I study engineering. (00:03:25) >> Perfect. And if you don't have a job, (00:03:29) you can say I'm looking for a job or I'm (00:03:32) between jobs. (00:03:33) >> That's very useful. So, we have name, (00:03:37) origin, home, and job. That's a good (00:03:40) start. (00:03:41) >> But there's more. Let's talk about our (00:03:45) families. (00:03:46) >> Oo, family. Okay, Emma, tell me about (00:03:50) your family. (00:03:51) >> Well, I have a small family. I have one (00:03:55) older brother. His name is Tom. (00:03:57) >> No sisters? (00:03:58) >> No sisters, just my brother and my (00:04:00) parents. My mom's name is Susan and my (00:04:03) dad's name is David. (00:04:05) >> And do you have any pets? (00:04:08) >> Yes, I have a cat. Her name is Luna. She (00:04:12) is black and white and very lazy. I love (00:04:16) cats. I have a dog. (00:04:19) >> You do? What's his name? (00:04:21) >> His name is Buster. He is a golden (00:04:24) retriever. He is big and very friendly, (00:04:27) but a little silly. (00:04:28) >> A, he sounds cute. So, you can talk (00:04:32) about your siblings, brothers and (00:04:34) sisters, and your pets. (00:04:37) >> What if you don't have any brothers or (00:04:39) sisters? (00:04:40) >> Then you can say, I am an only child. I (00:04:44) am an only child. That's a good phrase (00:04:46) to know. (00:04:47) >> Now, let's talk about age. This is a (00:04:51) common question, but sometimes it's not (00:04:53) polite to ask. (00:04:55) >> That's true. In some cultures, it's (00:04:57) okay. In others, it's not. So, be (00:05:00) careful. (00:05:01) >> But it's good to know how to answer. So, (00:05:04) Jack, how old are you? (00:05:06) >> I am 28 years old. And you, Emma, how (00:05:09) old are you? (00:05:10) >> I am 26 years old. So you can say I am (00:05:16) number years old or more simply I'm (00:05:20) number (00:05:21) >> but remember if you don't want to say (00:05:24) you can smile and say I prefer not to (00:05:28) say that's okay (00:05:29) >> polite and simple okay we have covered (00:05:33) the basic facts now let's talk about the (00:05:36) fun stuff hobbies (00:05:39) >> yes what do you like to do in your free (00:05:41) time, Jack. (00:05:42) >> Oh, I have many hobbies. I really like (00:05:46) photography. I love taking pictures of (00:05:49) nature. (00:05:49) >> That's a great hobby. What else? (00:05:52) >> I enjoy playing video games. And I love (00:05:56) cooking. I try to cook new recipes on (00:05:59) the weekend. (00:06:00) >> Wow, you are a good cook. I can confirm. (00:06:04) [laughter] (00:06:06) My hobbies are a little different. (00:06:08) >> What do you like to do, Emma? I am a big (00:06:11) reader. I love reading books. Uh (00:06:14) especially mystery novels. (00:06:16) >> Oh, like Sherlock Holmes. (00:06:18) >> Yes, exactly. I also like hiking. I love (00:06:21) walking in the mountains and forests. (00:06:24) >> And you like yoga, right? I see your (00:06:26) yoga mat sometimes. (00:06:27) >> Yes, I do yoga twice a week. It helps me (00:06:31) relax. (00:06:32) >> So, we use phrases like I like, I love, (00:06:35) I enjoy, and then the activity. You can (00:06:38) also say I'm interested in, for example, (00:06:42) I'm interested in photography. (00:06:44) >> Good one. Let's practice more. Let's (00:06:47) talk about what we don't like. (00:06:49) >> Okay, that's also important. Jack, what (00:06:52) don't you like? [snorts] (00:06:53) >> H I don't like loud noise. I prefer (00:06:58) quiet places. (00:07:00) >> I understand. I don't like scary movies. (00:07:03) They give me bad dreams. [laughter] (00:07:06) So, we use I don't like for things we (00:07:10) dislike. (00:07:11) >> Now, let's put it all together. Let's (00:07:14) pretend we are at a party and we meet (00:07:16) for the first time. (00:07:18) >> Oh, a role play. I like it. Okay. Hello (00:07:22) there. (00:07:22) >> Oh, hello. (00:07:24) >> My name is Jack. What's your name? (00:07:26) >> I'm Emma. It's nice to meet you, Jack. (00:07:29) >> It's nice to meet you, too. So, Emma, (00:07:32) where are you from? I'm from a small (00:07:35) town called Maple Creek. How about you? (00:07:38) >> I'm from Chicago. So, what do you do, (00:07:41) Emma? (00:07:42) >> I'm an English teacher. I love it. And (00:07:45) you? (00:07:45) >> I'm a graphic designer. Do you like (00:07:48) living in the city? (00:07:49) >> Yes, I do, but sometimes I miss my quiet (00:07:53) hometown. Do you have any hobbies? (00:07:56) >> Yes, I love photography and cooking. And (00:08:00) you? I enjoy reading and hiking on the (00:08:04) weekend. (00:08:05) >> Wow, hiking. That's cool. Do you have (00:08:09) any pets? (00:08:10) >> Yes, I have a cat named Luna. (00:08:12) >> I have a dog named Buster. Maybe they (00:08:15) can be friends. (00:08:17) >> Maybe not. But it was nice talking to (00:08:20) you, Jack. (00:08:21) >> You too, Emma. See you later. (00:08:23) >> See, that was a full conversation. (00:08:26) >> That was great. We used everything. Now, (00:08:30) let's talk about a few more details. How (00:08:33) about talking about your favorite (00:08:36) things? (00:08:37) >> Okay, Jack. What's your favorite color? (00:08:41) >> My favorite color is blue. All kinds of (00:08:44) blue. Sky blue, navy blue. I love it. (00:08:48) What's yours? (00:08:49) >> My favorite color is yellow. It's so (00:08:51) happy and bright. (00:08:53) >> I like that. What's your favorite food? (00:08:57) Oh, that's a difficult question. I think (00:09:01) pizza. I love pizza. (00:09:04) >> Pizza is a great choice. My favorite (00:09:07) food is sushi. I could eat it every day. (00:09:10) >> Yummy. What's your favorite season? (00:09:13) >> My favorite season is autumn. I love the (00:09:17) cool weather and the colorful leaves. (00:09:20) >> Oh, I love autumn, too. But my favorite (00:09:23) is spring. I love seeing all the flowers (00:09:26) bloom. (00:09:28) >> So, you can ask about favorite color, (00:09:31) food, season, movie, music, many things. (00:09:36) >> It's a great way to make conversation. (00:09:38) Now, let's talk about languages. (00:09:41) >> Ah, very important for us. Emma, what (00:09:45) languages do you speak? (00:09:47) >> I speak English, of course, and I speak (00:09:50) a little Spanish. I am learning Spanish. (00:09:54) >> I speak language or I am learning (00:09:59) language. Very useful. (00:10:01) >> How about you, Jack? What languages do (00:10:04) you speak? (00:10:05) >> I speak English and I speak French. My (00:10:10) French is okay but not perfect. (00:10:13) >> That's impressive. So, you can say, "I (00:10:16) speak French or my French is okay." or (00:10:20) I'm a beginner in French. (00:10:22) >> Perfect. Let's do one more role play. A (00:10:26) little longer this time. (00:10:27) >> Okay, you start. (00:10:28) >> Hello. I don't think we've met. I'm (00:10:31) Emma. (00:10:32) >> Hi, Emma. I'm Jack. It's nice to meet (00:10:35) you. (00:10:35) >> Nice to meet you, too. Are you from (00:10:38) here, Jack? (00:10:39) >> No, I'm not. I'm from Chicago, but I (00:10:42) live here now. How about you? (00:10:45) >> I'm from a small town called Maple (00:10:47) Creek. I moved here for my job. (00:10:50) >> Oh, what do you do? (00:10:51) >> I'm an English teacher. I love it. And (00:10:54) you? (00:10:55) >> I'm a graphic designer. I work for a (00:10:58) small company. (00:10:59) >> That's interesting. What do you like to (00:11:01) do for fun? (00:11:02) >> Well, I really love photography. I often (00:11:05) go to the park to take pictures. I also (00:11:08) enjoy cooking. (00:11:10) >> Cooking. What's your favorite thing to (00:11:12) cook? (00:11:13) >> I like to make Italian food. Pasta (00:11:16) mostly. I love pasta. My favorite food (00:11:20) is pizza, so that's similar. (00:11:23) >> Yes. And what about you? What are your (00:11:25) hobbies? (00:11:26) >> I'm a big reader. I also love hiking on (00:11:29) the weekends. It helps me clear my head. (00:11:32) >> That sounds wonderful. Maybe you can (00:11:35) recommend a good hiking trail sometime. (00:11:37) >> Sure, I'd love to. It was really nice (00:11:40) talking to you, Jack. (00:11:42) >> You too, Emma. Hope to see you again. (00:11:44) See, now we have a full friendly (00:11:47) conversation. (00:11:49) >> I think our friends are ready to try it (00:11:51) themselves. (00:11:52) >> Okay, Jack. We've talked so much about (00:11:55) ourselves. I think it's a perfect time (00:11:57) to look closely at some of the important (00:11:59) words we used. (00:12:00) >> A vocabulary deep dive. I love it. Let's (00:12:03) help our friends really understand these (00:12:06) words. (00:12:07) >> Let's start with a word that describes (00:12:09) where we begin. The word is origin. (00:12:12) >> Origin. O R I G I N. It's a noun. Can (00:12:18) you explain it a bit more, Emma? (00:12:20) >> Sure. Your origin is the place where you (00:12:23) start from. It's like the source. For (00:12:26) people, it's the place where you were (00:12:28) born or where your family is from. (00:12:30) >> So instead of just saying I am from (00:12:33) Chicago, I could say my origin is (00:12:37) Chicago. But that sounds a little (00:12:40) formal, right? It does sound a bit more (00:12:42) formal. In everyday conversation, we (00:12:45) usually say, "I'm from Chicago." But you (00:12:49) see the word origin on forms or in (00:12:52) books. For example, what is your country (00:12:55) of origin? (00:12:56) >> So, it's very good to understand, but (00:12:59) maybe you use I'm from more often when (00:13:02) speaking. (00:13:03) >> Exactly. Let's practice. Jack, what is (00:13:07) your origin? My origin is Chicago, (00:13:10) Illinois. What about you, Emma? (00:13:12) >> My origin is the small town of Maple (00:13:14) Creek. It's a part of my story. (00:13:17) >> Great. Now, let's move to a more fun (00:13:20) word. Hobby. (00:13:22) >> Hobby. H O B Y. A hobby is an activity (00:13:27) you do regularly for pleasure, not for (00:13:29) money in your free time. (00:13:31) >> So, my job is graphic design. That's my (00:13:34) profession. But my hobby is photography. (00:13:37) I don't get paid for it. I just do it (00:13:39) for fun. (00:13:40) >> That's a perfect example. What's the (00:13:43) difference between a hobby and an (00:13:45) interest? (00:13:46) >> H, that's a good question. An interest (00:13:48) is something you like and want to know (00:13:51) more about. A hobby is something you (00:13:54) actually do. (00:13:56) >> So, I can be interested in space, but my (00:14:00) hobby is stargazing with my telescope. (00:14:03) The interest is the thought. The hobby (00:14:05) is the action. Yes. So, what are some (00:14:08) other examples of hobbies? (00:14:10) >> My hobby is painting. My hobby is (00:14:12) playing the guitar. My hobby is (00:14:15) gardening. (00:14:16) >> My hobby is learning languages. That's a (00:14:18) great hobby for our friends. (00:14:20) >> Definitely. Now, when we talk about our (00:14:23) hobbies, we often use the word enjoy. (00:14:26) >> Enjoy. E N J O Y. It's a verb. It means (00:14:31) to like something, to get pleasure from (00:14:33) it. How is enjoy different from like? (00:14:37) >> They're very similar, but enjoy often (00:14:40) feels a bit stronger or more active than (00:14:43) like. We often use enjoy with an (00:14:46) ingverb. I enjoy reading. I enjoy (00:14:51) cooking. I enjoy walking in the park. (00:14:54) >> So for our friends, you can say I like (00:14:57) books or I enjoy reading books. Both are (00:15:02) correct. Perfect. Now, let's talk about (00:15:06) family. We have a very useful word, (00:15:09) siblings. (00:15:10) >> Siblings. S I B L I N G S. This word is (00:15:17) so helpful. It means your brothers and (00:15:19) sisters. (00:15:20) >> Why is it useful? (00:15:21) >> Because it's one word for both brothers (00:15:24) and sisters. Instead of saying, "I have (00:15:28) two brothers and one sister," you can (00:15:31) just say, "I have three siblings." It's (00:15:34) shorter and easier. (00:15:35) >> That's true. So, instead of just saying, (00:15:38) "I have any siblings," they're asking if (00:15:41) you have brothers or sisters. (00:15:44) >> Exactly. What if you don't have any (00:15:46) brothers or sisters? (00:15:48) >> Then you say, "No, I don't have any (00:15:50) siblings. I am an only child." (00:15:53) >> Correct. Okay. Our last word is one of (00:15:56) the most common words in English. (00:15:58) Favorite. (00:15:59) >> Favorite. F A V O R I T E. In British (00:16:06) English, they spell it favorite, but the (00:16:09) meaning is the same. (00:16:10) >> And it means the one you like the most, (00:16:13) the best one for you. (00:16:15) >> We use it for everything. What's your (00:16:17) favorite color? What's your favorite (00:16:18) movie? What's your favorite season? It's (00:16:21) a great word for making conversation, (00:16:23) but be careful with the pronunciation. (00:16:27) It's favorite, not favorite. (00:16:31) >> Good point. Say it with me, everyone. (00:16:33) Favorite. (00:16:34) >> Let's practice all our words with a (00:16:37) small game. I will say a sentence with a (00:16:40) blank and you tell me which word fits. (00:16:42) >> Okay, I'm ready. (00:16:44) >> Okay, number one. I love taking photos. (00:16:48) It's my blank. That's easy. It's my (00:16:51) hobby. (00:16:52) >> Correct. Number two. I really blank (00:16:57) listening to music in the car. (00:16:59) >> I really enjoy listening to music in the (00:17:02) car. (00:17:03) >> Perfect. Number three. My family is (00:17:06) small. I have only two blank both (00:17:10) brothers. (00:17:11) >> I have only two siblings, both brothers. (00:17:14) >> Great. Number four. My country of blank (00:17:19) is Canada. (00:17:20) >> My country of origin is Canada. (00:17:23) >> And the last one, pizza is my blank (00:17:27) food. I could eat it every day. (00:17:29) >> Pizza is my favorite food. (00:17:31) >> Excellent. You know all the words, Jack. (00:17:34) >> And I hope our friends do, too. Let's (00:17:36) say them one more time together. Repeat (00:17:38) after us. Origin. (00:17:43) hobby (00:17:46) enjoy (00:17:52) siblings. (00:17:54) Okay, so today we practiced the most (00:17:58) important skill, introducing yourself. (00:18:01) >> We learned how to talk about your name, (00:18:03) your origin, your home, your job, your (00:18:06) family, your hobbies, and your favorite (00:18:09) things. and we learned some fantastic (00:18:12) new vocabulary to make it easier. (00:18:15) >> Now it's your turn to practice. This is (00:18:17) the most important part. (00:18:19) >> Our question of the day is, (00:18:22) >> can you introduce yourself in the (00:18:24) comments? Please use this format. Hello, (00:18:28) my name is your name. My origin is your (00:18:33) country or city. My favorite hobby is (00:18:37) your hobby. It's nice to meet you all. (00:18:40) >> Yes. Try to use at least one of our new (00:18:43) words. Origin, hobby, enjoy, siblings, (00:18:48) or favorite. We read every single (00:18:51) comment, and we are so excited to meet (00:18:54) you. (00:18:54) >> You are the reason we make these videos. (00:18:57) >> Thank you so much for your time and for (00:18:59) learning with us. You are doing an (00:19:02) amazing job. Keep practicing, be (00:19:04) confident, and we will see you next time (00:19:06) on Daily English Talk.