Meaning of FIRSTHAND and SECONDHAND - A Short English Lesson with Subtitles

6,703 views ・ 2020-01-30

Bob's Short English Lessons


Please double-click on the English subtitles below to play the video.

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So in English when you experience something firsthand
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it means that you are seeing it in real life
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and not just seeing it on the news
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or in the movies or in a video.
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Some of you have mentioned before in the comments
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that you would love to come to Canada to see snow.
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In that situation you could say
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that you want to see snow firsthand.
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You don't want to just see snow in a video,
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you don't just want to see snow in a movie,
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you would love to come and experience snow firsthand.
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We also use this expression
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when talking about things like war.
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My experience with war has been to see it on the news
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or to see it in movies.
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I have never experienced war firsthand.
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But if you are someone who is in a part of the world
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where there is war, it is possible
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that you have experienced war firsthand.
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So when you experience something firsthand
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it means that you are seeing it in real life.
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01:01
We have another word, secondhand,
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and this means something quite a bit different.
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When you experience something firsthand
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it means you see it, but when you buy something that is used
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you are buying something that is secondhand.
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Oftentimes when students go to university
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they buy their textbooks secondhand.
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In fact, sometimes they buy their textbooks secondhand
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at a secondhand bookstore.
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Some people buy computers brand new.
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Brand new means that it is totally new.
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But some people buy computers secondhand,
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so they don't mind buying a computer
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that someone else has used for a year or two.
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Myself, I usually buy my books secondhand if I can
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and I usually buy my computers brand new.
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Anyways, if you buy something secondhand
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it means that you are buying it used.
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Bob the Canadian here, hope you're having a good day.
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