50 COMMON ENGLISH PHRASES TO USE IN CONVERSATION

2,319,340 views ・ 2019-10-16

English with Lucy


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

00:02
(upbeat music)
0
2260
2583
00:10
- Hello everyone and welcome back.
1
10468
1942
00:12
Lipstick, lipstick, lipstick, lipstick.
2
12410
3910
00:16
Hello everyone and welcome back to English With Lucy.
3
16320
3430
00:19
Today I have got fifty phrases for you
4
19750
3190
00:22
that you can use in conversation.
5
22940
2390
00:25
Before we get started I would just like to thank
6
25330
2140
00:27
the sponsor of today's video, it's Lingoda.
7
27470
3460
00:30
Lingoda is an online language school
8
30930
1990
00:32
where students can study English, business English,
9
32920
3197
00:36
Spanish, French, and German.
10
36117
1983
00:38
You can take classes 24 hours a day, seven days a week
11
38100
3290
00:41
in their virtual classrooms from anywhere in the world
12
41390
3370
00:44
with native qualified teachers.
13
44760
2540
00:47
Prices start from just eight euros for group class
14
47300
3310
00:50
and you can choose from over 1,000 classes
15
50610
2550
00:53
as part of a structured curriculum
16
53160
2450
00:55
and work towards gaining a CEFR recognised certificate.
17
55610
4230
00:59
You can use this certificate on job applications,
18
59840
2840
01:02
university applications, on your CV,
19
62680
2520
01:05
it can be very useful to have.
20
65200
1890
01:07
The group classes are an excellent size,
21
67090
2510
01:09
a maximum of 5 students
22
69600
2080
01:11
but the average is actually only three students.
23
71680
3200
01:14
One point I'd like to make you aware of
24
74880
1780
01:16
is that the Lingoda business English course
25
76660
2350
01:19
is now more flexible and more affordable.
26
79010
2940
01:21
You can now start the business English course
27
81950
2060
01:24
and speak better English in relevant business situations
28
84010
3480
01:27
from only 79 euros per month
29
87490
2610
01:30
and you can get three free group classes
30
90100
2750
01:32
or one free private class in order to try it out.
31
92850
3590
01:36
I have tried Lingoda myself and I was blown away
32
96440
2630
01:39
by how easy, convenient and affordable it is.
33
99070
3400
01:42
You can get 25 euros off your first month at Lingoda
34
102470
3960
01:46
by clicking on the link in the description box
35
106430
2120
01:48
and using my code LUCY12.
36
108550
2410
01:50
Please note that if you want to try the free classes,
37
110960
2610
01:53
this code can't be used.
38
113570
1670
01:55
Right, let's get on with the lesson.
39
115240
3010
01:58
Firstly, let's discuss some common phrases
40
118250
2370
02:00
for asking how somebody is.
41
120620
3150
02:03
Firstly we have, what's up?
42
123770
2680
02:06
What's up?
43
126450
1390
02:07
This is quite informal and you're likely to receive
44
127840
2400
02:10
an informal answer.
45
130240
1800
02:12
Number two is what's new?
46
132040
2200
02:14
What's new?
47
134240
833
02:15
This is asking for an update on what's been happening
48
135073
3317
02:18
since you last saw that person.
49
138390
2270
02:20
Number three, how's it going?
50
140660
2400
02:23
How's it going?
51
143060
1100
02:24
You might be wondering what it refers to,
52
144160
2920
02:27
it refers to everything which brings me on to my next one,
53
147080
4100
02:31
how's everything?
54
151180
1490
02:32
How's everything?
55
152670
1500
02:34
You can also ask, how are things?
56
154170
3040
02:37
This is very casual and very vague in general.
57
157210
3680
02:40
Or how is life?
58
160890
1800
02:42
How's life?
59
162690
1470
02:44
A slightly more formal one is,
60
164160
2150
02:46
how's life treating you?
61
166310
1830
02:48
How's life treating you?
62
168140
2070
02:50
Or what have you been up to recently?
63
170210
3410
02:53
Now, let's talk about common phrases
64
173620
1870
02:55
to respond to all of these to say how you are.
65
175490
3520
02:59
The most common one, I'm fine, thanks.
66
179010
2370
03:01
How are you?
67
181380
1370
03:02
If you are okay, not amazing
68
182750
2770
03:05
then you can say something like, pretty good.
69
185520
2290
03:07
Yeah, pretty good.
70
187810
1600
03:09
Or number 11 if nothing's changed,
71
189410
2260
03:11
everything is just the same as usual you can say,
72
191670
2980
03:14
same old really.
73
194650
1640
03:16
If things aren't going well then you can use number 12.
74
196290
2930
03:19
Not so great really.
75
199220
1750
03:20
Not very good.
76
200970
1030
03:22
Or number 13, could be better.
77
202000
3150
03:25
Could be better.
78
205150
1450
03:26
Or number 14, if everything's going very well
79
206600
2130
03:28
but you don't want to show off,
80
208730
1660
03:30
you can say something that's very popular now
81
210390
1960
03:32
which is, can't complain.
82
212350
1890
03:34
I can't complain.
83
214240
1430
03:35
Meaning others have it much worse than me
84
215670
1850
03:37
so I'm not going to say anything negative about my own life.
85
217520
3100
03:40
Now, let's talk about some phrases that you can use
86
220620
2370
03:42
to say thank you.
87
222990
1700
03:44
Number 15 we have, I really appreciate that
88
224690
3390
03:48
or I really appreciate it depending on the context.
89
228080
3650
03:51
This is quite heartfelt.
90
231730
1280
03:53
It's slightly more formal.
91
233010
1420
03:54
Another formal one number 16, I'm really grateful.
92
234430
3630
03:58
I'm really ever so grateful.
93
238060
2050
04:00
That's even more formal.
94
240110
1840
04:01
Number 17, if someone has shown you an act of kindness
95
241950
3020
04:04
you can say, that's so kind of you.
96
244970
3330
04:08
Or if you want to imply that you are also
97
248300
2540
04:10
going to return the favour then you can use number 18
98
250840
3290
04:14
which is I owe you one or I owe you big time.
99
254130
4130
04:18
Now, let's talk about some common ways
100
258260
1690
04:19
to respond to thank you.
101
259950
1960
04:21
Now, I have got a whole video on this
102
261910
1990
04:23
which I'll link in the description box
103
263900
2000
04:25
but just a couple to get you started.
104
265900
2400
04:28
Number 19, you're most welcome.
105
268300
2650
04:30
I much prefer this to your welcome which I think
106
270950
2870
04:33
is so overused but I talk about that in the video.
107
273820
3530
04:37
Number 20, very casual, no worries, no worries.
108
277350
4140
04:41
21, another favourite of mine, my pleasure
109
281490
2830
04:44
which can also be shortened down to pleasure
110
284320
2650
04:46
which is very very casual.
111
286970
2050
04:49
And number 22, any time, any time.
112
289020
4000
04:53
Now, let's talk about some common phrases
113
293020
2200
04:55
that you can use to ask for information.
114
295220
2910
04:58
You can say, do you have any clue?
115
298130
2520
05:00
Or do you have any idea?
116
300650
1560
05:02
Those are interchangeable.
117
302210
1790
05:04
Do you have any clue where the supermarket is?
118
304000
2640
05:06
Or do you have any idea about the homework this evening?
119
306640
3480
05:10
Or number 24, this one's lovely,
120
310120
2560
05:12
you wouldn't happen to know X, would you?
121
312680
3140
05:15
So, you wouldn't happen to know about geometry, would you?
122
315820
3720
05:19
Or you wouldn't happen to know William, would you?
123
319540
3120
05:22
Or number 25, I don't suppose you'd know something?
124
322660
4140
05:26
For example, I don't suppose you'd know
125
326800
2460
05:29
where the taxi rank is?
126
329260
1660
05:30
And if people ask you for information
127
330920
1601
05:32
and you don't know how to respond you need to know ways
128
332521
3369
05:35
to say I don't know.
129
335890
1360
05:37
So, here are some common ways of saying
130
337250
1580
05:38
that you don't know something.
131
338830
1650
05:40
26, very easy, I have no idea or I haven't got any idea.
132
340480
5000
05:46
Number 27, very similar is I haven't got a clue
133
346970
3990
05:50
and you will also hear British people say, I haven't a clue.
134
350960
3420
05:54
Sorry, I haven't a clue.
135
354380
1290
05:55
It's even the name of a radio programme, I think.
136
355670
2990
05:58
28, sorry, I can't help you there
137
358660
2540
06:01
or sorry, I can't be any help.
138
361200
2490
06:03
Number 29, oh, I'm not really sure or I'm not so sure.
139
363690
4730
06:08
And number 30, actually, I've been wondering the same thing
140
368420
4790
06:13
or I've been wondering too.
141
373210
1970
06:15
Now, let's talk about some common phrases
142
375180
2230
06:17
for agreeing with people.
143
377410
2160
06:19
You can have number 31 which is exactly, exactly.
144
379570
4870
06:24
Or number 32 which is absolutely, absolutely.
145
384440
5000
06:29
I love this one I use it far too much, I think.
146
389660
2580
06:32
Number 33, usually said with a agreeing finger,
147
392240
4500
06:36
that's so true.
148
396740
1490
06:38
That is so true.
149
398230
2180
06:40
Or an alternative 34, that is so right,
150
400410
3680
06:44
you're so right.
151
404090
1340
06:45
Number 35, if you completely agree
152
405430
2590
06:48
with something someone says, I agree 100%
153
408020
3930
06:51
sometimes shortened down to I 100% agree.
154
411950
3350
06:55
I 100% agree.
155
415300
1700
06:57
That's very slang.
156
417000
1120
06:58
That's only in spoken English.
157
418120
1250
06:59
We wouldn't write that.
158
419370
1280
07:00
36 this is very British,
159
420650
2880
07:03
I'm sure it's used in American English
160
423530
2190
07:05
but it's something we say a lot, couldn't agree more.
161
425720
3550
07:09
I couldn't agree more.
162
429270
1080
07:10
Sometimes we're getting rid of that first I,
163
430350
2720
07:13
couldn't agree with you more.
164
433070
1780
07:14
Or number 37, very informal, tell me about it.
165
434850
5000
07:20
Tell me about it, totally agree.
166
440330
2790
07:23
It's funny 'cause we're not asking you
167
443120
1720
07:24
to tell us about anything
168
444840
1470
07:27
but it's a common way of saying, ah, yes!
169
447750
3310
07:31
I feel the same way.
170
451060
1940
07:33
Now naturally, we need some phrases
171
453000
2690
07:35
for disagreeing with people
172
455690
2480
07:38
and we usually like to do this in quite a polite way.
173
458170
2900
07:41
So, these are some polite common phrases of disagreement.
174
461070
3900
07:44
We have number 38 which is, oh, I'm not so sure about that.
175
464970
3830
07:48
I'm not so sure about that.
176
468800
1470
07:50
The so there is very important.
177
470270
1940
07:52
Or 39, that's not how I see it.
178
472210
3420
07:55
I don't quite see it like that.
179
475630
2510
07:58
Or number 40, we normally stretch this one out,
180
478140
3650
08:01
not necessarily, not necessarily.
181
481790
3473
08:05
That's a great one.
182
485263
2097
08:07
Or number 41, I can't really agree with you there.
183
487360
3810
08:11
No, I can't agree with you there.
184
491170
2940
08:14
Now, one of the most difficult things
185
494110
2370
08:16
that we have in English,
186
496480
930
08:17
this is a huge problem for British people
187
497410
3280
08:20
is ending a conversation
188
500690
2720
08:23
because normally the other person wants to continue it
189
503410
3120
08:26
and it's very hard to convey that you want to leave.
190
506530
2090
08:28
Well, I have three lovely phrases
191
508620
2640
08:31
to help you with leaving and ending a conversation
192
511260
3080
08:34
in a polite way.
193
514340
1470
08:35
Number 42, a great one to say is
194
515810
2360
08:38
well, it was lovely chatting to you.
195
518170
2170
08:40
Well, it was nice chatting to you.
196
520340
2240
08:42
Normally started with well.
197
522580
2310
08:44
Well, it was lovely to talk to you.
198
524890
2120
08:47
Or 43, a word we always use is, right
199
527010
5000
08:52
and then followed by I'd better be going
200
532500
2200
08:54
or I need to get going.
201
534700
1920
08:56
Or number 44, right, I must be off.
202
536620
3680
09:00
I must be off, normally looking at your watch.
203
540300
2720
09:03
And it's a bit awkward now that we have phones
204
543020
1870
09:04
because we often look at our wrists.
205
544890
1720
09:06
Oh, look at the time I must go.
206
546610
2290
09:08
No, watch here.
207
548900
833
09:10
And now let's talk about some common phrases
208
550860
2330
09:13
for saying goodbye.
209
553190
2370
09:15
You've ended the conversation now you need to go.
210
555560
2760
09:18
Number 45 is speak to you soon or speak soon.
211
558320
4800
09:23
Number 46, if you know their family or their partner
212
563120
3250
09:26
or somebody they live with you can say,
213
566370
2040
09:28
Oh, send my love to your family
214
568410
2090
09:30
or send my love to Margaret.
215
570500
2050
09:32
That's a really nice one.
216
572550
1670
09:34
We don't actually expect them to go and say,
217
574220
2960
09:37
oh so-and-so sends his love.
218
577180
2330
09:39
Well, we might but it's just a nice sentiment,
219
579510
2560
09:42
a nice gesture.
220
582070
1180
09:43
Number 47, very basic, bye bye or bye.
221
583250
4440
09:47
That's probably the most common way
222
587690
1740
09:49
that we say goodbye to people.
223
589430
1660
09:51
Goodbye really isn't that commonly used.
224
591090
2340
09:53
I've made a video about this topic as well
225
593430
1690
09:55
with loads and loads of options for you for saying goodbye.
226
595120
3420
09:58
Again, linked down below.
227
598540
2070
10:00
48, a very American one but we're starting to use it
228
600610
3600
10:04
more and more is you take care now.
229
604210
2850
10:07
You take care now.
230
607060
1480
10:08
Probably in Britain were more likely to say, take care
231
608540
3104
10:11
and the you and now isn't so necessary.
232
611644
4316
10:15
49 this one has exploded in popularity
233
615960
2870
10:18
it's have a good one.
234
618830
2150
10:20
What is the one?
235
620980
990
10:21
No one will ever know
236
621970
1200
10:23
but you make sure it's a good one.
237
623170
2680
10:25
And number 50 is talk to you later, talk to you later
238
625850
4040
10:29
and it can be made as an acronym which is TTYL,
239
629890
3250
10:33
talk to you later.
240
633140
900
10:34
No, you don't have to say it like that,
241
634920
1300
10:36
just say, talk to you later.
242
636220
1610
10:37
Right, that's it for today's lesson.
243
637830
2930
10:40
I hope you enjoyed it.
244
640760
960
10:41
I hope you enjoyed learning your 50 common phrases
245
641720
3840
10:45
that you can use in conversation.
246
645560
2130
10:47
Don't forget to check out Lingoda.
247
647690
1520
10:49
You can get 25 euros off your first month
248
649210
3260
10:52
by clicking on the link in the description box
249
652470
2070
10:54
and signing up using my code LUCY12.
250
654540
2830
10:57
And don't forget to connect with me
251
657370
1590
10:58
on all of my social media.
252
658960
1430
11:00
I've got my Facebook, my Instagram and my Twitter
253
660390
3280
11:03
and my personal Lucy Bella Earl channel
254
663670
3130
11:06
where I talk about everything that isn't English.
255
666800
3260
11:10
If you want to learn a little bit more about me
256
670060
2320
11:12
and what I like to do go and check it out.
257
672380
2180
11:14
You might like it, you might hate it
258
674560
1780
11:16
and that's absolutely fine.
259
676340
1520
11:17
I will see you soon for another lesson.
260
677860
1950
11:21
(upbeat music)
261
681154
2583
About this website

This site will introduce you to YouTube videos that are useful for learning English. You will see English lessons taught by top-notch teachers from around the world. Double-click on the English subtitles displayed on each video page to play the video from there. The subtitles scroll in sync with the video playback. If you have any comments or requests, please contact us using this contact form.

https://forms.gle/WvT1wiN1qDtmnspy7