When Running Isn't Running - An English Lesson

(sound effect)

Did you see me? I was running.

The English word, "running" though is an interesting

and strange word because we use it for a lot more things

than the thing that I was just doing now.

So if you want to know how we use the word running

in a bunch of different ways, stay tuned.

(upbeat tune plays)

You can probably hear me right now

because my van isn't running, but if I turn the key...

and start my van now you can hear

that my van is running.

Right now my van is running

and it probably makes it hard for you to hear me.

Let me turn it off.

We use the English word "running" when we talk

about machines that are doing what they're supposed to do.

In fact, I came home earlier

and I could hear that the washing machine was running

because Jen was doing laundry.

You could hear that my van was running

after I turned the key because the motor was turning

and the van was doing what it was supposed to do.

So another way we use the English word running is to talk

about machines or appliances in our house that are

doing the things that they're supposed to do.

So today has been a bit of a crazy day.

I've been running late.

I've been running behind all day.

I got up this morning

and I went out for breakfast with my brother

and then we ended up doing some other things

before I came home and then the internet wasn't working

and I needed to make this video and I had a lot

of other things to do, but I was already running behind.

I was already running late.

In English, when you use the word running

in the phrase running behind or running late

you're simply saying that you're doing everything late.

If you have a whole list of things to do,

you're doing every single one

of those things later than you were expecting to.

I did make it to breakfast on time with my brother

but we talked for too long

and then I was running late for the rest of the day.

I'm even running late now.

I have to finish this video quickly

because I have other things I'm supposed to be doing

and I was supposed to be doing them a while ago already.

So anyways I'm running late.

I'm running behind, but that's okay.

That's just life.

Another way we use the word running

in English is in the phrase a running joke.

A running joke is a joke that's told over and over again

between a group of people or between two people.

Jen and I have a running joke here on the farm.

Whenever we see a mouse or if we see a rat

we say we should get more cats.

This is a joke because we already have lots of cats.

We have six or seven cats that live on this farm.

We don't need any more cats

but it's kind of a little joke we tell each other.

It's a running joke.

Every few months we'll see a mouse, we'll see a rat

and one of us will say to the other, "Hmm,

maybe we should get more cats."

It's just a little running joke that we have.

Another way we use the word running in English is to talk

about someone who is in charge of something.

I work at a school.

I'm in charge of running the classroom.

But my boss is in charge of running the school.

He is the one who is in charge.

He is the one who takes all the responsibility.

Jen has a flower farm.

She is running a small business.

So another way we use the word running in English,

we use it to talk about someone who is in charge

of something, someone who is the director or the boss,

the person who is really making all the decisions.

For our farm, that person is Jen.

She is running a small business.

Another way we use the English word running is to talk

about something that's happened over

and over again day after day or week

after week or year after year and is still happening.

I have as of today, walked for 31 days running.

That means for the last 31 days, including today

I have been going for a walk every single day.

On this YouTube channel,

I have been putting English lessons online

for six years running.

That means for the last six years I have put English lessons

on this YouTube channel and I'm still gonna keep doing it.

So another way we use the English word running is to talk

about something that's happening day after day

week after week or year after year.

We also use the English word running

in the phrase "off and running" to talk about something

that has started.

At the beginning of the school year we're off and running.

We have the first day of school

and then we're off and running for the rest of the year.

When you start a new job, you're off and running.

After the first day of work, you're off and running.

It means you've started the job

and you're gonna keep doing it.

So we use the English word running

in the phrase "off and running" to talk about something

that has started.

You can also use this to talk about an actual running race.

You know, the starter pistol went off

and they were off and running.

You can use it for actual running

but we use it for a lot of other things as well.

Sometimes I'm really busy because I have a lot

of "running around to do".

In English, when I use the phrase running around,

I'm simply talking about errands.

I'm talking about things I have to do that day.

Sometimes I think a Saturday is going to be a nice quiet day

and then I realize I have a lot of errands to do.

I have a lot of things to do.

I have a lot of running around to do.

Now you're not actually running when you do this.

I mean, you might be a little bit.

Generally it means I'm going to drive to

different places to do different things that I need to do.

But certainly if I have a day where I'm really

really busy doing a lot of errands,

I would probably say I have a lot of running around to do.

So I opened the fridge this morning

and there was only this much milk left in the milk pitcher.

So we are "running out" of milk.

That's another phrase we use

with the word running in it in English.

That has nothing to do with actual running.

When you are using something in your kitchen

or even something else in your life and it's getting low,

you need to buy some more.

We often say that we are running out.

We are currently running out of milk.

We're running out of peanut butter,

and we're running out of butter, I think.

So it might be a good idea to go and do some shopping today.

So the English phrase to be "running out of"

when you are running out of something means

you still have some, but whatever you're using

you're going to need to buy some more soon.

Well, thank you so much for watching this English lesson

about different ways to use the word running

in English that have nothing to do with actual running.

I hope you were able to learn a few phrases that you can use

in your next English conversation.

Hey, if this is your first time here

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and sometimes I even have time to respond.

Have a good week. Bye.

(upbeat tune plays)