In this lesson we look at useful questions, phrases and vocabulary native English people use to talk about places they have visited. One question you can start with is “Have you ever visited (+ location)” or Have you ever been to… If the answer is yes then another good question is “What is it like?” which means “How is it?” or “What do you think of it?”. When answering, it’s good to choose two or three things to comment on. For example, “The people are friendly and the food is good“.

You can also ask people which places they prefer. For example you could ask “Which do you like better, New York or London?“. You could answer “I prefer London because it has great parks” or “New York is better for food“. In this podcast you will hear the phrases “Osaka beats Tokyo hands down” which means Osaka is much better than Tokyo.

Podcast Dialog

A: Have you ever been to Osaka?

B: Yeah, I have.

A: What’s it like?

B: It’s a fun city. The people are super friendly, the food’s great and there’s lots to see and do.

A: Oh yeah? Which do you like better Tokyo or Osaka?

B: Oh, Osaka, hands down. It’s way better.

Useful phrases

What’s it like? = How is it?

Hands down = It is the best / It wins

The post Podcast 08: Have you ever been to Osaka? appeared first on One Phrase English .

Welcome to another One Phrase English lesson. In this lesson we will be looking at the phrase “How did it go yesterday?“. When you ask “How did it go?” you are asking if someone about an experience they had.

You can also say “Did it go well?” or “Did everything go according to plan?“.

Listen to the audio lesson below to hear how this phrase is used naturally in English conversation.

Dialog

A: How did it go yesterday?

B: My first day of work? It was intense. My new boss shouted at me.

A: Really?

B: Yeah, I screwed up a client order.

A: Don’t worry, it’s early days yet. I’m sure it’ll work out.

Vocabulary Breakdown

If you want to hear more audio lessons that teach you how to speak natural English like a native, you can listen to all our free audio English lessons here.

The post Podcast 07: How did it go yesterday? appeared first on One Phrase English .

Other similar phrases you could use are “Long time no see” or “It’s been a while hasn’t it?“.

You will also learn how to talk about your experiences on holiday.

Check out the dialog and podcast below to study further.

A: Hey it’s been ages how’ve you been?

B: Great, I just came back from a holiday in Hawaii.

A: Really? I’m so jealous of you. How was it?

B: Fantastic. Great weather, delicious food and beautiful beaches. You should go.

The post Podcast 06: It’s been ages appeared first on One Phrase English .

Therefore “what did you get up to last weekend?” means “What did you do last weekend?”.

This is quite a common phrase used more in the United Kingdom although Americans will understand it.

Here is the dialog that appears in the podcast:

A: So, what did you get up to last weekend?

B: I saw that new Star Wars movie.

A: Oh yeah? What did you think?

B: Amazing special effects, interesting story line but the acting could have been better.

The post Podcast 05: What did you get up to last weekend? appeared first on One Phrase English .

Today we are studying the phrase “Would you like to join us?” – 一 緒に行きませんか？

This is a great way to ask your friend out to go to a restaurant, bar, party or any event you are going to.

Study the dialog examples below to understand how to use this naturally in English conversation.

Dialog 01

A: By the way, we’re going to have drinks tonight. Would you like to join us?

B: Sure, I’d love to.

A: Great, see you at 7pm.

Dialog 02

A: By the way, we’re going to have drinks tonight. Would you like to join us?

B: Actually, I have plans.

A: Never mind, next time.

The post Podcast 04: Would you like to join us? appeared first on One Phrase English .

In this podcast you will learn the phrase “How are you finding Osaka” which means “What do you think of Osaka?” – 大阪どうですか

This is a very natural way to ask someone what they think of something such as staying in your home town or anything you like. Listen to the audio and have a look at the dialog below to study how it is used naturally in an English conversation.

Dialog

A: How are you finding Osaka?

B: I’m enjoying it. The food is fantastic.

A: And how are you finding the weather?

B: It’s really humid isn’t it?

A: It sure is!

The post Podcast 03: How are you finding Osaka? appeared first on One Phrase English .

What line of work are you in?

In today’s lesson we learn the phrase “What line of work are you in?” which means “What is your job?” or “What do you do for work?”. It’s a very natural way to ask someone what their job is when you meet them for the first time. Listen to the podcast to hear the correct pronunciation and some tips on speaking.

Dialog

A: What line of work are you in?

B: I’m an engineer. And you?

A: I’m in sales.

Do you want to learn how to speak English like a native? Of course you do. Go to our English study podcast page to learn useful phrases to sound more natural.

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今日のターゲットフレーズ「What brings you to Osaka？」なぜ大阪に来ましたか。

In this podcast, Yoshiko and Alex teach you the phrase “What brings you to Osaka“. That means “Why did you come to Osaka?”. It’s a very natural way to ask that question and a good way to start a conversation with someone at a party.

Conversation 01

A: Hi I’m Yoshiko, nice to meet you.

B: I’m Alex, nice to meet you too.

A: So, what brings you to Osaka?

B: I’m here on business.

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