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PODCAST

Happy English Podcast

Michael DiGiacomo Happy English

Learn American English with your host Michael DiGiacomo from Happy English in New York City. Michael has been teaching English since 1994. This is an English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) podcast that brings you fun, practical, and useful English lessons which are ideal for intermediate and advanced level English learners everywhere. This podcast is perfect for university students, business professionals, homemakers, retirees and anyone who is interested in

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All Episodes

2:07

920 Sunday Speak - The Schwa Sound- The Secret to...

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/11/02

One of the biggest secrets to sounding natural in English is something called the schwa sound. It’s the most common sound in American English, and it’s a huge reason why native speakers sound so smooth and relaxed when they talk.The schwa sounds like uh - not strong or clear, just soft and lazy: uh. We use it in many unstressed syllables and small words: Like the vowel sounds in umbrella, the a in what [whut], the i in anima [AN-uh-muhl] and the a in Sofa [SO-fuh]. Visit my website for over 3,000

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2:31

919 - 6-7 Is The Hottest Slang From GEN-Z

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/11/01

In today’s Saturday Short, Michael talks about one of the newest slang expressions to hit the English language — “6-7.”You’ll learn where this Gen Z phrase came from, how people use it online, and why it’s more about vibe than grammar.It’s short, fun, and a perfect look at how English keeps evolving.So, what does “6-7” really mean? Let’s find out together!Visit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/

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10:16

915 - How to Use “Get” in 5 Different Ways In English

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/27

Let me ask you something - have you ever noticed how often people say get in English? I mean seriously - we get tired, we get pizza, we get better, we get going, we get caught in the rain, and we get used to the cold. Well, some of us. Get is one of the most flexible and common verbs in English - and native speakers use it all the time in conversation. So today, let’s get into it… and take a look at five of the most useful ways we use get in natural, everyday English.Join my Podcast Learner's

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1:46

912 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Buckle Down

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/24

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak.Today’s phrasal verb is buckle down. When you buckle down, it means you start working seriously and with focus — especially after being a bit lazy or distracted. You stop wasting time and get things done. And we tend to say, buckle down and DO somerthing.Like my buddy

en

9:33

910 - How To Use Should, Wish, And If Only To Express...

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/20

Hey, let me ask you a question - have you ever made a decision… and then later thought, “Oh man, I shouldn’t have done that”? Or maybe you’ve thought, “If only I had done it differently.” Yeah. That, my friend, is regret - and we all feel it sometimes. Regret is one of those universal emotions - something everyone experiences. And in English, we’ve got a few really natural and emotional ways to talk about it. So today, I’ll show you how to use phrases like “I should have,” “I wish I had,” and “If

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1:40

909 - Sunday Speak - The American Flap T Pronunciation

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/19

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English Sunday Speak. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point tip to help you speak English more naturally.Now, in American English, there’s a special sound we make with the letter T. It’s called the flap T, and it sounds kind of like a soft D sound. You’ll hear it in words like better, water, and pretty. So instead of saying “BET-ter,” “WAH-ter,” and “PRIT-ty,” Americans usually say “BEH-der,” “WAH-der,” and “PRI-dee.” This

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1:54

908 - Saturday Short – You Know What I Mean?

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/18

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English Saturday Short, your quick tip for speaking English better.Today, let’s look at a super common phrase you’ll hear in everyday English: “You know what I mean?” We use you know what I mean? to seek agreement or to check if the other person understands us. It’s kind of like soft tag questions, like isn’t it? that keeps the conversation friendly and connected.Like, in the office, you might say: “There’s something strange about

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1:55

907 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Flake Out

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/17

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday with a quick, one-poi nt English lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak.Today’s phrasal verb is flake out. When you flake out, it means you agree to do something - like meet up, help out, or join an event - but then you don’t show up or don’t follow through. Basically, you cancel or disappear at the last minute.Like last weekend. My friend

en

8:27

905 - Creepy, Spooky, and Downright Scary- Halloween...

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/15

With Halloween right around the corner, I thought it’d be fun to do a little Halloween-themed English. So for the next three weeks, we’re going to dive into some spooky vocabulary, creepy idioms, and even take a look at how Halloween is celebrated in the U.S. Let’s kick it off today with something super useful - Halloween vocabulary! Now, you might be thinking, “Michael, I’m not a fan of horror movies.” That’s totally fine! But you know what? These words aren’t just for Halloween. Native speakers

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11:14

904 - How come we can say foods, hairs, and freedoms?

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/13

Did you know? Eating healthy foods can make you healthy, but I heard that drinking certain wines with cheeses can make you happy. Foods? Wines? Cheeses?You know, English is a strange language sometimes. Like, words that are usually uncountable suddenly show up with an “s” on the end. Like…foods, cheeses, and wines? Wait a minute — aren’t those uncountable nouns? Well… yes! But also… no. Let me show you how it works — and why it actually makes a lot of sense once you understand the pattern.Join my

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1:46

895 - Phrasal Verb Friday - Jazz Up

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/03

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English, Phrasal Verb Friday. I’m here every Friday, with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn one new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. Today’s phrasal verb is jazz up.When you jazz something up, it means you make it more interesting, exciting, or attractive. It’s like giving something a little extra style or energy. Like, my friend Lisa was hosting a party last weekend. She jazzed up her living room

en

8:02

894 - What Does Even Mean in Negative Sentences

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/10/02

They didn’t even say thank you. Not “they didn’t say thank you.” They didn’t even say thank you. So… what’s the deal with even in negative sentences?In Episode 880, we looked at how to use even in general - like for comparisons and emphasis. But today, we’re going to zoom in on something more specific… and honestly, something really common - using even in negative sentences.Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/plsgVisit my website for over 3,000 free English

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1:54

890 - Saturday Short - Negative Questions

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/27

We often use a negative question like “Isn’t this…?” or “Aren’t you…?” in conversation. Technically, these are not questions for asking something. They are a casual and friendly way to confirm something or make a suggestion.For example, if you and your friend are at the peir on a sunny day, you might say: “Isn’t this a perfect day for fishing?” You’re not really asking for information — you’re confirming what you already think. OR "Aren't these donuts delicious!”Or if you’re making a suggestion,

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1:58

889 - Friday Phrasal Verb - Slack Off

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/26

Today’s phrasal verb is slack off. When you slack off, it means you become lazy about your work, your studies, or your responsibilities. You don’t try as hard as you should.Like, my friend Eddie started going to the gym in in July, but by the middle of this month, he really started to slack off. And in the office, Jenny was slacking off all week, so now she has to stay late to finish her project. And me? Honestly speaking, I’ve been slacking off on studying Japanese reading and writing. But now

en

7:20

888 - Tag Questions & Negative Questions

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/25

Hey, let me ask you a question - You’ve studied English grammar, haven’t you? And you’ve probably heard tag questions or negative questions before, right? Well, isn’t this going to be an interesting lesson for you!It's a nice day, isn't it? That's a Tag Question, and today, I’ll show you how these work - and how you can use them to sound more like a native speaker. Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/plsgVisit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons:

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9:10

887 – How to Use Unless, As Long As, and In Case

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/24

Unless you have something else to do right now, You should listen to this whole podcast episode. And as long as you’re listening, why not take notes...In case you want to use the phrases from this lesson in your daily English. These three little phrases - unless, as long as, and in case - all help us talk about situations that might happen. But they each have a different nuance, and getting them right can make your English sound much more natural. Let's dive in!Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group

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9:25

886 - Have Got vs. Have- What’s the Difference

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/22

You know what? I’ve got a question for you. Or… should I say, I have a question for you? Hmm. Which one sounds better? Or… are they both OK? For many English learners, “have got” can be a little confusing. I mean, we’ve got “I have a dog,” and “I’ve got a dog”… and both are correct? What’s going on here? Well today, we’re going to break it all down — grammar, style, and real-world usage — so you’ll know exactly how and when to use “have” and “have got.” Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here:

en

2:01

883 - Friday Phrasal Verb - Mull Over

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/19

Hey there! It’s Michael here — and welcome back to another Happy English, Friday Phrasal Verb. Every Friday, I’ll be here with a quick, one-point English lesson to help you learn one new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak.Last week we looked at toy with, which means to consider something not so seriously. Today’s phrasal verb is the opposite of that: mull over. When you mull something over, it means you think about it carefully before making a decision. You’re not rushing. You’re

en

10:40

882 - Fall Vocabulary in American English

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/18

Fall is right around the corner. Soon there will be a nip in the air as you look at the harvest moon, while sipping your pumpkin spice latte. When the season changes, so does the way we talk. So today, before Indian Summer comes, let’s dive into some seasonal vocabulary and phrases that’ll help you talk about fall just like a native speaker.Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/plsgVisit my website for over 3,000 free English lessons:

en

10:44

881 - Speaking Naturally - How Native Speakers Break...

Happy English Podcast ·

2025/09/17

Let me say right now, this ain’t gonna be your average English lesson. And even considering that I’ve been teaching English for over 30 years, I ain’t got no problem sharing this information with you. What I’m trying to say is, would you mind if I break some grammar rules today?In this lesson, I want to show you how native speakers break grammar rules — and why that’s actually a part of sounding more natural when you speak.Join my Podcast Learner's Study Group here:

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811 results

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