#357 US State Name Stories - Midwest

Welcome back, travelers! One last time, pack your bags — we’re heading west. Today, we’ll visit the Southwest and the West. In the Southwest, we have: Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. And in the West, we have: Alaska, California, Colorado, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. That’s fifteen states in total! Today, we’ll take a closer look at Texas, Arizona, Colorado, California, Oregon, and Washington. Get the text here: 

This is the third episode of our state names series. This time, we’re traveling to the Midwest. Let’s quickly list all the states in the Midwest: They are: Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. That’s twelve states in total! I’ll just focus on a few of the most representative ones: Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. Get the text here: Speakenglishpodcast.com/357-us-state-name-stories-midwest/

Hi! This is part two of our series about US state names. Today, we’ll explore the Northeast: Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Vermont. That’s eleven states in total! And today I’ll focus on: New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, and Rhode Island. You’ll hear stories of English kings, Dutch settlers, and Native American words that still live on today. Get the transcript here: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/356-us-state-name-stories-northeast/

Are you ready for a trip through the United States? Pack your bags — because today we’re starting a special journey! In this first episode, we’ll travel to the Southeast: Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, and Alabama. Next time, we’ll continue our trip to the Northeast, then to the Midwest, and finally we’ll finish in the West and Southwest. Get the transcript here: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/the-weird-wonderful-origins-of-us-state-names-southeast

Let me ask you something: what’s the easiest way to start a conversation in English? If you said the weather, you’re absolutely right! It doesn’t matter where you are—London, New York, or Paris—at some point, people will always talk about the weather. And it makes sense, right? The weather touches everyone’s life. If it’s sunny, people feel cheerful. If it rains, people complain. If it snows, kids celebrate while adults worry about traffic. It’s a safe, easy way to connect with others. Get the transcript here: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/354-talking-about-the-weather-in-english/

It’s the end of August, and in many countries in the Northern Hemisphere — like the U.S., Canada,France, Spain, or Japan — that means one thing: summer is ending. The days are still hot, but soon the air will cool down, the leaves will change color, and fall will begin. Get the transcript on my website: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/353-summer-or-winter-it-depends-where-you-live/

I’ll be honest with you—I don’t really enjoy going to the dentist. I think most people feel the same way. It can be a little scary, right? Now imagine you’re not speaking your native language. If you already feel nervous about the dentist, trying to explain everything in English can make the experience even more stressful. So today, let’s go step by step and learn some useful phrases you can use before, during, and after your visit to the dentist. Get the transcript: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/352-dentist-visit

Last time, we talked about false friends—words that look similar in English and your native language, but mean something very different. Get the text on my website: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/351-false-friends Example 1: Actual This one’s a classic false friend. In Spanish, “actual” or in Portuguese “atual” means “current” or “present.” But in English, “actual” means real or true — not “current.” So if you say: 👉 “My actual job is very interesting,” you probably mean: “My current job.”

Hi! I want to talk about something that can really help you understand English vocabulary better — especially if you speak a Romance language like Spanish, Portuguese, French, Italian, or Romanian. These languages all come from Latin — you know, the language spoken by the Romans a long time ago. That’s why we call them Romance languages. Get the transcript on my website: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/350-false-friends

Some students like to read while they listen. Others prefer to read afterward. It’s totally up to you. You might find it helps connect the sounds and the spelling—or just gives you more confidence. And one last thing before we jump in: Even if it feels like you’re learning slowly… you’re not. Small steps really do add up. Read the full text on my website: https://speakenglishpodcast.com/349-learn-english-with-small-daily-habits/