Actually English

Many Spanish speakers assume that because a word looks like a word in their native language, it must have the same meaning. These are called "false friends" (or false cognates), and they are one of the biggest hurdles for advanced students!In this episode of Actually English, I’m breaking down the most common traps you’ll encounter in business and education settings. We’re going to clear up the confusion once and for all so you can sound more natural and avoid awkward misunderstandings.In this episode, we tackle:Actually vs. Actualmente: Why you're probably using this one wrong.Career vs. Carrera: Understanding the difference between your studies and your field of work.College vs. Colegio: Where do you actually go to get a degree?Educated vs. Educado: Are you talking about schooling or manners?Introduce vs. Introducir: The correct way to present yourself in a professional setting.Whether you're prepping for a job interview or just leveling up your conversation skills, this episode is packed with the practical, real-life English you need.Enjoyed this episode? Don't forget to follow the show, leave a thumbs-up in the comments to let me know you made it to the end, and share this with one person who is currently learning English!Stay safe, keep learning, and I'll see you in the next one!

Struggling with past modals in English? In today's episode of Actually English, we take a deep dive into Could Have, Should Have, and Would Have so you can finally use them with confidence.Using funny and real-life Google Reviews (from airport complaints to massive dessert portions). Today I explain how native speakers use these structures to express past regrets, possibilities, and missed opportunities. You'll also learn the essential grammar rules behind them, including past participles, and the common slang expression "coulda, shoulda, woulda."Test your skills with the interactive mini-quiz at the end of the episode!Subscribe/Follow so you never miss a Wednesday episode, and leave a review if this helped you make sense of real-life English!

Are you confused about when to use could, should, and would in English? In this episode of Actually English, you'll learn these essential modal verbs through real Google reviews—some serious, some hilarious, and all packed with natural English.You'll discover:✅ How to use could for possibility and suggestions✅ How to use should for advice and recommendations✅ How to use would for preferences, recommendations, and hypothetical situations✅ Common pronunciation shortcuts like couldn't, shouldn't, and wouldn't✅ A quick quiz to test your understandingInstead of studying grammar from a textbook, you'll hear how native speakers actually use these modal verbs in real-life reviews about hotels, restaurants, museums, and more.Perfect for intermediate English learners (B1-B2) who want to improve their grammar, listening skills, and vocabulary with authentic English.🎧 Listen now and master could, should, and would naturally.📚 Want more English lessons through real-life content? Follow Actually English and join us next episode as we explore could have, should have, and would have through even more funny Google reviews.#LearnEnglish #EnglishPodcast #EnglishGrammar #ModalVerbs #CouldShouldWould #B1English #B2English #ESL #EnglishListening #ActuallyEnglishPodcast #SpeakEnglishNaturally #EnglishForAdults

In this episode of Actually English, we continue following Carlos and Maya on their journey to learn real-world English through stories. This time, Carlos heads to a local Pride festival to work on his first big journalism assignment—and along the way, he encounters even more idioms, expressions, and phrasal verbs used by native speakers.Instead of memorizing long vocabulary lists, you'll learn these expressions naturally through context, conversation, and storytelling.In this episode, you'll learn:• Stick out like a sore thumb• Loosen up• Get down to business• Back out• Go the extra mile• Get out of hand• Break the ice• Connect the dots• Catch onPerfect for intermediate and advanced English learners who want to understand native speakers, improve their listening skills, and build vocabulary they can actually use in real life.Listen along and see if you can learn these expressions just like Carlos does.New episodes every Wednesday.#LearnEnglish #EnglishPodcast #EnglishIdioms #PhrasalVerbs #ESL #EnglishListeningPractice #AdvancedEnglish #VocabularyBuilding #ActuallyEnglish #BusinessEnglish

In this episode of Actually English, you'll follow Carlos, a journalist attending his first big meeting with his new boss. Carlos speaks excellent English, but there's one problem: his boss loves using workplace idioms.Luckily, his coworker Maya is there to help him understand expressions like:• Get the ball rolling• Dive in• Behind the eight ball• Cut through the noise• On it• Left and right• More meat on the bone• The cat is out of the bag• Touch baseInstead of memorizing definitions, you'll learn these idioms the natural way: through context, storytelling, and real-life workplace situations.This episode is perfect for intermediate and advanced English learners who want to understand native speakers more easily, sound more natural at work, and build their professional English vocabulary.🎧 Listen along, learn new idioms, and improve your English one story at a time.New episodes every Wednesday.#BusinessEnglish #EnglishIdioms #LearnEnglish #ESLPodcast #AdvancedEnglish #EnglishVocabulary #WorkplaceEnglish #ProfessionalEnglish #EnglishListeningPractice

In this English lesson, we break down one of the most confusing grammar topics for ESL learners in a simple and natural way. You’ll learn how native speakers actually use these expressions in real conversation.In this lesson, you’ll learn:✅ The basic difference between either and neither✅ How to agree with negative sentences naturally✅ “Me neither” vs “Neither do I” vs “I don’t either”✅ How to use either…or… and neither…nor…✅ Common mistakes English learners make✅ Natural pronunciation and spoken English tipsThis lesson is perfect for A2–C1 English learners who want to sound more fluent and confident in everyday conversations.👇 Write your own example sentence in the comments using:eitherneithereither…or…neither…nor…

Three women, two children, two dogs, broken-down cars, wild street dogs, tow ropes snapping on the highway, and hours stranded in the middle of nowhere… this story has everything.If you’re an advanced English learner, this episode will help you:• Improve your listening comprehension with real natural English• Learn advanced vocabulary through storytelling• Understand native expressions and casual speech• Learn useful words like “stranded,” “transmission,” “radiator,” “tow truck,” and more• Hear authentic conversational English in contextThis podcast is perfect for advanced ESL learners who want to understand REAL English the way native speakers actually talk.🎧 Listen and improve your English naturally through stories.

Want to understand the REAL English native speakers use every day? In this episode of Actually English, we break down a viral Reddit “Am I the Asshole?” story to teach you natural English slang, idioms, phrasal verbs, and expressions that English learners rarely hear in textbooks.You’ll learn expressions like:• stand your ground• cause a scene• come to terms with• hard pill to swallow• good egg• bullshit• give upThis episode is perfect for intermediate and advanced English learners who want to improve their listening skills, understand native speakers faster, and sound more natural in conversations.⚠️ Warning: This episode contains profanity and authentic internet slang.Follow Actually English for weekly episodes about:• American English slang• Real conversations• Native pronunciation• Reddit stories• Idioms and phrasal verbs• Listening practice for ESL learnersInstagram: @ActuallyEnglishPodcast

Want to understand how native speakers actually talk? In this episode of Actually English, we break down real English slang, idioms, and phrasal verbs using a viral Reddit story.This lesson is perfect for advanced English learners (B2–C1+) who want to: Understand natural, fast English  Learn slang used in real conversations  Sound more like a native speaker  Improve listening and vocabulary through context ⚠️ Warning: This episode includes real slang, strong language, and adult topics, just like you’ll hear in real life.🧠 What you’ll learn: Slang: fuming, bang, man child Phrasal verbs: figure out, blow up Expressions: take for granted, bad name Real conversational English from native speakers We read a real Reddit post, explain the vocabulary in context, and react to comments—so you don’t just learn English… you understand it.💬 Tell me in the comments: Do you like learning English through Reddit stories?📲 Follow me on Instagram: @actuallyenglishpodcast

Want to improve your English fast in 2026? In this episode of Actually English, we break down the 4 essential skills you need to become fluent in English: reading, writing, listening, and speaking—and how to practice all of them from home.Whether you're a beginner or intermediate learner, this video gives you a simple daily study plan (just 40–60 minutes a day) to build real fluency. You'll also learn how to use AI tools the right way (without becoming dependent on them) to boost your progress.Join me in this episode where we talk about: The difference between active vs passive language skillsHow to improve your English reading with books, AI, and real-life contentSimple ways to practice listening every day (even if you're busy)How to build a daily writing habit (journaling, to-do lists, and more)Proven techniques to improve your English speaking skills alone at homeWhat shadowing is and how it helps your pronunciationHow to find (or create!) opportunities to speak English with othersThe smart way to use AI for language learning