Episode 39 —Idioms vs Slangs
Beginner+ • 06:04 • 2026-04-20
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🎙️ Mr. English Podcast – Episode 39
How to Use Idioms and Slang Naturally in Everyday Conversations
Hey guys! Welcome back to Mr. English Podcast!
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Today, we’re going to talk about something that can really level up your English…
👉 Idioms and Slang
And more importantly…
👉 how to actually use them naturally in real conversations
Because let’s be honest…
You can know a lot of vocabulary…
But if you don’t understand idioms and slang…
You’ll still feel lost when talking to native speakers.
John:
Hey Jessica, can I ask you something?
Jessica:
Of course! What’s up?
John:
I’ve been watching a lot of English videos lately…
and I feel like… I understand the words… but not the meaning sometimes.
Jessica:
Ahhh… let me guess — idioms and slang?
John:
Exactly! Yesterday someone said, “Bro, that exam was a piece of cake.”
And I was like… why are we talking about cake in an exam? 😅
Jessica:
Yeah, that’s a very common idiom.
“Piece of cake” means something is very easy.
John:
So it has nothing to do with cake at all?
Jessica:
Not at all. That’s the thing with idioms —
👉 the meaning is completely different from the words.
John:
That’s kind of confusing… but also interesting.
Jessica:
It is! And once you get used to them, your English will sound much more natural.
John:
I also heard my friend say, “I’m broke.”
At first, I thought something was broken 😅
Jessica:
Haha, nope!
“I’m broke” means you don’t have money.
John:
Okay… that makes sense.
So slang is just informal English, right?
Jessica:
Exactly. Slang is casual, relaxed language that people use with friends.
John:
So… can I use slang everywhere?
Jessica:
Hmm… not really.
John:
Why not?
Jessica:
Because slang is not appropriate in formal situations.
John:
Like… job interviews?
Jessica:
Yes! Imagine you say:
“I’m broke, so I need this job.” 😅
John:
Oh no… that sounds terrible.
Jessica:
Exactly. A better way would be:
“I’m currently looking for financial stability.”
John:
Got it… so I need to choose the right situation.
Jessica:
Yes. That’s the key.
John:
I also heard this one:
“Let’s hang out this weekend.”
Jessica:
Oh, that’s a very useful one!
“Hang out” means spend time together in a relaxed way.
John:
Okay, I like that one. Easy to use.
Jessica:
Here’s another one:
“Break the ice.”
John:
Hmm… that sounds interesting. What does it mean?
Jessica:
It means to start a conversation and make people feel more comfortable.
John:
Ahhh… like when you meet someone new?
Jessica:
Exactly!
John:
Wait… I think I made a mistake before.
Jessica:
What happened?
John:
I tried to use too many idioms in one sentence…
and my friend looked at me like… “What are you saying?” 😅
Jessica:
Yeah… don’t overdo it.
👉 Using too many idioms can sound unnatural.
John:
So what should I do instead?
Jessica:
Simple:
Listen first
Learn how natives use them
Then use them slowly and naturally
John:
That makes sense…
So learning idioms is not a piece of cake after all 😄
Jessica:
Nice one!
Now you’re getting the hang of it!