Episodes

  • 981 - Stretching Words - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English

    981 - Stretching Words - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English
    Feb 1 2026
    Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every week with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.

    Today, let’s talk about something fun in American English: Stretching words to show emotion or emphasis. In natural spoken English, we often lengthen the vowel sound in a stressed word. We do this to show feeling - like surprise, excitement, or strong emotion.

    Like, That movie was sooooo good.
    OR I’m not gooing out because I’m reeeeeally tired.
    "Hey Michael! Did you hear? Jenny broke up with her boyfriend." “She diiiid? nooo waaaay”

    So the words don’t change - only the length of the vowel changes. Stretching the vowel sounds gives emphasis and emotion to that word. This is part of the melody and rhythm of American English. Try that, and leave me a comment to let me know how it goes.

    Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Speak Naturally in a Minute. Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • 980 - Long Story Short - English Tips in a Minute | Happy English

    980 - Long Story Short - English Tips in a Minute | Happy English
    Jan 31 2026
    Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every week with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently.
    Today, let’s look at another natural conversational phrase - “long story short.”

    We use long story short when we want to summarize a situation and skip all the details. It’s like saying, “I’m just gonna tell you the main point.”
    • Like, “What a morning! Long story short, I missed the train and got to work late.”
    • Or when talking about a problem: “Long story short, the project took longer than we expected.”
    • You can also use it when explaining how something ended: “Yeah, we were going to go hiking, but, long story short, we decided not to go.”

    You’ll hear long story short a lot in casual conversation, especially when people don’t want to or don’t need to give a full explanation. It helps your English sound more relaxed and natural - just like everyday spoken English.

    So remember, the next time you want to summarize a situation quickly, try using “long story short.”
    Lemme know in the comments how it goes, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s English Tips in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening - and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • 979 - Stick To - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English

    979 - Stick To - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English
    Jan 30 2026
    Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English.
    I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak.

    Today’s phrasal verb is stick to. When you stick to something, it means you continue doing it and you don’t give up - even when it’s difficult.
    • You know, a lot of people make New Year’s resolutions but have trouble sticking to them.
    • My friend Jake wants to stick to his new workout plan… we’ll see how long that lasts.
    • And I’m trying to stick to my goal of studying Japanese for at least 20 minutes every day.

    So how about you? What’s something you are sticking to this year? Let me know in the comments, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Phrasal Verbs in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening - and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    1 min
  • 978 - Casually Talking About the Past in English

    978 - Casually Talking About the Past in English
    Jan 29 2026
    Here’s a fun fact. In 2010, I started Happy English. In 2010. That sounds pretty accurate, right? And saying the date or the year is certainly correct - but that’s not always how native speakers talk. In everyday conversation, we’re often much more casual and even imprecise when we talk about the past. And that’s what I want to introduce you to today - some very informal ways native speakers talk about the past casually in English.

    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    9 mins
  • 977 - Conversational Response Phrases In English

    977 - Conversational Response Phrases In English
    Jan 26 2026
    Let’s go to the beach? Yeah, sounds like a plan. Do you ever notice that when someone makes a suggestion in English, native speakers often answer with very short phrases? Things like:
    “Sounds good.”
    “That works.”
    “No problem.”
    “Sounds like a plan.”

    These responses are everywhere in spoken English — at work, with friends, on the phone, and in text messages.

    Today, let’s look at these very common response phrases native speakers use to respond to ideas, plans, and requests — and how each one sounds just a little different.

    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    5 mins
  • 976 - Wonder vs. Wander - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English

    976 - Wonder vs. Wander - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English
    Jan 25 2026
    Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.

    Today, let’s look at a pair of words that sound very similar, but mean very different things: wonder and wander.

    First, wonder. The vowel sound here is a short, relaxed uh sound - also known as the schwa.
    The one in wonder is like the number one. One wonder. It’s a short vowel sound. One wonder
    “I wonder what time it is.” “I wonder if she’s coming.” One wonder - same short sound.

    Next is wander, wander. The vowel sound here is longer AH sound, like want. I want to Wander.
    Your mouth opens more and the sound lasts longer - I want to Wander.
    “We like to wander around the city.” “He wandered into the wrong room.” I want to Wander.

    So listen to the difference: wonder - wander / wonder - wander / wonder - wander
    The vowel sounds are different lengths: wonder, short. Wander, long. Remember, pronunciation is half listening and half doing, so practice every day!

    Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Sunday’s Speak Naturally in a Minute. Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • 975 - That Reminds Me – English Tips in a Minute | Happy English

    975 - That Reminds Me – English Tips in a Minute | Happy English
    Jan 24 2026
    Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every week with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently.

    Today, let’s look at a really useful conversational phrase - “that reminds me.” We use that reminds me when something in the conversation makes us remember something else. It’s a natural way to change the topic or add new information without sounding abrupt.
    • Like, if your friend says, “I finally finished that book I was reading.” you can say, “Oh! That reminds me, I still have a book I need to return to the library.”
    • Or, your roommate says, “I’m thinking of making pasta for dinner tonight” you can say, “Oh, that reminds me, we’re out of olive oil.”

    “That reminds me” is like saying, “Your comment just made me think of something related.” It’s a very natural way to shift topics in English. Try using it in your English conversations this week.

    Lemme know in the comments how it goes, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s English Tips in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening - and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • 974 - Find vs. Find Out - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English

    974 - Find vs. Find Out - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English
    Jan 22 2026
    Is it find or find out? A lot of English learners have this question.

    Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak.

    So yeah, find or find out? Find means to locate a thing.
    • I just moved here last year and I'm still trying to find a good pizza shop.
    • I found my wallet. It fell behind my desk.


    Find out means discover information.
    • I found out that my grandfather was a pastry chef.
    • Janna found out her boss is gonna quit the company.

    So remember, you find a thing, but you find out information.

    How about you? What are you trying to find? What have you found out recently? Let me know in the comments, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Phrasal Verbs in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening - and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.


    Happy English Podcast – Speak English Naturally I’m Michael from Happy English, and I help people speak English more naturally, confidently, and clearly.

    🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube:
    https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

    📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop:
    https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

    🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses:
    https://www.myhappyenglish.com
    Show More Show Less
    1 min