American English Podcast

Can you believe it? We’ve made it to Episode 200! 🥳 In this milestone episode, I look back on everything we’ve done together in Season 4 (Episodes 151–200). From expressions that made you laugh to cultural stories that made you think, this season has been packed with lessons designed to improve your English and your connection to American culture. Tune in to hear the your favorite episodes this season, stats and what's coming next! :) Thank you so much to everyone who's tuned in this season; it's been a fun ride! Check out Season 4 and All Premium Content to learn more with every episode this Season! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this Five Minute English feature, we dive into one of America’s most beloved seasons: fall (also known as autumn). From pumpkin spice and cozy sweaters to apple orchards and football games, fall in the U.S. isn’t just a season—it’s a whole feeling. You’ll learn: Which is more common: fall or autumn? The sounds, sights, tastes, and smells that define the season. Cultural traditions like pumpkin patches, apple picking, football games, Halloween, and Thanksgiving. The meaning of fall foliage and why U.S. autumn leaves are so special. Personal stories and memories that capture the cozy, nostalgic spirit of the season. Along the way, you’ll hear rich vocabulary, expressions, and phrasal verbs to boost your English while connecting with American culture. Fall in the U.S. is marked by vivid colors, comfort foods, and family traditions. The season is more than dates on a calendar—it’s tied to the senses: smell, taste, touch, sight, and sound. Shared experiences (like stepping on a crunchy leaf 🍂) remind us of the simple pleasures that unite people. This episode is part of the Five Minute English series, which means it’s packed with advanced vocabulary and collocations. Listen several times, pause, and replay to strengthen your comprehension. If you’d like definitions, transcripts, and a vocabulary guide for this episode, check out the 5-Minute English Courses. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever get confused between “apply to” and “apply for”? Or wonder whether to say “argue about” or “argue over”? In today’s episode, we break down these common English combinations with quick, simple explanations and memorable examples. You’ll also learn the difference between “belong to” and “belong in.” By the end, you’ll feel more confident choosing the right phrase in everyday conversations. 👉 Perfect for English learners who want short, practical grammar tips they can use right away. to apply to vs. apply for to argue about vs. argue over to belong to vs. belong in to decide ______ to insist ______ Plus a few bonus ones mentioned in conversation (to have a reputation ____, to stick _____, etc.). Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What happens when you’re attacked by a grizzly bear, left for dead, and forced to crawl nearly 200 miles to survive? That’s the true story, or perhaps just the legend, of Hugh Glass, a 19th-century frontiersman whose incredible survival story inspired books and Hollywood films like The Revenant. In this episode, you’ll: Hear the dramatic survival story of Hugh Glass. Learn and review 10+ irregular past tense verbs in context (ran, tore, bit, beat, lay, wore, told, dealt, stole, and more). Discover how legends grow through “embellishment” — when details get added to make a story more dramatic. Reflect on the moral of the story: true strength isn’t just physical, it’s determination and endurance. 👉 This is the second part of Episode #198 (Against All Odds), so if you haven’t yet, go back and listen to that one first! Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever succeeded when no one thought you could? That’s what it means to do something against all odds. In today’s episode, Shana begins with a bear story from her front yard in Asheville (yes, one even climbed into her car!), then moves into a lighthearted pun about “bare feet.” From there, you’ll dive deep into the expression against all odds. You’ll learn its meaning, history, and how to use it naturally in daily conversation. Shana shares incredible real-life examples: the Donner Party pioneers who survived a brutal winter, Eminem rising to the top of rap, the “Miracle on Ice” U.S. hockey victory, and more inspiring stories including Walt Disney, Elvis Presley, Diana Nyad, and Aron Ralston. By the end, you’ll not only understand the phrase against all odds, but you’ll also feel motivated by stories of triumph in the face of impossible challenges. Stick around for the pronunciation practice to make sure the phrase rolls off your tongue like a native speaker’s—and get ready for next week’s tale of Hugh Glass, the legendary frontiersman who inspired The Revenant. Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Think you’ve mastered English prepositions? Think again. In this episode, I sit down with my husband Lucas (an advanced English speaker) to tackle 5 prepositions even fluent speakers still get wrong. We’ll cover:✅ Invest ____✅ Be interested ____✅ Participate ____ / Take part ____✅ Spend money ____✅ Depend ____ / Rely ____ And a few more that came UP naturally in conversation. Can you find them? You’ll hear real-life examples, fun U.S. culture facts, and some entertaining stories. This is just the tip of the iceberg, but the goal is to have you stop second-guessing yourself and start sounding more natural when you speak. What do you think? 👉 Don’t forget to subscribe for more lessons on American English, culture, and expressions! Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In today's episode, you’ll hear the incredible story of a man named Larry Walters, or "Lawn Chair" Larry, who bought over 40 weather balloons, attached them to a lawn chair in his backyard and flew 16,000 feet up in the air. The story is weird and funny, and it gives way to a larger discussion about “Cluster Ballooning.” I’ll explain challenging words and phrases as I go along!*****Premium Content: This episode is part of By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation. All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Season 3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this wild episode, we dive deep into the Burmese python invasion in Florida’s Everglades, which is one of the most unexpected and dramatic ecological crises in U.S. history. It all started with exotic pet owners, relaxed laws in the '80s and '90s, and one catastrophic storm: Hurricane Andrew. From there, things spiraled. Thousands of snakes were released, some intentionally, others by accident, and they found paradise in the Everglades. Warm weather, endless food, no predators? That’s a snake's dream vacation... permanently. We’ll talk about: 00:58 - Introduction: Bears, Neighbors & the Python Cowboy 03:23 - The Everglades: An important ecosystem for Florida 05:53 - How Burmese Pythons got to South Florida 06:00 - The rise of python ownership as a trendy, edgy status symbol; Exotic Pets & Loose Laws 09:09 - From Pet to Predator: The Rise of the Python Population 11:17 - Hurricane Andrew & the Reptile Escape 18:25 - How Many Are Out There? Estimating the Python Population 19:59 - Are Pythons Dangerous to Humans? 22:01 - The Python Elimination Program (Paid Hunting) 24:17 - The Florida Python Challenge Explained 25:46 - What Happens to the Snakes After They’re Caught 28:11 - Can We Ever Win? An Uphill Battle 29:44 - Shana’s Creative Snake Solutions 30:22 - High-Tech Tools: Judas Snakes & eDNA 30:58 - Robo-Bunnies and Future Innovations By the end, you’ll see just how complex, challenging, and Florida this whole saga is. //SPONSORS ○ Brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at better help.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self. Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Local Legends Video by Brad Leone (as heard in intro) Cowboy Python Interview with Joe Rogan (most popular segment) All Creatures: A Giant, The Burmese Python (learn more about the snake) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ever heard someone say, “Don’t have a hissy fit”? In this episode, we break down this funny, very Southern expression that describes a dramatic overreaction (think tantrum, or an overreaction). You’ll hear real-life examples—from picky eaters at restaurants to Wi‑Fi meltdowns—and find out how “hissy fit” made its way into American English. Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Yesterday at the library with my girls, a lightbulb went off in my head 💡—fables aren’t just great for kids... they’re perfect for English learners too! This week on the podcast, we’re diving into one of Aesop’s most famous tales: The Goose & The Golden Egg (or The Goose That Laid the Golden Eggs). 🪿✨ It’s short, memorable, and it teaches a timeless lesson about greed—a perfect jumping-off point to learn advanced adjectives like: - Greedy - Selfish - Inconsiderate - Ungrateful - Spoiled - Entitled - Gluttonous - Materialistic - Impatient - Insatiable Whether you want to describe people more accurately, express opinions more clearly, or just sound more natural when speaking English, this episode is packed with real-life vocabulary and pop culture examples (yes, Veruca Salt and Augustus Gloop make an appearance). Mentioned in this Episode ⁠⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠⁠ ⁠⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at better help.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self. Ever wondered what life is like in the middle of the U.S.? Tune in to this week’s episode with Bethany Anderson and discover tornado drills, taco pizza, sweet corn, Amish visits, and small towns bursting with culture. You’ll get fun expressions, new vocab, and a fresh view of Iowa you won’t find on any map! 🌟 About Our Guest Bethany Anderson grew up in Iowa and she currently lives in the town of West Liberty. She owns Anderson Language Center where she teaches English to Spanish speakers living in the U.S. You can contact her through her website, andersonlanguage.com or follow her on Facebook or Instagram. Improve your English with the AE Podcast Season 4 Premium Content⁠⁠ ⁠⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

This episode is sponsored by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/AMERICANENGLISH and get on your way to being your best self. In this immersive summer episode, you'll escape to the sun-drenched shores of an American beach and soak up advanced vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and collocations—all beach-themed and delivered in under 10 minutes (ish 😉). You'll need to use your imagination for this one. You'll look back on your childhood memories and teenage beach days, from building sandcastles and kite flying to sunbathing and snorkeling. Along the way, you'll learn natural U.S. beach expressions and many beach rules in the U.S.! At the end, I'll give a hot tip on where to go if you're between the ages of 18-24 and want to meet lots of locals! 👙 Vocabulary highlights: bathing suit vs. swimsuit, board shorts, Speedo, skimpy🔥 Cultural insights: U.S. beach rules, bonfires, beach snacks, and more.🎧 Perfect for: High Intermediate and Advanced English learners. 👉 For full vocabulary support, exercises, quizzes, and pronunciation practice, check out the Premium Content: All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this casual Chats with Shana episode, I’m taking you along on our sweaty summer trip to Charleston, South Carolina. 🌴 You’ll hear about: Milo’s first vacation (spoiler: he’s a sand-digging pro) Dining outside in 95° heat… while swatting a swarm of flies Why Folly Beach is a top spot for shark attacks—and why we still went A surprise encounter with a horseshoe crab under the pier The iconic rowboat scene from The Notebook—yep, we went! Tasting frog legs and learning about frog gigging The Southern tradition of painting porch ceilings "haint blue" to keep away spirits Plus, fun facts about pineapples, sweet tea, ghost tours, and more! You'll also learn natural expressions like “sweating bullets,” “the cherry on top,” “food for thought,” and “to keep something at bay,” all explained as we go. So grab an iced tea (sweet, of course) and join me for a fun and language-packed adventure through the Palmetto State. 🐊🦈🍍 Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) 10 Must-Know Southern Foods Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You may be wondering: What’s the difference between a buffalo and a bison? That was the first question I had when researching this topic. And the answer is—well, a lot. Despite being from the same family (Bovidae), bison and buffalo have different hair, different horn shapes, and different temperaments. Bison are known to be a little bit moody! So, which one lives in the United States? Technically, bison, but most native English speakers from the U.S. call the bison that roam here “buffalo.” In today’s episode, you’ll learn about these incredible creatures, the mass slaughter of them on behalf of the U.S. government, and their comeback after being nearly extinct. I learned so much while making this episode. I hope you do too! Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, learn the meaning, origin, and everyday use of the expression “to stand one’s ground.” As usual, the lesson will begin with a joke (this one's a pun!). Then we'll dive into the expression. Shana will explain how to use the phrase in real-life situations, and guides you through a quick pronunciation practice. Stay tuned for next week’s follow-up episode on bison—majestic animals that quite literally stand their ground. Mentioned in this Episode This episode was sponsored by NordVPN. To get the best discount off your NordVPN plan - go to ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/americanenglish⁠⁠ - Our link will also give you 4 extra months on the 2-year plan! Plus, there's no risk with their 30-day money-back guarantee. Season 4 Premium Content⁠⁠ ⁠⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It helps you make your oatmeal in 90 seconds and reheat your pizza in 30. Some of you love it; others are skeptical, with concerns it might cause brain damage. What am I talking about? Microwaves, of course! The story of how the microwave was discovered (or invented!) is weird and very funny—and it all went down in Massachusetts. To make this story extra valuable, I've added 20 irregular verbs to it. How many did you catch? If you'd like the full list, the supplementary video, and all of the bonus material to master the irregular verbs you heard in Season 4, sign up for Premium Content! ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, you'll learn how to use the common English expression “the coast is clear,” which means it’s safe to proceed because no one is watching or in the way. After breaking down the literal and figurative meanings, as well as the origin, you'll hear three vivid examples—one featuring a mama bird, a cheating girlfriend, and shoplifting teens. The cultural spotlight of this episode is on Alcatraz, the infamous island prison off the coast of San Francisco. Once home to criminals like Al Capone, Alcatraz was considered escape-proof—until 1962, when Frank Morris and the Anglin brothers vanished in a daring and ingenious escape involving handmade dummies, a raft made of raincoats, and months of careful planning. Despite debris being found and decades of investigation, the trio was never seen again, making it the longest-running manhunt in U.S. history. In this episode, you'll learn about the prison, and how these three men got out! Mentioned in this Episode ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular national park in the entire United States. Every year close to 14 million people go to check out the nature, the wildlife, and to see what life was like back in the 1800s (90 structures have been preserved!). What's really exciting about the Smokies, at least to me, is that they're the birthplace of Appalachian culture. In today's episode, we'll begin with some geography, a little bit of history, and then we'll do a deep dive into folklore, bluegrass, and moonshine (homemade corn whisky), which is very much the reason why NASCAR exists today. It's truly mind-blowing. At the very end of the episode I'll share tips on visiting! Hope you enjoy it! :) Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Hi everyone! Welcome back. I'm excited for another expression episode. Today we're going to be talking about a common one: "Where there's smoke, there's fire." We'll of course, dive into the meaning, I'll teach you about the origin, and we have multiple examples today so that you can hear how it's used naturally in conversation. At the very end, there will be a little pronunciation exercise just for reinforcement. In part two of today's lesson, which will be posted next week, we'll explore the Great Smoky Mountains. Yes, the Great Smokies, the most visited national park in the United States. Stay tuned! Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Welcome back to the second part of our chat about cultural curiosities! This episode is jam-packed with our thoughts on tipping, splitting the bill on first dates (a.k.a. “going Dutch”), personal space, how to handle food in someone’s teeth, and so much more! Hope you enjoy it! Mentioned in this Episode ⁠Season 4 Premium Content⁠ ⁠All Premium Content Seasons 1-3⁠ (+ discount on Season 4) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices