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🇺🇸 English for Brazilians · Fluency Level 2

PART 2 · LESSON 19 OF 30 · 30 MINUTES

When the conversation gets personal

A comment about Sam's organization turns into a judgment about who he is, and Ana learns to redirect from labels to events and to separate the problem from personal judgment. Say Sam is disorganized, the chairs weren't there at nine, again, let's focus on what happened, the chairs arrived at nine twenty, because Sam is like that, the concern seems to be the timing of the chairs and not Sam's personality, the truck was late, I called three times, so the problem is the truck, the truck and no one giving notice, that I can fix, I'll let people know right away, that's what matters.

Audio instruction: Brazilian Portuguese

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THE STORY

In the association hall, Dave calls Sam disorganized in front of everyone, and Ana steers the conversation from words about Sam to the timing of the chairs.

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Words and phrases

The lesson is for your ears. Open this afterwards, to see what you learned.
Sam is disorganized. The chairs weren't there at nine.sém iz dis-ÓR-ga-naizd. tha tchérz UÂ-rent thér et náinSam is disorganized. The chairs weren't there at nine.
Again.a-GUÉNAgain.
Let's focus on what happened. The chairs arrived at nine twenty.léts FÔU-kas on uát RÉ-pend. tha tchérz a-RÁIVD et náin TUÉN-tiLet's focus on what happened. The chairs arrived at nine twenty.
Because Sam is like that.bi-KÓZ sém iz láik thétBecause Sam is like that.
The concern seems to be the chair timing, rather than Sam's personality.tha kon-SÂRN símz tu bi tha tchér TÁI-ming, RÉ-ther then sémz per-so-NÉ-li-tiThe concern seems to be the chair timing, rather than Sam's personality.
The truck was late. I called three times.tha trâk uóz lêit. ai kóld thrí táimzThe truck was late. I called three times.
So the problem is the truck.sôu tha PRÓ-blem iz tha trâkSo the problem is the truck.
The truck, and nobody telling us.tha trâk, end NÔU-bâ-di TÉ-ling âsThe truck, and nobody letting us know.
That I can fix. I'll text the moment I know.thét ai ken fiks. áil tékst tha MÔU-ment ai nôuThat I can fix. I'll let you know the moment I know.
That's the part that matters.théts tha part thét MÉ-terzThat's what matters.