Happy English Podcast

Michael Digiacomo Happy English
  • 4.7 (189)
  • LANGUAGE LEARNING
  • UPDATED WEEKLY

This is an American English Podcast with your host Michael DiGiacomo from Happy English in New York City. You will learn real American English speaking and pronunciation with Michael, who has been teaching English since 1994. This is an English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) podcast that brings you fun, practical, and useful English lessons which are ideal for intermediate and advanced level English learners everywhere. This podcast is perfect for university students, business professionals, homemakers, retirees and anyone who is interested in learning and improving their English skills. Every week, you are going to learn American English idioms, conversational expressions and phrasal verbs. As your American English teacher, I will help you learn real and natural American English  pronunciation and conversational style. You will get the chance to improve your vocabulary and have a clear understanding of practical English grammar. I also help you have a deeper understanding of  American Culture through language learning. Join my podcast learner's study group to practice these lessons with me each week on zoom. Get Happy, Get English. Happy English!

  1. 1004 - Phrasal Verbs to Describe Annoying People

    17H AGO

    1004 - Phrasal Verbs to Describe Annoying People

    Have you ever known someone who interrupts constantly… never finishes their work… or talks to people in a bossy way? We all run into people like that from time to time, right? And in English, we actually have some very colorful phrasal verbs to describe those kinds of behaviors. So, for today’s podcast English lesson, we’re going to look at five very common phrasal verbs that you can use to talk about annoying people. 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

    11 min
  2. 1003 - Practical Uses of the Past Perfect

    2D AGO

    1003 - Practical Uses of the Past Perfect

    By the time I got to the party, Jack had already gone home. Ah, the past perfect tense. Have you ever studied this grammar and thought… When do people actually use this? Maybe you learned something like, “The past perfect is the past of the past.” And technically, that’s true… but that rule is not very helpful in real conversation. Because the truth is, native speakers don’t walk around thinking about grammar rules.  We use certain grammar patterns because they help us explain time relationships in a story or conversation. And the past perfect is one of those patterns. So in today’s podcast English lesson, we’re going to look at several very practical situations where native speakers naturally use the past perfect in everyday 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

    11 min
  3. 1002 - How To Check Understanding

    4D AGO

    1002 - How To Check Understanding

    Have you ever been in a conversation in English and suddenly thought… “Wait. I didn’t catch that.” Maybe someone was speaking too fast. Maybe they used a word you don’t know. Maybe you understood the words - but not the meaning. And in that moment, you freeze.  You don’t want to say the wrong thing. You don’t want to look confused. You don’t want to interrupt. Well here’s the good news. Checking understanding and getting clarification is a natural part of a conversation in any language - even English. And today, I’m going to show you how you can do that. 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

    10 min
  4. 1001 - And Sounds Like In

    5D AGO

    1001 - And Sounds Like In

    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 a tiny word that changes a lot in American English:   and. In everyday conversation and usually reduces to something that sounds like a weak in So rock and roll sounds like rock ’n rollsalt and pepper sounds like  salt ’n pepperham and eggs sounds like  ham ’n eggs The reason is, like other short worlds, conjunctions like and are unstressed.  Here are a few more: you and me → you ’n meblack and white → black ’n whitebread and butter → bread ’n butter 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

    2 min
  5. 1000 - Thank You for 1,000 Episodes

    6D AGO

    1000 - Thank You for 1,000 Episodes

    This is Happy English Podcast, Episode 1,000. Episode one thousand. I honestly didn’t know if I’d make it to ten. When I started this podcast, I had no idea who would be listening… or if anyone would be listening. And now, here we are - one thousand episodes later. And the best part? I’m not doing this alone.  It’s the comments and messages I get from all over the world every week.  That’s what makes this special. Language connects people. And this podcast became a small part of that connection. This week, so many of you sent warm, thoughtful messages. Messages about studying on the train… listening before work… improving pronunciation… gaining confidence with phrasal verbs. I couldn’t include every voice today, but please know - I heard you. And I’m grateful. Yes, thank you for 1,000 episodes 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

    7 min
  6. 999 - Throw on - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English

    FEB 27

    999 - Throw on - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English

    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 throw on. When you throw something on, it means you put on clothes quickly without thinking too much about how you look. You’re not planning an outfit - you’re just getting dressed fast. Like this morning, I woke up late and just threw on a hoodie and jeans before running out the door.And my friend Sarah said she didn’t dress up for the party - she just threw something on at the last minute.Sometimes when I go to the convenience store near my house, I just throw on whatever’s nearby and go. So how about you? When was the last time you just threw something on and headed out? Let me know in the comments, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast.  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

    2 min
  7. 998 - How to Stall for Time When You’re Thinking in English

    FEB 25

    998 - How to Stall for Time When You’re Thinking in English

    Have you ever been asked a question in English and suddenly your mind just goes blank? Has that ever happened to you? Maybe someone says, “What do you think about remote work?” Or, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” And inside your head you’re thinking, “Wait… give me a second…” Well, native speakers don’t always answer immediately either. In fact, we use small phrases to buy time while we think.  We use phrases like, “Let me think…” “That’s a good question…” “I’ve never really thought about that…” Or small words like, “Well…” and “Actually…” These little phrases help you sound fluent - even when you’re still organizing your thoughts. And that’s what today’s podcast English lesson is all about. 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

    9 min
  8. 997 - How Native Speakers Soften Statements in English

    FEB 23

    997 - How Native Speakers Soften Statements in English

    Episode 1000 of the Happy English Podcast drops on February 28, and I’d really love to include you in it. If you’ve been listening for a while and this podcast has helped you in any way, please send me a short message — about 20 to 40 seconds. Just tell me your first name, where you’re listening from, how long you’ve been listening, and how the podcast has helped you. You can record it on your phone in a quiet room and email the audio file to me at michael@myhappyenglish.com. If you’d rather write a message instead, that’s totally fine too. Some of your messages will be featured in Episode 1000. Please send them by February 27. I can’t wait to hear from you. People often say that Americans speak very directly. Have you ever heard that? Have you ever thought that? Well in some cases it’s true, but quite often in every English conversation, we tend to soften our language in order to sound less direct. And that’s what today’s podcast English lesson is all about. Have you ever noticed that native English speakers don’t always speak in extremes? We often use phrases to soften our language like,  “I’m kind of tired.” “It’s a bit cold outside.” Or when someone asks, “Are you hungry?” we don’t always say, “No.” We say, “Not really.” Native speakers soften things all the time.  So today, we’re going to look at five very common softening phrases: kind of, sort of, a bit, a little, and not really. These small phrases can completely change your tone and make your English sound more natural, more polite, and more conversational. 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

    9 min
See All (1K)

Hosts & Guests

4.7
out of 5
189 Ratings

About

This is an American English Podcast with your host Michael DiGiacomo from Happy English in New York City. You will learn real American English speaking and pronunciation with Michael, who has been teaching English since 1994. This is an English as a Second Language (ESL) and English as a Foreign Language (EFL) podcast that brings you fun, practical, and useful English lessons which are ideal for intermediate and advanced level English learners everywhere. This podcast is perfect for university students, business professionals, homemakers, retirees and anyone who is interested in learning and improving their English skills. Every week, you are going to learn American English idioms, conversational expressions and phrasal verbs. As your American English teacher, I will help you learn real and natural American English  pronunciation and conversational style. You will get the chance to improve your vocabulary and have a clear understanding of practical English grammar. I also help you have a deeper understanding of  American Culture through language learning. Join my podcast learner's study group to practice these lessons with me each week on zoom. Get Happy, Get English. Happy English!

Information

  • Creator
    Michael Digiacomo Happy English
  • Years Active
    2014 - 2026
  • Episodes
    1K
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2014 -2026 Michael DiGiacomo, Happy English Language Services Co.
  • Show Website
    Happy English Podcast

You Might Also Like