– English Lyrics

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

[Music]

Hello everyone and welcome back to the

Simple English podcast. I'm Lisa and

today we've got a super practical and

very useful episode for you. Let me ask

you something. Have you ever frozen when

someone asked, "Can you tell me about

yourself?" Maybe you were in class or at

a job interview or meeting someone new

at a party and your mind just went

blank. Well, you're not alone. Many

English learners struggle with

self-introductions.

But here's the good news. Talking about

yourself doesn't have to be scary or

complicated. If you learn some simple

phrases, you can sound confident,

natural, and friendly. So today's topic

is learn how to talk about yourself in

English. And I'm not alone. I have a

special guest with me, Paul. He's going

to share his tips, give real life

examples, and maybe even tell us some

funny stories.

Hi Paul, welcome back to the show. Hi

Lisa. Hi everyone listening.

Thanks for having me again. I'm really

excited because like you said, this is

something we all need. Whether it's

small talk with strangers, introducing

yourself on the first day of class,

starting a new job, or even when

traveling, being able to talk about

yourself in English is one of the most

useful skills.

>> Absolutely. And here's the plan for

today. We'll walk you through step by

step how to talk about yourself in

English. Then at the end, we'll share

some fun facts and quick tips to help

you sound more natural. And of course, a

conclusion to wrap everything up. So,

grab a notebook or just listen carefully

and maybe even try to speak along with

us. Are you ready?

>> I'm ready. Let's do it.

>> As always, don't forget to check out the

free PDF file in the comment section

below to get the full transcript and

vocabulary for this episode.

[Music]

Let's begin with the very first thing

people usually ask, your name. This is

the starting point of almost every

conversation.

Paul, how do you usually introduce your

name?

>> Honestly, I keep it really simple. I

just say, "I'm Paul." Or, "My name is

Paul." That's it. If it's a formal

situation, like at work, I might add my

last name. My name is Paul Johnson.

>> Yes, that's a good point. Learners,

remember you don't need to say your full

legal name every time. In casual

conversations, first name is enough. But

in formal settings like interviews, you

can include your full name.

>> And sometimes people also share

nicknames. For example, I could say, "My

name is Paul, but my friends call me

PJ." That gives people a friendly

option,

>> right? I sometimes say, "My name is

Lisa," short for Elizabeth. That makes

it easy for people to remember.

>> Yes. And here's a little tip. After

saying your name, you can add a friendly

phrase like, "Nice to meet you." For

example, I'm Paul. Nice to meet you.

>> Oh, that's perfect. Because

introductions are not just about giving

information, but also about creating a

good first impression.

>> Exactly.

And for our listeners, maybe pause the

podcast here. Say your name out loud. My

name is Nice to meet you.

>> Yes. Practice with us. Don't just

listen, speak.

Okay. After the name, the next common

question is where are you from?

>> Yes, people love asking this. And again,

it's simple. I'm from Canada. I come

from Mexico. I live in Tokyo. Important

difference here. I'm from means your

origin, your home country or hometown.

I live in means your current location.

So you might say, I'm from Vietnam, but

I live in Singapore.

>> Exactly. And you can make it more

interesting by adding something about

your country or city. For example, I'm

from Italy, famous for pizza and pasta.

or I'm from Brazil. And football is a

big part of our culture.

>> That's so good because it gives the

listener something extra to connect

with. If I hear, "I'm from Japan, famous

for sushi," I might reply, "Oh, I love

sushi." And now we have a conversation.

>> Yes. Listeners, try it. Say where you're

from and then add one detail like, "I'm

from Thailand, known for delicious

street food."

See, already more engaging.

Now, let's move on to age. This one can

feel tricky because sometimes people

don't want to share their exact number.

>> True, but in most casual situations,

it's fine. The easiest way is I'm 25

years old or just I'm 25.

>> Yes. But if you want to keep it more

general, you can say, "I'm in my 20s,"

or, "I'm in my 30s."

>> Exactly. You can even be more specific.

I'm in my early 20s, 21 to 23. I'm in my

mid20s, 24 to 26. I'm in my late 20s, 27

to 29.

>> That's a really good trick. Sometimes I

just say, "I'm in my 30s." And people

don't need to know the exact number.

>> Yeah. And honestly, people are usually

just curious. It's not a test,

>> right? So, don't stress. Just pick the

version you feel comfortable with.

All right. Now, here comes a big one.

What do you do? People ask this all the

time.

>> Yes, very common. You can answer with

your job or studies. I'm a teacher. I

work as a nurse. I study computer

science.

And if you don't have a job right now,

that's okay, too. You can say, I'm

looking for work.

I'm between jobs at the moment. I'm a

stay-at-home parent.

Yes. And you can add more details. For

example, I'm a teacher. I teach English

at a high school. Or I work in

marketing. I create social media

campaigns.

That makes your answer stronger because

it gives people a picture of your daily

life.

>> Exactly. And if you're studying, you can

say, "I'm studying engineering because I

want to build bridges." Or, "I'm

learning English because I love

traveling."

>> Perfect.

That way, people don't just know what

you do, but also why. And that makes

conversations more meaningful.

Okay, let's talk about family and pets.

People love this topic.

>> Yes, you can start simple. I have one

brother and one sister. I'm an only

child. I live with my parents.

>> And about pets,

I have a dog named Max.

I have two cats.

I don't have any pets, but I love

animals.

>> Exactly. And you don't need to share

every detail, just one or two facts. For

example, my parents live in Spain, and I

visit them every summer.

>> That's nice. It's short, personal, and

creates a connection,

>> right? And honestly, talking about pets

always makes people smile. If you say,

"I have a golden retriever," many people

will immediately want to ask about it.

>> Haha. Yes. Because pets are universal.

Now we come to one of my favorite parts.

Hobbies, likes, and dislikes. This is

where you can really show your

personality.

Yes. And this part can turn a short

introduction into a real conversation.

Some useful phrases are, I like playing

football. I enjoy reading books. I love

cooking. I'm interested in photography.

>> Great. And for dislikes,

I don't like loud music.

I'm not a fan of horror movies.

I hate waking up early.

>> Me too. I really hate waking up early.

>> Same here. And you can also use prefer

like I prefer tea to coffee or I prefer

staying at home to going out.

>> Yes, that's great for showing choices.

And don't forget, you can add little

stories. For example, I love traveling.

Last year, I went to Japan and it was

amazing.

Yes, stories make your introduction

memorable. Instead of just saying, I

like cooking, you could say, I like

cooking Italian food. Last weekend, I

made homemade pasta.

>> Exactly.

Then the person listening can ask more

questions like, "Oh, how did you make

it?" And now you're having a

conversation.

>> So listeners, here's your challenge.

Pick one hobby you like and add a little

detail or story. For example, I like

painting.

Yesterday I painted a picture of the

sunset. Try it out loud.

[Music]

All right, before we finish, let's give

our listeners some quick tips to make

introductions even better.

Okay. Tip number one, keep it simple.

Don't try to use big, complicated words.

Short sentences are perfect.

Yes. Tip number two, smile and use body

language. Even if your English isn't

perfect, a smile makes you friendly and

confident.

>> Tip number three, practice different

versions. Don't always say it the same

way. sometimes say, "I'm Paul." Other

times, "My name's Paul. Nice to meet

you."

>> Tip number four, ask a question back. If

someone asks you, "Where are you from?"

answer then ask, "And you?" That keeps

the conversation going.

>> Yes. Because introductions are not just

about talking, they're about connecting.

>> Exactly.

And here's a fun fact. Did you know

introductions can be very different in

different countries?

For example, in Japan, people often

mention their company or school. In the

US, people usually just say their name

and job. In some Middle Eastern

countries, people might introduce

themselves with their family background.

>> That's so interesting, and it's a good

reminder that there's no one right way,

but in English, keeping it simple is

always safe.

Yes. And here's one more tip. Record

yourself. Use your phone, practice

saying your introduction, then listen

back. You'll notice mistakes and you'll

improve faster.

>> That's a great idea. And maybe practice

with a friend. Do a role play. One

person asks questions, the other

introduces themselves.

[Music]

>> Okay, let's wrap up.

Today we learned how to introduce

yourself in English. Start with your

name. Say where you're from. Mention

your age if you want. Talk about your

job or studies. Share a little about

your family or pets. And show your

personality with hobbies, likes, and

dislikes.

>> And don't forget our tips. Keep it

simple. Smile. Practice different

versions. Ask questions back. and maybe

even record yourself.

>> Yes, remember practice makes progress.

So, after this podcast, try to say your

own introduction out loud. Even better.

Write it down and then say it without

looking.

>> The more you practice, the more natural

it will feel. Soon, you'll introduce

yourself without even thinking.

>> That's the goal. Paul, thank you so much

for joining me today.

>> Thank you, Lisa. Always a pleasure.

>> And thank you listeners for tuning in to

the Simple English podcast. If you

enjoyed this episode, please like,

subscribe, and share it with a friend

who's learning English. Until next time,

keep practicing, keep smiling, and keep

learning. Bye, everyone.

>> Bye.

[Music]

Okay everyone, it's time to learn some

important vocabulary related to the

topic. The first word of today is

introduce. It means to tell someone your

name and some basic information about

yourself. Example, when you meet new

people, it's polite to introduce

yourself first.

The next word is background. It means

the details of your personal history

such as family, education, or culture.

Example,

she shared her educational background

during the job interview.

The next word is hobby. It means an

activity that you enjoy doing in your

free time. Example, reading is my

favorite hobby because it helps me

relax. The next word is strength. It

means a personal quality, skill or

ability that makes you good at

something. Example, one of my strengths

is that I am a very organized person.

The last word is ambition.

It means a strong desire to achieve

something often related to career or

personal goals. Example, her ambition is

to become a successful businesswoman.

[Music]

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
welcome /ˈwɛlkəm/ A1	verb - to greet someone or something with pleasure
practical /ˈpræktɪkəl/ B2	adjective - based on practice rather than theory
useful /ˈjuːsfəl/ A2	adjective - effective or valuable
blank /blæŋk/ B2	adjective - lacking content or information, or showing no reaction
confident /ˈkɒnfɪdənt/ B2	adjective - having self-assurance
natural /ˈnætʃərəl/ B1	adjective - normal or expected
friendly /ˈfrɛndli/ A2	adjective - kind and pleasant
topic /ˈtɒpɪk/ A2	noun - a subject of conversation or discussion
guest /ɡɛst/ A2	noun - a visitor or participant
tips /tɪps/ A2	noun - small pieces of advice
examples /ɪɡˈzæmpəlz/ A2	noun - instances that illustrate a point
excited /ɪkˈsaɪtɪd/ A2	adjective - very enthusiastic and eager
introduce /ˌɪntrəˈdjuːs/ A2	verb - to present someone or something formally
name /neɪm/ A1	noun - the word or words by which a person or thing is known
job /dʒɒb/ A1	noun - a paid position of regular employment
age /eɪdʒ/ A1	noun - the length of time that a person has lived
hobbies /ˈhɒbiz/ A2	noun - activities done for pleasure in leisure time
personality /ˌpɜːsəˈnæləti/ B1	noun - the combination of characteristics that form an individual's distinctive character