No Te Rindas Intermediate English

The coolest English lesson you will have this month! In this episode Greg and Gabe have a "sit down" (interview) with Alma, a mom from Villahermosa, Mexico who lives in Texas.  She gives her perspective on all kinds of things American, echando luz sobre varios temas como el ritmo de vida en EEUU, her taste in barbecue, big American portion sizes, and the cultural phenomenon of the highwa...

In Episode 35, Greg and Gabe distinguished between "cut" and "slice," two words that are very similar but not identical.  In this episode, they continue, making the distinction between "saw," (serruchar), "chop" (talar, trocear), and "break" (romper, descomponer, desintegrar). Si te aburre la mayoría de los materiales que enseñan inglés, prueba est...

English, like Spanish, makes a distinction between the general act of cutting and the specific action of slicing.  These words can confuse, however.  Do you cut a slice, or slice a cut?  Do scissors "cut" or "cuts"?  If you slice your finger, what do you call the wound?  Si te cortas el dedo, ¿cómo se llama la herida?  Do you have a slice or a cut? Don't forget to read our...

In this episode, we have identified uses of the word "knock" that are frequent in the US but tend not to translate directly into Spanish.  Here are the modismos: she's a real knockout knock on the door don't knock it 'til you try it knock yourself out the school of hard knocks knock me over with a feather Gabo y Goyo explican los modismos y ofrecen más de un ejemplo en cad...

Gabe and Greg so enjoy giving a platform to English teachers who have an impact in the Spanish-speaking world.  Abel Atwater, English teacher, translator, interpreter, and former missionary, uses his deep knowledge of Spanish to support many students via group lessons and an incredible YouTube channel.  Escucha como Abel empezó su carrera, explica su filosofía de enseñanza, y cuáles son sus tips m...

In English, a "diner" can be the person eating or a special place to go eat, as well.  This episode is about the place, not the person.  Diners are highly present in American popular culture (see our blog for examples) and are the setting for key moments in movies and series from cinemas all the way to my sofa. In this episode, Gabo y Goyo discuss the difference between a restaurant and...

In this episode, Gabo y Goyo interview a highly trained and successful English teacher who lives in Venezuela, José Manuel, mejor conocido como ASTROJOC.  Although Astrojoc did not grow up in the US or Great Britain, for example, his mastery of English is native-like and we examine a little bit about how he sounds so natural when he speaks.  We ask his best advice and tips for learning English in...

Review our show and win $20 US!  Easy money!  In this episode, Goyo and Gabo go over four expressions that use the words "water" or "wet."  Their actual meanings have little or nothing to do with H2O!  The words/expressions are "under water," "carry water," "hold water," and "wet behind the ears." Support the show

As we get better in a new language, we come across words or phrases that are persistently hard to distinguish due to  their similar usage.  Under, below, beneath, and underneath are mostly synonymous, but in this episode we peel apart the subtle distinctions between these words as they are used in American English. We also review some common phrases that use the concept of "under" such a...

Resulta que "call" es parte de una gran variedad de modismos en inglés.  En este episodio, Gabo y Goyo definen y ofrecen ejemplos de estas frases: call it a day   call it quits  it’s your call  call the shots  that’s the pot calling the kettle black Ninguno tiene que ver con el teléfono, jeje.  Explican todo. ¡Es más, No Te Rindas Podcast celebra su aniversario (de primer año) con una vi...

English has many words to use as a substitute for the word "male."  In this episode, Gabe and Greg discuss man, dude, guy, boy, fellow, homeboy/homie, gentleman, and bro.  Which ones are formal?  Which ones are appropriate if females are included in a group?  Which ones are offensive if used incorrectly?  Goyo and Gabo break down each word with examples in 3rd person, 2nd person, and, in...

¿Te interesa trabajar con clientes gringos?  Have you thought of preparing for remote work on a "help desk" while living in your country?  This episode teaches several expressions that are taught in corporate training to new help desk agents.  This episode will help you to understand the service culture in the US. Expressions used:   "I can look into that for you" en vez de &qu...

Si quieres lograr el nivel B1 en tu comprensión del inglés, sabes que tendrás que empezar a distinguir entre los varios sentidos de una palabra (o frase) en varios contextos.  In this episode, we converse in understandable English, supported with some Spanish, about how "mean" can signify "cruel," "to do on purpose" (hacer a propósito), and other uses.  Multiple examp...

Si quieres fluír mejor en conversación informal con gringos, checa este episodio y conecta sus ideas con tus ideas más hábilmente usando estas respuestas comunes.  El episodio no solo enfatiza el vocabulario, cual no es avanzado, sino también la pronunciación y la inflección. Part of learning a language is sounding natural during the flow of a conversation.  This episode demonstrates three types o...

Thanksgiving is an unusual holiday because it is associated with the origins of the USA itself.  Listen as Gabo and Goyo talk about the origins of Thanksgiving, their childhood memories of it, and the shopping tradition of "Black Friday," which is always the next day. Los orígenes de El Día de Acción de Gracias Regalos para la Navidad (y sus rebajas) Leer más acerca de El Día de Acción d...

Si te interesa trabajar con angloparlantes en el área de servicio al cliente, checa este episodio.  If you are preparing for work as a customer service or help desk representative in a bilingual capacity, in this episode you will improve your ability to talk to American customers without provoking them to anger, unintentionally. Gabe, who manages a team at a help desk, gives his insight into phras...

In episode 10, Gabo and Goyo explained several popular uses of the word "do" in English.  In this episode, they explain English uses like:  "to do business," a "do nothing," and "do the math." ¿Sabes la diferencia entre "do some exercises" en inglés y "hacer algunos ejercicios" en español?  Chécalo.    Por fin, ¡entra tu nombre en una rif...

El otoño en el sur de los EEUU es hermoso.  Recently, Gabe and Greg reunited for a fun weekend of campfires, nature, and music, in the mountains of Tennessee.  En este episodio, explicamos conceptos en inglés como "crackle," "pop," "sizzle," and "chitter."  Todos tienen que ver con la naturaleza e ir de camping. Hear which forest animal frightened Greg!  Ent...

Lit, bet, cap, no cap:  ¿Cómo, cómo? In today's episode, we talk with two of our children, ages 17 and 19, about words and phrases like these.  Como hombres de Gen X, los anfitriones tratan de entender el sentido de esta jerga modern de sus hijos, y esto provoca mucha risa.  Learn how to recognize slang from 2022 with us!  Support the show

Dude, epic, trippin'... These terms were popularized in the 1980s and should have disappeared by now, but they have not!  Greg and Gabe discuss these terms and several others that are still heard in conversation, movies, and "Grand Theft Auto," jaja. Support the show

The word "stick" is very popular in English in various forms and parts of speech.  In this episode, we focus on phrasal verbs like "stick up for" and "stick by," as well as the idiomatic expression "a sticky situation."  As Gabe and Gabe do sometimes, this show uses a single story (about an ex-boyfriend who sees his love out with another man) to provide cont...

The verb "put" in English has many uses not parallel with "poner." This episode gives explanations and examples of put up (guardar), put up with (soportar), and put back (devolver).  As always, Gabo y Goyo converse in an informative, relaxed style with effective context and repetition. Support the show

"Suppose," "supposedly," and "supposed to" sound very similar in English but mean very different things.  Listen as Gabe and Greg make clear the differences between these three (and more) through their stories, conversations, and use of both synonyms and Spanish equivalents. Please recommend our show to a English-learning friend! Support the show

The verb "to get" in English is so versatile, yet can be confusing, as you know.  ¡"Get" quiere decir tanto!  In this episode, we cover six common uses of "get," including "get" (to purchase), "get it" (entender), and "get home" (llegar a casa).   Este episodio teje estos varios usos por una anécdota del hijo de Greg, Lucas.  Cada explica...

Gabe has just returned from Mexico and Greg from Peru!  In this episode, we use English to discuss four sets of observations about our travels, incluyendo la comida, el transporte, y la naturaleza.  Hear how Gabe used a mix of English and Spanish while traveling to a beautiful cenote to swim, and how Greg met a real archeologist that worked in the ruins of Machu Picchu!   Support the show