This is an All Ears English podcast episode 1171.
If anything, if ever, how natives use these helpful chunks in English.
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Have you ever heard a native speaker using if anything or if ever?
Today, we dig into a nuance of English to help you sound more natural.
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Hey, Lindsay, how are you?
Hey, Michelle, I'm feeling pretty good.
I just came back from a weekend in Philadelphia, which was so fun.
Yeah yeah, we tried the cheesesteaks and we ran the Rocky Steps and all the things you should do when you go to Philadelphia.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's great.
That's great.
Yeah.
Oh, I had a weekend of traveling as well.
I was in a couple places.
Well, I was in Hilton Head, which is in South Carolina, and I was in Savannah, Georgia.
Yeah.
Oh, my gosh.
Yeah, you were really in the south.
It must have been hot down there.
Was it blazing hot?
It was pretty hot, but it felt not too bad.
Actually, it felt pretty comfortable.
But I had a really nice time.
And yeah, and guys, just to let you know, there will be some app videos about my trip.
So you should look out for those.
That's awesome.
Our listeners, I can't wait.
Guys, you should be over listening to the app.
So go over to allearsenglishcom.
Forward slash bonuses to catch Michelle's videos that she took this weekend.
Awesome.
Okay.
I'm excited to see those, Michelle.
I'm excited to put those up in the app.
That's going to be great.
Yeah.
It should be good.
Yeah.
But, you know, it's funny.
Because I did a lot of traveling and I got in really late last night.
But the funny thing is I'm not actually that tired today.
If anything, I actually have a little too much energy, Lindsay.
Sometimes that happens, you know?
Yeah.
Really?
That's crazy.
That's crazy.
I mean, yeah.
So, wow.
Why is that anyways, that you have too much energy?
I don't know.
I guess I'm just excited to record.
I'm just so excited.
Maybe I had a good coffee.
Michelle.
Yeah, maybe you've been having a little coffee this morning.
I don't know.
But hey, recording is fun.
So that's okay.
That's right.
Actually, guys, that was a total lie.
I'm exhausted and I haven't had any coffee.
But I happened to write this when I thought maybe I'd have energy.
And...
But it's because – I don't know if you guys heard this little phrase, this little gem over here.
I said, if anything – Yeah.
So what did you say one more time?
Can you read what you said or just remind us what exactly you said?
Yeah.
I said that I'm not tired today.
And then I said, if anything –
I actually have a little too much energy.
Yeah.
If anything, interesting.
I bet our listeners have not heard this usage before of if anything.
Wow.
Yeah.
And we have a question today about this.
But I will say, guys, that I am energetic now to start recording.
So this definitely helps bring me in.
Out of my exhaustion.
So happy to be here.
So yeah.
So we have this awesome listener question.
Do you use this?
Do you say this, Lindsay, if anything?
Yeah, I totally say this.
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
Yeah, this is a really, this is going to be one of those top episodes.
Very natural, very native that I'm sure our listeners probably didn't learn in school.
So this is going to be great.
Yeah, yeah.
I think it's a helpful little chunk of words.
So Lindsay, could you read the question for us?
Sure.
Yeah, here we go.
So this is from Lorena and she says, I've been a two-year listener.
Your podcast is part of my life.
Can't thank you gals enough.
Sweet kiss to the baby boy.
The other day while I listened to NPR, I heard if anything, it's quite the opposite.
If anything, it's quite the opposite.
That's the chunk that she heard.
Could you please help me with this cute little expression?
If anything, does if ever mean pretty much the same?
Can't wait to see you in China.
Best wishes, Lorena.
Yes, All Ears English needs to go to China soon.
We haven't done that yet.
We'll have to do that very soon.
That would be awesome.
That would be awesome.
All right.
And I'm like, oh, yeah, that's such a good one.
I never would have thought of it.
Absolutely.
I agree with you, Michelle.
This is great.
So let's get into it.
Okay.
So what does it mean?
What does that mean when you say, if anything?
Hmm.
Well, so there are many different ways to use it, right?
But today we're going to focus on just the basics guys, to keep it simple, because we don't want you to start to feel stressed out with this phrase, because it really is just something you know useful.
It's useful.
It's pragmatic to throw into your sentences.
Yeah.
So a great way to use it is when you're saying that something is the opposite, saying something that is the opposite of something else, right?
For example, I think it's so much easier, Michelle, with examples today, right?
Exactly.
Yeah.
Like here's one.
I'm not tired.
If anything, I actually have a little too much energy.
Right.
So that was what I said in the beginning.
So again, so saying I'm not tired, right?
If anything, basically, it's the opposite.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Any other examples here, Michelle?
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
We're going to get to that.
Yeah.
So, I mean, again, so that's basically like the umbrella definition.
But, you know, it can be helpful for many reasons.
And like I said, there are a few different ways you can use it.
But we're going to talk about a couple different ways why this could be helpful.
Mm-hmm.
So one is for expressing an opinion, okay?
So for here, you would say, like, she's not rude.
If anything, she tries way too hard to be nice.
Yeah, so it's the opposite.
So what you say after, if anything, is the opposite of what was presumed, right?
Right, exactly.
And I think usually it's that the first part is a negative part, right?
Not this, if anything, this, right?
Probably, yeah.
Yeah.
And the other way that it's used is, you know, for being a little less direct, a little unsure.
Right.
So, for example, Lindsay, could you read the example?
So here's an example.
She's tired.
So we should probably just go on a short walk today, if anything.
Okay, so this is a little bit different here.
Yeah, that's different.
So that's kind of like saying if we do anything, right?
Right, exactly.
So I wanted to give you a little bit of a taste of like, how it could be a little bit different, right?
Yeah.
But, you know...
You get the point like that it's just if we do anything, it would be this, right?
Definitely.
Definitely.
Okay.
I like it.
And then is there another slightly different way to use it too?
Right.
This one is to say if at all, which is kind of like the last one we just did, which I just realized.
But for example –
I'm not very hungry.
I'll just have a small breakfast, if anything.
I'm having a full brunch later.
Yeah.
Okay.
So different from the original example when we opened up.
So I'll just have a small breakfast if I have anything, right?
That's kind of the same as saying – so we just cut out if I have anything.
We just say if anything.
Okay.
Right, right, right.
So we did give you a couple different uses, guys.
I just realized.
But you know, I said we're gonna just focus, and then I told you a bunch of them.
But that's okay, guys.
Okay.
Yeah.
Well, we gave you some examples.
So this should be good because it is a really dynamic phrase.
Definitely.
So it's kind of important to get a couple different uses.
So let's get into if ever.
Lindsay, I mean, is if ever, is that the same thing as if anything?
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Well, definitely not.
So when I use it in the sense of – I think the more interesting way to use this phrase, as we talked about, is using it to negate something, say the opposite.
I would not use it in that case, right?
Right, right, right, right.
Exactly.
So, yeah.
I mean, for me, yeah.
I think it sounds – more like something is kind of unlikely to happen, right?
You could also say if at all, right?
Yeah.
If ever, if at all.
I think maybe I say if at all more than if ever.
You think so?
Well, I don't know.
I suppose I mix it up.
Yeah.
I think they're both good.
Yeah.
Well, so this one is mine.
I hardly go to the gym, if ever.
But Michelle, you told us last week, a few weeks ago, about...
You did go to the gym.
I did.
You tried to go to a Zuma class.
Have you tried to go back?
And then I haven't done anything.
Yeah.
Oh, no.
I felt so bad for you because it's hard for you to get to the gym, right?
And the one time you went, the teacher didn't show up.
I know.
You should try again, Michelle.
You should try again.
Try again.
I will.
I will.
I'm not going to give up.
What's another way you could use this, Lindsay?
Okay.
So I try to only eat red meat once a month if ever.
Yeah.
So, again, this also takes out if I eat it, really, if I ever eat it, really.
Right.
So, it's just kind of shortening things, taking out words in a colloquial way.
Right, right, right.
Exactly.
Yeah.
So I mean you can see that they're different.
You know, if ever is really saying like, if at all like, whereas if anything can be used in a couple different ways.
You know one being the opposite and one being kind of saying like.
If this – I'm going to say if ever now.
Right, right, right, right.
It's more similar to if ever in the other way, which is when you're kind of like talking about –
Why am I losing my train of thought, Lindsay?
That's okay, Michelle.
Maybe we should jump into the role play, because that'll make it more clear, more obvious for our listeners.
Thank you, Lindsay.
I like it.
Let's do it.
Let's do it.
Okay.
So in this role play, what are we doing?
We're at a grocery store buying food for a potluck.
And again, Michelle, what is a potluck?
A potluck is when you go to usually a friend's house and instead of the friend making the entire meal, everybody makes something.
So it can be at a friend's house or really.
I mean it can be like At a party or anything, or even I remember having potlucks in school, but just everybody brings a dish.
Yeah.
Most of the parties that I host, especially in the summertime at the beach, I like to make it a potluck, so that I don't have to be in the kitchen cooking.
I don't want to be in the kitchen cooking the whole day.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So everyone can bring a dish and we all just eat.
So if everyone brings cookies, that's what you're having for dinner.
Yeah, that's the problem.
That's the danger.
Yeah.
Well, so here we are trying to decide what to make for the potluck.
All right.
So, hey, do you think we should make a dessert or a main course?
Um, I'm not that good at baking, Lindsay.
I bake less than once a year, if ever.
Well, we could try.
Come on.
Shouldn't we make something healthy?
Or for a dessert, I guess just fruit, if anything.
Come on, something delicious and chocolatey.
You're not unhealthy, Michelle.
If anything, you're hyper aware of your health.
Okay, fine.
Just this once.
Awesome.
Okay, good.
So this is a good chance to highlight where we use these phrases here for our listeners, right?
So first, you said, I'm not that good at baking.
I bake less than once a year, if ever.
Right.
So basically I could have said if at all.
Or another way to say it would have been like I may bake once a year, but I may not right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I don't want to confuse our listeners, but sometimes I don't know.
Tell me if you think this is true.
I've heard people actually say if anything in that case.
I bake less than once a year, if anything.
Do you ever hear that?
So in that case, it could mean the same thing.
Those two could mean the same thing.
But we'll keep them separate.
Forget I said that.
Don't get stressed, guys.
Now I'm in panic mode.
No, I'm just joking.
Yeah.
I mean, there are, you know guys, there could be times where they overlap.
But I think that the best thing to do is to at first kind of learn really what are the rules.
And then, yeah, but Lindsay is right.
No, you are right there.
Yeah, so you guys are going to learn the rules basically today and then start to observe natives, use this, and then you'll be able to experiment a little bit after that.
So then, Michelle, what did you say next?
I said, shouldn't we just make something healthy?
Or for a dessert, I guess just fruit, if anything.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Okay.
So that's good.
So if we have anything, we'll just have fruit, right?
We'll just make fruit.
Perfect.
So that's pretty straightforward, I think.
Yeah.
So that was the second way of using if anything that we taught you guys earlier.
Right.
And then the next line, Michelle, is the first way that we taught, correct?
The opposite way.
Okay.
So I said, you're not unhealthy, Michelle.
If anything, you are hyper aware of your health.
Right.
So you're saying I'm the opposite of unhealthy.
Exactly.
Exactly.
You're not unhealthy.
You're actually very healthy.
If anything, you are hyper aware of your health.
So guys, remember using this, if anything in this first way that we introduced the episode today is a way to to transition to saying the opposite thing.
Right right exactly, yeah.
I think that's a good, like big takeaway of this is, you know, really thinking about i, i don't know.
I think it brings more color to saying an opposite right, if i could, just you could have said you're not unhealthy michelle, You're hyper aware of your health.
That's fine.
But this adds something, adds something really good to it.
And it kind of like signals the listener what you're about to say.
Yeah, exactly, Michelle.
That's what I think too.
So the way you just said that, right?
You're not unhealthy, Michelle.
You are hyper aware of your health.
It sounds very mechanical to me.
We don't put anything else in there, right?
So by putting this, if anything, it's kind of a bridge.
It gives you a chance guys, to use your intonation, your pronunciation sound more interesting, connect more with the other person.
Yeah.
It also adds a hint of, I don't know, emotion or feeling to what you're trying to say.
Right, right, right.
Yeah.
So, I mean, we could actually do follow-ups on this as I realize now there's a lot to do with this.
Yeah, for sure, for sure.
We could come back to this.
So if you guys want to hear more about this how to use, if anything, to signal that you're going to say the opposite, let us know.
We'll do a follow-up episode.
But I would say today's recommendation, guys, take one of these usages, right?
We talked about…
Introducing the negative, using if anything, or the other way to use if anything and just use what.
Just learn about one of them and then come back to the other once you understand that and you're using it successfully.
Right.
And, as we talked about, it can be used to, kind of like, express your opinions and it can be used to, you know, talk about your habits.
As you can see, if anything I do this.
And, you know, there are lots of different ways to use it that we talked about in the episode.
So really think about what are you trying to express?
Are you expressing an opinion?
Are you talking about maybe...
Maybe you're expressing opinion in a kind of less direct way.
That could also be good, right?
So you know, you got to think about what is the usage here and then decide how you're going to use it in your conversation.
Exactly.
Exactly.
Awesome, Michelle.
Well, thanks for hanging out today and good to be on the mic with you.
You too.
Thanks, guys, for listening.
All right.
Take care.
Bye.
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