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Hey, Michelle.
How's it going today?
Everything's good, Lindsay.
Everything's good.
Well, so should we just get started already?
I know we've been talking for a while.
Yeah, let's get started already.
Come on.
Let's go.
Let's get into it, Michelle.
Awesome.
Guys, today we are going to talk about a really fun way to use the word already in conversations.
And we're going to talk about this because it came up in a One of those where it came up in a previous episode and we both got excited.
Do you remember?
And here we go.
So we felt it was good to focus on.
Yeah, we love it.
That's the best way that episode ideas come up.
Of course, second to listener questions.
Sometimes spontaneously in episodes, we have an idea.
And then we encourage you all to hit follow.
So make sure you hit follow now so you don't miss the next best idea that might come out of this episode.
We'll see what comes up.
So Michelle, it felt like a weird use of the word already or something.
Maybe a lot of our listeners are not familiar with where you placed it in that conversation.
Right.
Yeah.
Right.
A little bit different because it was at the end.
I could have just said, should we get started?
But adding already that it did something to that.
So when you use the word already in that way, what do you think it shows?
Yeah.
I mean, I think maybe it shows that something is a bit urgent.
Maybe you're even a little irritated that you haven't.
Maybe you're trying to say to me hey, we need to start.
We haven't started yet.
Or you're just ready to go, right?
Right, exactly.
Maybe just, okay, all right, I'm ready to go, ready to jump into it, depending on the context.
Let's say we were trying to start the episode and you just kept on stalling for some reason.
Oh, Michelle, I have to go do that.
And I said, okay, should we get started already?
Exactly.
Exactly.
That would be, you know, why I might say it, but it really depends.
I could just be excited.
Yeah, you're placing emphasis on the fact that it's time to do something.
Now I think before we go into this more slangy or colloquial use of already, we should talk about how it's used most of the time, like grammatically, Michelle.
I mean, how would you use it in the more traditional form, the word already?
So it would be to talk about time.
So maybe I already called him or have you called him yet?
Yeah, I already called him.
I already I already called him.
I already called him.
It happened.
Or I could say by the time I arrived at the vet's office, the vet was already there.
Right.
So maybe you didn't expect the vet to be there for some reason and they were there.
They were already there earlier than you expected.
Exactly.
So and so that would be a very traditional way of using it.
But here we're talking about this. colloquial kind of slangy way of using it.
So definitely good.
Um, it could also, I mean.
So again, it's just about getting started and you also have to read the tone of voice, right?
We always talk about the tone of voice.
So should we do this already?
Should we do that already?
Right.
You have to put a little emphasis on the already.
Sure.
Yeah.
Um, it is out there, you know, in the cultural zeitgeist, you might find it sometimes.
So let's give some examples here, Michelle, with that tone of voice, because you're right.
You can't just say it in a flat way.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Exactly.
So here we go.
Get off the phone already.
That sounds like a brother talking to a sister or vice versa.
Right.
You know, you're, you're hogging the line, the home line.
Right.
I'm imagining.
Yep.
Yes.
Yes.
The landlines and you're just like, get off the phone already, right?
Yeah, totally.
It feels like a 90s movie or something.
Or maybe you just went on a date last night and it went great and you texted the person and you said hey, I had a really nice time last night.
And you're saying to your phone, text me back already.
Or to your friend, maybe your friend's staying there.
You're not talking to your phone.
You're talking to the person that should text you back.
Right.
You're like waiting on them.
Exactly.
You're showing this sense of urgency, this sense of discomfort that something hasn't happened yet.
Yes.
Yeah.
Or book your ticket already.
We're so excited to see you.
So maybe your parents are excited for you to come visit them.
Yeah.
And they're just saying, oh, book your ticket already or your friends.
Right.
Totally.
Yeah.
Just, you know, you could say this to like your travel partner.
Sometimes we're really slow to book our tickets.
So the prices will go up and up and up.
And it looks cheap when we initially look at the trip.
And then when we go to book it, it's like way more expensive.
Right.
Because we just we sit on it and we don't do it.
So yeah. come on, book those tickets already.
Let's do it today.
Right?
Yes, yes, exactly.
So so, as you may be able to see again, this is different than the already that we were talking about before.
So that, again, would be something with time.
I called him already.
Yeah, you know.
But this one is more about that feeling that emotion towards what is happening.
It kind of like a Hurry up.
Yeah.
Right.
Yeah.
Hurry up.
Hurry up and do this.
Whatever it is you're talking about.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Or let's say you're in line with your coworker and you guys are getting lunch and you might just, and you're kind of standing at the menu and saying I don't know.
I don't know.
They might just say, what might they say, Lindsay?
Yeah, I mean, this would be pretty rude if a fast casual restaurant said this to you, right?
But maybe in New York.
Oh, I'm imagining your co-worker.
Oh, your co-worker saying this to you.
Okay, just to be clear.
All right, got it, got it, got it.
Maybe in New York, someone would say that to you behind the deli counter.
Very possible. what do you want already?
Come on.
Right.
So for example, your coworker might say, pick your sandwich already.
We have to be at the meeting in five minutes and just be careful there too.
Right.
If you're not close to the coworker, for some you have to be close to someone to say this to them, to kind of rush them along like this.
Otherwise it will sound rude.
I mean, if you, yeah, if you're close to them, ah, come on, pick your sandwich already.
Let's go.
Right.
Yes.
But If you don't know them, that would be pretty rude.
Yeah.
And the fun thing about this is it can go in front of a lot of things.
You could even shorten that and just say, come on already.
Let's go pick your sandwich.
That's right.
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So Michelle, do you think there's a time not to use this?
We've already hinted that we want to make sure we know the person well.
Yeah, exactly.
I would say it really depends on your relationship with that person.
Also the status.
So boss, you know, I wouldn't say this to your boss.
Oh, let's get started already.
Like you can't go into a meeting and your boss is kind of fiddling around with the papers and you say okay, get started already.
No, no, no.
So again, you have to have more.
It is a little bit... showing that you have this comfort level, a little bit more casual.
So important to consider that you wouldn't say that to someone like a boss.
Yeah.
Michelle, are there any replacements for this?
I mean, are there other things that we could say that sort of...
I really don't think there's a direct replacement for it.
Yeah.
But there are other things that get to the same point.
Right.
Right.
Right.
Exactly.
I wouldn't say that these equal it completely, but it's similar.
So one would be seriously.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So we need to leave in five minutes.
Seriously.
So just to emphasize that.
OK, get going.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Take me seriously.
It's kind of getting to the point of there's urgency here.
Like there's time urgency here.
So let's get going.
Or we have to decide now, seriously.
And the version with already of that would just be let's decide already or we have to decide already, right.
Yes, exactly.
Another thing is just the word please, but said in a specific way.
So if we're going to the text example, Text me back now, please.
Right.
It's showing if you say it with a little emphasis, it's giving a similar vibe to already.
Yeah.
Or saying something like, stop it, please.
I need some peace and quiet.
Yeah.
Nice.
All right, Michelle, what else do we need to know here?
Yeah.
So notice how we kind of need the now if you if we don't have already.
So like, for example, we have to decide now seriously.
Right.
Text me back now.
Right.
It kind of sounds good if you add a now.
But you know, like Lindsay, you noted that that you don't need to say oh, text me back now already.
You wouldn't want to add that.
Right.
Text me back a little bit.
Right.
Yes.
Yeah.
Yeah.
Michelle, when do you feel the most urgency?
Is it in your work life, your personal life, or is it driving maybe?
Yeah, really?
I would say...
Just in my day to day that I think, oh, no, you know what it is?
It's getting out the door in the morning.
What about you?
Oh, my gosh, probably.
Sometimes, when I'm stuck in traffic, I don't drive that much around Denver actually, just because I don't need to.
But when I need to get to like an appointment and if I haven't left enough time, that would definitely be a sense of urgency for me.
Right.
Yes.
Yes, exactly.
I feel that as well.
So let's do a role play here.
OK, here we are shopping together.
All right.
I wonder what we're shopping for.
Maybe nice clothing or something.
All right.
Here we go.
Go for it, Michelle.
I just don't know, Lindsay.
Are these pants nice?
They're perfect.
Just pick one.
Seriously.
Give me a second, please.
Fine.
I wish my friend would text me back already.
I have to figure out my ride.
I can drive you home.
Thanks.
Do you feel like you have days where you're just more impatient than others?
Maybe if you haven't slept well.
Yeah.
Yeah, for sure.
Yeah.
Or if you're hungry or hangry, I don't know if you get hangry.
Yep.
That'll do it.
That'll do it.
I mean, so, but Lindsay, from doing this role play, what would you say our relationship is like?
I mean, we're not boss and coworker, right?
No, no, not boss and coworker and not distant coworkers.
We're pretty close friends, I think, because we're being very buddies.
Yeah.
Very blatant, very upfront, very honest with one another.
Right.
Right.
So we might even bicker like a, like close friends, you know, might, and it means nothing.
It happens in two sides, right?
Yep.
Exactly.
Or we can tease each other a little bit.
So yeah, I'm asking you about the pants and it sounds like you're a little bit irritated.
Maybe I've taken forever.
I've tried on a million pairs and you say they're perfect.
Just pick one seriously.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And I feel like there are also certain seasons of the year when people get more on edge, like the holiday season, you know, the whole month of December.
People are Yes.
Yes.
Everything's crowded and the shopping and everything.
So much going on.
And all the people have holiday parties and they have family stuff and they're on edge from that for sure.
So you might see this more in certain personalities at certain times, certain days.
Super interesting.
Michelle, should we go through the role play?
Oh, yes.
I did the first one already.
I said, yeah, just pick one seriously.
And then I, what did I say next?
And then you said, give me a second, please.
Right.
Um, and then finally I said, fine.
I wish my friend would text me back already.
I have to figure out my ride.
So again, you're just showing your impatience to that friend has not texted you back yet.
Exactly.
Yeah.
So this is a very common type of conversation.
It shows you how all of these can be used.
Guys, check out episode 2479.
That was relationship talk in English.
Close to or close with.
So that's a good one.
Lindsay, what do we want to... leave as a takeaway for today.
I think a huge part of human connection is knowing when you can deploy certain sayings or phrases, depending on how close you are to someone.
I think that's the key for today.
With this one, there's a real line that you need to have that really friendly, pretty close rapport.
But if you do have that, you can deploy this and it'll be something unique and fun, right?
Yeah.
Definitely.
I love it.
Yes.
All right, Lindsay.
Well, this has been fun and should we get off the mic already?
Let's get off the mic already.
Come on, Michelle.
All right.
You have a good day.
I'll talk to you soon.
You too.
Bye.
Bye.
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