This is an All Ears English podcast episode 2529.
This episode is spicy.
Welcome to the All Ears English podcast downloaded more than 200 million times.
Are you feeling stuck with your English?
We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl coming to you from Colorado and New York City, USA.
To get real-time transcripts right on your phone and create your personalized vocabulary list, try the All Ears English app for iOS and Android.
Start your seven-day free trial today.
Today we break into the world of expressing excitement color, variety and more with a few interesting expressions, plus a brand new one emerging on the scene now.
Listen in today.
What does comfort mean to you?
For me, comfort is sleeping cool, especially in the summer as it gets super hot where i live in arizona.
No tossing, no turning, just deep, refreshing rest.
The avocado green mattress is their best-selling certified organic mattress that delivers luxurious comfort, ergonomic back support and naturally cool sleep.
Plus, it has three comfort options firm, medium or plush.
Comfort is sleeping on organic materials like wool and latex that promote air circulation and moisture wicking without retaining heat.
Say goodbye to night sweats.
Mother nature knows best better for you and the planet.
Head to avocadogreenmattresscom today and check out their mattress and bedding sale.
That's A-V-O-C-A-D-O-G-R-E-E-N-M-A-T-T-R-E-S-S.
Avocado, dream of better.
Hey Michelle, how's it going?
It's going well, Lindsay.
How are you?
Good, Michelle.
Are you a spicy food person?
Do you like spicy food?
I do.
Yeah, definitely.
What about you?
Yeah, I've gotten to like it a bit more since I moved to Colorado because we have a lot of like green chilies from New Mexico.
We have pretty spicy food here, actually, if you look for it.
Yeah.
Oh, that's good.
So today we are going to actually answer a listener question about the word spicy. spice.
Yeah.
Cool.
This question comes to us from YouTube.
Would you like to read it for us?
Yes.
Don't forget, guys, we have a whole YouTube channel.
It's growing fast.
If you prefer to consume the show on YouTube, you can do that.
If you go over and find Allers English and hit subscribe, you'll get every episode in the same way you get them on the podcast.
So this is from AOI.
The listener says, Hello, Michelle and Lindsay.
I'm an English learner in Japan and I've been listening to your podcast every day to improve my English.
Love that.
Love that.
Thank you.
Thank you.
It's so fun to listen to your podcast.
Thank you again.
I have a question.
It's about the word spice.
When I was talking with a friend, he said, it's a spice.
Probably he meant something that makes something else more exciting and interesting, but I keep wondering if there are any other ways to use the word.
I love your podcast and your YouTube channel.
Well, great.
Aw.
Thank you so much.
What a good question.
I mean, so yeah, it's a spice.
That's interesting.
I actually had to look this one up because, Lindsay, have you heard someone say, oh, it's a spice?
I don't think I have, Michelle.
I mean, maybe this is something new that the young kids are saying, right?
Right.
Exactly.
But when I looked it up, I mean, it's interesting. it is something, right?
So I did see examples in the way that this listener mentioned, right?
So, like the listener said, he probably he meant something that makes something else more exciting and interesting.
So yeah, pretty much.
But I just haven't heard it like this.
So we're going to talk more about this in just a second.
But guys, make sure that you hit the follow button or hit subscribe on YouTube, wherever you're listening to All Ears English, so you don't miss anything.
Yeah.
And I think the key here is listening for context, Michelle.
Um, so something.
So someone literally could be saying you know, there's spice in something or something is a spice.
Like what is cardamom?
What is paprika?
It's a spice.
Or they could be using something trendy and slangy, like what it sounds like your friend was using.
Right, right.
Like Lindsay, do you cook with a lot of spices or do you have a favorite spice?
Um, or maybe a spice you don't like.
Oh, a spice I don't like.
What is it?
Anise?
Oh, anise.
It's like the black... Like licorice.
Licorice, yeah.
I don't really like the licorice flavor, no.
Do you not either?
Yeah, I don't eat that.
No, no, no, no, no.
No, that one I think...
A lot of people like licorice, but I just, yeah, it's just not my flavor.
So, yeah.
What about you, Michelle?
Are you a spice person when it comes to cooking?
Yeah.
Yeah, I like to spice things up.
Oh, wow.
See what you did there?
Yep, I do.
I don't know.
Yeah, I feel like I use a lot of paprika, garlic. okay i use is salt a spice oh i don't think so no i think it's more of an element doesn't count as a spice but i do use too much salt yeah um yeah exactly it's an element yeah you're right salt makes everything taste better yeah i'm kind of i could be better about that um but like i know um i i don't i think i don't like i don't like love rosemary um um i don't there's something that like i'm not a huge fan of where you taste and you're like oh i don't is gin no ginger is not technically it i don't know i don't like i think it's in my spice rack so i yeah right it's right it's a root right it's like a root i guess but yeah you can make spice from it learning a lot today we are learning a lot from each other we need a little more information on cooking here I mean, you shouldn't be asking me for cooking advice.
I know nothing about cooking.
So I don't know.
That's funny.
But in the other context, right where it's a spice, it could definitely mean something that is added, that's extra special.
So maybe like pizzazz or something exciting, unique, whatever it might be.
Yeah.
Yeah, let's do some examples.
And again, I will say that I haven't heard it used in this way.
So I'm going off of what I've found other people saying.
So these are my examples.
But yeah, just hopefully this would be what you would really hear.
Exactly.
So her fashion sense is a spice.
I'm always curious to see what she will wear.
Interesting.
Or I have to tell you the news I heard.
Trust me, it's a spice.
I mean, we have to have new slang coming out all the time, right?
Because kids don't want to repeat the slang that their parents use.
I mean, that's the last thing they want to do.
So they have to make up.
Oh, there's a lot going on right now.
Have you heard the six, seven thing?
No.
Oh, my God.
There's something now where kids just go six, seven and they like move their hands in this way.
And like, but it's like going all around like wildfire.
And like, I think it means nothing.
That's what I've heard.
There's actually no meaning.
It's just like people like saying.
Oh my gosh.
Yeah.
They want to invent their own slang.
They don't want to talk like their parents, right?
Because, especially when you get older, you get to be a teenager.
You kind of like roll your eyes at your parents.
At least I did for a while.
That's coming for you, Michelle, I think.
Here's another one.
My husband dyed his hair blue.
It's a spice.
So my husband actually did dye his hair blue.
Oh, geez.
That sounds like a Dan thing to do.
Yeah, he has blue hair.
It was for a charity event, but he dyed it permanently until it grows out.
Oh, my gosh.
Until it grows out.
Michelle, that's scary.
Wow.
The whole top of his head is blue.
I mean, he has very short hair on the sides, but yes.
So it is a spice.
That could take a while.
Are you going to any weddings this year?
No, but he did have it like that for a funeral.
Oh, wow.
Okay.
That's pretty funny.
Interesting.
Yeah, so, but he's a spice in general.
Gotta love him.
So again, I haven't really used it, but it sounds like maybe it's becoming popular and it does make sense.
I mean, it does make sense.
Yeah, I mean it's kind of similar to makes me think of when people say it's a vibe or it's a whole vibe, right?
Do you hear that?
She's a whole vibe.
Yeah, it means it's its own thing.
There's something going on there.
It's above everything. it's out of the ordinary maybe let's say right yeah yeah once my my uh friend described my daughter as a vibe okay yeah she's she's definitely a vibe whatever it means she is you know special personality right yeah oh yeah oh yeah i love it interesting When you first start your own business or go into management, no one tells you how hard but important hiring is.
I've learned that I need to hire for attitude and willingness to learn as much as I need to look for hard skills.
If you're hiring, stop struggling to get your job post even seen on other job sites.
Give your job the best chance to be seen with Indeed sponsored jobs.
They help you stand out and hire quality candidates who can drive the results you need.
If I needed to hire a new software developer, I'd be super specific in my job post with Indeed.
I'd specifically look for someone with AI experience and who has built tools in our industry language learning in the past.
With Indeed sponsored jobs, you only pay for results.
No monthly subscriptions, no long-term contracts, just a boost whenever you need to find quality talent fast.
Spend more time interviewing candidates who check all your boxes.
Less stress, less time, more results now with Indeed sponsored jobs.
And listeners of this show will get a 75 sponsored job credit to help get your job the premium status it deserves at Indeedcom.
Slash A-E-E.
Just go to Indeedcom.
Slash A-E-E right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast.
I-N-D-E-E-D dot com slash A-E-E.
Terms and conditions apply.
Hiring?
Do it the right way with Indeed.
Okay, so there are other things that we say with spice and flair, right?
So you said this at the beginning, you said, I like to spice things up, right?
I think when I asked you if you use spices, which is kind of a fun play on words, right?
Making something more interesting or exciting.
This is a great essay, but maybe we should spice it up with some personal stories.
Right.
So, yeah, you could be talking about actual spices.
Oh, this dish is a little bland.
Let's spice it up.
Add some garlic.
Right.
Yeah.
But it could also be used not for cooking.
Yeah.
What else?
And then there's just spicy, which we talked about the beginning.
So it could be about the taste being spicy, but it could also be something interesting exciting, even sexy.
Or what I really like is when something is like someone is.
Someone pushes back a little bit, like someone is a little testy, their personality is a little spicy.
Oh, you're being spicy.
Or sometimes when I go to the gym, the coach will say, oh, those burpees were spicy.
Right.
Meaning they were hard.
So you'll hear that.
Yeah.
Spicy workout today.
I do hear it like that.
I do.
Yeah.
Something that's like hard, like really hard to do.
Yep.
Yep.
I actually like that use.
It's kind of fun.
It's kind of fun.
Yeah.
So like.
Tell me everything.
I need all the spicy details.
You might also hear juicy, juicy details, right?
Flair is another one.
So let's see.
So for example, not with the word spice, but I wanted to add in a couple.
So have you ever seen the movie office space?
Yeah, of course, with Milton and right, isn't that?
Yeah, of course.
Yes, Jennifer Aniston, remember how they have the pieces of flair?
Yeah, I think I remember that.
Yeah, they're like.
So they work at a restaurant and they have to, like they have with their uniform, they have to have certain pieces of flair um, you know, and they have to have like a certain amount of things that they like wear on their uniform, to like be special or show for, maybe for the specific restaurant.
I can't remember exactly, but Pieces of flair.
We have to recommend that movie to our listeners, guys.
It's hilarious.
If you want to see a movie that is still referenced culturally, especially among Gen Xers and millennials, I would say go watch Office Space.
It's like a cultural icon of a movie.
You kind of need to watch it to be in the zeitgeist a little bit still, I think.
Right.
Right.
That's great.
Exactly.
Like, oh, the stapler, remember?
The stapler is the first thing I think about.
What did he say?
What's the line?
He's like, I was told I would have a stapler, something like that.
Like, I was like, this poor guy.
Poor guy.
And the way he speaks, like, poor, you just feel bad for him, you know?
Oh my god, guys, go watch office space.
Make that your project for the weekend.
We'll call it your fluency building activity.
Right?
Good.
Yes.
Yeah.
So but yeah, flair could be like just like some like another word for kind of spice.
So you'd say This place is looking a little bland.
Let's add some flair.
Maybe more for like seeing something rather than like I don't know that.
I would be like let's add some flair to this meal.
Like, I don't know.
And you might even catch a culture, like people might even be referring to the movie.
Yeah.
Right.
Yep.
If they remember that scene, that's why it's important for our listeners to watch these movies.
Yeah.
Um, this is the kind of thing that could come up in a, in a reference, and you don't want to just be like what are you talking about?
Or two other people are laughing while you're standing there feeling silly.
Um, that doesn't feel good.
Okay.
No, no, no, it doesn't.
Uh, flavor is the last one.
We added some flavor to this speech with a few jokes.
So just you know, adding interest, adding something that's good, maybe a little emotional or something going to make people laugh.
Right.
So It's interesting because yeah, that one, you know, when you hear the word flavor, you think of food, right?
What is the flavor of this?
But it can also be used in this kind of voice.
So interesting how some food expressions can be used, um, to talk about.
Yeah, that is interesting, isn't it?
Yeah.
I love that.
So these are fun.
These are going to add well, it just makes it fun to speak English when we have fun words like this to use.
Right.
So, um, let's show it in a role play.
So here, Michelle, we are talking about our friend's party.
Okay.
Okay.
Here we go.
Oh, it was so much fun.
Seriously, it was a spice.
Definitely.
I love the decorations.
The flair was amazing.
Yes, so much flavor.
I'm glad she spiced it up from last year.
Now tell me the spicy gossip about George.
Okay, here goes.
All right.
So here you're using the trendy new expression that all the kids are using, I guess, right?
I guess.
I don't know.
You should consult with a Gen Z-er here, guys, just to make sure we're on track.
These new things come up all the time.
Aubrey can sometimes clue us in because her kids sometimes... use these things.
But I think language is always changing.
That's the cool part.
And we want to make sure we're adjusting our language for who we're around too, right?
I don't know if I would necessarily use this around my Gen X friends and my older millennial friends, right.
Because they might be like, what are you talking about?
But sometimes they do span the generations too.
That's a really big conversation.
It's like sometimes...
You just were like, I could never say that because I'd feel so ridiculous.
But then sometimes it does seep over into the different generations.
Like my friend calling my daughter a vibe.
Like, you know, it's very interesting how it sometimes works and sometimes doesn't.
Certain ones do and certain ones don't.
It's fascinating.
And how do you know which one's going to go viral and which ones are going to just stay niched down to that generation?
We don't know.
Mm-hmm.
All right.
Then where are we at?
You said you said I loved the decorations.
The flair was amazing.
And then you said, yes, so much flavor.
I'm glad she spiced it up from last year.
Right.
So maybe the decorations were a little boring last year.
Um, so then you said, now tell me the spicy gossip about George.
Yeah.
Spicy is definitely my favorite word here because it can mean so many different things, right?
Scandalous difficult um having an attitude pushing back.
You know there's a lot you can do with by saying something is spicy.
Exactly.
Oh, my gosh.
Well, this is definitely fun.
This is a great question from the listener.
I learned something new today.
Guys, if you don't feel comfortable giving It's a Spice a Try, we gave you tons of other options that have a similar idea.
So, you know, definitely see how you can work these in.
And if you haven't yet, head on over and listen to episode 2522.
That was what to say when you lose your train of thought.
Very important.
What a human episode that was.
I loved that episode because it happens to everyone in every language all over the world every day.
We lose our train of thought.
But what are you going to say?
That's going to determine whether the moment feels awkward and disconnected or whether you feel connected to the person you're talking to.
Right?
That's right.
Good.
All right.
Any final words before we head out?
Yeah.
The final word is just hit the follow button, guys, on the show if you love All Ears English.
And we hope to have more good episodes soon.
We will.
Of course.
All right.
Thanks for chatting with me today.
Bye, guys.
All right.
Bye, Michelle.
See ya.
Bye.
Bye.
Thanks for listening to All Ears English.
Would you like to know your English level?
Take our two minute quiz.
Go to allearsenglish.com forward slash fluency score.
And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything.
See you next time.
The Uniswap wallet makes crypto easier and safer to own and use.
Discover new tokens, research confidently, swap instantly, and manage it all securely in one place.
The Uniswap trading protocol has powered over 3 trillion in volume and it's trusted by millions worldwide.
Buy your first crypto assets in a few taps and experience the freedom of decentralized finance with Uniswap.
Tap the banner to get started.
This next one's for all you CarMax shoppers who just want to buy a car your way.
Wanna check some cars out in person?
Wanna look some more from your house?
Wanna pretend you know about engines?
Nah, I'll just chat with CarMax online instead.
Wanna get pre-qualified from your couch?
Wanna get that car?
You wanna do it your way?
Wanna drive?
CarMax.
