Welcome to a new episode of English Vocabulary Booster.
My name is Lara and I'm a SALSA-certified English teacher.
Learning new vocabulary usually takes a long time, but we'll do it in a way that's easy, quick and efficient.
In every episode, we'll learn how to use five new English words or expressions, so that you too can start speaking like a native.
So let's get learning.
Hello, you guys.
How's it going?
I am recording this episode from Menton, France.
So we're getting closer to Italy.
Next week is going to be... We're going to be in Italy.
And this apartment's pretty nice.
Especially the bedroom, which is where I'm in right now.
Because I'm obviously recording this episode from my bed.
What's new?
You know, even though it's a bedroom...
It's really bright.
There's a lot of nice natural light coming in.
So yeah, that's good.
The only thing is that the lady next door has a bird and it's quite noisy.
So if every now and then you hear a, well, that's what it is.
So, before we get started, I just wanted to take a quick minute to thank those of you who have taken the time to leave a review on Spotify.
Well, not a review, but to leave, like to rate my podcast on Spotify.
Apparently it's a new thing.
I didn't even know that you could do it.
Last week, my boyfriend came up to me and he was like, look what you can do now.
So I had no idea, but I saw that some of you had already rated it.
So I just wanted to thank you for, you know, taking some time to rate the podcast.
All right, having said that, let's get started.
Today we're going to talk about competing.
Craig, so are you ready for the typing competition?
Have you been training?
Ugh, do I have to do it?
What's the worst thing that could happen if I don't do it?
Why would you not want to do it?
Because I'm up against Sam.
So what?
Oh, come on.
You know how I feel about Sam.
He's so annoying.
He's always trying to one-up me.
If I tell him I just bought a scooter, he tells me he bought a car.
If I tell him I just got a new phone, he shows me his brand new MacBook.
I'm telling you, that man's so competitive.
Oh, come on.
It can't be that bad.
Plus, It's a stupid office competition.
Yeah, I know.
But if he wins, he's going to rub that in my face the whole year.
And I just, I can't have that.
Okay, are you ready?
Dorothy, please don't eat all the donuts.
It's an office party, not your party.
Okay, so it's finally time for our annual typing competition.
The two finalists are Sam and Craig.
You know the rules.
They will have 20 seconds to copy a text they have on their computer.
They have to type as many lines as possible.
The fastest typist will win two spa passes and maybe an extra donut if Dorothy doesn't eat them all.
Okay, you guys.
Are you ready?
Hey.
Hey, Craig.
Good luck, buddy.
May the best man win.
Sure, Sam.
Whatever.
Ready, set, go!
Three, two, one.
Stop, stop, stop, stop.
All right, let's see.
We've got one, two, three, four, five lines for Craig.
And three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine...
10.
Oh my god, 10 for Sam.
That's really impressive.
That means Sam is the fastest typist in the office and today's winner.
Well done, Sam.
Here are your passes.
Crack, come on.
Maybe next year you'll win.
Not.
Um, Sam?
What?
It's just, um, someone filmed the whole thing.
You know, just for our office YouTube channel.
And, um, we were, um, watching the video and we saw that you, well, that you cheated.
What?
What do you mean?
Well...
You didn't type anything.
You just copied and pasted the whole thing.
So I'm afraid you're going to have to give those passes to Craig.
Ha!
In your face, man!
I think that was too much even for me.
It was three male voices.
I really hope you were able to tell them apart.
Anyway, let's talk about expression number one, to be up against someone.
Because I'm up against Sam.
If you are up against someone, are they on your team or are they competing against you?
Well, if you are up against someone, that means that you and them are competing against each other.
When was the last time you took part in a competition and who are you up against?
So the last time I competed against someone has got to be when I took part in this round tournament.
Now, I am really bad at sports in general.
I've already said this before, I think.
But I don't know why.
I just thought maybe it might be fun if I took part in this tournament.
If you're not familiar with the sport, I don't blame you.
Not a lot of people are.
But basically, there are two teams made up of two people.
So I was playing with this girl that I had just met.
And So we were on the same team.
And we were up against two of the best players in Spain, in the country which we didn't know at first.
But let's just say we realized it about 30 seconds into the game.
Let's just say it was humiliating.
Let's put it that way.
Expression number two, one-up someone.
You know how I feel about Sam.
He's so annoying.
He's always trying to one-up me.
If someone is trying to one-up you, are they trying to prove that they are better than you or worse than you?
So there's no easy answer to this question, because if someone is trying to one-up you, what they're trying to do is they're trying to prove that they have an advantage over you.
So you know an example.
If you tell them, I don't know, I just got a new phone, maybe they'll tell you well, I got a new computer.
If you tell them I got a girlfriend, then they might start talking about how great their wife is.
You know.
However and this is what's really interesting someone who's trying to one-up you does not necessarily want to show you that their life is better than yours.
They might be doing the exact opposite.
So if I tell them I lost my keys and it's never happened before, they might tell me oh yeah well, it happens to me all the time.
You know what I'm saying?
So it's not just about showing you that they're better although a lot of times that's what it's about but it's just this kind of need that some people have, I guess, to even show you that they have it worse than you.
So if I told you I donated $10 to charity and you wanted to one-up me, how much would you donate?
If I donated 10 and you wanted to one-up me, you would probably donate something like I don't know, like 15, maybe 20, you know just a little bit more, just enough to show that you're better than me, basically.
Have you ever met someone who was always trying to one-up you?
I don't think so.
I mean, my friends have always been very supportive.
So I don't think I've ever had a conversation with someone who constantly, you know, tried to one-up me.
So honestly, no, I don't think so.
I think that would be pretty annoying.
You know, I think if someone is always trying to one-up you, maybe like a friend or even a sibling, I truly think that the only reason why they would be doing this is because they're insecure.
You know, they're not very confident.
And so...
You know, they're trying to prove to themselves, more than anything really, that they're better than you.
So I think the way I would react to someone that's obviously trying to one up me would be like, oh yeah, like good for you, you know, just to kind of let it drop.
Expression number three, rub something in someone's face.
Yeah, I know, but if he wins he's going to rub that in my face the whole year and I just can't have that.
When do you rub something in someone's face?
After they've made a mistake or failed or after they've succeeded at something.
You rub something in someone's face after this person has made a mistake or has failed at something, or even like if they've lost in a competition.
So let's say that you just lost, you're playing against someone and that you lost.
Well, if that person wants to rub that in your face, they're probably going to come up to you and they're going to be like you know either.
They're going to probably want to keep talking about the fact that you lost, or they're going to sometimes even pretend to be nice and be like oh, how are you feeling after losing this and that?
They're not being genuine.
They're not being real.
They're just doing that so that –
You cannot possibly think about anything else.
You gotta focus on the fact that you lost.
And the only reason why they're doing that is really to make you feel bad about yourself and about the fact that you failed basically.
Why would you rub something in someone's face?
To shame them or to make them feel better?
Well, if you rub something in someone's face, you do that to kind of shame them, sometimes to annoy them even.
And you know, when you think of this idea of rubbing something in someone's face, I mean literally speaking.
That's really annoying, right.
If I just take anything a towel or something and I just start rubbing it in your face.
That's annoying, right.
So I think that that's where this expression comes from.
You know, you got this idea of someone taking a situation, something hurtful, something maybe embarrassing that happened to you.
And it's as if they took the situation and started rubbing it in your face.
And a lot of times they will get even enjoyment out of that from seeing you suffer.
And that's why they will repeat, oh, like, oh, you lost.
That's when That's what they get out of it.
They get the enjoyment of seeing you feel bad about this thing over and over again.
So yeah, that's not nice at all.
Listen to these two people.
They both won, but one is rubbing the win in someone else's face.
Who is it?
Number one.
Hey, Paul, I know I won, but you know, that was a good game.
Number two.
Hey, Paul, I just won and you did not.
So number two won and obviously now is rubbing it in Paul's face.
So see, told you that can be pretty annoying.
Expression number four, may the best men win.
Good luck, buddy.
May the best men win.
When do you say may the best men win?
Before a competition or after?
You say may the best men win before a competition starts.
I mean, I guess in theory you're supposed to say that to show that you hope that the most deserving person wins.
But...
It's not always like that.
Who usually says, may the best man win?
One of the people who are competing or the judge?
Anyone can say it, I guess.
Whoever is judging the competition can say it, but even the competitors themselves, they could say it.
Although and this is what I was referring to they might say this sarcastically, in which case not very nice.
You know, when you wish the other person would lose and say may the best men win.
Or when you're feeling super cocky and super confident that you're going to win and you want to intimidate the other person, you may say, you may tell them you know, may the best men win.
With a smile on your face meaning I'm going to win and you're not.
But in theory, That means like I hope that whoever is better wins.
Do you think people really think may the best men win?
Like I said, I think they don't.
I think especially if you're the one competing, I bet you're thinking, I want to win.
You know, I don't think people when they're competing they're like oh, I really hope that if they're better than me, they will win.
I don't think people think that way.
It'd be nice, but people are just like, me win now.
Expression number five, in your face.
Ha, in your face, man.
Is in your face an exclamation of triumph or failure?
In your face is an exclamation of triumph, but only under specific circumstances.
I'll explain to you in a second.
When would you use the expression in your face?
After someone doubted you or when someone believed in you?
You would use the expression in your face after winning, when someone was doubting the fact that you were going to win.
This is really important.
So you've got someone telling you there's no way you're going to win.
Then you do win. then you can turn and say, ha, in your face.
You know, kind of like as a way of saying, see, I told you, take this.
So is the expression in your face aggressive?
I mean, it's not the nicest thing you can say.
It is a little aggressive, you know, like, ha, you know, like, See, I told you.
Take that.
So I guess it's a little aggressive.
But especially if you're with friends, you know it can just be like a funny exclamation and nothing more.
You're playing a game with your friends.
They are kind of making fun of you because you're losing and then you win and then you're like ha in your face.
I told you I would win.
Do you ever use the expression in your face?
I am not... a very competitive person, actually, no, wait, scratch that.
I just don't like competing because I don't like losing.
That's why.
But if someone tells me I can't do something, and I do it, and then I succeed at it, rest assured I'll make sure to tell them in your face.
Well, maybe not, you know, directly to them, but I'll think, ha, in your face.
But yeah, I find it a little rude.
So unless it's, you know, I say it as a joke, I wouldn't say it.
And that is it for today.
And remember, if you want to access the transcript, as well as lots of other resources, visit enboocom.
That is E-N-B-O-O-O dot com.
Have a great day.
