Hello everyone. Welcome back to the Learn English Podcast channel, your fun little corner of the internet.
This is your 8 minute English podcast series hosted by me, Nathan.
We're super excited to have you join us once again.
Today, we're talking about something we all have to do.
Introducing ourselves.
Have you ever been in a situation where someone says, tell me about yourself and you're just like, what do I say?
Don't worry, it's easier than you think.
In this episode, I'll help you feel more confident when you introduce yourself.
We'll talk about what to share, like your name, job or hobbies.
And remember, you don't have to be perfect, just be yourself.
For this episode, we've prepared a free PDF full of vocabulary and helpful tips for you to explore.
Make sure to check it out.
In the next part, we will listen to a conversation between two strangers getting to know each other.
After that, I will sum up the steps to introduce yourself to others.
By the end, you'll be ready to introduce yourself like a pro.
Now, let's get started.
Hi, I'm Alex. Nice to meet you.
What's your name? Bonjour, Alex.
I'm Ivy. Nice to meet you too.
Is Beaujour a French word?
Of course, it means hello.
That's interesting.
So Ivy, tell me a bit about yourself.
Where do you live? I live in New York City.
It's always busy and there's so much to do.
What about you? I live in a small town called Maplewood.
It's quiet but nice.
Not as much fun as New York, though.
I bet it's peaceful.
How old are you if you don't mind me asking?
I'm 28. How about you?
I'm 26. So, we're not too far apart in age.
What do you do for work?
I'm a graphic designer.
I make cool stuff on the computer logos, websites, things like that.
It's a lot of fun, but sometimes I feel like my brain is about to explode from too many ideas.
I bet your life must be really exciting.
What about you? I'm a teacher.
I work with little kids and let me tell you, it's fun.
But you need lots of energy.
I can imagine. Teaching sounds like a job where you never get bored.
What's the best part about working with kids?
They ask me the funniest questions and they see the world in such a unique way.
It's inspiring, but it's also a bit tiring sometimes.
But it must be rewarding too.
Do you have any hobbies to unwind after a long day with the kids?
I do. I love reading mystery books.
They're like little puzzles.
I also enjoy hiking.
Being out in nature helps me relax, and I'm pretty good at cooking too.
I once cooked for ten people and nobody got food poisoning.
That's definitely a win, I'd love to try your cooking someday.
How about you? Any hobbies?
I love painting and I play the guitar.
I'm not in a band or anything, but I enjoy making music.
It's a great way to express myself, just like painting.
That's so cool. Music and art sounds like you've got a lot of talent.
What's something you're really good at?
I'd say I'm pretty patient.
It helps with designing because you have to keep fixing things until they're just right.
I can see that. Patience is a good strength to have.
What's your strength?
I can say positive, even when things get tough.
That's such a great quality, especially as a teacher.
I'm sure the kids love that energy.
Do you have any fun stories to share from your hiking adventures?
Well, once I got lost on a hike for hours, it was pretty scary at first.
But I found my way back using just the stars.
I felt like an explorer from an adventure book.
It was kind of cool looking back on it.
Wow, that's awesome.
Not many people could do that.
Thanks. How about you?
Do you have any interesting stories from your hobbies?
Well, one time, my painting fell off the wall during an art show, but people thought it was part of the display.
That's funny. Art really does have a mind of its own, doesn't it?
It sure does. This was fun, Ivy.
We should chat more often.
Definitely. I had a great time getting to know you, Alex.
What do you think about Alex and Ivy's conversation?
Does it give you enough information?
In this part, I will sum up the basic steps to introduce yourself if you don't have time to listen to the conversation.
Let's start with the basics.
When you introduce yourself, the first things you should share are your name, age, and where you live.
For example, you could say, Hi, my name is Nathan.
I'm 24 years old and I live in London.
Simple, right? It's all about giving people a little bit of information to start the conversation.
Next, let's talk about what you do.
Do you have a job or are you a student?
This helps people understand what you're interested in.
You could say something like, I'm an artist, I love drawing everything around me, or if you're a student, I'm a biology student in my last year of university.
Now, let's make it more interesting.
What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Hobbies are a great way to connect with others.
For example, you might say, I enjoy playing basketball and watching movies, or in my free time, I love baking cakes and reading novels.
Sharing your hobbies gives people a glimpse into your life.
Next, let's talk about your strengths.
Everyone has something they're good at, so don't be shy to talk about it.
Think about a quality that helps you in your job or studies.
For example, I'm really good at managing my time or I'm great at making people laugh.
It's not about bragging, it's about letting people know what makes you unique.
Now, this part is optional, but it can really make your introduction stand out.
Share a short story or a fun fact about yourself.
It's a great way to make people smile and remember you.
Let me share my story.
I once tried to make my own pizza at home.
It ended up looking like a flying saucer.
My friends still laugh about it.
All right, let's keep it short and sweet.
Your introduction shouldn't be longer than one, two minutes.
You want to share enough to be interesting, but not so much that people lose focus.
Finally, the most important tip.
Practice, try introducing yourself in front of a mirror or with a friend.
The more you practice, the more comfortable you'll feel.
And soon you'll be a pro at introducing yourself.
Let's talk about some important words in this episode.
The first word is creative.
When someone is creative, they always have new ideas or new ways of doing something.
For example, when I listen to music, I put my phone in an empty glass to make the sound louder.
The next word is tiring.
When something is tiring, it makes you feel tired.
For example, when you exercise for a long time, you will feel very tired.
In that case, exercising is tiring.
Next, we have rewarding.
When something is rewarding, it makes you feel happy and satisfied.
For me, helping people in need is rewarding.
Now, let's talk about unwind.
It's another word for relax.
You stop stressing and have a good time.
I like to unwind by watching funny movies.
Patient is the last word.
It's the ability to do something or wait for a long time and not get angry.
Teachers need to be patient with their students.
Parents need to be patient with their children.
Now, let's look at two questions about our topic.
The first one, why is it important to introduce yourself to new people?
It's important because it helps people know who you are.
It also starts a new friendship or connection.
The second question, what is the hardest part about introducing yourself?
The hardest part is sometimes feeling shy or nervous.
It can be difficult to know what to say about yourself.
Please leave your comments below to let us know what you think.
And this is also the end of our podcast.
We hope that through this episode, you can gain more confidence to introduce yourself to others.
If you feel like you're not a pro yet, that's normal.
Just be patient with yourself and keep practicing.
I'm sure the results will surprise you.
Thank you for tuning into this episode and see you next time.
