Welcome to English as a Second Language podcast number 351, Asking for a First Date.
This is English as a Second Language podcast episode 351.
I'm your host, Dr Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in you know where, beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Visit our website at eslpod.com and download a learning guide for this episode today.
The learning guide contains all of the definitions vocabulary, sample sentences, additional definitions not discussed on the episode, cultural notes, comprehension questions, secrets to living forever and a complete transcript of this episode.
This episode is called Asking for a First Date.
It's a conversation between Natalie and Sergio.
Sergio likes Natalie and he's going to do that most dangerous thing ask her to go on a date with him.
Let's get started.
Hi.
Could I speak to Natalie?
This is she.
Oh, hi.
This is Sergio.
How are you?
Good.
How about you?
I'm great.
Well, the reason I'm calling is... I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime?
You mean on a date?
Yeah, with me.
I'd love to.
Really?
I mean, that's great.
I was thinking we could grab dinner on Friday... and then see a movie.
How does that sound?
Oh, I already have plans for Friday.
How about Saturday?
I'm tied up on Saturday too.
I'm free tomorrow though.
I don't suppose you want to go out tomorrow night?
Sure, I can make it tomorrow.
I'll pick you up around seven.
Is that okay?
Yeah, that works for me.
See you tomorrow at seven.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Me too.
Our dialogue begins with Natalie answering the telephone.
Sergio has called her.
She says, hello, which is how most people answer the phone.
Sergio says, hi, could I speak to Natalie?
When you call someone and you perhaps don't recognize their voice, or if it's not the person you want to speak with, You say could I speak to?
And then the person's name.
It's a polite way of asking to talk to someone.
Natalie says, this is she.
She's saying, I am the person you are asking for.
I am Natalie.
Sergio says, oh, hi, this is Sergio.
How are you?
Natalie says, good.
How about you?
How about you is a phrase used to ask someone the same question that you just answered.
Or to ask someone if they think or feel the same way as you do.
For example, you say, I'm hungry.
And then you turn to your friend Emily.
And you ask, how about you?
Meaning, are you hungry?
Sergio is a little nervous.
He says, I'm great.
Ah well, the reason I'm calling is I was wondering, I was thinking about, I was asking myself if you'd like to go out sometime.
To go out is another way of, in most cases, saying to have a date.
It can just mean to go with someone else to do something.
You may say to your friend let's go out tonight, meaning let's go somewhere to a movie, to a game, to take a walk.
To go out can also mean to be in a romantic relationship with someone.
I'm going out with a beautiful woman.
That would be saying, I am dating a beautiful woman.
I'm not, of course.
I'm already married.
I don't do that sort of thing.
Natalie says, you mean on a date?
She's not sure if Sergio is just asking her as a friend or as a possible girlfriend.
Sergio says, yeah, yes, with me, of course.
Natalie says, I'd love to.
Sergio must be very happy.
He says, really?
A little surprised.
Lack of confidence, Sergio.
I mean, that's great.
He realizes that he shouldn't have said really, which expresses surprise.
So he says, I mean, correcting himself, that's great.
I was thinking we could grab dinner on Friday and then see a movie.
To grab, G-R-A-B, usually means to get or to take something with your hand.
But we use this expression also to mean, in this case, to go and do something, usually informally.
Let's grab some dinner.
We often say, let's grab a bite to eat.
Meaning, let's go eat something.
Not a fancy, formal place, but an informal place.
Sergio says, how does that sound?
The expression how does that sound?
Is used when you are asking someone's opinion about something you have said or you have proposed.
You have recommended.
Natalie says, oh, I already have plans for Friday.
If someone says they have plans, they mean they're busy.
They can't do something.
They have another commitment.
We hope Natalie doesn't have another date.
Sergio says, how about Saturday?
Natalie says, I'm tied up on Saturday, too.
To be tied up means to be busy, to be occupied.
You're not able to do something because you have another commitment.
It's similar to to have plans.
Tied up has a couple of meanings in English.
Take a look at our learning guide for some additional explanations.
Things are not sounding too good here for poor Sergio.
Natalie seems to have a very busy life.
Natalie says, I'm free tomorrow, though.
I'm free means I'm not busy.
I'm available.
I can go with you tomorrow.
I don't suppose you want to go out tomorrow night, she asks Sergio.
This expression, I don't suppose, is a polite way of asking a question, of asking someone whether something is true or whether someone can do something.
For example, I don't suppose that it's raining out right now.
You're asking someone, is it raining out?
You don't think so.
You can also use it to be polite.
I don't suppose you want to go to dinner with me.
Meaning, you probably don't, but I want to ask you anyway.
Of course, you really want to go to dinner with that person.
You're just being polite by saying I don't suppose.
Sergio says, sure, I can make it tomorrow.
To make it here means to be able to do something, to go somewhere.
Can you make it to the movie?
Meaning, are you able to go to the movie?
Or you may say, I can't make it.
I'm not able to go.
I'll pick you up, Sergio says, around 7 o'clock.
To pick someone up is a phrasal verb meaning to drive to someone's house in your car and take that person with you in your car.
Usually it means you have a car, an automobile.
Sergio says, I'll pick you up at 7 o'clock.
Is that okay?
Natalie says, yeah, that works for me.
To work here means to be acceptable, to be okay, not to cause any problems.
To work has lots of meanings in English.
Take a look at the learning guide for some more explanations.
Sergio says I'm really looking forward to it.
To look forward to something means to be excited, to be happy about something.
Of course, Sergio is excited about going on a date with Natalie.
Natalie says, me too, which is our informal way of saying, I am looking forward to it also.
What will happen with Natalie and Sergio?
I'm not sure.
Perhaps this will be the first of many dates.
Now let's listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.
Hello?
Hi, could I speak to Natalie?
This is she.
Oh, hi.
This is Sergio.
How are you?
Good.
How about you?
I'm great.
Well, the reason I'm calling is I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime?
You mean on a date?
Yeah, with me.
I'd love to.
Really?
I mean, that's great.
I was thinking we could grab dinner on Friday and then see a movie.
How does that sound?
Oh, I already have plans for Friday.
How about Saturday?
I'm tied up on Saturday too.
I'm free tomorrow though.
I don't suppose you want to go out tomorrow night.
Sure, I can make it tomorrow.
I'll pick you up around 7.
Is that okay?
Yeah, that works for me.
See you tomorrow at 7.
I'm really looking forward to it.
Me too.
The script for this episode was written by Dr. Lucy Say.
We're looking forward to your next script, Lucy.
From Los Angeles, California, I'm Jeff McQuillan.
Thanks for listening.
We'll see you next time on ESL Podcast.
English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr Lucy Say, hosted by Dr Jeff McQuillan.
This podcast is copyright 2008.
