Native English Expressions | Ep.22

Do you feel lost when listening to native speakers? It’s likely because textbook English isn’t enough. Welcome to Native Expressions Ep.22.

Real conversations are full of idioms, phrasal verbs, and cultural nuances. This series curates authentic expressions directly from podcasts and YouTube videos to help you sound more natural and confident.

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 1 – 10

apathy

lack of care. a lack of interest or concern about important things
Great things are never achieved through apathy, but through passion and care.

make a dent in

to make a small amount of progress on a very large task
Even a small donation can make a dent in the problem of world hunger if many people contribute.

swallow up

hide. to cover or hide something completely so it cannot be seen
Do not let a single mistake swallow up all the progress you have made so far.

shortsighted

unwise. not thinking about what will happen in the future
Eating the whole cake at once might be shortsighted if you want some for tomorrow.

outraged

furious. feeling very angry and shocked
She was outraged when she saw someone throw trash into the beautiful blue ocean.

environmental impact

nature effect. the effect that an action has on nature and the air
Every small choice we make, like using less plastic, has a positive environmental impact.

ecological collapse

nature ruin. a situation where an environment is damaged so badly it cannot recover
We must protect our forests today to prevent an ecological collapse in the future.

come standard with

to be included as a normal or basic part of something
Challenges come standard with life, but they also give us the chance to grow and become wiser.

account for

explain. to be the reason for or the source of a specific amount
Hard work and patience account for most of the great achievements in history.

gold miner

gold seeker. a person who digs in the earth to find gold
Even a gold miner knows that the most valuable things in life aren’t always shiny.

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 11 – 20

tout

praise. to advertise or praise something loudly to make it seem better
They like to tout the benefits of their new product, even though it hasn’t been tested yet.

corridor

passage. a long, narrow strip of land that connects two areas
Think of kindness as a corridor that connects your heart to every person you meet.

lungs of the earth

oxygen source. a forest or area that provides oxygen for the world
Many people are fighting to save the rainforest because it truly serves as the lungs of the earth.

tribe

: a group of people who share the same culture and live together
It feels great when you find a tribe of friends who truly understand your weird sense of humor.

hit send

submit. to click a button to post or deliver a message online
I spent twenty minutes writing a funny comment, but I felt nervous the moment I had to hit send.

legitimately

: truly, really, or honestly
I was legitimately impressed by how fast he learned to play the guitar in just one week.

butthole

: anus. the opening at the end of the digestive tract
He was embarrassed to find a small hole in his pants right over his butthole.

waist

: the middle part of your body where you might wear a belt
Life is about balance, but sometimes my waist wishes I would choose a salad over a pizza.

brand new

fresh. completely new and never used before
I bought a brand new gym membership, but so far, the only thing getting a workout is my credit card.

what’s happening

what’s up. a casual way to ask “how are you?” or “what is going on?”
Hey, what’s happening? I haven’t seen you since we graduated.

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 21 – 30

groom

brush. to clean and brush an animal to make them look neat
It is important to groom your pets regularly to keep their fur healthy and shiny.

big sweetie

softie. a very kind, gentle, and friendly person or animal
Even though that dog is huge, he is a big sweetie who just wants to sit on your lap.

lie down

recline. rest. to move into a flat position on a surface to rest or sleep
When the world feels too loud, sometimes you just need to lie down and breathe for a moment.

uncontacted

isolated. not having communication with the modern world
It is very rare to find uncontacted groups today because of satellite technology and global travel.

take a style tip

get inspiration. to get an idea for fashion or appearance from someone else
You should take a style tip from my cat; he wears a fur coat every day and never looks messy.

settlement

colony. a small community or village where people have made their homes
Every great city in the world started as a tiny settlement near a river or a forest.

put down one’s weapons

disarm. to stop holding things used for fighting to show peace
The two friends finally decided to put down their weapons and talk about their misunderstanding.

plantains

cooking bananas. a fruit that looks like a banana but is usually fried or boiled
In many tropical countries, plantains are served as a delicious side dish with rice and beans.

anthropologists

culture experts. scientists who study how people live and how cultures change
Anthropologists often spend years living with different groups of people to learn their secrets.

bows

weapons used to shoot arrows
To be successful with bows, you must learn to focus on the target and let go of your fear.

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 31 – 40

first instinct

gut feeling. a natural reaction that happens without thinking
Her first instinct was to hide, but she chose to be brave and face the challenge instead.

just in case

to be safe. to be prepared for a possible problem or situation
I always carry an extra charger just in case my phone dies while I am navigating the city.

divvy up

share. to divide or share something into several parts
The friends decided to divvy up the pizza equally so that everyone got a fair share.

hard to come by

rare. very difficult to find or get
True peace of mind is hard to come by, but it often starts with a simple deep breath.

get in the way of

block. to stop or prevent something from happening
Don’t let a small failure get in the way of your long-term dreams; just keep moving forward.

initiate

start. to start or begin a process or action
If you want to see positive change in your life, you must be the one to initiate it.

chop down

cut. to cut through a tree until it falls
It takes years for a tree to grow but only minutes to chop down, much like a good reputation.

headwaters

source. the place where a river begins
We explored the headwaters of the stream and found the water was incredibly cold and clear.

push back

resist. to resist or oppose an idea or change
It is natural to push back when someone tries to change your habits without your permission.

finish line

end. the final part of a long task or journey
Keep pushing forward because the finish line is closer than it was yesterday.

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 41 – 50

vital

essential. extremely important or necessary for something to succeed or exist
Having a clear goal is vital for staying motivated during difficult times.

logger

woodcutter. a person whose job is to cut down trees for wood
A logger never gets lost in the woods because they always leave a clear path behind them.

nail something

succeed. to perform a task perfectly or successfully
If you stay focused and practice every day, you will nail something difficult on your very first try.

logging mafia

illegal loggers. an organized criminal group that illegally cuts down trees
The brave villagers worked together to keep the logging mafia away from their ancient forest.

narco trafficker

drug dealer. a person who illegally transports and sells drugs
Communities become much stronger when they stand together against the influence of a narco trafficker.

cattle ranching

cow farming. the business of raising cows for meat or milk
The family decided to give up cattle ranching and started a small organic farm instead.

carve out

create. to create a path or space by cutting or pushing things aside
You need to carve out some time every day to focus on your own mental health.

credential

qualification. a quality, skill, or experience that proves someone is suitable for a job
If you want to be a leader, your best credential is how well you treat the people around you.

break the cycle

stop the pattern. to stop a repeating pattern, usually a bad one
You have the power to break the cycle of negative thinking and start a new chapter today.

sustainable

lasting. able to continue for a long time without causing damage
A sustainable lifestyle isn’t about being perfect; it’s about making better choices every day.

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 51 – 60

figure out

understand. to find a solution or understand something clearly
It takes time to figure out your purpose, so be patient with yourself.

disorganization

messiness. a state of being messy or lacking a clear plan
My brother’s desk is a masterpiece of disorganization, but he claims he knows where everything is.

Eocene

warm era. a period of time millions of years ago when the Earth was very warm
The Earth has changed a lot since the Eocene, reminding us that nothing stays the same forever.

incredibly

very. to an extremely great or surprising degree
It is incredibly helpful to stay positive even when things do not go according to your plan.

fisheries

fishing areas. areas where fish are caught, often for commercial purposes
Protecting our fisheries is essential to make sure we have enough food from the sea in the future.

depleted

used up. reduced in size or amount until there is little or none left
If you feel your energy is depleted, remember that a short break can help you recharge your mind.

vanish

disappear. to disappear suddenly or completely from sight
Problems don’t just vanish on their own; you usually have to face them to make them go away.

chainsaw

a powerful tool with a moving chain of teeth used for cutting wood
The worker used a chainsaw to carefully remove the branches that were blocking the road.

net

fishing tool. a tool made of mesh used to catch fish or other animals
The fisherman cast his net into the lake and waited patiently for the sun to rise.

on earth

used for emphasis in a question to show surprise or confusion
How on earth did you manage to find my lost keys in the middle of a crowded park?

Native Expressions Ep.22 | 61 – 70

urgent

very important. needing immediate attention or action
The situation became urgent when the storm began to move toward the small village.

get the word out

to make information known to many people
Social media makes it much easier to get the word out about local charity events and help others.

go rogue

act alone. to stop following rules and start acting independently or uncontrollably
Her vacuum cleaner seemed to go rogue and started chasing the cat around the house.

push back on

to disagree with or oppose a specific idea or statement
You should not be afraid to push back on opinions that you know are incorrect or harmful.

prevalent

very common or happening frequently in a certain place
Healthy eating habits are becoming more prevalent among young adults these days.

lidar

laser mapping. a technology that uses laser light to create 3D maps of an area
Researchers used lidar to discover a hidden city that was buried under the trees for centuries.

depopulated

emptied. having a much smaller number of people than before
The mountain village was depopulated because many residents moved to the city to find work.

smallpox

pox disease. a serious and contagious disease that caused fever and skin marks
In history, smallpox was a very dangerous illness, but it was finally stopped by medicine.

lush

green. growing thickly and healthily with many green plants
Her backyard looked lush and vibrant after she spent the whole spring planting new flowers.

help along the way

support. to give support or assistance during a long process
You don’t have to do everything alone, as there will always be friends to help along the way.