Native English Expressions | Ep.3
Do you feel lost when listening to native speakers? It’s likely because textbook English isn’t enough. Welcome to Native Expressions Ep.3.
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.
To see these idioms in action, check out the 0:00 – 5:46 mark of this video, where today’s expressions were originally used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7muA1KCCUc
Native Expressions Ep.3 |1 – 5
imagine the future
to form pictures or ideas in your mind about what will happen later
Humans can imagine the future even when they don’t know what will truly happen.
tell stories
to share experiences or ideas through spoken or written words
People tell stories to explain their lives and connect with others.
extend from
to reach or continue from one point to another
Their memories extend from the past into what they hope for tomorrow.
certain circumstances
specific situations or conditions that affect what happens
Under certain circumstances, people can make accurate predictions.
involve a lot of people
to include or affect many individuals
When a plan involves a lot of people, it becomes harder to control.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |6 – 10
never know what anything means
to feel uncertain or confused about the true meaning or purpose of things in life
Sometimes, when life changes quickly, we never know what anything means until much later.
be correct
to be right or true; not wrong or mistaken
No matter how confident we are, we can’t always be correct about the future.
roll out
to introduce a new product or service to the public for the first time
The company plans to roll out its new app to users next month.
extend it to
to continue or imagine something further into the future
They couldn’t extend it to the massive impact the internet would later have.
call this
to predict or foresee an event or outcome before it happens
Back then, no one could have called this level of technological change.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |11 – 15
the last surviving member
the only individual of a group or species that is still alive
The documentary showed the last surviving member of a rare animal species.
go extinct
to die out completely so that no members of a species remain alive
Many animals go extinct when their habitats are destroyed.
over the course of
during a period of time as something continues or develops
Over the course of the series, viewers discover how humans affect nature.
one-off
something that happens only once or is not repeated
The show isn’t a one-off episode; it builds a deeper story across time.
telling a whole big thing
to describe or explain a large, connected story rather than separate parts
Instead of short clips, the series focuses on telling a whole big thing about life and extinction.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |16 – 20
center around
to focus on or be mainly about a particular subject or person
The story centers around a bird that changed how people saw extinction.
spoil it for you
to reveal key information that ruins the surprise or enjoyment of something
I won’t spoil it for you, but the ending is both sad and powerful.
could not have gone extinct without
used to say that something would not have happened if another thing had not existed or occurred
The species could not have gone extinct without human technology speeding up communication.
seems wrong
to feel or appear incorrect, unfair, or strange
At first, the idea seems wrong, but it actually makes sense after some thought.
set places
specific or fixed locations where something regularly happens
The animals didn’t have set places to rest; they moved wherever conditions were good.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |21 – 25
roost at random
to settle or rest in places unpredictably or without a clear pattern
The birds would roost at random depending on which trees had food.
get the opportunity to
to have a chance or possibility to do something
When the birds gathered nearby, the locals would get the opportunity to hunt them.
hunt all of the birds
to capture or kill every member of a group of birds
Because the area was not crowded, people couldn’t hunt all of the birds.
move around
to travel or go from one place to another without staying in one spot
The pigeons would move around constantly, never settling in one area for long.
tons of
a very large number or amount of something (informal)
There were tons of pigeons flying together, covering the sky.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |26 – 30
what trees were doing
a figurative way to describe how trees were growing, fruiting, or changing seasonally
The pigeons could sense what trees were doing and followed where food appeared.
spread across
to expand or move over a large area
The new technology spread across the region faster than anyone expected.
send out a message
to share or broadcast information to others
People could send out a message to tell others where the birds were.
in this specific place
in a clearly identified or exact location
The hunters gathered in this specific place after hearing the news.
hunt en masse
to hunt in large groups or numbers
Once the word spread, people began to hunt en masse, leaving few birds behind.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |31 – 35
as many people as could get there
everyone who was able to reach a location
The hunt attracted as many people as could get there from nearby towns.
advances in
new developments or improvements in a particular area
Advances in transportation and food storage made hunting more profitable.
reach distant markets
to deliver goods to faraway buyers or regions
Better transport helped the birds’ meat reach distant markets.
do in
(informal) to cause the death, failure, or end of something or someone
Heavy hunting and trade eventually did in the entire pigeon species.
be involved in
to take part in or have a role in an activity or event
No one involved in the invention of the telegraph imagined its impact on nature.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |36 – 40
have the thought
to think of or consider a specific idea
They didn’t have the thought that their invention could harm wildlife.
go to do something to
to cause an effect or change in something or someone
No one imagined what the telegraph would go to do to the birds.
I bet
used to express a strong belief or assumption about something
I bet no one expected that their creation would lead to extinction.
find out about
to discover or learn new information
People were excited to find out about the new communication technology.
all kinds of
many different types or varieties of something
Inventors had all kinds of ideas about how the telegraph would shape the future.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |41 – 45
short-term
lasting or relating to a short period of time
Most of their plans were short-term and didn’t consider long-term effects.
have anything to do with
to be connected or related to something
Their thoughts didn’t have anything to do with the birds at all.
not being had
used to describe thoughts or ideas that people are not considering or discussing
There are many important ideas about technology that are simply not being had.
extend human life
to make it possible for people to live longer
Some believe new medical technology will extend human life far beyond today’s limits.
cause human extinction
to bring about the complete disappearance of humankind
Others fear that uncontrolled innovation could cause human extinction.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |46 – 50
from now until
starting at this moment and continuing up to a future point in time
Most predictions about AI only focus on what might happen from now until a few years ahead.
credible
believable or trustworthy; able to be accepted as true or reasonable
The short-term forecasts are the most credible because they’re based on current evidence.
economically weird
unusual or unpredictable in terms of money, jobs, or the economy
The next few years might be economically weird as technology changes the job market.
a bubble
a situation where prices or expectations rise too fast and are likely to crash
Some experts think this excitement around new tech is a bubble that will eventually burst.
apprenticeship
a period of training where someone learns a job by working with an expert
Fewer companies may offer apprenticeship opportunities if machines take beginner tasks.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |51 – 55
entry-level jobs
positions meant for people with little or no experience in a field
AI could replace many entry-level jobs that help young workers gain experience.
try out
to test or use something to see how well it works
Businesses will try out new AI tools before deciding whether to keep them.
save money
to spend less or reduce costs
Companies use automation to save money on labor and training.
the very near term
a period of time happening soon or in the immediate future
These effects will mostly be seen in the very near term.
impactful
having a strong or powerful effect on something or someone
The most impactful changes from AI might be the ones we don’t see coming.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |56 – 60
have no idea of
to not know or be unaware of something
We have no idea of the full effects that new technology might bring.
extend the story into the future
to imagine or predict how current events will continue or develop
People often extend the story into the future using what they know from the past.
up in the air
uncertain or undecided; not yet determined
The long-term influence of AI is still completely up in the air.
dominant forces
the most powerful influences or factors in a situation
In ten years, the dominant forces shaping society might be things no one expects.
a big deal
something very important or significant
Like the telegraph, AI will turn out to be a big deal in human history.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |61 – 65
weirder than we think
more surprising, strange, or unexpected than people currently believe
The outcomes will likely be weirder than we think once the full impact appears.
my bias
a personal opinion or preference that influences how someone thinks or judges things
I know my bias makes me focus on the negative side of technology.
lose trust in each other
to stop believing that other people are honest or reliable
Many worry that online conflicts make us lose trust in each other.
faith in humanity
belief that people are generally good, kind, and capable of doing the right thing
News and social media often weaken our faith in humanity.
recommendation algorithms
computer programs that suggest content based on user behavior or interests
Recommendation algorithms on social platforms decide what videos or posts people see.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |66 – 70
do a fantastic job of
to perform something extremely well or effectively (sometimes used ironically)
These systems do a fantastic job of keeping users online, even if that causes harm.
keep people on websites
to make users stay longer on online platforms
Platforms are designed to keep people on websites as long as possible.
hate each other more
to increase anger or dislike among people
The unintended effect of these systems is that they make users hate each other more.
weird outcome
a strange or unexpected result of an action or situation
Making people more divided was a weird outcome that no one planned.
sentient AI
artificial intelligence that can think or feel like a human being
Some imagine a sentient AI trying to control people, but that’s not the real issue here.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |71 – 75
take over the world
to gain total control or power over everything
Science fiction often shows machines trying to take over the world.
be more likely to
to have a greater chance or tendency to do something
The algorithm suggested videos people would be more likely to keep watching.
fraying of the fabric of society
the weakening or breaking down of social unity and trust among people
The constant spread of divisive content led to a fraying of the fabric of society.
awakened a global awareness
caused people around the world to notice or understand something new
The invention awakened a global awareness of how connected people could be.
extend our empathy
to help people feel care and understanding for others beyond their immediate circle
Technology can extend our empathy by letting us hear stories from faraway places.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |76 – 80
circle of care
the group of people or beings we feel responsible for or emotionally connected to
As communication improved, humanity’s circle of care began to include more of the world.
necessitate the creation of
to make it necessary to invent or develop something
The new system necessitated the creation of early digital codes for communication.
change what it meant to be human
to alter people’s understanding of human identity or experience
Innovations like the telegraph changed what it meant to be human in a connected world.
grow out of
to develop from or be caused by something
The future doesn’t grow out of our plans or fears—it forms in its own way.
never expect
to not think or believe something will happen
Change often happens in ways we never expect.
Native Expressions Ep.3 |81 – 84
philosophies
sets of ideas or beliefs about how people should think or live
Entire philosophies emerged from the inventions that changed human connection.
ride our wet, frail, living chemistry
a poetic way of saying to accept our fragile human nature and keep going through life
We must ride our wet, frail, living chemistry and move forward despite uncertainty.
wherever it leads us
to whatever place or outcome the future brings
All we can do is follow wherever it leads us without knowing the destination.
be excited to see where we end up
to feel curious and hopeful about the unknown future
Even without control, it’s natural to be excited to see where we end up.