Hi! Good to see you again dear viewer. Today we’ll see some conversations about families.
Make sure you listen to them all, and also make sure you see the vocabulary section at the end.
Don’t forget to practice the lines by pausing the lesson and repeating the dialog anytime you want!
So let’s get it started!!
Do you have any siblings?
Yes. I have a younger brother. What about you?
I have quite a big family with 2 brothers and 2 sisters!
Wow, a big family… I’d have liked a sister too.
Yes, they're my sisters and they are very nice. They’re kind and smart and I feel lucky to be their brother.
What a nice thing to say!
So you were gone visiting your grandpa last weekend?
Yup! My grandfather must be in his late 80’s and he’s very active.
Wow! That’s great! What about your grandma?
She’s a very sprightly old woman too. In fact my grandparents from my mother’s side are pretty healthy and active themselves.
That’s really good to hear. Your folks know how to take care of themselves.
Yeah, our family eats right and exercises. That’s why we’re healthy.
Where’s your younger brother these days?
Well, John got admitted to the medical college in New York. He’s going to be a doctor.
Really? You must be so proud of him.
Yeah, I am. My old man was a carpenter, and I got into the same profession, but little Johnny’s always studied hard.
He’s going to bring credit to the family name.
So happy for you Sam!
Hey John, I met Samantha at the party last night. Is she your sister?
Samantha? No, she ain’t my sister. She’s Frank’s daughter. Frank is my brother. Samantha is my niece.
Your niece? But she’s not very young!
Yeah! My dad married my mom when he was in his 40s. Frank was already 18 then. He’s my step-brother actually.
Wow! Families are weird. Aren’t they? A woman older than you is your niece.
That’s how families are Joanna.
Your siblings are your brothers and sisters. Sibling is a gender-neutral word that can be used for both brother and sister.
Sprightly means lively… Full of energy. It’s used commonly for older people.
The meaning of folks is people,
but when you say ‘my folks’, or ‘your folks’, refers to your parents, or other family members.
'Bring credit’ means to bring fame, or add prestige.
When you bring credit to your family, you do something that is good and noteworthy which makes them proud.
You can use ‘elder to’, or ‘older than’ to talk about someone who’s older than you.
Always use elder with ‘to’, and older with ‘than’. For example:
My brother John is elder to me, or My brother John is older than me. Don’t say ‘older to’, or ‘elder than’.