Hello and welcome to The English
We Speak with me, Feifei...
...and me, Roy.
We may sound a little different - that's
because we are not able
to record in our normal studios
during the coronavirus outbreak.
Now Roy, stop using your phone!
We're trying to talk!
Ahhh I know what game you're playing!
You're probably too embarrassed
to tell people which
game it is - and in this programme
we have a word to use when
you want to be discreet,
or not let people know something.
Well I absolutely love this new app game -
it's the one where you play as
a dog that has to
catch bananas and throw them through
a hoop! Have you played it?
I know the one! It's called
'Banana catching dog hoop challenge -
the game'. I am lowkey
addicted to playing it.
What? Why did you say 'lowkey'?
Ahh, I used that word because I don't
want everyone to know what
I'm doing. Surely you
have some self-respect and don't want
people to know that you're playing
a game for 8 year olds?
No, I don't care what people think
of me. I still watch cartoons,
play video games and
read comics.
Well, I'm sure there's something you want
to be discreet about. We'll find out right
after these examples.
I lowkey love watching romantic
comedies. I tell my girlfriend
I don't, but secretly
I do.
He is lowkey in love with Eric!
He talks about him all the time,
but he won't admit it.
I lowkey fell over walking to the shops.
I'm so embarrassed.
This is The English We Speak from BBC
Learning English and we're talking
about the word 'lowkey',
which is used when you don't want to
admit to something.
Most people know 'low-key' as
an adjective which describes
things - such as events - that
are quiet.
Like a low-key wedding - one without
many guests held in a modest venue.
In the use in this programme, lowkey is
used as an adverb to mean
'secretly' or 'moderately'.
It's also spelt as one word. You know
the opposite to 'lowkey' is 'high key'?
When you're
proud about something and you
want everyone to know, you use
the term 'high key'.
Roy. I'm more subtle and discreet than you.
Well, I high key love playing video games
- even that app game.
Yes, I know it's meant
for young children, but it's
still really cool.
I lowkey enjoy them too, - I don't want
to tell anyone.
Well, I lowkey have about twenty
other games like 'Banana catching
dog hoop challenge - the
game' on my phone!
I knew it! I knew you'd want to be
low-key about something.
Do you want to play one?
Of course, I do! Bye, Roy.
Bye.