Hi everyone. I'm Jennifer from English with Jennifer. How comfortable are you
saying long words in English? Well, in this video, I'll help you say and use at
least one of those words: comfortable. In everyday American English, we say this
word with three syllables: comfortable. Stress is on the first:
COMfortable. It sounds like I'm saying "kumf ter bull." Let's say it again. We'll say
it slowly and then fast: comfortable, comfortable. You may hear some American
English speakers say this word with four syllables: comfortable, comfortable. But I
think this variation is a little less common. We can use this adjective to
describe physical comfort: a comfortable chair, a comfortable sofa. Hotel beds are
usually comfortable. A flight attendant might ask a passenger, "Are you
comfortable?" When you sit in an expensive car, you expect everything to be very
comfortable. The seats should be comfortable to sit in. The steering wheel
should be comfortable to hold.
Let me quiz you on two other meanings of the word comfortable. First, I asked my
friend Nelson about his ex-girlfriend. He said he wasn't comfortable talking about
her. What does that mean? A. He needs to sit in a nice, soft chair in order to
talk about this. B. He doesn't have time to talk about this. C. He becomes upset if
he talks about this.
Most likely the answer is C. Talking about his ex-girlfriend makes him upset.
This topic is still a source of stress for him. So "comfortable" isn't just about
physical comfort. If you're comfortable, then something doesn't cause you any
stress. It doesn't give you any reason to worry. When someone says, "I don't feel
comfortable talking about that," it means they don't want to talk about it because
they feel uncomfortable. "Uncomfortable." That's the opposite. They can't relax and
feel at peace. Experience makes a task familiar. Right? I'm comfortable making
videos because I've been doing it for a long time. Other people aren't
comfortable seeing themselves or hearing themselves on camera. Here's yet one more
meaning of the word "comfortable." If I talk about a friend who got a job at a
very good law firm and now enjoys a comfortable lifestyle, what exactly does
that mean? A. All of her furniture is nice and soft. B. She has enough money to meet
all her needs. C. Nothing ever worries her.
The answer is B. Being comfortable can refer to having enough money.
For practice, you can answer these questions. 1. What would you describe as a
comfortable income for a single person (not married, no children)? How much does
that figure change for a family of four?
2. Describe your most comfortable pair of shoes. 3. Are you comfortable with
people you just met? Are you comfortable having a
conversation with them? That's all for now. Please like and share this video if
you found it useful. As always, thanks for watching and happy studies!
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