Are American’s excited about the royal wedding? After all, it’s a British event.
Watch this video to find out what American’s think of Meghan and Prince Harry and to learn lots of great English expressions. This is a listening practice lesson with fast, natural English.
Click here to see videos about British and American English differences.
Click here to learn the difference between interesting and interested.
Meghan, Prince Harry and the royal wedding
Hi. I’m Vicki and I’m British but I live in the United States.
And I’m Jay, Vicki’s husband, and I’m American.
There’s been a lot of news on the television here about the British royal wedding.
And you’re surprised?
Yes, because it’s a British event.
We’ve got some great listening practice for you today.
You’re going to hear lots of fast natural English.
And learn some great English expressions too. Are you ready?
What do you think of the royal wedding?
Have to watch it.
I think it’s going to be a very exciting event. Looking forward to it.
I think it’s great.
Do you think they show it too much on American television?
No, not at all.
Actually I’m very excited about the new royal baby. Super cute.
I’m super excited. I remember the last Royal wedding. I was in like seventh grade and we were watching it on TV so I am excited for this one. I am in love with Meghan Markle so…
Have you heard of the queen?
Yes.
What do you know about the queen?
Erm… Her name is Elizabeth. I think she wears a dress and a crown.
And a crown, of course. Excellent!
Do you think you’re going to watch the wedding?
If it’s at a time that makes sense for me, then I would like to. I don’t know if I’ll be able to, but I want to.
Will you be watching it?
Probably not live, because isn’t it going to be like four o’clock in the morning my time?
Maybe. It’s possible, or I might just catch it on YouTube.
My sister and cousin and I got up at something ungodly like 4.30 AM in California for Princess Di’s wedding and we’re all going to try to meet and recreate the whole thing…
Fantastic!
Whatever hour it’s on.
We’d like your prediction. Is this marriage going to be successful and happy?
Yes, because he’s not listening to the naysayers. He’s following his heart and Meghan’s awesome, so I think yes.
I feel like she’s going to spice it up. Like she’s going to spice up the royal family, like kind of bring some flair to, you know, everything.
I think they could probably do with that.
Yeah, I think they could use her. Yeah.
Who’s your favourite royal?
Ahhh. You know I have to give it to the queen, because she’s the queen.
I, of course, years ago, wanted to marry Prince Andrew. We all did.
Tell me, who is your favourite royal?
Oooo. Elizabeth. Elizabeth. She’s so argh! She’s so sassy. I love her.
I’ve gotta say the queen. Love her outfits. Love the hats.
Do you think America should have a queen?
I mean, we do. Beyonce. Duh!
They were great.
And they used lots of interesting expressions. Have a look at these, Jay. What’s missing?
Hmmm. I.. and I’m… If we were writing it, we’d write I and I’m.
What do you think of the Royal wedding?
Have to watch it.
I think it’s going to be a very exciting event. Looking forward to it.
When we’re speaking fast or informally, sometimes we don’t say the subject.
We understand the meaning without it.
Another interesting thing. What’s the difference between excited and exciting?
I know this one. Excited describes how you feel and exciting describes the thing that caused the feeling.
Yeah. This is worth learning because the same thing happens with lots of other adjectives.
Like interesting and interested, surprising and surprised, …
Amazing and amazed… They follow the same pattern.
I think it’s going to be a very exciting event.
I’m super excited.
We could say this in British English but usually we say very excited or really excited.
We say that too, but if we’re very, very excited, we’re super excited. They were super excited for the wedding.
Ah that’s something else. You can be excited for something in American English.
Yes, can’t you?
No we get excited ABOUT something in British English.
We can say that too.
I remember the last Royal wedding, I was in like seventh grade and we were watching it on TV so I am excited for this one.
Actually I’m very excited about the new royal baby. Super cute.
So super cute is very, very cute.
Yes. We met someone who was super cute.
Yes!
Erm… Her name is Elizabeth. I think she wears a dress and a crown.
This is a crown.
Very nice. Now there’s a time difference between the UK and the US, so the wedding might be early in the morning here.
Will you be watching it?
Probably not live, because isn’t it going to be like four in the morning my time?
Maybe. It’s possible, or I might just catch it on YouTube.
If we watch something live, we watch it in real time – the time it’s happening.
And if we catch something, like a TV program or show, we see or hear it.
Yes, like ‘Do you want to catch a movie later?’
It’s informal and it’s more common in American than British English.
My sister and cousin and I got up at something ungodly like 4.30 AM in California for Princess Di’s wedding and we’re all going to try to meet and recreate the whole thing… whatever hour it’s on.
She was a real fan.
Yes and notice the word ‘ungodly’.
An ungodly hour and means super-early.
Or very very late. It’s an unreasonable time.
An annoying time.
Yeah. OK, next one. What do you think naysayers means?
We’d like your prediction. Is this marriage going to be successful and happy?
Yes, because he’s not listening to the naysayers. He’s following his heart and Meghan’s awesome, so I think yes.
Nay is an old-fashioned word for no.
And a naysayer is a very negative person.
They always give you reasons for why things won’t work.
We don’t like naysayers.
We like people who are positive and optimistic. And people who spice things up.
I feel like she’s going to spice it up. Like she’s gonna spice up the royal family, like kind of bring some flair to, you know, everything.
Spices are powders and seeds that we use in cooking.
If we spice up food we give it a strong taste and smell.
But we can spice up other things too. It means make them more interesting and exciting
What about flair?
If you have flair then you do things in an interesting way.
With imagination.
Yeah. OK, next one.
Tell me, who is your favourite royal?
Oooo. Elizabeth. Elizabeth. She’s so… argh! She’s so sassy. I love her.
I’ve gotta say the queen. Love her outfits. Love the hats.
Sassy is a lovely word. It means she doesn’t care what people think.
It means she’s fashionable and confident.
Sassy is an American word. I think we’d understand it but we don’t say it much in British English.
Really? What would you say then?
Maybe feisty?
Sassy can also have a negative meaning. If a child is rude and doesn’t show respect, they can be sassy.
So if you tell a child to do something and they answer back?
Then they’re sassy. What would you say in British English?
Cheeky. It means rude and disrespectful, but often in a funny way.
You know, I think it’s going to be hard for Meghan being married to a Brit.
Why?
Because you sound funny.
You cheeky devil!
OK, the last one.
Do you think America should have a queen?
I mean, we do. Beyonce. Duh!
Duh! This is another American word that I love.
We say it when someone says something stupid.
And often in a joking way. Like here.
Yeah. Obviously Beyonce is America’s queen. Duh!
And that’s it everyone.
We want to say a big thank you to everyone who appeared in this video.
Yes, you were great.
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See you next Friday everyone. Bye.
Bye-bye.
Click here to see videos about British and American English differences.
Click here to learn the difference between interesting and interested.