Thinking in English

347. Stoicism, Existentialism, and More...: Philosophy for Frustrated English Learners! (English Vocabulary Lesson) You’re studying every day… but you feel stuck. You forget vocabulary. You hesitate to speak. And you start to wonder… “Why am I even doing this?” If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many English learners experience frustration, boredom, or burnout at some point on their journey. But what if I told you that philosophy could help? In this episode of Thinking in English, we’re going to explore practical, powerful lessons from some of history’s greatest thinkers: Stoics, Existentialists, Buddhists, and more. These ideas have helped people cope with life’s biggest challenges… so why not apply them to the challenge of learning English? Whether you’re feeling unmotivated, overwhelmed, or just tired of forgetting everything you study, this episode is for you! 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

346. History of New York! (English Vocabulary Lesson) Today, we are going to talk about the history of New York city. New York is one of the most famous cities in the world. Its history is interesting and important, and I think also relevant for people learning English. Why? Because by learning about New York’s history, you can understand more about American culture and language. You might remember my episode about the history of London. Like London, New York has a long and exciting past. But while London’s history goes back thousands of years, New York’s story is a little more recent, but is equally fascinating. So, in this episode, we will explore how New York grew from a small settlement into the big city it is today. 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

346. History of New York! (English Vocabulary Lesson) Today, we are going to talk about the history of New York city. New York is one of the most famous cities in the world. Its history is interesting and important, and I think also relevant for people learning English. Why? Because by learning about New York’s history, you can understand more about American culture and language. You might remember my episode about the history of London. Like London, New York has a long and exciting past. But while London’s history goes back thousands of years, New York’s story is a little more recent, but is equally fascinating. So, in this episode, we will explore how New York grew from a small settlement into the big city it is today. 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

343. What is the World’s Oldest Country? (English Vocabulary Lesson) What is the world's oldest country? This question is not as easy to answer as you might think. We need to discuss what a country actually is, the differences between empires, civilisations, and countries, and then find a place that fits this definition. In this episode I want to introduce you all to a country that I think could be considered the oldest in the world. You might disagree with me, but I think it is an interesting story in any case! Along the way, we will learn some useful vocabulary. 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

342. History of London (English Vocabulary Lesson) London is one of the most famous cities in the world. It is the capital of the United Kingdom. It is a financial centre. An entertainment centre. A culture centre. An academic and educational centre. But how much do you know about the city’s history? Today, we are going to go on an historical journey from the Roman invasion of the island of Britain 2000 years ago to the modern day. Hopefully you’ll learn some interesting history and pick up some useful vocabulary along the way! 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

341. History of YouTube! (English Vocabulary Lesson) YouTube is now 20 years old! It was officially launched back in 2005, and over the past two decades it has completely transformed the way we use the internet. Today, over 2.5 billion people use YouTube every single month. Every minute, over 500 hours of video are uploaded. From funny cat videos to political debates, from educational content to viral dance trends… YouTube has become one of the most powerful platforms in the world. But what was the internet like before YouTube? How did it grow so fast? What impact has it had on culture, education, and even the way we learn English? And what might happen next? In today’s episode of Thinking in English, we’ll explore the history and influence of YouTube over the past 20 years. I’ll talk about life before YouTube, the story behind i... 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

340. Winston Churchill: Hero or Villain? (English Vocabulary Lesson) Have you ever heard the phrase, “History is written by the victors?” It suggests that the people who win wars and lead countries often control how we remember the past. And perhaps no historical figure better represents this idea than Winston Churchill. To many people, especially in the UK and the West, Churchill is a national hero. He is the man who led Britain through its darkest hour in World War Two. His speeches are iconic, his image is legendary, and his name is often linked to courage, resilience, and freedom. But not everyone sees him this way. To others, Churchill was a symbol of empire, colonialism, and racism. A man whose decisions caused suffering for millions. He is a hero to some, a villain to others. In today’s episode of Thinking in English, we’re going to ask a di... 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

345. How To Immerse Yourself in English in 2025? (English Learning Podcast) Have you ever heard the word immersion? In language learning, immersion means surrounding yourself with English in your daily life. Instead of only studying from textbooks, you try to listen, read, speak, and think in English as much as possible. It’s a popular and powerful method to improve quickly and naturally. I first talked about language immersion on this podcast a few years ago. But since then, a lot has changed. Today, in 2025, there are many new tools like ChatGPT and other AI technologies that can help you create an immersive English environment, even from your home. That’s why I want to revisit this topic. In this episode, I’ll explain what immersion means today, share some updated tips, and show you how to use modern tools and techniques to make your English learning fas... 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

344. What is Survivorship Bias? (English Vocabulary Lesson) Today, I want to talk about a bias that affects how we think about success. It’s called survivorship bias, and it might be the reason you’re feeling discouraged, unmotivated, or frustrated with your English. We’ll look at what survivorship bias really is, explore some famous examples from history and business, and then dive into how it appears in the world of language learning. Most importantly, I’ll give you practical advice to avoid this trap and keep moving forward with confidence. 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

What Happens When You Stop Studying English? - Subordinating Conjunction (English Grammar Lesson) What happens when you stop studying English? I’m sure many of you have thought about this before. Will your English get worse? Will you still be able to have conversations? And what can you do to prevent this from happening? Today I want to look in more depth at language attrition (the opposite of language learning), and at the same time demonstrate some incredibly useful English conjunctions. This episode will focus on subordinating conjunctions (I also have two other episodes on coordinating conjunctions and paired conjunctions). Subordinating conjunctions allow us to connect sentence clauses together. Let’s practice using these conjunctions and discuss English learning in today’s episode of Thinking in English Grammar! 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

343. What is the World’s Oldest Country? (English Vocabulary Lesson) What is the world's oldest country? This question is not as easy to answer as you might think. We need to discuss what a country actually is, the differences between empires, civilisations, and countries, and then find a place that fits this definition. In this episode I want to introduce you all to a country that I think could be considered the oldest in the world. You might disagree with me, but I think it is an interesting story in any case! Along the way, we will learn some useful vocabulary. 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

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342. History of London (English Vocabulary Lesson) London is one of the most famous cities in the world. It is the capital of the United Kingdom. It is a financial centre. An entertainment centre. A culture centre. An academic and educational centre. But how much do you know about the city’s history? Today, we are going to go on an historical journey from the Roman invasion of the island of Britain 2000 years ago to the modern day. Hopefully you’ll learn some interesting history and pick up some useful vocabulary along the way! 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

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What Happens When You Stop Studying English? - Subordinating Conjunction (English Grammar Lesson) What happens when you stop studying English? I’m sure many of you have thought about this before. Will your English get worse? Will you still be able to have conversations? And what can you do to prevent this from happening? Today I want to look in more depth at language attrition (the opposite of language learning), and at the same time demonstrate some incredibly useful English conjunctions. This episode will focus on subordinating conjunctions (I also have two other episodes on coordinating conjunctions and paired conjunctions). Subordinating conjunctions allow us to connect sentence clauses together. Let’s practice using these conjunctions and discuss English learning in today’s episode of Thinking in English Grammar! 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

335. The Most Important Moment in British History? (English Vocabulary Lesson) What was the most important moment in English history? What event had the biggest consequences and most influential impact? Today I want to look at a few moments in the past 1000 years that have massively changed England and English culture. We'll discuss these events, learn about British history, and practice our English comprehension at the same time! 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟

341. History of YouTube! (English Vocabulary Lesson) YouTube is now 20 years old! It was officially launched back in 2005, and over the past two decades it has completely transformed the way we use the internet. Today, over 2.5 billion people use YouTube every single month. Every minute, over 500 hours of video are uploaded. From funny cat videos to political debates, from educational content to viral dance trends… YouTube has become one of the most powerful platforms in the world. But what was the internet like before YouTube? How did it grow so fast? What impact has it had on culture, education, and even the way we learn English? And what might happen next? In today’s episode of Thinking in English, we’ll explore the history and influence of YouTube over the past 20 years. I’ll talk about life before YouTube, the story behind i... 🌟 Learn English with italki today! 🌟