This is an important grammar topic at the intermediate level. This short episode introduces the idea of ergative verbs. 

Ergative verbs are a set of verbs which have a third option besides being active or passive: ergative. This means they are active in form, with the receiver of the verb's action as the subject. The meaning is the same as the passive. 

The examples I use in the episode: 
The store opens at 10. 
The movie will star at 8pm. 
The music stopped. 
The weather changed.
The chicken is cooking. 
The car is reversing. 
The plants grew. 
The window broke. 

I hope you enjoy the episode and find it helpful. Message me with any questions you have. 
Subscribe to never miss an episode. 
See you soon!


English with Eric

Grammar: Ergative Verbs

Thanks for listening. If you like my podcast , subscribe to it! If you have any question or suggestion about my podcast, feel free to message me or we can discuss it in our class.

嗨大家好，我是Cara欢迎收听我的频道，今天跟大家讲一个关于中国“年”故事。

中国的新年可以追溯到几千年的历史，那么中国新年是怎么出现的呢？
在中国古代，有一只凶猛的野兽，它有着锋利的牙齿，巨大的爪子和恐怖的吼叫声。它吼叫的时候会发出“年~”的声音，所以人们把它叫做：年兽。在每年春天最黑暗的夜晚，新月new moon挂在天上，年兽就会出现，它会跑到村庄里，吓唬村子里的人，吃掉村子里的动物，所以每年春天人们特别害怕新月的升起。但是时间一久，人们渐渐发现年兽害怕三样东西，那就是红色、火光和巨大的响声；于是后来的人们在每年年兽将要到来的时候就会聚到一起，贴上红色的纸（后来逐渐改为贴红对联），挂上红色的灯笼，放鞭炮等等，目的就是为了赶走年兽。当年兽被赶走以后，人们总是会高兴地说到：“又熬过一个年了。”所以慢慢的就有了过年的说法，也由此出现过年的习俗了。后来人们会在春天的时候，庆祝新月的升起而不是害怕它，这个庆祝活动，变成了现在持续15天的中国农历新年，也叫春节。它代表着幸福和新的开始。
好的，以上就是关于中国年的故事了，我还录制了关于中国元宵节的播客，可以去我的播客频道搜索。你们还想听什么样的中国故事呢？欢迎给我留言或者在我们上课的时候告诉我吧。我们下次节目再见。


Talk to Cara in Chinese

12.中国节日系列：中国“年”的故事Spring Fesitival

3000 Most Common Words

This is a clean and tidy office. A photo is displayed on the wall. It shows the Memory Stationery staff standing proud in front of a new warehouse. Everyone’s face is full of optimism.  But today the company atmosphere is tense. A4, the CEO of the company, is at his desk and on the phone; he is facing out the window at the sky. His facial expression is timid.

“I hear you, Mr. Scissors,” says A4. “But it’s impossible. I can’t take our prices down that low. You’re asking me to sacrifice our entire profit margin.”

A4 sits in silence as he listens to the response. A bead of sweat runs down the CEO’s face. The voice on the other end is frightening him.

“Sir, last month I discounted our products to the bottom line… Yes, but, please, sir, I’m just an
honest wholesaler. I promise I’m not trying to take advantage of you… Other retailers are happy to pay market rate—”

A4 suddenly pulls the phone away from his ear. The voice is furious and aggressive. It is blasting out the tiny speaker. When the harsh noise calms down, A4 puts the phone back to his ear.

“No, please, don’t cut me. Please, sir. You’re right, okay? You’re right. That was rude of me, I’m
sorry… I know. I’m a scrap. You’re right. I’m no better than a tissue. You’re right…”

A4 changes his tone. He isn’t pleading anymore. He sounds like he has given up.

“Mr. Scissors. I’ll look at our margins and call you back. There might be some way we can go down lower…”

A4 hangs up the phone. He leans back in his chair. His eyes are glazed over. He is deep in
contemplation. He imagines the brutal scenario of Mr. Scissors cutting him into a thousand pieces.

Throughout this entire time, A4 has been recording the conversation onto his paper body. This is his natural ability. A4’s unmistakable memory is the reason why he is the CEO.

A4 picks up the phone and dials a number. Life returns to his eyes.

“Backpack, get everyone together in the meeting room. I have an announcement.”

Being a Cloud

A4 the Piece of Paper 

お金が2倍になる期間が簡単にわかる便利な計算方法についてくわしく話します。

「72の法則」って聞いたことありますか？
これは、貯蓄や投資をしたお金を複利運用で2倍に増やそうとしたとき、「何年」で「何％」で運用すればいいかを教えてくれるものです。
計算式は簡単。
「72÷利回り≒お金が2倍になるのに必要な期間（年）」
期間と利回りを入れ替えても成立するので、10年で2倍にしたいなら、72÷10年で約7.2%となります。
5％で運用するなら、72÷5%で約14.4年かかります。

くわしくはPodcastで話しているので、よかったら聴いてみてください。あなたのお役に立ちますように！

質問（しつもん）やリクエスト (request)はありますか？
メッセージ(message) を送ってくださいね。




[Intermediate-Upper level] Interesting Japanese Not Taught In Schools About Japanese business culture, Japanese habits & Osaka

お金が2倍になる期間が簡単にわかる便利な計算方法

1)	що я можу вам запропонувати? - what can i offer you?
2)	звичайний (m), звичайна (f) – (adjective) ordinary, normal 
3)	замість + Genitive – instead of
4)	апельсиновий сік – orange juice
5)	дуже рекомендую – highly recommend
6)	тоді я візьму… - then I’ll take…
7)	вибір - choice
8)	середній стакан – middle cup (стакан literally is a ‘glass’, it can be paper one as in our case, so  basically we say ‘ paper glass’ :)
9)	пити – to drink (infinitive)
10)	мигдальне (на мигдальному молоці) – almond (with almond milk; pay attention to the case. We use Locative here)
11)	звісно - sure
12)	бажаєте щось перекусити? – do you want something to eat? (‘перекусити’ is not considered as a full meal though. It is more like ‘have a snack’).
13)	ми хочемо їсти – we want to eat 
14)	голодний, голодна – hungry
15)	печиво - cookies
16)	ось тут – here (it is)
17)	картка чи готівка? – card or cash?
__________________________
Б: Доброго ранку, що я можу вам запропонувати?
К: Доброго ранку, яка у вас є кава?
Б: У нас є еспресо, капучіно, лате, капуоранж і звичайна чорна кава.
К: А що таке «капуоранж»?
Б: Це капучіно, де замість молока — апельсиновий сік. Дуже рекомендую.
К: Непогано. Тоді я візьму капуоранж. 
Б: Гарний вибір. Вам великий чи середній стакан? 
К: Середній, будь ласка.
Б: Добре. А що буде пити ваша дочка?
П: Я її племінниця. І мені не подобається кава.
Б: У нас також є чай, какао і лимонад.
П: Я хочу какао на мигдальному молоці. 
Б: Вибачте, але мигдальне молоко скінчилося. Можу запропонувати бананове.
П: Добре, тоді на банановому молоці.
Б: Звісно. Бажаєте щось перекусити?
К: Ні, дякую, ми не хочемо їсти.
П: А я трохи голодна. У вас є печиво або сендвічі?
Б: Звісно. Ось тут меню.
П: Я буду сендвіч з салямі і чеддером.
Б: Щось ще?
К: Ні, це все, дякую.
Б: Це буде 169 гривень. Картка чи готівка?
К: Картка.
Б: Будь ласка.


Everything is going to be Ukraine!

Episode 3: В кав'ярні

Learn the basic vocabulary and expressions that deal with clothes and fashion.

Learn Basic French Podcast

Learn Basic French: Les vêtements (clothes)

Prepositions "В" and "На" are the most frequent, most confusing puzzle. Let's finally solve it.

All about Russian language 🌟

В / На 

Have you wondered what is important in a job interview?


How should you speak to HR people? What skills do you illustrate best?


What if you start speaking of a wrong thing that will ‘demotivate’ an employer from hiring you?


Have you had these thoughts when preparing for a job interview?


Most people forget they have value, they stand for something, and they have a character that (if positioned properly, and I help my private students to do that), if positioned properly, you can communicate ‘in a matching’ manner.


The job interview process is a science; it takes meticulous research into the ‘unobvious traits that need to be brought up', such as pulling out your beliefs and attitudes as a'sales point’ that can potentially be the defining factor in being hired.

In today’s recording, I’ll have you sold on some ideas my CEO students, C-level managers, and vice presidents of companies told me to share with you! J Since I have direct access to these people,.

You don’t want to miss this podcast.

Apply for my 1-on-1 private job interview training now and be fully prepared for a new chapter of your life.



Job Interview Preparation | Build Strong Communication Under Pressure

Soft skills VS Hard skills in a Job Interview.

 The idiom "to take its toll" means to be damaging or harmful, cause loss or destruction. It is often used to describe the negative effects of something over time, such as a health problem taking its toll on both sides. The phrase is derived from the taking of a toll, like a  tax. It can also be used to describe the negative effects of stress on people, such as the constant stress taking its toll on emergency hospital staff.