First French lesson! Learn to say hi and introduce yourself. We cover the verb to be as well as the most basic language you'll need for your first 30-second French conversation.

Learn Basic French Podcast

Episode 1: Bienvenue

In this episode of #MustWatch TV Series/Movies I would like to recommend a crime and supernatural influenced drama of which is called Manifest. It can be found on Netflix, please watch it and let me know what you think of it :)

#MustWatch TV Series/Movies

#MustWatch Manifest (TV Series)

In this episode, I talk how allowing beginning learners to focus of the communication of meaning, even if done with simple or less than perfect language, is ALWAYS better than trying to "get it right in the beginning". 

The Grammarian Podcast

A beginners guide to acquiring a foreign language - Part 2: Learning to Communicate Meaning

Like many other grandmothers, Daisy likes to knit, and she isn't very good with technology.

Or, at least, that's what she might tell people on the phone.

Daisy also describes herself as "your worst nightmare." But don't worry, she's not talking to you — she's talking to phone scammers.

That's because Daisy is actually an AI chatbot. She was created by UK phone company Virgin Media O2 to speak to scammers on the phone and make them believe they're talking to a real person.

Older people are very vulnerable to scams. In July, a UK study found that about 67% of people over the age of 75 were victims of at least one scam attempt in the six months before the study — with almost 75% being phone scams.

Enter Daisy, who has been trained to have conversations with phone scammers and waste their time.

Virgin Media O2 worked with Jim Browning, a YouTuber who has spent years "scambaiting" — that is, pretending to be a clueless victim to waste scammers' time.

And that's the whole point — Daisy can't stop scammers, but she can slow them down.

"Whenever she's on the phone with a scammer, your parents, your grandparents, your relatives, are not being scammed," Browning told Sky News.

The company says Daisy is already "wasting hundreds and hundreds of hours of scammers' time," and has shared real-life conversations the chatbot has had with scammers.

Some conversations last nearly an hour. She talks about her cat, Fluffy, and people in her family. In some conversations, she gives the scammers what they want — bank details. But of course, they're not real.

Murray Mackenzie from Virgin Media O2 said Daisy is also a reminder that the person you're speaking to on the phone might not always be who they say they are.

Practice Listening, Reading & Comprehension

Meet the AI Grandma Wasting Scammers' Time

「5分でわかる日本語」は、日本語を勉強している人のためのPodcastです。
① 5分くらいで日本の文化や日常生活、日本語の文法や単語について簡単に説明します。
② 中級者から上級者まで、特にJLPT N3くらいをがんばっている人に役立ちます。
③ 短い時間で効果的に学べるので、忙しい人にもぴったりです。聞いてみてください♪

“Make Sense of Japanese in 5 Minutes” is a podcast for people learning Japanese.
① Each episode provides a brief and easy-to-understand explanation of Japanese culture, daily life, grammar, and vocabulary in about 5 minutes.
② It is useful for intermediate to advanced learners. Especially helpful for those aiming for JLPT N3 level.
③ Perfect for busy people who want to learn effectively in a short amount of time. Give it a listen!

【台本/Script】
こんにちは。今日は8月7日水曜日です。「5分でわかる日本語」ポッドキャストへようこそ。私は日本語の先生、みわです。今日は、日本の歴史の中でよく出てくる「侍（さむらい）」と「武士（ぶし）」の違いについてお話しします。

みなさんは、侍や武士が好きですか？かっこいいですよね。でも、その違いは知ってますか？実は、私は知りませんでした。今回、このポッドキャストのために調べました。

まず、「武士」について説明します。武士は、武器を持って戦う人のことです。戦うことが仕事で、昔の戦争の時によく働きました。武士は、地方の大きな力を持ってる人達や農民たちが、自分たちの土地を守るために、武器を持って戦ったことから始まりました。743年に「墾田永年私財法（こんでんえいねんしざいほう）」という法律ができて、新しい土地を自分のものにできるようになったので、地方の優れた人達は土地を大きくして、武士になりました。

次に、「侍」についてです。「侍」は、地位が高い人のために働く人のことを指します。「侍」という言葉は、昔の言葉「候ふ（さぶらう）」からきていて、「見て、守る」という意味や「周りを注意して、よく見る」という意味があります。実は、侍は、武士の一種です。侍は武士の中でも特に地位が高い人のために働いた人たちでした。

ここで、武士と侍の違いを整理しましょう。武士は、戦うことが仕事で、武器を持って戦います。侍は、地位が高い人のために働く人たちのことを指します。侍は武士の一種ですが、特に高い地位を持つ人たちでした。

ただ、日本人でも侍と武士の違いを知ってる人はほとんどいません。それは、江戸時代（1603年〜1868年）に起こったことと関係しています。江戸時代になると、戦争が少なくなり、武士のほとんどが地位が高い人のために働くようになりました。そのため、武士と侍の違いがだんだんとなくなり、同じような意味で使われるようになったのです。

ここで、皆さんに問題です。「侍」と「武士」の違いは何ですか？
	1.	侍は地位が高い人のために働き、武士は戦うことを仕事にする人たち全体を指します
	2.	武士は地位が高い人のために働き、侍は戦うことを仕事にする人たち全体を指します
	3.	侍も武士も同じ意味
正解は「1. 侍は地位が高い人のために働き、武士は戦うことを仕事にする人たち全体を指します」です。

今日のポッドキャストはここまでです。「侍」と「武士」の違いについて、楽しんでいただけましたか？これからも日本語の勉強を続けて、いろいろな言葉や表現を覚えてくださいね。質問やリクエストがあれば、コメントやメッセージで教えてください。それでは、また明日もお会いしましょう。またね！



🌸5分でわかる日本語🌸 Japanese Podcast

「さむらい」と「武士」のちがいを学ぼう！

In todays episode we discuss diets and counting calories!

Let's have a chat (Discussions In English) 

Episode 35: Do you count calories when eating your meals? 

Can Watching Movies Help Improve My English? If Yes, How?

Movies are great sources of learning, including for improving your English. 

Even for people who don’t intentionally learn English, they can start to enrich their vocabulary and grammatical skill by watching many films.

 Although it is still highly advisable to learn English through formal education programs, movies can become an excellent tool to know how a native speaks and behaves.

Dive into my podcast and improve your listening skills, I'll ask you some questions so you can think in English & I'll get you to speak too. Have fun doing it

To hire me to understand your situation with English (IELTS speaking improvement, Job Interview Preparation or Confidence Boosting) - please check my class types and choose the most appropriate one for you now.

I am excited for our future productive collaborations together

Anatoly