Struggling with the /th/ sound in English? You're not alone! In this episode, we’ll break down the two types of /th/—voiced and unvoiced—explaining how to position your mouth, common pronunciation mistakes, and easy ways to practice. Whether you mix up think and sink or those and doze, this episode will help you master this tricky sound with clear explanations and practical exercises. Tune in and start speaking with confidence!

 Pronunciation and Accent Reduction with a Focus on North American English

Sink or Think? Those or Doze?  Mastering the TH Consonant

Welcome to our first lesson! Today, we’re starting with the basics of sentence structure. Every sentence in English has three key parts: a subject, a verb, and an object. Let’s dive into what each part means and how they work together.

The subject is the person, place, or thing that the sentence is about. The verb shows the action or state of being. The object receives the action of the verb. For example, in the sentence "I eat apples," "I" is the subject, "eat" is the verb, and "apples" is the object.

Let’s look at some more examples. "She reads books." Here, "she" is the subject, "reads" is the verb, and "books" is the object. Another example is, "They play soccer." In this sentence, "they" is the subject, "play" is the verb, and "soccer" is the object.

Now, let’s practice together. Repeat after me: "I eat apples." Great! Now let’s try another one: "I watch TV." Excellent! Next, we’ll create some sentences together. I’ll say, "I [verb] [object]," and you can choose your own verb and object to complete the sentence. For example, "I see flowers," or "I like pizza."

Let’s make our practice a bit more creative. Think about activities you do every day. For instance, "I drink coffee," or "I read the newspaper." You could also say, "I walk to school," or "I write emails." Can you add a few more examples of things you do regularly? Practice saying them aloud to build confidence in using the Subject + Verb + Object structure. Try to include activities from different parts of your day, like morning routines, work tasks, or evening hobbies. Think about what you do when you wake up, such as "I brush my teeth," or "I make the bed." Then consider what you might do later, like "I cook dinner," or "I watch TV before bed."

Learn English With Tom https://www.youtube.com/@LearnAmericanEnglishWithTom

Lesson 1 Learn English with Tom

Sabiam que é importante saber ao menos um pouco de português para viajar para o Brasil? Neste episódio, explicamos o porquê e damos exemplos de situações engraçadas que aconteceram devido ao não conhecimento da língua. Esperamos que gostem! 

Praia e Dolce Vita

Por que saber Português para ir ao Brasil?

【北海道Hokkaido生活】
4月14日木曜日　天気/くもり　気温/7℃ 

千歳市/ちとせし　
支笏湖/しこつこ

・支笏湖畔の温泉で露天風呂の大掃除
・大型連休の前だから
・4/29、5/3、5/4、5/5が祝日

［単語］
湖畔/こはん…湖のまわり
露天風呂/ろてんぶろ…外にあるお風呂
大掃除/おおそうじ…いつもはしない場所の掃除
大型連休/おおがたれんきゅう…土曜と日曜と祝日が続くこと
祝日/しゅくじつ…特別な休み



北海道Hokkaido生活 for Japanese learners

〈#38〉4月14日木曜日　温泉の大掃除

La rubrica di oggi riguarda una parte della sfera sociale molto importante. Partendo dal corteggiamento per arrivare alla famiglia. Quando un uomo italiano incontra una donna italiana, o viceversa, cosa succede nel 2024? Lasciando da parte il modo in cui questo potrebbe avvenire – perché significherebbe parlare di rimorchio*, amici di amici**, applicazioni varie, insomma tutti i modi in cui l’incontro è organizzato – cosa succede al primo, ma anche al secondo e al terzo appuntamento? Mi sono chiesta se esistesse ancora, o perlomeno se stesse tornando di moda la galanteria, quel modo di fare per cui l’uomo farà di tutto per essere estremamente gentile e affascinante per conquistare la donna. E se la donna farà di tutto per essere bellissima e elegante, truccata e profumata. Ma la risposta è: NO! Da molteplici o tutti i punti di vista. In Italia, oggigiorno, non ci si mette più insieme così. Tutto è più fluido, lasciato al caso. Siamo più liberali e moderni. E non lo dico con nostalgia. Oggi credo che sia l’uomo che la donna cerchino di essere compagni, amici, complici; loro vogliono condividere, essere in sintonia.Forse un fiore 🌷 regalato sarà sempre piacevole, ma non solo per le donne!!! Tutto questo, come ho detto all’inizio, per arrivare a aggiornarvi sulla situazione “famiglia”. Perché, nel caso in cui il corteggiamento andasse a buon fine, si arriverebbe a qualcosa in più. Si sa che l’Italia è sempre stata famosa per un’idea molto forte di famiglia – ma sempre secondo la tradizione occidentale eh! La famiglia, quella grande, comprensiva di nonni, zii, cugini. Quella che si ritrova sempre nelle grandi occasioni, che si invita al matrimonio, quando il corteggiamento è andato bene. Ma aggiorniamoci: pratica diffusa è la convivenza prima del matrimonio, o una convivenza eterna. Si va a convivere per un po’, per fare le prove generali, vedere se “funziona” nella realtà di tutti i giorni. Alcuni decideranno poi di sposarsi. 

la Rubrica di Simona

IL CORTEGGIAMENTO E LA FAMIGLIA IN ITALIA NEL 2024

🌬️ Breathe Your Way to Fluency! 🌬️
Did you know your breathing style can shape the way you learn a language?

✨ Slow deep breathing → Perfect for grammar, vocabulary & memorization.
⚡ Quick breathing → Boosts energy for speaking & pronunciation.
🌗 Alternate nostril breathing → Balances your brain for accent & confidence.

In this episode, we explore how deep breathing techniques can transform the way you learn a language. Slow deep breathing calms the nervous system and supports grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation, memorization, and speaking. Quicker breathing energizes the brain, helping with active recall, accent practice, and dynamic speaking. Alternate nostril breathing balances the left and right hemispheres of the brain, improving grammar focus, vocabulary association, and emotional regulation for speaking. Breathing is more than a physical act—it becomes a bridge between body and language, supporting learners in a holistic, embodied way.

Discover how each breathing style supports different parts of language learning in Episode 87 of 111 Tips for Learning a Language! 🎙️

💃🏻111 Tips for Learning a Language 

Tip 87 - How 😮‍💨 Breathing Practice can help you learn a language

Intermediate Chinese Listening：刻板印象 Stereotype

Intermediate Chinese Listening

The short story 'Great Claus and Little Claus' by Hans Christian Andersen.


Teacher Michelle's Learn English with Story

 Great Claus and Little Claus - LEARN ENGLISH WITH STORY 

「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7月3日水曜日、「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。今日はアニメ『ハイキュー!!』と「球（きゅう）」という言葉についてお話しします。

🌸皆さん、アニメ『ハイキュー!!』は好きですか？

このアニメは、バレーボールをする高校生たちのお話です。とても人気がありますね。実は、「ハイキュー」は日本語でバレーボールのことです。「排球」という漢字もあります。

「排球」の「球（きゅう）」は、「たま」と読むこともできます。「球」はボールのことです。ですから、「球」の漢字がつくスポーツは、すべてボールを使ったスポーツを意味します。

例えば、⚾野球です。「野球」の「球」もボールのことです。野球は日本でとても人気のあるスポーツです。日本のプロ野球や高校野球は特に人気がありますね。毎年夏には高校野球の全国大会があり、多くの人が感心を持ってます。

次に、🏓卓球です。「卓球」の「球」もボールのことです。卓球は小さいボールを使うスポーツです。テーブルのようなものの上で、ラケットを使って、ボールを打ち合うスポーツです。中国がとても強いですね。速くて面白いスポーツです。

では、他にも「球」がつくスポーツをいくつか紹介しましょう。実は、たくさんあります。

例えば、「庭球（ていきゅう）」というスポーツがあります。これはテニスのことです。「庭」と書いて「球」と書きます。テニスもボールを使うスポーツです。

次は、「蹴球（しゅうきゅう）」です。これはサッカーのことです。「蹴る」と書いて「球」と書きます。ボールを足で強く打つスポーツですね。サッカーは世界中でとても人気があり、日本でも多くの人が楽しんでいます。

普段は「バレー」「テニス」「サッカー」とカタカナで言いますが、昔からの言い方もあります。不思議なのは、「野球」と「卓球」は、昔からの日本語の名前で呼ばれています。

では、ここで部活についても少しお話ししましょう。日本の中学校や高校では、ほとんどの生徒が部活に参加します。部活とは、好きなスポーツなどをして楽しむ活動のことです。例えば、バレーボール部、野球部、卓球部、サッカー部、テニス部などがあります。学校の授業が終わった後に活動しますが、朝に練習することもあります。スポーツだけではなく、音楽を演奏する吹奏楽部（すいそうがくぶ）という部活もあります。

このように、いろいろなスポーツで「球」という言葉が使われます。

ここで、皆さんに問題です。「球」は何のことですか？
	1.	山のこと
	2.	海のこと
	3.	ボールのこと
正解は「3. ボールのこと」です。

今日のポッドキャストはここまでです。『ハイキュー!!』と「球」という言葉について、楽しんでいただけましたか？これからも日本語の勉強を頑張ってくださいね。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！

