Basic vs Advanced English: Casual Phrases

Textbook English is useful, but real conversations with friends are full of casual expressions. In this video, you will learn four natural upgrades. Instead of 'let's hang out', try 'let's catch up'. This suggests meeting someone you have not seen for a while to talk about what has happened in your lives. Instead of 'calm down', say 'chill out'. It is relaxed and informal, but be careful, it can sound rude if someone is really upset. Replace 'you're funny' with 'you crack me up', which means you make me laugh a lot. Finally, instead of 'stop joking', say 'quit messing around', a casual way to ask someone to be serious. These phrases are perfect for texting, social media and chatting with friends, but they are too informal for job interviews or business emails. Learning when to use them is just as important as learning what they mean. Notice how phrasal verbs like 'catch up', 'chill out' and 'crack up' are very common in spoken English. Watch the video, repeat each pair with a relaxed tone, and try using one of these phrases in your next chat with a friend.