Uploaded March 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
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ABOUT THIS VIDEO
The #1 question people ask me is, "Stefanie, I understand everything you say! So why don't I understand movies, TV shows and other native speakers in English?"
In this video I attempt to answer that question. Here are some of the reasons...
Lots of native English speakers mumble, they don't project their voice, and they use an outrageous amount of idioms. All of this makes it more difficult for you to understand them. I have good speaking habits and I speak to be understood. This is probably why you understand me so well.
Also, in case you are wondering.... no, I don't slow down or change the way I speak so that you can understand me better. This really is the way that I talk. However, in my YouTube videos, I am presenting information... and anytime we do a presentation, we automatically speak a little more clearly.
Next... I'm from California, so I speak with an English accent that you are probably very familiar with-- especially if you watch lots of TV shows and movies with American actors. Remember, people speak English differently all over the world. So, you may understand me but struggle to understand an Irish news reporter. That's normal.
(By the way, when I went to Ireland in 2015, I barely understood people there! There accent and vocabulary was so different from mine.)
At the end of the day, improving your listening skills is like anything else... it takes time, effort, study, and practice. You need to listen to LOTS of English for many hours, day after day, year after year. That's what it takes to finally understand movies, TV shows, and native English speakers easily.
Most English learners that struggle with this simply haven't been exposed to English long enough. Anyhow, there's a there's a lot more I could say about this... so I might have to make another video :)
Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
🌎 OUR STUDENTS
See some of our English Full:Time students here:
instagram.com/englishfulltime_students
10 THINGS ABOUT ME
1. I was born in California, USA
2. I went to study abroad in Argentina in 2013
3. I met my husband Renzo in Argentina
4. We got married 5 months after we met!
5. We lived about 5 years in Argentina then started traveling
6. I started English Full:Time in 2016
7. Ren & I now live in California and have two amazing kids
8. We travel as much as we can (especially to Argentina!)
9. I speak Spanish fluently
10. I drink "mate" 🧉 every day!
CONNECT WITH ME 🙋🏼♀️
→ Newsletter: englishfulltime.com
→ Instagram: instagram.com/theenglishcoach
→ Facebook: facebook.com/stefanietheenglishcoach
→ Tiktok: tiktok.com/@theenglishcoach
→ X: https://x.com/englishfulltime
→ Business Inquiries: stefanie@englishfulltime.com
Join my EnglishLife community 👉 englishfulltime.com/englishlife
Get the Sound Bank 👉 englishfulltime.com/sound-bank
Grab my FREE Starter Pack 👉 englishfulltime.com
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
ABOUT THIS VIDEO
The #1 question people ask me is, "Stefanie, I understand everything you say! So why don't I understand movies, TV shows and other native speakers in English?"
In this video I attempt to answer that question. Here are some of the reasons...
Lots of native English speakers mumble, they don't project their voice, and they use an outrageous amount of idioms. All of this makes it more difficult for you to understand them. I have good speaking habits and I speak to be understood. This is probably why you understand me so well.
Also, in case you are wondering.... no, I don't slow down or change the way I speak so that you can understand me better. This really is the way that I talk. However, in my YouTube videos, I am presenting information... and anytime we do a presentation, we automatically speak a little more clearly.
Next... I'm from California, so I speak with an English accent that you are probably very familiar with-- especially if you watch lots of TV shows and movies with American actors. Remember, people speak English differently all over the world. So, you may understand me but struggle to understand an Irish news reporter. That's normal.
(By the way, when I went to Ireland in 2015, I barely understood people there! There accent and vocabulary was so different from mine.)
At the end of the day, improving your listening skills is like anything else... it takes time, effort, study, and practice. You need to listen to LOTS of English for many hours, day after day, year after year. That's what it takes to finally understand movies, TV shows, and native English speakers easily.
Most English learners that struggle with this simply haven't been exposed to English long enough. Anyhow, there's a there's a lot more I could say about this... so I might have to make another video :)
Please let us know your thoughts in the comments.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
🌎 OUR STUDENTS
See some of our English Full:Time students here:
instagram.com/englishfulltime_students
10 THINGS ABOUT ME
1. I was born in California, USA
2. I went to study abroad in Argentina in 2013
3. I met my husband Renzo in Argentina
4. We got married 5 months after we met!
5. We lived about 5 years in Argentina then started traveling
6. I started English Full:Time in 2016
7. Ren & I now live in California and have two amazing kids
8. We travel as much as we can (especially to Argentina!)
9. I speak Spanish fluently
10. I drink "mate" 🧉 every day!
CONNECT WITH ME 🙋🏼♀️
→ Newsletter: englishfulltime.com
→ Instagram: instagram.com/theenglishcoach
→ Facebook: facebook.com/stefanietheenglishcoach
→ Tiktok: tiktok.com/@theenglishcoach
→ X: https://x.com/englishfulltime
→ Business Inquiries: stefanie@englishfulltime.com
