SBS Learn English yuav pab kom kom muaj peev xwm hais tau, tham tau, totaub thiab sib cuag tau nrog lwm tus neeg ntawm teb chaws Australia - txheeb tau txhua toom sob kawm ntawm no. Thiab txheeb tau tej sob kawm no ntawm SBS Learn English Hmong.
Toom sob kawm no haum rau tej neeg kawm ntawv Askiv theem nrab. Tom qab mloog tag lawm, sim teb tej lus nug hauv qab no ua ib co kev tshau txuj xeb koj nkag siab zoo npaum li cas.
Learning notes
Lesson learning objective:
Learn how to congratulate someone on their work or wedding anniversary.
Different phrases you can use when talking about time (Tej sob lus koj muaj peev xwm siv thaum tham txog sij hawm/caij nyoog):
- Can you believe it’s been two years since we started? (Kuv tsis xav ntseeg li tias twg tau ob xyoos lawm txij le peb tau pib?)
- I can’t believe it’s been that long already. (Kuv tsis xav ntseeg li tias twg tau ntev ua luaj li lawm).
- It’s been quite a ride. (Tau muaj ntau yam tshwm sim).
- Time flies. (Caij nyoog dhau mus sai heev yam tsis ras txog).
- We’ve come so far since that day. (Peb kuj tau ua tau ntau yam tiav txij thaum ntawv los).
- We’re only getting started. (Peb tseem nyuam qhuav pib xwb).
- What a milestone. (Yog tej yam tshwj xeeb heev li).
- It feels like forever! (Zoo li ntev kawg nkaus li lawm, ntev heev li lawm).
Vocabulary (Cov lo lus):
A milestone is a significant moment or event in the development of something.
(A milestone ces yog ib lub caij tseem ceeb los yog ib co xwm txheej uas tau ua/tsim ib yam dab tsi).
To exaggerate is to represent something as being larger, better or worse than it really is. (To exaggerate ces yog cov kev puab quav cia, los sis yog hais tej yam muaj tshaj qhov tseeb, zoo tshaj los yog phem tshaj qhov tseeb).
Colloquial expressions (Tej sob lus):
Every few years means several years apart. We use it to describe something that happens regularly several years apart.
(Every few years ces yog sib nrug ntau xyoo. Siv coj los piv txog ib yam dab tsi ua tau tshwm sim tas mus li ntau xyau dhau los).
It feels like yesterday means that it feels very recent. We use it when something has happened or has been happening for a long time but it doesn’t feel like a long time.
(It feels like yesterday txhais tias zoo li nyuam qhuav tsis ntev los no xwb. Siv sob lus no thaum tham txog ib yam dab tsi ua tau tshwm sim yav tag los lawm los yog tau tshwm sim los ntev los lawm tab sis tseem muaj tej xwm txheej ntawd txuas ntxiv tab sis ua rau yus mloog tau tias zoo li nyuam qhuav tshwm sim tsis ntev dhau los xwb).
To be up to is a humorous way to say ‘doing’ all kinds of things. We often use it when we are talking about children who are playing or even doing things they should not be doing!
(To be up to ces yog ib lub txoj xub ke hais tias ''ua'' ntau yam. Thiab peb yeej ib txwm siv lo lus no tham txog tej me nyuam uas tab tom ua si los yog ua ntau yam uas lawv tsis tsim nyog ua!).
Over the years is a saying that means over a long period of time from the past into the present.
(Over the years ces yog txhais tias yog ib lub caij ntev heev yav tag los los txog rau tam sim no).
“It’s been quite a ride” is a phrase that their time together has been full of action, like on a roller coaster ride where there are plenty of ups and downs, or changes.
(“It’s been quite a ride” ces yog ib sob lus lub caij ob tug neeg ua ke ntawd tau ua ntau yam uas ua tau raws siab xav los yog ntau yam yuam kev los yog muaj ntau yam kev pauv hloov).
Learning focus (Yuav kawm txog):
Choosing which past tense to use in English can be very tricky. In the dialogue Claire and Allan use two different past tenses (the present perfect - have/has + past participle) - and the past simple – verb + ed) to signal different meanings.
We use the present perfect when something started in the past but is still continuing to the present, and the past simple when we have in our minds a specific time when something happened.
So Claire says: "...it’s been two years since we started here."
- it’s been present perfect: has + been) three years since we started (Simple past: verb + ed) here
She does this because she started at a particular time (3 years ago) but the work they are doing is still continuing from that time up to the present.
So we often use the present perfect when we use the word since because we are talking about something that started earlier and is still continuing.
They therefore both continue to talk about their work using the present perfect, because they are still working and haven’t finished yet:
Allan: Wow, I can't believe it’s (has) been that long already!
Claire: Yeah, it’s (has) been quite a ride! We’ve (have) come so far since that day.
Transcript:
(Note: This is not a word-for-word transcript)
SBS acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands, and waterways throughout Australia.
Hi everyone! I’m celebrating today because it’s the 50th anniversary of SBS!
Back in 1975, SBS started broadcasting in just a few languages. Now, 50 years later, we’re proud to share stories and voices from over 60 language communities across Australia—including this one, Learn English!
Have you celebrated any anniversaries this year—maybe a wedding anniversary or a work milestone? These are great moments to recognise and knowing how to talk about them in English can be really useful, especially when you want to congratulate someone—or even yourself!
I’m Josipa, and today, in classic Learn English style, we’re celebrating by focusing on work and wedding anniversaries, and how to talk about them in everyday English.
It feels just like yesterday that I started making this podcast, but it’s been 3 years and counting! What a journey!
We can say it feels like yesterday as a way of saying it feels like it was not long ago even though it was quite a while ago, and we all know that time feels like it goes quicker when you’re having fun!
I’ll tell you what else has been an amazing journey? Allan and Claire’s relationship!
We've been lucky to hear all kinds of chats over the years, and it feels just like yesterday when I heard their first one. By the way, ‘over the years’ means that a lot of time has gone by.
Allan and Claire have worked together over the years and are talking about that right now. Let's listen in on their conversation.
Claire
Can you believe it’s been two years since we started here?
Allan
Wow, has it already been that long? Time really flies.
Claire:
Yeah, it’s been quite a ride! We’ve come so far since that day.
Allan
And we’re only getting started! Speaking of anniversaries, my sister and her husband just celebrated their silver wedding anniversary last week.
Claire
Wow! What a milestone! Are they having a celebration?
Allan
Yep. They’ll have a party soon so we can wish them a happy anniversary.
Allan and Claire sure have come a long way, haven’t they? We say something has come a long way when we mean that a lot of progress has been made, and whatever it is has got a lot better over that time.
Enough celebrating Allan and Claire! let’s see what they were talking about.
Claire said,
Can you believe it’s been two years since we started here?
So, Claire isn’t asking Allan whether he actually believes her, she’s trying to show her surprise that it is so long because it doesn’t feel that long to her. We can say can you believe before we talk something that is unexpected, amazing or even shocking.
For example, can you believe how much better you are at speaking English since listening to this podcast?
Haha, anyway, can you believe we are only at the start of the dialogue? We still have so much to get through!
Allan replied,
Wow, has it already been that long? Time really flies.
Time flies. We say this when we feel that time is passing very quickly. We often say this when we are surprised time has passed so quickly. For instance, can you believe it’s been 3 years since this podcast started? Time really flies.
Allan also said,
Has it already been that long?
Allan’s agreeing with Claire and is saying that he also doesn't feel like much time has past since they started here th years ago – it seems much shorter.
Here’s an example. If you moved into your new house 5 years ago but if feels like it was only short time, well, it would be a perfect time to say, “I can’t believe it’s been that long already!”
Back to Claire,
Yeah, it’s been quite a ride! We’ve come so far since that day.
We know Allan and Claire work has developed and got so much better, so they can say that they have come so far, but what kind of ride are they talking about?
“It’s been quite a ride” is a phrase that their time together has been full of action, like on a roller coaster ride where there are plenty of ups and downs, or changes.
We know Allan and Claire have been up to all kinds of things on this podcast so it’s definitely true that their time together has been quite the ride!
By the way ‘up to’ is a humorous way to say that hey have been doing all kinds of things. We often use it when we are talking about children who are playing or even doing things they should not be doing!
We can also use it to find out what our friends have been saying. We can ask them: ‘what have you been up to lately?’
Allan replied,
And we’re only getting started!
And we’re only getting started! Allan is saying - even though they’ve been working together for two years, that’s just the start so there will be many more years of working together in the future. Isn’t that nice?!
He then said:
My sister and her husband just celebrated their silver wedding anniversary last week.
Allan said his sister and her husband just celebrated their silver wedding anniversary which means that they have been married for 25 years.
Cool fact, there are names for all the different wedding anniversaries, like gold is 50 years and platinum is 70 years. Can you imagine being married for 70 years? Even 50? That would be quite a ride. Congratulations to Allan’s sister!
What a milestone!
It sure is, Claire!
A milestone is an important and memorable moment or event in the development of something.
Twenty-five years together - that’s a big milestone worthy of a big celebration! Hmm. I wonder if they will invite me?
Allan replied,
we can wish them a happy anniversary
A common and simple way to congratulate someone on an anniversary is just to say, "Happy anniversary!"—just like you’d say, "Happy birthday!" It works for wedding anniversaries, work anniversaries, or even special personal milestones.
A big thank you to our guest Wolfgang Mueller Paul Nicholson and Lily O'Sullivan voiced the characters of Allan and Claire, and Professor Lynda Yates was our educational consultant.
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