Cov kev kawm txog tej lus Askiv tseem ceeb yuav pab kom koj paub tham txog cov kev sim, cov kev yuav thiab cov kev nrhiav kom tau nkawm khau haum koj. Xyaum tej sob lus thiab cov lo lus txhua hnub los piav tias seb nkawm khau ntawd zoo li cas, nug txog cov khau loj thiab me, thiab tshab txhais tias seb koj xav tau hom khau zoo li cas ntawm ib nkawm uas zoo rau.
SBS Learn English yuav pab kom koj muaj peev xwm tham, totaub thiab sib cuag tau nrog lwm tus ntawm teb chaws Australia - txheeb tau txhua toom sob kawm ntawm no.
Toom sob kawm no haum rau cov neeg kawm ntawv Askiv tshaj lij theem nrab. Tom qab mloog tas lawm, sim teb peb tej lus nug hauv qab no tam li yog ib co kev tshau txuj seb koj totaub zoo npaum li cas.
Learning notes:
Examples of phrases you can use when trying on shoes:
- I don’t think these are the right fit. (Nkawm no tsis haum kuv).
- They feel a bit snug. (Ib nyuag nruj me ntsis lawm).
- Those shoes feel a bit snug around my toes. (Ib nyuag nruj me ntsis ib ncig ntawm cov cov ntiv taw).
- These shoes are too loose; my heel keeps slipping out. (Nkawm no xoob dhau lawm; kuv lub pob luj taw twb npleem tawm dhau los lawm).
- Maybe you need to go up a size? (Tej zaum ntshe nkawm loj zoj thiaj haum koj?)
- These are too big for me; I should go down a size. (Nkawm no loj heev rau kuv lawm; Kuv xav tau nkawm me dua).
- Do you have these in a half size up? (Puas muaj nkawm zoo li no tab sis loj zog li 0.5 ntxiv? - Piv txwv li size 8 nce ua 8.5).
- Are these available in a half size down? (Puas muaj nkawm zoo li no tab sis me zog li 0.5? - Piv txwv li 8.5 ua size 8)
- These shoes fit small. They’re rubbing at the back. (Nkawm no me heev, ti thiab nqaim, rau ces yuav txhuam ntawm pob luj taw - uas tej zaum yuav sawv hlwv thiab mob hle tawv).
- These sandals fit big; I need to go down a size. (Nkawm khau khiab no loj heev; kuv xav tau nkawm me zog).
- My heel keeps slipping out when I walk. (Kuv lub pob luj taw pheej plam tawm los thaum kuv mus kev).
- Are they too tight, or do you just need to break them in? (Puas yog ceev heev/nruj heev, los yog rau ib ntus ces mob xob nthuav kom haum yus rau?)
- These boots are a bit stiff now, but I just need to break them in. (Nkawm no tseem ib nyuag txhav, tab sis yog rau ib ntus ces tej zaum haum lawm).
- I’m after something more comfortable. (Kuv xav tau hom khau uas xis rau tshaj no).
- These leather sneakers are stiff now but after a few walks, they’ll break in perfectly. (Tam sim no ces nkawm khau tawv no tseem txhav tab sis rau mus kev li ob peb zaug ces yeej haum lawm).
Colloquial expressions:
If something is the right fit it the right size for you. You can also use it for other things that suit or work well for you such as jobs, hobbies, or relationships.
When a shoe or piece of clothing fits small / fits big it is smaller or larger than expected.
To break something in means to use or wear it until it becomes softer or more comfortable.
I’m after something… is a casual informal way of introducing what kind of thing you are looking for.
Vocabulary:
Snug means to fit closely. You can also use it for various items of clothing. something is snug it is tight or fits closely.
To slip out means to move out of place unexpectedly.
Stiff means hard or inflexible.
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.
Everyone needs shoes - comfortable shoes, shoes for running, shoes for work. Maybe you have to buy school shoes for your kids? ….You might be surprised how this language can also be used in so many other situations of your life too. I guess getting something to ‘fit you’ is not always that simple.
Hi, I’m Kate and in this episode, we’ll practise some useful phrases we can use when talking about trying on and buying some new shoes.
So, let’s join Allan and Claire. They are in a shoe shop, standing in front of a long wall of sneakers. A few boxes are open, and some shoes are on the floor. Allan has just tried on a new pair. He stands up and walks back and forth, thinking, but not quite convinced...
Allan:
I don’t think these are the right fit. They feel a bit snug.
Claire:
Maybe you need to go up a size?
Allan:
Yeah, these fit small. They’re rubbing at the back.
Claire:
Are they too tight, or do you just need to break them in?
Allan:
Not sure... they feel a bit stiff. I’m after something more comfortable. I might keep looking.
For Allan, just like me, finding the right shoes can be tricky. You have to check the size, how they feel, and how comfortable they are when you walk. And then you also need to be able to describe that. So, let’s practise. Allan first said,
I don’t think these are the right fit.
To say something is the right fit means it works well for you. It’s suitable or comfortable. You can use this phrase not just for shoes, but also for jobs, hobbies, or even relationships.
Let’s say you went for a job interview, you could say: “I love the company, and the role is the right fit for me.
For Allan, the sneakers he tried aren’t the right fit. They don’t suit him well because....
They feel a bit snug.
If something feels a little snug, it means it’s a little tight, but not too uncomfortable. Sometimes shoes feel snug at first and become more comfortable after you wear them. Let’s say your shoes feel a bit tight around your toes, you could say,
- Those shoes feel a bit snug around my toes.
But the opposite can also happen. Shoes can feel too loose. Your foot can move around inside, and the shoe might move when you walk. For example,
- These shoes are too loose; my heel keeps slipping out.
You can also use ‘too loose’ in other situations when something isn’t tight enough or secure. For example, with clothes:
- This sweater is too loose; I should try a smaller size.
Or with accessories:
- My watch is too loose; it keeps sliding down.
Or even with things around the house:
- The lid on this jar is too loose; it doesn’t close properly.
So, whenever something is the opposite of snug, tight or secure, you can describe it as loose. But let’s go back talking about shoes. Claire said,
Maybe you need to go up a size?
To go up a size means to try a bigger size. You might also need to go down a size if something feels too big. For example,
- These are too big for me; I should go down a size.
But what if you need to go up or down a size but not my much... just a little bit bigger or smaller? Then you could ask,
- Do you have these in a half size up?
- Are these available in a half size down?
Then Allan said,
These shoes fit small. They’re rubbing at the back.
If shoes fit small, it means they feel smaller than your usual size. If they fit big, they feel larger than expected. For example,
- These sandals fit big; I need to go down a size.
Allan also said,
They’re rubbing at the back.
This means that they are hurting his heel. On the other hand, if shoes are too loose, you might say,
- My heel keeps slipping out when I walk.
If your heels are slipping out, they are moving out of the back of your shoe. Your shoe doesn’t stay in the right place on your foot, so it feels loose and uncomfortable.
You can use ‘slip out’ in other situations when something moves out of the place. For example, I just dropped a paper, so I could say that the paper slipped out of my notebook. It can also mean to leave for a little while, so you could say that you are just slipping out of the office for a coffee. That means that you won’t be out for long.
Towards the end of our dialogue, Claire asked,
Are they too tight, or do you just need to break them in?
To break something in means to wear it until it becomes softer and more comfortable. Let's say you’ve bought new boots, you could say,
- These boots are a bit hard now, but I just need to break them in.
You can also ‘break in’ other things like clothes, equipment or tools. We also 'break in' horses, that is we train them to carry riders before we allow them to carry people.
So, whenever something feels new and tight you can break it in by using it until it becomes more comfortable.
Finally, Allan said,
They feel a bit stiff. I’m after something more comfortable.
If something feels stiff, it means it’s hard and not flexible yet. When Claire bought a pair of walking boots she told me,
- These boots are stiff now but after a few walks, they’ll break in perfectly.
Allan also said,
I’m after something more comfortable.
The phrase I’m after something… is an informal way to introduce what you are looking for or what you want. It’s very common in everyday English, especially when shopping, planning something with someone. Here are few examples,
- I’m after something quick for lunch; maybe a sandwich or salad
- I’m after a job that gives me flexibility and good pay.
So, you can say I’m after something… when you are telling someone what you want or need. It’s an informal way to share your preferences.
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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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