Well, hello and welcome to this English lesson about love. This lesson is I think a good topic for today because today, the time of this lesson, it's Valentine's Day. In many countries around the world, people celebrate Valentine's Day. It's a day to celebrate the
the person who you love in a romantic way. So maybe you have a partner. Maybe you are dating someone. Maybe you are going out with someone. Maybe you're married. Today is a great day to celebrate romantic love. The kind of love that two people have between each other. Uh hopefully for their entire life although I do know it sometimes doesn't work out that way. So once again welcome to this English lesson about love.
Valentine's Day. So Valentine's Day if you want to read the history of it I don't think started in a very nice way but this lesson isn't about the history of Valentine's Day. It's to talk about what is this day? When
When I was a kid in school as a little kid I would give valentines to people in my class. So I would make a little card or my mom would buy little valentines with like a cartoon character in a heart and then it would say be my valentine and you might give it to your friends even in your class when you're a little kid. When you're a an adult though it means that if you have someone in your life
That's how we describe having a romantic partner or someone who you are dating or married to. If you have someone in your life, it's a day to maybe give them a gift, maybe go out to dinner, maybe go on a date or spend time with them. So, today is Valentine's Day, a day for romance. It's also a day um
excuse me. It's also a day where there are a lot of flowers involved but we don't have flowers at this time of year on our farm. Anyways, we are talking about romantic love. In English, we don't have different words for love but we love
sometimes describe that kind of love. So there's the love of a parent for a child. There's a love of a child for a parent. If you are really good friends with people you might say you love your friends but there's also romantic love where it's
It's a lot more than like. Let's just say that. When you talk about romantic love, it means you like the other person. You want to spend a lot of time with the other person. You are attracted to the person. Um they might be funny but physically, you might like the way they look and so you have a kind of love that we call romantic love. Um
then let's talk a little bit about Valentine's Day. So, there are a number of very popular gifts on Valentine's Day. One might be chocolates. So, giving chocolates in a heart-shaped box. So, we use the shape of the heart to represent romantic love. You might also give flowers on Valentine's Day or you might give jewelry. Now, there are other gifts as well. You might give perfume,
Uh you might give a type of clothing that I'm not going to describe here because it goes into the passionate side of love but you would definitely give chocolates. I might actually give Jen chocolates later today. I have to go to the store yet. Hopefully she's not watching. You might give flowers or you might give jewelry. The most common flowers to give would be a dozen red roses.
Canada and in many countries a dozen red roses represents romantic love. So I am not buying Jen a dozen red roses. They're quite expensive at this time of year but I think I might go and buy her some chocolates. We'll see. Uh and then I'm I have not bought Jen any jewelry. So um I guess I'm not a great husband but that's okay. She will still be happy with whatever I get her.
So there's a few phrases that we use when we talk about when two people are starting to like each other. So
they're not in love yet but think about two people who are in university or two people who are in their 20s who maybe work together or they meet through a friend. They might think someone's cute. So even though we use the word cute usually to talk about like a little puppy like a little dog is cute. We also use it to say that we kinda like someone. We
So, when I was in university, I thought Jen was cute and Jen probably thought I was cute and then eventually, we started to go out. So, when you think someone's cute, it's like the initial feelings you have when you first meet someone and you think you might want to get to know them better.
might have a crush on someone. So when you have a crush on someone it means you see them regularly. Maybe again at university or at work or maybe when you get together on the weekends with friends. Maybe there's a person there that you have
you really hope that you can go out with them on a date sometime. We would say that you have a crush on them. When you have a crush on someone, you think about them a lot uh in a romantic way. Like you think, oh, I wanna go on a picnic with them in the park. I want to go see a movie with them. Um I really really like this person.
to like someone. So, simply put, you can just say you like someone. Um for instance, I'm trying to think of an example. Let's say you let's say your sister's friend is someone that you think is cute and you kinda have a bit of a crush on her. You might just say to your sister, you know, your friend, I kinda like her.
indicates to your sister that maybe you might want to go out with her friend. So when you like someone it can mean that you just like them. Like I like my coworkers. There's nothing romantic about that. I like going to work. But if you say hey I kind of like that girl or I kind of like that guy. It usually means you wouldn't mind getting to know them better.
fancy someone. This is an older phrase. It might still be used in British English. I don't use this phrase very often but I do hear it sometimes on TV shows where someone will say that they kind of fancy someone. This also means that they think they're kind of fun to be around. They think that they're kind of cute. They think that they might want to go on a date with them. So when you fancy someone it means you like them and
We have another phrase more than just friends. So, sometimes a a person might be friends with someone and then they might say, you know, I I fancy them. I I want it to be more than just friends which means you would rather instead of just being friends, you also date them. To flirt. So, flirting is
an obvious relationship or activity that you will see between two people who do like each other romantically. Well, hopefully, they both like each other. When you flirt, it means you flirt
Well, here would be a good example. If there was a circle of people and if one person was constantly joking with one other person and talking to that person, maybe even touching them on the arm, although touches, you gotta be careful with touch but maybe they're doing something where it's obvious that they're flirting. It's obvious that they like each other. If you see two people flirting, it will be obvious that they are um
really happy being with each other and really happy talking to each other and you realize it's probably more than just friends to use the other phrase as well.
have feelings for someone. When you have feelings for someone it means that you are falling in love or maybe you are in love. So when you have feelings for someone it doesn't mean all of the different emotions. It means like and love. So when you have feelings for someone it means that you like them. When I was in university I met Jen we had a few conversations and we started to have feelings for each other. We started to have
like each other and wanted to go on a date or to see each other more. And then we get to to ask someone out. Um so when you ask someone out, it means it's kinda scary but you're saying to them, I really like you.
would like to go have a cup of coffee with you. I would like to maybe go out and see a movie with you. I wouldn't mind can we meet and go for a walk in the park. When you ask someone out it's more than just a friendship. You are kinda saying to that person I like you. I think you're cute. I am attracted to you. I want to spend more time with you. And
we go out? Can we go out on a date? So when you ask someone out it means that you are going to do an activity together where you can talk and get to know each other better. To go on a date. So a date it's kind of an official outing. It's an official activity between two people who might eventually fall in love. Who certainly like each other enough to
that they want to get to know each other better. That's another common English phrase. If you meet someone and you like them or
might want to get to know them better. So you might go on a date in order to enjoy each other's company. To talk a little bit more. To laugh and tell jokes and maybe try something like I think I mentioned earlier going for a coffee, going for a walk in the park, maybe going to a movie and then maybe going out to eat.
Um but when you go on a date, you're basically saying to each other like, hey, would you like to go out sometime? Yes, I would love that and then you're going to do something with just the two of you. Um there are things like double dates where you go out with a bunch of people but this is just a time where two people can explore whether they want to keep getting to know each other better. I think that's the best explanation I can give.
to go out with someone is the same as going on a date but it can also mean that you are now a boyfriend and girlfriend if that's the relationship. So, I could say, when I was in university, I asked Jen if she wanted to go out with me. That would mean I asked if she wanted to go on a date. I can also say, when I was in university, when I came home, I told my parents I was going out with someone. So, you can use this phrase to mean one date and
you can use this phrase to mean that you are continually seeing each other. So I could say you know my nephew has been going out with the same girl for a year. Maybe they'll get married. So when you go out with someone it means you are together in the sense that you are dating.
So again that's exactly the phrase that I just said. When you are dating someone it means that two people have decided to only
to know each other better. So sometimes when you're younger in university or something you might go on a date with one person and then maybe it wasn't that great. You didn't really click like you didn't like each other that much. So you might go on a date with someone else. Um but when you are dating someone it means you are only going on dates regularly with that person. You have decided that this is the person you think you
worth spending more time with and this person is worth getting to know better. So when you are dating someone you are exclusively seeing that person. You're exclusively dating that person.
Uh to be seeing someone is the same thing. Oh, is he seeing someone? No, he's not seeing anybody right now. I think he's single. Oh, is she seeing anybody? No, she's not. So, if you say, oh, he's been seeing someone for a while. It means that they are in a romantic relationship. They are dating each other. They are seeing each other.
love someone. So this is the basic phrase. I did want to put this in here because I want to talk about how we use the word love in English. If I say to Jen I love you that's an appropriate use of the phrase I love you. Um it means that I have deep deep feelings for Jen.
Sometimes in the comments, people will say, I love you to me and I'm always a bit uncomfortable with that. Here's how I would phrase it. I would say, Bob, I really like you and I love your lessons. It's always better if you're not in a relationship like Jen and I to use love to talk about the thing someone is doing. I would say to a coworker, I love
how you interact with students. That's a good thing. That's a compliment but if I say to a coworker, I love you. That's not appropriate. You would not say that. I could say, I love working with you. That would be appropriate. I love working with you or I like working with you. So, be careful with the word love in English. Now, you can say things like this. You can say, oh, I love the movie, The Martian. Like, I'm allowed to say that.
But uh be careful with the word love when you're talking to people. To be fond of someone. Now this can mean romantic love but it can also just be that like you can be fond of your grandparents. It's a kind of love that um just means it's like the opposite of not liking someone. So if you're fond of someone it usually means uh romantic uh
It has a romantic meaning but it can also just be family members and also food. I'm very fond of pizza. I'm very fond of chocolate. To adore someone. So, this is Taylor Swift and this is one of her fans. Her fan adores her. In English, when we use the phrase adore or the verb adore, it means you love
like if you adore Taylor Swift you probably have all her albums and you try to go to every single concert you can go to. If you adore your favorite football team you probably have their jersey. I just adore them. Um but maybe better used for a band or a singer. Yes. I would say or maybe there's an actor who
that you think is really really attractive. You might just say, oh, I adore them. So, that would be a word you might use to adore someone. I didn't go to the Taylor Swift concert by the way. The tickets were way too expensive and I don't really adore her music. So, infatuation. So, when you are infatuated, when you are, when you have infatuation, it means you think about someone who
lot and maybe you think about them too much. Uh sometimes people are infatuated with someone and it's not healthy because maybe the other person doesn't feel the same way about them. So maybe you're I'm trying to think of an example. Maybe there's someone you know that
you think they're cute and you think they're attractive and you really hope to get to know them better someday. You might be infatuated. So it can be okay to be infatuated but it can be a little bit too much. Like especially in a situation where you
other person doesn't actually feel the same way. So, infatuation, thinking about someone a lot, liking someone a lot, and thinking about them all the time basically. Significant other. So, we have the phrase in English significant other. This refers to if you are in a relationship and have a partner. Have a romantic partner. So, Jen is my significant other. Sometimes at work, we'll have a work party.
So, we had a Christmas party for work and then on the invitation, it says, everyone's welcome to bring their significant other. That means you can bring your husband, you can bring your wife. If you are dating someone, you can bring your boyfriend or girlfriend. You can bring your significant other. So, significant means important and then other just means, you know, a different person, right? So, sometimes you'll get an invitation that says, you can bring your significant other and
Uh with weddings or other things that are like more formal parties, you might be allowed to bring a plus one.
So, if I get an invitation to a wedding and if the people don't know that I'm married, they might just say, you know, Bob, you're invited to this wedding and then you're allowed a plus one. That means I'm allowed to bring Jen with me. Um having a plus one when you go to a wedding is very nice. It's not nice to go to a wedding all by yourself. So, significant other simply refers to the person you are in a romantic relationship with.
be that boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, wife and then plus one would be on a formal invitation they might say you can bring a plus one. Like if I was invited to the Oscars like an awards ceremony they might say oh you can bring a plus one. Then I would bring Jen of course. To hit on someone. So this
This is an interesting one because it means that you are actively talking to someone, maybe trying to flirt with someone, maybe at a party, maybe you're somewhere where there's someone who you really want to go out with. If you hit on them, it means it's not always a good description. Um like someone could say, oh, that guy was hitting on me at the party and it really annoyed me.
Um or it could be like, oh, it was kind of funny because that uh that guy was hitting on me. So, when you hit on someone like this guy is trying to play guitar and impress this girl. Uh we would say maybe he is hitting on her. Um he's paying her a lot of attention. He's trying to impress her. He's trying to get her to like him. He is hitting on her.
fall in love. So this is like the ultimate thing that happens when two people like each other maybe start to date. Eventually they might really start to like each other and it will become love. They will fall in love. They will be in love. So this is something that is just very special. It's nice if you can meet someone in the world who
you really like and you like doing things together and you're physically attracted to each other as well and eventually you will fall in love. You want to spend time with them. You want to go for walks with them. You want to embrace them. You might want to kiss them. You will fall in love and then that hopefully lasts a very long time. I really like it when people are
find someone who they can spend the rest of their life with. Uh I just think that's really really cool. To fall for someone. So let's say there's someone that
know and you kinda like them. You think they're cute. You're attracted to them. You think they're funny. You really like talking to them. Eventually you might start to have feelings for them to use the same phrase we used earlier and then you might fall for them. That means that you now are starting to really like that person. It doesn't mean that
you're in love like that would be the next level but when you are falling for someone or starting to fall for someone it means you are beginning to think a romantic relationship is something you want with that person.
when you hit it off with someone it means that you like each other. It's really obvious when you see two people who hit it off. They'll be silly. They'll talk to each other a lot. They'll laugh when they're talking and by the way this doesn't have to just be in a romantic relationship. You can hit it off with people at work. Um you can hit it off with um people that you just meet. So I do have it in this lesson because I
two people start to really like each other and they start to fall for each other. Um you can see because you can see that they hit it off. They really like being around each other. They really like each other's company we would say in English. So they just really like each other. A blind date. So I have never been on a blind date. A blind date is when you go on a date with someone and
someone else thought you might like to go on a date with. So for instance you could have a friend who says I want to set you up on a blind date. I know someone who I think you might like. And so go to this restaurant on Friday night at seven.
this person will be there. And then when you get there you'll be like are you Jill? I'm Joe and then you hopefully get to know each other and like each other. I put this picture here because the beginning of a blind date I would imagine is very formal. Like hello I'm Bob and what is you must be Jen right? But a blind date is
must be very interesting. I'm curious to know if anyone's ever been on a blind date. Let me know in the comments or in the chat if you've been on a blind date. To set someone up on a date. So this is another way that people meet people. So someone might say to you, hey, my cousin is really nice and he's single. I think you might like him. I think you might guys might get along. Um
could I set you up on a date? So basically someone could say they know someone and ask if you wouldn't mind if you'd like to go on a date with them. A lot of times this happens when like
Um if you go to a wedding and you meet someone from the other side of the family, someone might say, um hey, remember at the wedding, uh Joe, remember the bride's cousin, you really liked her. Do you want me to set you up on a date with her? So, you kind of introduce them and uh maybe, maybe they'll go out. You're your type. I put a picture of James Bond here because when you say someone is your type, it means that
They're the kind of person when you look at them, you are attracted to them or when you talk to them, you're attracted to their personality. So, for some people, they really like James Bond. Uh why do I forget this actor's name right now? But this might be your type. You might really like
uh 35 year old men who wear really expensive suits and have lots of money and are physically in good shape that might be your type. Uh often when you go to movies you'll think an actor um is you'll like an actor because they might be your type. Like I
Um I what is it tall and handsome, right? The the guy might be tall and handsome. Um the girl might just be very attractive and they are your type. So, why I'm why am I saying this? Generally, you're only going to have a relationship with someone who's your type because you're attracted to people who are your type. To have chemistry. So, when two people have chemistry, it means that I'm trying to think of another way to say this. It's like they're
They're similar enough that they get along really well but they're also different enough that
they like getting to know each other. When two people have chemistry they laugh a lot when they talk to each other. When two people have chemistry they they just like when when they they're just happy when they see the other person. Um they like sitting beside them they like talking to them. They like doing things with them. So when you have chemistry. And when earlier someone asked if Jen and I if it was love at first sight and I said no but I we definitely had chemistry. I
Like I thought Jen was cute. Jen's definitely my type. Jen thought I was cute. We enjoyed talking to each other and getting to know each other and then eventually we started dating and the rest is history as they say. So, when you have chemistry with someone, it means that you're very compatible, I would say. And then love at first sight would be you meet someone who
don't know if this works really in the real world. You meet someone and within like seconds you're in love with them. The reason I say I don't know if this actually works in the real world is because a relationship a romantic relationship is so much more than just being physically attracted to someone. If you think a woman is beautiful or if you think a man is handsome or
Um you might think you are falling in love but you haven't started talking yet. You don't even know what their job is or what they like to do on a Friday after work. Like so love at first sight I think maybe works but I think you really have to talk to someone for a bit to find out if you really are compatible and if you have chemistry.
So, we of course have the terms boyfriend and girlfriend. So, in a relationship, there might be a boyfriend. There will be a girlfriend. Those are the terms you use when you are seeing someone. So, you would say, oh, I have a boyfriend or oh, I have a girlfriend. Um sometimes kids go to university. They're in their twenties. They might come home and say, oh, I met someone. I have a girlfriend now or hey, this is my girlfriend. I'd like you to meet her. So, boyfriend and girlfriend.
then a couple of signs of affection. We'll do the safe ones. There's hug. When two people hug it usually means they like each other. Although hugs don't have to always be in a romantic relationship. Parents will hug their children and I'll hug my brother at Christmas and say Merry Christmas. Um but in a relationship uh people who are having a romantic relationship they will hug.
they will kiss. So when you kiss someone you might kiss them on the cheek. You might kiss them on the lips. A kiss on the lips is definitely a sign of romantic connection. If two people kiss on the lips they have decided to be in a romantic relationship.
Uh and that's as far as I'll go with the physical displays of affection. Uh the common phrase that most of you know and you learn very early in your English career is the phrase I love you. So when two people are in love they will often say to each other I love you. They might text each other and say I love you. So the other person knows that you love them and they'll continue to do this in their relationship. They'll continue to say I love you every once in a while. Even though I
it's understood, like, you know, the other person loves you, you will still say, I love you every once in a while. So happy Valentine's Day. Hi, Bob the Canadian here. Thank you for listening to this English podcast lesson. If you would like to support me in the work that I do as an online English teacher, please visit patreon.com slash Bob the Canadian.