Video lesson#21: Toss a coin (Peaky Blinders´scene)

On today´s video lesson we are going to learn some vocabulary and expressions used in gambling and negotiations with the help of Tommy Shelby, main character of one of the better Tv shows ever: The Peaky Blinders.

The series takes place in Birmingham (U.K.) during the period between World War I and II, where a family of gypsies called The Peaky Blinders rules over the city.

One of the things I enjoy most about this show and especially about Tommy Shelby is his use of the English language, combining British slang with very polite and well spoken English, depending on the situation and the context.

Anyway, as always you will find a list of vocabulary below that will help you understanding and enjoying this video. Pay special attention to expressions like toss a coin, heads or tails or

Cheers!

VOCABULARY

To melt: to turn something solid into something liquid. 

Canal: a long, thin stretch of water that is artificially made either for boats to travel along or for taking water from one area to another.

To sale: to exchange something for money.

Yard: an area of land in which a particular type of work is done. It´s also a unit of measurement equal to 91,4 centimeters.

To settle: to go and live somewhere, especially permanently.

Deal: an arrangement or agreement, especially in business.

To spin a coin/ to toss a coin: to throw a coin up into the air and guess which side will land facing up, as a way of making a decision.

Heads or tails: the two sides of a coin; the heads are the side where there is the face of a King, Queen, etc. and the tails is the other side, where the value of the coin is written.

To fuck: to have sex with someone.

For fuck sake: rude expression used to express confusion mixed with annoyance.

Joke: something that is said or done in order to make people laugh.

Sacred: considered to be holy and deserving respect.

To bet/ To take a bet: to risk money, or other valued things, on the result of an event.

Witness: a person who sees an event happening.

The terms of an agreement: the conditions that control an agreement.

Wager: amount of money that you risk in the hope of winning more or the agreement that you make to take this risk.

OBE: another word to call someone like brother.

Grave: a place in the ground where a dead person is buried.

Property: an object or objects that belong to someone.

Video lesson#20: Pulp Fiction´s intro scene

Another great scene on a greater movie that takes place in a restaurant.

I´m quite sure that most of you have watched the most iconic of Quentin Tarantino´s movies more than once so I think it´s time to take a deep look into it´s vocabulary, that you will find below.

You will find lots of phrasal verbs and expressions used in informal American English, as most the main characters are a couple of criminals (as most of the characters in this movie). You will also learn some curse words that are very common in spoken street language and an interesting list of the different jobs in a restaurant.

For all these reasons I think this is a really good clip to improve your English.

Enjoy the scene and, of course, enjoy the music!

 

Vocabulary

Garçon: a waiter in a French restaurant. It also means “boy” in French.

Coffee shop: a small, informal restaurant where drinks and small meals are served.

To rob: to take money or property illegally, often using violence

Bar: a place where drinks, especially alcoholic drinks, are sold and drunk.

Liquor store: a shop that sells mainly alcoholic drinks to be taken away and drunk at home.

Gas station: a place where fuel is sold for road vehicles.

To blow (your head) off: to make your head explode

To stick up: to threat someone with a gun in order to steal from them.

To catch with the pants down: to be embarrassed by something that happens because you are not prepared for it.

To expect: to think or believe something will happen.

To bet: to risk money on the result of an event or a competition. Also, to be certain that something is true or will happen.

To cut down: to reduce the amount or number of something.

To be insured: to have an insurance, which means that you pay a company money and they pay your costs if you have an accident, get robbed, etc.

Manager: a person in charge, responsible for a team or a business.

To plug the diners: a very rare expression that means “shooting the people”. A diner is a small and cheap restaurant, like the one where this scene takes place.

Waitress: a woman whose job is to bring the food to customers at their tables in a restaurant.

To take a bullet: to get shoot by a gun.

Register: a machine which record sales and in which money is kept in a restaurant or a shop.

Busboy: a person who works in a restaurant removing dirty dishes and bringing clean ones.

Wetback: an irregular immigrant in the United States, often from Mexico or other Latin-American country.

To give a fuck: to care. It´s a very informal and rude expression

Customer: a person who buys goods or a service.

Denver omelette: an omelette filled with ham, onion and green bell peppers.

Wallet: a small leather case for money, credit cards, etc.

Crowd: a large group of people.

To handle: to deal with something or someone.

Employee: someone who is paid to work for someone else

To be cool: to be calm and relaxed.

Prick: a stupid man.

To execute: to kill.

Motherfucker: an extremely offensive name for someone you hate or has made you angry.

Video lesson#19: Child portion (After life)

Hi! 

On today´s lesson we are going to watch a short clip of the hilarious show After Life, starring Ricky Gervais.

As you will see, the scene takes place in a restaurant and turns around a children menu that can´t be ordered by an adult…

As always, I have made a list of vocabulary below, so you can understand every detail and little joke.

Enjoy it!

 

Vocabulary

Hungry: wanting or needing food. Sometimes is confused with angry, that means “having a strong feeling against someone”

Café: a restaurant where simple and usually quite cheap meals are served. Spanish people usually mix it up with coffee, the dark drink, because in Spanish is café.

Loser: a person who is always unsuccessful at everything he does. It´s a common insult in English, but not a very hard one.

To fancy: to want to have or do something. Also, to be sexually attracted to someone. Very common in British English, not in American English.

Fish fingers: a long, rectangular piece of fish covered in breadcrumbs and cooked. It´s quite a typical cheap food eaten in United Kingdom.

Beans: the seeds of some climbing plants, eaten as a vegetable. There are different types of beans like green beans, baked beans or kidney beans. Another typical British food eaten mostly for breakfast.

To order: to ask for something to be made, supplied, or delivered, especially in a restaurant or shop. In this video they are ordering their food.

Portion: a part or share of something larger.

Concession: something that is allowed or given up, often in order to end a disagreement.