An Aussie barbecue: what to expect: English Podcast

Intermediate · B1–B2 Episode 3 · about 3 minutes · Hosts: Mel and Josh

1. Before you listen: key words

Press 🔊 to hear each word or phrase. You'll hear all of them in the conversation.

barbie a barbecue: the grill or the party
arvo afternoon
BYO bring your own (usually drinks)
bring a plate bring some food to share
make yourself at home relax and feel comfortable
snag a sausage
give someone a hand help someone
thanks for having me a polite thing to say to a host

2. Listen to the episode

Press Play. The line being spoken lights up so you can read along. Start with Slow if you're a beginner, then try Normal. For a challenge, hide the transcript the first time you listen.

3. Check your understanding

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4. Shadow the hosts

Shadowing means repeating a line straight after you hear it, copying the speed, stress and rhythm. Press 🔁 next to any line in the transcript, then press 🎤 and say it. Your browser shows what it heard. Try 3 to 5 lines a day.

5. Talk about it

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Listening Room, episode 3: An Aussie barbecue: what to expect

Intermediate (B1–B2) · englishcoaching.co

1. Vocabulary: write the meaning

barbie: ________________________
arvo: ________________________
BYO: ________________________
bring a plate: ________________________
make yourself at home: ________________________
snag: ________________________
give someone a hand: ________________________
thanks for having me: ________________________

2. Questions

What does 'BYO' usually mean at a barbecue?
☐ Bring your own drinks ☐ Buy your own food ☐ Be on time
If you don't drink alcohol, what should you bring?
☐ Nothing ☐ Soft drinks or juice ☐ Money
For a barbecue at 2 pm, when is it normal to arrive?
☐ One hour early ☐ A little after 2 ☐ At 4 pm
What is a 'snag'?
☐ A sausage ☐ A salad ☐ A drink
Which sentence offers help?
☐ Make yourself at home. ☐ Can I give you a hand with anything? ☐ Thanks for having me.

3. Talk or write about it

Imagine you arrive at a barbecue. Greet the host, say what you brought, and offer to help.

Transcript

Mel: Hi everyone, welcome to the Listening Room. Today we're talking about one of the most Australian things you can do: going to a barbecue.

Josh: Or, as we say, a barbie. If you live in Australia, sooner or later someone will invite you to one.

Mel: So let's say a coworker says, 'We're having a barbie on Saturday arvo, come along!' What does that mean?

Josh: It means a relaxed party, usually outside, on Saturday afternoon. People cook sausages, burgers or meat on the barbecue, and everyone chats.

Mel: And often the invitation says 'BYO'. Josh, what does BYO mean?

Josh: Bring your own. Usually it means bring your own drinks. If you don't drink alcohol, that's completely fine. Bring soft drinks or juice.

Mel: Sometimes they'll also say 'bring a plate'. That doesn't mean an empty plate!

Josh: No! It means bring some food to share. A salad, some dessert, or snacks. Something easy.

Mel: What about time? If the invite says two o'clock, should you arrive at two?

Josh: For a barbecue, arriving a little after is normal. Maybe ten or twenty minutes. But for dinner at someone's home, try to be on time.

Mel: Good tip. Now, when you arrive, what do you say?

Josh: Something simple. 'Hi, thanks for having me! I brought a salad. Where should I put it?'

Mel: Perfect. And the host will probably say, 'Grab a drink, make yourself at home.'

Josh: Which means: relax, help yourself to a drink.

Mel: The food is usually simple. Snags in bread with onion and sauce, salads, maybe some prawns or lamb chops.

Josh: Snags are sausages, by the way.

Mel: And if you don't eat meat, just mention it to the host before. Most people are happy to add some veggie burgers.

Josh: One more thing: offering to help is always appreciated. 'Can I give you a hand with anything?'

Mel: And when you leave, say thank you. 'Thanks so much, I had a great time.'

Josh: That's it. Simple, friendly and relaxed. Enjoy your first Aussie barbie!

Mel: See you next time!

Answers: 1. Bring your own drinks · 2. Soft drinks or juice · 3. A little after 2 · 4. A sausage · 5. Can I give you a hand with anything?

Frequently asked questions

Is there a transcript for this English listening practice?

Yes. The full transcript is on this page and each line lights up as it's read. You can also print a worksheet with the transcript, questions and answers.

What English level is this episode?

Intermediate (about B1–B2). Beginners can use the Slow speed and read along.

Which words will I learn in this episode?

barbie, arvo, BYO, bring a plate, make yourself at home, snag, give someone a hand, thanks for having me. Each one has audio and a simple meaning.