Hello and welcome back to your English Five a Day on the English Like a Native podcast. This is your daily dunk into the English language so that with relative ease you can over time improve your English listening, expand your active and passive vocabulary, and generally feel more comfortable with the English language. We've been here for quite a long time now, but in this season, season three, we've been following one big journey of our character Gabriel. Why? Because learning through story is so much easier and so much fun. My name is Anna, this is week eleven, day two. Now yesterday Gabriel arrived in a beautiful Somerset village and settled into a cozy cafe, only to realise that he had completely forgotten something important. Today things become a little more stressful, and along the way we explore some very British ways of being polite. As always, supporting materials for this season are available at www.joinelan.com forward slash plus Now let's begin with a snapshot. Rushing to join an important online meeting, Gabriel politely asks would you mind when making requests, offers after you at a doorway and hears pardon when he isn't understood. He's thanked with much obliged and responds with my pleasure though not always entirely sincerely. Okay, a little bit tricky, I think, that snapshot. But let's break down today's vocabulary. First we have the phrase after you after you after AFTER after you. This is a polite way to let someone go first or before you. For example, he stepped aside and said after you Next we have much obliged Much obliged Much M U C H obliged O B L I G E D Much obliged is a slightly formal or old fashioned way to say thank you. So you're likely to hear this from someone a little older. For example Much obliged he said gratefully. Next we have would you mind Would you mind? Mind M I N D This is a polite way to make a request. I might say, would you mind opening the window? Next we have pardon pardon P A R D O N with a question mark at the end. You can hear my rising intonation pardon. This is a polite way to ask someone to repeat what they said. For example Pardon, he asked, not quite hearing. And finally my pleasure My pleasure Pleasure P L E A S U R E. My pleasure is a polite way to respond to thanks. So if someone thanks you, you respond with my pleasure. Here's an example. My pleasure, she replied with a smile. Fantastic. Are any of those polite phrases new to you? Well if they are or aren't, listen out for them anyway as they appear quite naturally in today's story. Let's go. Gabriel has a churning in his stomach that has nothing to do with his quiche. The travel writing competition finalists are meeting online for a live chat and Q ⁇ A in fifteen minutes time. Somehow, in amongst the megaliths, spark plugs and coffee crusts, it had completely slipped his mind. He has only one option. He goes to the counter. Excuse me, would you mind if I used my laptop here? Gabriel asks. Of course not, the server replies. Thank you, and could you tell me where the bathroom is? I wouldn't take your laptop in there. The woman at the counter laughs, pointing the way. The joke doesn't register with Gabriel, though. He turns quickly in the direction of the woman's finger, but gets to the door at the same time as an elderly gentleman with a walking stick. After you, he says politely, but softly. Pardon, replies the gentleman. After you Gabriel repeats, this time with an encouraging and exaggerated hand gesture. Would you mind opening the door for me? The gentleman asks. Gabriel is starting to think that he's not going to be ready in time. Well, relax, it's not the end of the world. But what was the idiom? Oh yes. Throw a spanner in the works. Gabriel smiles to himself. But the gentleman is still waiting to go in. You a bit deaf, son like me. He growls at Gabriel. Oh so sorry, please go in, Gabriel says quickly and opens the door. Gabriel waits to make sure that the man is all the way inside before following him. But before he can let go of the door, another man squeezes past, cheerfully thanking Gabriel for holding the door open for him. What? He says My pleasure, says Gabriel slightly sarcastically, seeing that he will have to wait longer now. After what seems like an eternity, Gabriel relieves himself, washes his hands, and heads back to fire up his laptop. He's just finishing his quiche as he joins the meeting. Faces appear on the screen. Other finalists, he supposes. He wipes the last bit of short crust pastry from his face and turns the camera on. Alright, let's pause there and bring today's polite vocabulary back into focus. I'm going to repeat each item twice, leaving a space for you to repeat after me, and then I'll remind you of the definition. So here we go. First item is after you. After you. Next, repeat after me. Much obliged. Much obliged. This is a slightly formal way or old fashioned way to say thank you. Next, repeat after me. Would you mind? Would you mind? This is something you would say when you're about to make a request. It's very polite. Next we have pardon. Pardon. This is a polite way to ask someone to repeat what they said. And finally, repeat after me, my pleasure. My pleasure. This is a polite way to respond to someone saying thank you. Fantastic. Now those phrases are extremely useful for everyday interactions, especially in the UK if you want to sound polite, natural, and socially aware. So Gabriel made it to his meeting just in time, despite a few polite delays along the way. Tomorrow, Gabriel is invited to take part in a traditional village fate where he encounters stalls, raffles, and even finds himself judging a baking competition. That's all from me for today. If you have enjoyed today's episode, then I would greatly appreciate it if you took just a second to leave a like, a rating, or review. Or should I say, I would be much obliged. Many thanks. Until tomorrow, take care and goodbye.