About this video

• Video Title: Talking About February in English | Easy English Podcast
• Channel: Everyday English Academy
• Speakers: Sarah, Mike
• Duration: 00:17:55

Overview

This podcast episode from Everyday English Academy features Sarah and Mike discussing the month of February. They explore common perceptions of February, including negative feelings like "winter blues," "cabin fever," and "slump," as well as positive aspects like coziness and the first signs of spring. They also introduce useful English vocabulary and phrases related to the month, weather, and seasonal feelings.

Key takeaways

• February's Duality: The episode highlights the contrasting views on February, with Sarah initially disliking it for being cold and gray, while Mike appreciates its quiet and cozy nature.
• Vocabulary for Winter Feelings: Key terms like "winter blues," "cabin fever," "slump," "gloomy," and "chilly" are explained and demonstrated with example sentences to describe the common feelings associated with February.
• Leap Year Explained: The concept of a leap year, where February has 29 days, is clarified, along with its astronomical basis and implications.
• Seasonal Changes and Hope: Despite the cold, the episode notes that February can bring the first signs of changing weather, such as a "thaw," and a subtle shift towards spring, offering a sense of hope.
• Cozy Activities: Staying indoors and engaging in activities like reading, cooking, or simply relaxing ("cozying up") are presented as popular ways to spend time in February.
• Self-Care in February: The month is presented as an ideal time for "self-care" due to the lack of pressure to be highly productive.
• February Traditions: Valentine's Day is discussed as a major holiday, alongside mentions of Black History Month and the possibility of Chinese New Year falling in February.

1. "Everyday English Academy where we make English simple and enjoyable."
2. "Hello to all of our wonderful listeners wherever you are in the world right now."
3. "February is the worst month of the year." (Used ironically by Sarah to start the discussion)
4. "It's cold. It's gray. And it's over before you even realize it started."
5. "Cozy? You mean boring?"
6. "It's the perfect month to stay inside, drink hot chocolate, and relax."
7. "Or it's the perfect month to feel stuck and tired of winter."
8. "Let's talk about it and see if you can change my mind."
9. "Challenge accepted."
10. "Today we're talking about February in English."
11. "We'll share useful words and phrases you can use to talk about this interesting or terrible month."
12. "You'll learn natural English expressions that native speakers actually use."
13. "February is the second month of the year."
14. "It's the only month that has fewer than 30 days."
15. "A leap year is a year when February has 29 days instead of 28."
16. "That's called the winter blues."
17. "Winter blues is when you feel a bit sad or tired because of the cold, dark weather in winter."
18. "Gloomy means dark, gray, and a bit sad."
19. "Cabin fever is when you feel restless and frustrated because you've been stuck inside for too long."
20. "The February slump is when this happens specifically in February."
21. "A slump is when your energy or mood drops."
22. "Chilly means cold, but not freezing."
23. "A thaw is when frozen things like ice and snow start to melt because the temperature goes up a little."
24. "We say people cozy up at home."
25. "Cozy up means to make yourself comfortable and warm, usually indoors."

1. "February is the worst month of the year."
2. "It's cold. It's gray. And it's over before you even realize it started."
3. "Cozy? You mean boring?"
4. "It's the perfect month to stay inside, drink hot chocolate, and relax."
5. "Or it's the perfect month to feel stuck and tired of winter."
6. "February is the second month of the year."
7. "It's the only month that has fewer than 30 days."
8. "A leap year is a year when February has 29 days instead of 28."
9. "That's called the winter blues."
10. "Winter blues is when you feel a bit sad or tired because of the cold, dark weather in winter."
11. "Gloomy means dark, gray, and a bit sad."
12. "Cabin fever is when you feel restless and frustrated because you've been stuck inside for too long."
13. "The February slump is when this happens specifically in February."
14. "A slump is when your energy or mood drops."
15. "Chilly means cold, but not freezing."
16. "A thaw is when frozen things like ice and snow start to melt because the temperature goes up a little."
17. "We say people cozy up at home."
18. "Cozy up means to make yourself comfortable and warm, usually indoors."
19. "Valentine's Day on February 14th."
20. "February is Black History Month."
21. "Chinese New Year happens in February."
22. "Accept that February is a slow month."
23. "Lower your expectations for February."
24. "February is a good time for self-care."
25. "Even the quiet months like February have something to teach us."

1. "I have a question for you."
2. "Okay, go ahead. What do you think about February?"
3. "February? I actually like February."
4. "Wait, really?"
5. "Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?"
6. "Because February is the worst month of the year."
7. "What? No way. February is great."
8. "It's cold. It's gray. And it's over before you even realize it started."
9. "Okay. Okay. I see your point, but February has Valentine's Day and it's cozy."
10. "Cozy? You mean boring?"
11. "No, not boring. It's the perfect month to stay inside, drink hot chocolate, and relax."
12. "Or it's the perfect month to feel stuck and tired of winter."
13. "Wow, Sarah, you really don't like February, do you?"
14. "Not really, but maybe I'm being too harsh. Let's talk about it and see if you can change my mind."
15. "Challenge accepted."
16. "We'll share useful words and phrases you can use to talk about this interesting or terrible month."
17. "We'll see about that."
18. "You'll learn natural English expressions that native speakers actually use."
19. "So stay with us."
20. "Please subscribe to Everyday English Academy."
21. "Yes, please click that subscribe button and give us a like."
22. "It really helps us keep making these episodes for you."
23. "And we want to hear from you."
24. "Do you like February or not? Tell us in the comments."
25. "All right, Mike, let's start with the basics. What is February exactly?"
26. "Well, February is the second month of the year. It comes after January and before March."
27. "And here's the weird thing about February. It's the only month that has fewer than 30 days."
28. "That's true. Most years, February has 28 days."
29. "Most years? What do you mean?"
30. "Well, every four years we have something called a leap year."
31. "Oh, leap year. That's an important word. What does it mean?"
32. "A leap year is a year when February has 29 days instead of 28."
33. "So, we add one extra day."
34. "Exactly. And that extra day is February 29th."
35. "Why do we do that? It's because of the way the Earth moves around the sun. The calendar needs to catch up. So, we add one day every four years."
36. "Interesting. So, the next leap year is 2028, right?"
37. "Yes. 2024 was a leap year. So, the next one will be 2028."
38. "Okay. So, leap year. Let's use that in a sentence. 2024 was a leap year. So, February had 29 days."
39. "Perfect. Or you can say, 'My friend was born on February 29th, so she only has a real birthday during a leap year.'"
40. "That's so funny. She only gets older every four years."
41. "Exactly. Lucky her."
42. "All right, so we talked about leap year. Now, let's talk about how February feels."
43. "Ooh, feelings. This is where we disagree."
44. "Yes, because for me, February feels heavy, like everything is gray and cold, and I just want it to be over."
45. "That's called the winter blues."
46. "Winter blues. Yes. What does that mean?"
47. "Winter blues is when you feel a bit sad or tired because of the cold, dark weather in winter. That's exactly how I feel in February."
48. "A lot of people feel this way. The days are still short, it's cold outside, and you just feel low."
49. "Low? You mean low energy and motivation."
50. "Exactly. You might say, 'I have the winter blues this month. I just want to stay in bed.'"
51. "Or February always gives me the winter blues because the weather is so gloomy."
52. "Gloomy, that's a great word. Gloomy means dark, gray, and a bit sad."
53. "Yes, you could say, 'The sky is so gloomy today.'"
54. "Or, 'I don't like gloomy weather. It makes me feel sleepy.'"
55. "Perfect. So, we have winter blues and gloomy. Both very useful for February."
56. "But Sarah, not everyone feels sad in February."
57. "Okay. Okay. What do you like about it?"
58. "I like that it's a quiet month after all the excitement of December and January. February feels calm."
59. "Calm or boring?"
60. "Calm. It's a good time to slow down and rest."
61. "Maybe. But I think a lot of people also experience something called cabin fever."
62. "Oh, cabin fever. That's a good one. What does it mean?"
63. "Cabin fever is when you feel restless and frustrated because you've been stuck inside for too long."
64. "Like you need to go outside, but the weather is too bad."
65. "Exactly. You feel trapped indoors and you start to go a little bit crazy."
66. "I totally understand that, especially in February when it's been cold for months already."
67. "Yes, you can say, 'I have cabin fever. I need to get out of this house.'"
68. "Or, 'After 3 days of snow, I'm getting cabin fever.'"
69. "And the funny thing is, a cabin is a small house, usually in the forest or mountains, right?"
70. "So cabin fever is like you're stuck in a cabin with nothing to do."
71. "Exactly. Even if you're not in a cabin, you still feel stuck."
72. "That makes sense. So in February, people might have the winter blues and cabin fever."
73. "Poor February."
74. "But wait, there's also something people call the February slump. Ooh, yes, the slump. Tell us about that."
75. "A slump is when your energy or mood drops. You feel tired, unmotivated, and a bit flat."
76. "And the February slump is when this happens specifically in February."
77. "Exactly. It's that middle of winter feeling when you think winter is still here. When will it end?"
78. "I feel that every February."
79. "You might say, 'I'm in a February slump. I can't focus on anything.'"
80. "Or, 'A lot of people experience a slump in February because winter feels so long.'"
81. "Yes. And the good news is it usually gets better in March."
82. "That's true. March feels like hope is coming back."
83. "So, we have winter blues, cabin fever, and slump. All very useful for describing how February feels."
84. "Now, let's talk about the weather in February. What's it like where you are, Mike?"
85. "Well, in February, it's usually very cold. The temperature is often below zero."
86. "Below zero? That's freezing."
87. "It is. And we also get a lot of snow in February."
88. "Do you like the snow?"
89. "At the beginning of winter, yes. But by February, I'm tired of it."
90. "So, even you get tired of winter."
91. "A little bit, yes. What about you, Sarah? What's February like where you are?"
92. "It's cold, but we don't usually get snow. Instead, we get a lot of rain."
93. "Rain in February sounds gloomy."
94. "It is gloomy. The sky is gray. It's chilly. And everything feels wet and miserable."
95. "Chilly. That's another good word. Chilly means cold, but not freezing, right?"
96. "It's not extreme cold, but it's cold enough to be uncomfortable."
97. "You might say, 'It's a bit chilly today. I need a jacket.'"
98. "Or, 'February mornings are always chilly.'"
99. "Perfect. And even though February is cold, it's also the time when things start to change."
100. "What do you mean?"
101. "Well, towards the end of February, the weather starts to get a tiny bit warmer. The days get a little longer."
102. "Oh, and sometimes the snow starts to melt."
103. "Exactly. That's called a thaw."
104. "Thaw. What does that mean?"
105. "A thaw is when frozen things like ice and snow start to melt because the temperature goes up a little."
106. "So, winter is slowly ending."
107. "Slowly. Yes. You might say, 'I can see a thaw beginning. The snow is melting.'"
108. "Or, 'There was a thaw last week, and now the roads are clear.'"
109. "Yes. And people get excited when they see the first signs of a thaw because it means spring is coming."
110. "That's true. Even just a little bit of sunshine in February feels like a gift."
111. "Exactly. So, February weather can be gloomy and chilly, but it can also bring the first signs of a thaw."
112. "I like that. It's not all bad."
113. "See, I'm slowly changing your mind about February."
114. "Maybe just a little. Now, let's talk about what people do in February."
115. "Good idea. So, because the weather is often cold and gloomy, a lot of people like to stay inside."
116. "Yes. And there's a nice expression for that. We say people cozy up at home."
117. "Cozy up. What does that mean? To cozy up means to make yourself comfortable and warm, usually indoors,"
118. "like wrapping yourself in a blanket with a cup of tea."
119. "Exactly. You might say, 'It's so cold outside, I'm going to cozy up on the sofa with a good book.'"
120. "Or, 'On February evenings, I love to cozy up and watch movies.'"
121. "Perfect. Cozy up is such a nice, warm expression."
122. "It really is. And I think February is the perfect time to cozy up because you don't feel guilty about staying inside."
123. "That's true. In summer, if you stay inside all day, you feel like you're wasting sunshine."
124. "But in February, staying inside feels like the right choice."
125. "Exactly. What else do people do in February?"
126. "Well, some people use February to focus on indoor hobbies. Like what?"
127. "Like reading, cooking, learning something new, or organizing their home."
128. "Oh, I always tell myself I'm going to organize my closet in February, but I never do it."
129. "Same. I have good intentions, but then I just end up watching TV."
130. "At least you're being honest. What about February holidays?"
131. "Well, the biggest one is probably Valentine's Day on February 14th."
132. "Ah, Valentine's Day. The day of love or the day of stress, depending on who you are."
133. "True. Some people love it, some people don't care about it."
134. "What do you think about Valentine's Day, Mike?"
135. "I think it's nice if you enjoy celebrating, but I don't think it's necessary."
136. "I agree. Love shouldn't be just one day, right?"
137. "Exactly. But it's still a fun tradition. People give flowers, chocolates, cards,"
138. "and restaurants are always fully booked."
139. "Yes. If you want to go out for dinner on Valentine's Day, you need to make a reservation weeks in advance."
140. "Or you just stay home and cozy up."
141. "Perfect solution."
142. "Are there other February traditions?"
143. "In some countries, yes. In the United States, February is Black History Month."
144. "And in some years, Chinese New Year happens in February."
145. "That's right. It depends on the lunar calendar. So, sometimes it's in January, sometimes in February."
146. "And Chinese New Year is such a big, colorful, exciting celebration."
147. "It really is. So, even though February can feel quiet and gray, there are still interesting things happening around the world."
148. "That's true. Okay, Mike, I have a question. How do you stay positive in February?"
149. "Good question. I think the key is to accept that February is a slow month."
150. "What do you mean?"
151. "I mean, don't expect February to be exciting. Just let it be calm and restful."
152. "So, you're saying lower your expectations?"
153. "Kind of. Yes. If you expect February to be amazing, you'll be disappointed."
154. "But if you expect it to be quiet and simple, you might actually enjoy it."
155. "Exactly. I also try to do small things that make me happy."
156. "Like what?"
157. "Like drinking my favorite tea, listening to music I love, calling a friend, or going for a short walk when the sun comes out."
158. "Those are nice, simple things."
159. "Yes. And they don't cost money or take a lot of energy."
160. "I think that's good advice. February is a good time for self-care."
161. "Self-care?"
162. "Yes. taking care of yourself, being kind to yourself, resting when you need to rest."
163. "I love that. February is the perfect month for self-care because there's no pressure to be productive or busy."
164. "And by the end of February, you start to feel ready for spring."
165. "Exactly. March arrives and suddenly everything feels fresh again."
166. "Okay, Mike, I think you did change my mind a little bit."
167. "Really?"
168. "Yes. February is still not my favorite month, but I can see the good side now."
169. "I'm proud of you, Sarah."
170. "Thanks."
171. "All right, everyone. Let's do a quick review of the useful words we learned today."
172. "Great idea. First, we have leap year, a year when February has 29 days instead of 28."
173. "Next, winter blues. That sad or tired feeling you get from cold, dark weather."
174. "Then, gloomy, dark, gray, and a bit depressing."
175. "Cabin fever. Feeling restless and frustrated from being stuck indoors too long."
176. "Slump. when your energy or mood drops."
177. "Chilly, cold but not freezing."
178. "Thaw when ice and snow start to melt."
179. "And cozy up to make yourself comfortable and warm, usually indoors."
180. "Those are really useful words for talking about February or any winter month really."
181. "Absolutely. And now we want to hear from you."
182. "Yes. Tell us in the comments what is February like where you live."
183. "Is it cold, warm, rainy, snowy?"
184. "And do you like February or do you find it difficult?"
185. "We read every comment, so don't be shy."
186. "And if you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe to Everyday English Academy and give us a like."
187. "It helps us so much and it tells us that you want more episodes like this."
188. "Thank you so much for spending time with us today."
189. "We hope you learned something useful and maybe even smiled a little."
190. "Keep practicing your English. Keep being curious and remember, even the quiet months like February have something to teach us."
191. "That was beautiful, Mike."
192. "Thanks. All right, everyone. Take care of yourselves. Stay warm, stay cozy, and we'll see you very soon in the next episode."
193. "Bye everyone."
194. "Goodbye."

1. "February is the worst month of the year."
2. "It's cold. It's gray. And it's over before you even realize it started."
3. "February has Valentine's Day and it's cozy."
4. "It's the perfect month to stay inside, drink hot chocolate, and relax."
5. "It's the perfect month to feel stuck and tired of winter."
6. "February is the second month of the year."
7. "February is the only month that has fewer than 30 days."
8. "Most years, February has 28 days."
9. "A leap year is a year when February has 29 days instead of 28."
10. "That extra day is February 29th."
11. "February feels heavy, like everything is gray and cold."
12. "That's called the winter blues."
13. "Winter blues is when you feel a bit sad or tired because of the cold, dark weather in winter. That's exactly how I feel in February."
14. "Gloomy means dark, gray, and a bit sad."
15. "Cabin fever is when you feel restless and frustrated because you've been stuck inside for too long."
16. "The February slump is when this happens specifically in February."
17. "A slump is when your energy or mood drops."
18. "February feels calm."
19. "It's cold, but we don't usually get snow. Instead, we get a lot of rain."
20. "Rain in February sounds gloomy."
21. "It's chilly. And everything feels wet and miserable."
22. "Chilly means cold, but not freezing."
23. "February mornings are always chilly."
24. "Towards the end of February, the weather starts to get a tiny bit warmer. The days get a little longer."
25. "A thaw is when frozen things like ice and snow start to melt."
26. "February is the perfect time to cozy up because you don't feel guilty about staying inside."
27. "Some people use February to focus on indoor hobbies."
28. "Valentine's Day on February 14th."
29. "In the United States, February is Black History Month."
30. "In some years, Chinese New Year happens in February."
31. "February can feel quiet and gray."
32. "How do you stay positive in February?"
33. "February is a slow month."
34. "February is a good time for self-care."
35. "Even the quiet months like February have something to teach us."