Talking About February in English | Easy English Podcast

Hello everyone and welcome back to

Everyday English Academy where we make

English simple and enjoyable. I'm Sarah

>> and I'm Mike. Hello to all of our

wonderful listeners wherever you are in

the world right now.

>> So Mike, I have a question for you.

>> Okay, go ahead. What do you think about

February?

>> February? I actually like February.

>> Wait, really?

>> Yes. Why do you sound so surprised?

>> Because February is the worst month of

the year.

>> What? No way. February is great,

>> Mike. It's cold. It's gray. And it's

over before you even realize it started.

>> Okay. Okay. I see your point, but

February has Valentine's Day and it's

cozy.

>> Cozy? You mean boring?

>> No, not boring. It's the perfect month

to stay inside, drink hot chocolate, and

relax.

>> Or it's the perfect month to feel stuck

and tired of winter.

>> Wow, Sarah, you really don't like

February, do you?

>> Not really, but maybe I'm being too

harsh. Let's talk about it and see if

you can change my mind.

>> Challenge accepted. And for everyone

listening, today we're talking about

February in English.

>> Yes, we'll share useful words and

phrases you can use to talk about this

interesting or terrible month.

>> No, it's not terrible.

>> We'll see about that. And while we talk,

you'll learn natural English expressions

that native speakers actually use.

>> So stay with us. And if you enjoy

learning with us, please subscribe to

Everyday English Academy.

>> Yes, please click that subscribe button

and give us a like. It really helps us

keep making these episodes for you.

>> And we want to hear from you. Do you

like February or not? Tell us in the

comments.

All right, Mike, let's start with the

basics. What is February exactly?

>> Well, February is the second month of

the year. It comes after January and

before March.

>> And here's the weird thing about

February. It's the only month that has

fewer than 30 days.

>> That's true. Most years, February has 28

days.

>> Most years? What do you mean?

>> Well, every four years we have something

called a leap year.

>> Oh, leap year. That's an important word.

What does it mean?

>> A leap year is a year when February has

29 days instead of 28.

>> So, we add one extra day.

>> Exactly. And that extra day is February

29th.

>> 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.

>> Interesting. So, the next leap year is

2028, right?

>> Yes. 2024 was a leap year. So, the next

one will be 2028.

>> Okay. So, leap year. Let's use that in a

sentence. 2024 was a leap year. So,

February had 29 days.

>> Perfect. Or you can say, "My friend was

born on February 29th, so she only has a

real birthday during a leap year."

>> That's so funny. She only gets older

every four years.

>> Exactly. Lucky her.

>> All right, so we talked about leapy

year. Now, let's talk about how February

feels.

>> Ooh, feelings. This is where we

disagree.

Yes, because for me, February feels

heavy, like everything is gray and cold,

and I just want it to be over.

>> That's called the winter blues.

>> Winter blues. Yes. What does that mean?

>> 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.

>> A lot of people feel this way. The days

are still short, it's cold outside, and

you just feel low.

>> Low? You mean low energy and motivation.

>> Exactly. You might say, "I have the

winter blues this month. I just want to

stay in bed." or February always gives

me the winter blues because the weather

is so gloomy.

>> Gloomy, that's a great word. Gloomy

means dark, gray, and a bit sad.

>> Yes, you could say, "The sky is so

gloomy today."

>> Or, "I don't like gloomy weather. It

makes me feel sleepy."

>> Perfect. So, we have winter blues and

gloomy. Both very useful for February.

>> But Sarah, not everyone feels sad in

February.

>> Okay. Okay. What do you like about it?

>> I like that it's a quiet month after all

the excitement of December and January.

February feels calm.

>> Calm or boring?

>> Calm. It's a good time to slow down and

rest.

>> H maybe. But I think a lot of people

also experience something called cabin

fever.

>> Oh, cabin fever. That's a good one. What

does it mean?

>> Cabin fever is when you feel restless

and frustrated because you've been stuck

inside for too long.

>> Like you need to go outside, but the

weather is too bad.

>> Exactly. You feel trapped indoors and

you start to go a little bit crazy.

I totally understand that, especially in

February when it's been cold for months

already.

>> Yes, you can say, "I have cabin fever. I

need to get out of this house."

>> Or, "After 3 days of snow, I'm getting

cabin fever."

>> And the funny thing is, a cabin is a

small house, usually in the forest or

mountains,

>> right? So cabin fever is like you're

stuck in a cabin with nothing to do.

>> Exactly. Even if you're not in a cabin,

you still feel stuck.

>> That makes sense. So in February, people

might have the winter blues and cabin

fever.

>> Poor February.

>> But wait, there's also something people

call the February slump. Ooh, yes, the

slump. Tell us about that.

>> A slump is when your energy or mood

drops. You feel tired, unmotivated, and

a bit flat.

>> And the February slump is when this

happens specifically in February.

>> Exactly. It's that middle of winter

feeling when you think winter is still

here. When will it end?

>> I feel that every February.

You might say, "I'm in a February slump.

I can't focus on anything."

>> Or, "A lot of people experience a slump

in February because winter feels so

long."

>> Yes. And the good news is it usually

gets better in March.

>> That's true. March feels like hope is

coming back.

>> So, we have winter blues, cabin fever,

and slump. All very useful for

describing how February feels. Now,

let's talk about the weather in

February. What's it like where you are,

Mike?

>> Well, in February, it's usually very

cold. The temperature is often below

zero.

>> Below zero? That's freezing.

>> It is. And we also get a lot of snow in

February.

>> Do you like the snow?

>> At the beginning of winter, yes. But by

February, I'm tired of it. So, even you

get tired of winter

>> a little bit, yes. What about you,

Sarah? What's February like where you

are?

>> It's cold, but we don't usually get

snow. Instead, we get a lot of rain.

>> Rain in February sounds gloomy.

>> It is gloomy.

The sky is gray. It's chilly. And

everything feels wet and miserable.

Chilly. That's another good word. Chilly

means cold, but not freezing,

>> right? It's not extreme cold, but it's

cold enough to be uncomfortable.

>> You might say, "It's a bit chilly today.

I need a jacket."

>> Or, "February mornings are always

chilly."

>> Perfect. And even though February is

cold, it's also the time when things

start to change.

>> What do you mean? Well, towards the end

of February, the weather starts to get a

tiny bit warmer. The days get a little

longer.

>> Oh, and sometimes the snow starts to

melt.

>> Exactly. That's called a thaw.

>> Thaw. What does that mean?

>> A thaw is when frozen things like ice

and snow start to melt because the

temperature goes up a little.

>> So, winter is slowly ending.

>> Slowly. Yes. You might say, "I can see a

thaw beginning. The snow is melting."

>> Or, "There was a thaw last week, and now

the roads are clear."

>> Yes. And people get excited when they

see the first signs of a thaw because it

means spring is coming.

>> That's true. Even just a little bit of

sunshine in February feels like a gift.

>> Exactly. So, February weather can be

gloomy and chilly, but it can also bring

the first signs of a thaw.

>> I like that. It's not all bad.

>> See, I'm slowly changing your mind about

February.

>> Maybe just a little. Now, let's talk

about what people do in February.

>> Good idea. So, because the weather is

often cold and gloomy, a lot of people

like to stay inside.

>> Yes. And there's a nice expression for

that. We say people cozy up at home.

>> Cozy up. What does that mean? To cozy up

means to make yourself comfortable and

warm, usually indoors,

>> like wrapping yourself in a blanket with

a cup of tea.

>> Exactly. You might say, "It's so cold

outside, I'm going to cozy up on the

sofa with a good book."

>> Or, "On February evenings, I love to

cozy up and watch movies."

>> Perfect. Cozy up is such a nice, warm

expression. It really is. And I think

February is the perfect time to cozy up

because you don't feel guilty about

staying inside.

>> That's true. In summer, if you stay

inside all day, you feel like you're

wasting sunshine.

>> But in February, staying inside feels

like the right choice.

>> Exactly. What else do people do in

February?

>> Well, some people use February to focus

on indoor hobbies. Like what?

>> Like reading, cooking, learning

something new, or organizing their home.

>> Oh, I always tell myself I'm going to

organize my closet in February, but I

never do it.

>> Same. I have good intentions, but then I

just end up watching TV.

>> At least you're being honest. What about

February holidays?

>> Well, the biggest one is probably

Valentine's Day on February 14th. Ah,

Valentine's Day. The day of love or the

day of stress, depending on who you are.

>> True. Some people love it, some people

don't care about it.

>> What do you think about Valentine's Day,

Mike?

>> I think it's nice if you enjoy

celebrating, but I don't think it's

necessary.

>> I agree. Love shouldn't be just one day,

right?

>> Exactly. But it's still a fun tradition.

People give flowers, chocolates, cards,

>> and restaurants are always fully booked.

>> Yes. If you want to go out for dinner on

Valentine's Day, you need to make a

reservation weeks in advance.

>> Or you just stay home and cozy up.

>> Perfect solution.

>> Are there other February traditions?

>> In some countries, yes. In the United

States, February is Black History Month.

>> And in some years, Chinese New Year

happens in February.

>> That's right. It depends on the lunar

calendar. So, sometimes it's in January,

sometimes in February.

>> And Chinese New Year is such a big,

colorful, exciting celebration.

>> It really is. So, even though February

can feel quiet and gray, there are still

interesting things happening around the

world.

>> That's true. Okay, Mike, I have a

question. How do you stay positive in

February?

>> Good question. I think the key is to

accept that February is a slow month.

>> What do you mean?

>> I mean, don't expect February to be

exciting. Just let it be calm and

restful. So, you're saying lower your

expectations?

>> Kind of. Yes. If you expect February to

be amazing, you'll be disappointed.

>> But if you expect it to be quiet and

simple, you might actually enjoy it.

>> Exactly. I also try to do small things

that make me happy.

>> Like what? like drinking my favorite

tea, listening to music I love, calling

a friend, or going for a short walk when

the sun comes out.

>> Those are nice, simple things.

>> Yes. And they don't cost money or take a

lot of energy.

>> I think that's good advice. February is

a good time for self-care.

>> Self-care?

>> Yes. taking care of yourself, being kind

to yourself, resting when you need to

rest.

>> I love that. February is the perfect

month for self-care because there's no

pressure to be productive or busy.

>> And by the end of February, you start to

feel ready for spring.

>> Exactly. March arrives and suddenly

everything feels fresh again.

Okay, Mike, I think you did change my

mind a little bit.

>> Really?

>> Yes. February is still not my favorite

month, but I can see the good side now.

>> I'm proud of you, Sarah.

>> Thanks.

All right, everyone. Let's do a quick

review of the useful words we learned

today.

>> Great idea. First, we have leap year, a

year when February has 29 days instead

of 28.

>> Next, winter blues. That sad or tired

feeling you get from cold, dark weather.

>> Then, gloomy, dark, gray, and a bit

depressing.

>> Cabin fever. Feeling restless and

frustrated from being stuck indoors too

long.

>> Slump. when your energy or mood drops.

>> Chilly, cold but not freezing.

>> Thaw when ice and snow start to melt.

>> And cozy up to make yourself comfortable

and warm, usually indoors.

>> Those are really useful words for

talking about February or any winter

month really.

>> Absolutely. And now we want to hear from

you.

>> Yes. Tell us in the comments what is

February like where you live.

>> Is it cold, warm, rainy, snowy?

>> And do you like February or do you find

it difficult?

>> We read every comment, so don't be shy.

>> And if you enjoyed this episode, please

subscribe to Everyday English Academy

and give us a like.

>> It helps us so much and it tells us that

you want more episodes like this.

Thank you so much for spending time with

us today.

>> We hope you learned something useful and

maybe even smiled a little.

>> Keep practicing your English. Keep being

curious and remember, even the quiet

months like February have something to

teach us.

>> That was beautiful, Mike.

>> Thanks. All right, everyone. Take care

of yourselves. Stay warm, stay cozy, and

we'll see you very soon in the next

episode.

>> Bye everyone.

>> Goodbye.