Hey there! This is TOP episode 170. Learn English with Bruno Mars ‘Just the Way You Are’
My name’s Ola I’ve been teaching English since 2012 and I believe you can eliminate your language blockade. The secret word here is consistency. There are other secret words too. That is why I record this podcast’s episodes, and each comes with a little worksheet, a one-pager to help you digest and test what you’ve practised here. You can speak English with more confidence, slay that fear and enjoy fluent communication.
Visit my website for full transcripts and worksheets to each episode. Visit my shop at teacherola.com and enjoy your journey to fluency! Happy learning!
Hello hello! Thank you for choosing this episode! Let’s learn speaking English with confidence with Bruno Mars. The song we’re talking about today comes from his debut album released in 2010. But before we jump into the episode let’s hear from today’s sponsor.
The sponsor of this episode is my Speaking English Course. This online course Powiedz Coś will help you start speaking English fearlessly. It gives you the opportunity to reach that level of confidence, that level of fluency you need to start communicating in English with pleasure and no stress. Visit jakpowiedziec.pl to learn more. Go there to sign up for a free speaking challenge. powiedzcos.pl. Can’t wait to see you there!
Every Thursday at 11 am I jump in live for a quick chat, quick live English clas. Join me this Thursday at 11:00 live on Instagram! Watch previous Top Talks, they are uploaded on YouTube and Facebook so choose the place you fancy and have a listen.
There’s a Worksheet dedicated to these sentences we’re gonna practice in a while so go grab it at teacherola.com/170 or find it in your inbox if you’re a member of TOPeople.
You can also buy a Worksheet set, and have them all in one place. They’re editable. See what’s in my shop at teacherola.com. And now we can go back to the episode.
Bruno Mars ‘Just the Way You Are’. Listen to each line of the first half of the first verse and repeat after me. Out loud. Ready? Let’s get it started:
Oh, her eyes, her eyes
Make the stars look like they’re not shinin’
Her hair, her hair
Falls perfectly without her tryin’
She’s so beautiful and I tell her every day
Make the stars look like they’re not shinin’ – Her eyes make the stars look like they’re not shining. We’ve been talking about this pattern before. Let’s have another look at it. To make somebody or something do something. Her eyes make the stairs look dark. They cause the stairs to look dark. See these examples:
You make me feel like a natural woman.
It makes me wanna shout.
He made me do it.
She’s so beautiful and I tell her every day – I tell her every day. Here I just wanted to let you know that there’s an episode devoted to the word ‘tel’. It’s episode 151: TELL – 15 Useful Expressions.
Let’s move on to the next half of the first verse. Listen and repeat:
When I compliment her, she won’t believe me
Yeah, I know / And it’s so/ Sad to think that she don’t see what I see
But every time she asks me, “Do I look okay?”
I say
When I compliment her, she won’t believe me – That’s a conditional sentence. When I compliment her, she won’t believe me. The first conditional. Let’s see some more examples:
If I go there, I’ll let you know.
If you visit me, I’ll make some coffee.
If she decides to go with us, I’ll let her.
There’s a whole episode on the first conditional, if you think you should refresh or simply learn this go to episode 36. The First Conditional.
To compliment someone – to tell somebody that you like or admire something about them. To pay somebody a compliment, to return a compliment. For instance:
He returned her compliment by saying how well she looked.
She complemented me on my achievements.
Be careful not to confuse this word, ‘to compliment’ with a very similar one, ‘to complement’. Listen. If one thing complements another, the two things work or look better because they are together. For instance:
These two colours complement each other perfectly.
Sad to think that she don’t see what I see – Have you noticed a mistake? She don’t see. It should be: She doesn’t see. Well, this is done for the sake of the song, it’s quite common. It’s not just in songs. It can be heard from native speakers, but yeah, it is a mistake. Just don’t freak out when you hear it. It’s understandable, but it’s not standard English.
Let’s proceed, it’s time for the chorus. Listen and repeat:
When I see your face
There’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing
Just the way you are
Amazing – Cause you’re amazing. Here I picked some synonyms for ‘amazing’. Feels like we sometimes fail to find any other words to describe something great, and we go for great or nice or amazing. Let’s see other examples:
Wonderful. You did a wonderful job.
Stunning. She looked stunning in that red dress.
Astonishing. She gave an astonishing performance
Marvellous. He has a marvellous way with children.
The second half of the chorus goes like this. Listen and repeat:
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
‘Cause girl, you’re amazing
Just the way you are
The whole world stops and stares for a while – to stare means to o look at somebody/something for a long time. Listen to these examples:
Everyone in the room turned to stare at her.
It was too cold to stand and stare.
The second verse. Listen to each line and say them after me out loud:
Her lips, her lips
I could kiss them all day if she’d let me
Her laugh, her laugh
She hates, but I think it’s so sexy
She’s so beautiful and I tell her every day
I could kiss them all day if she’d let me – That’s in my view at least mixed conditional, 3 plus 2. To learn more on it listen to episode 52, but now let’s focus on this particular example. If she’d let me, if she had let me (imaginary situation from the pest, she did’t let him) If she had let him (past perfect), he could kiss her lips all day. Today, now, at present. A condition from the past and the result at present, that’s 3+2 conditional. I know it’s tough, no worries, episode 52 explains this type of a mixed conditional in details. One more example:
If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor.
The final part of the second verse:
You know I’d never ask you to change
If perfect’s what you’re searchin’ for, then just stay the same
So don’t even bother askin’ if you look okay
You know I’ll say
If perfect’s what you’re searchin’ for, then just stay the same – yet another conditional sentence. This time, the first conditional again. If this is what you’re searching for, stay the same. You are perfect already. Don’t change, just stay the same. Stay the same isn’t future simple you normally expect in the first conditional, but it’s imperative. Tryb rozkazjący. Let’s see another example:
If he calls me, tell him I’m out.
So don’t even bother askin’ if you look okay – don’t even bother. Don’t bother yourself means don’t spend time or effort on something, because it is not important . Do not worry about it, it’s not worth it, it’s not a thing. A sentence:
It bothers me to think of my sister all alone in that city.
That’s all I have! Phrases and a bit of grammar from the song ‘Just the Way You Are’ by Bruno Mars. Your turn! Say the sentences out loud. Listen and repeat:
It makes me wanna shout.
If you visit me, I’ll make some coffee.
She complimented me on my achievements.
These two colours complement each other perfectly.
She looked stunning in that red dress.
It was too cold to stand and stare.
If I had studied medicine, I would be a doctor.
If che alls me, tell him I’m out.
It bothers me to think of my sister all alone in that city.
Here you have it! 10 sentences inspired by Bruno Mars’s song. Now, go to your inbox, get the worksheet and practice some more. If you aren’t a member of TOPeople download the worksheet from teacherola.com/170.
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Thank you for tuning in and I’ll see you next Wednesday!Happy learning. Take care! Stay fearless and say it out loud! Bye!