Episode 142: How Best to Distinguish Between Similar Common Verbs

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Ian: Hey everyone, you are listening to “Coffee with Gringos.” I'm Ian Kennedy.

Paige: And I'm Paige Sutherland.

Ian: Today we're going to be talking about some complicated verbs that we get a lot of questions about in English, whether in class, whether we're just talking with learners. And it can be difficult in English because we have a lot of words that—a lot of verbs—that basically have the same meaning, but we have to be careful when we use them in each context, in each situation. So, just to clear that up today we wanted to talk a little bit about that—some of the most common ones. So, as always listeners, if you get lost, go online and check out that audio guide and transcript at www.dynamicenglish.cl. So, English can be a little bit confusing sometimes when we're trying to decide which verb to use in certain situations, right? We have several that we're going to talk about today. So, the first one that I can think of is “know” and “meet”. Both of these verbs are really commonly used, and in Spanish, they can both be considered for “saber” and “conocer”, so it can be a little bit confusing because we use them in a lot of different ways. So, when we talk about using the verb “to know”, we're talking about being more familiar with like information—maybe knowing information, some data, or it's something that's sort of like information more than anything else. So, an example could be, “I didn't know that it could snow in the summer” or we can say something like, “Did you know that a cheetah can run fifty-five miles per hour?” Something like that. So we're knowing a fact. Now, what can also be confusing is we can use “know” to also describe being familiar with someone like “conocer.” So, in that sense, I could say to you, “Paige, do you know Ted? Do you know Andrew?” And this way I'm asking, “are you familiar with them? Do you guys know each other?” It's easy to say in that way, but we use that for “know”. And if we move over to our other verb “meet”, “meet” is a little bit confusing because we use this when we talk about knowing someone or seeing someone for the first time, and usually only for when we see them for the first time—when we get to know somebody. So, for example, I could say, “Did you meet Andrew yesterday? Did you meet Kate? I met my new friend last week.” We're talking about having that connection with someone. Sometimes we can use it to say we're going to get together: “I'm going to meet my friend.” But in that case, we're really only using it to say we're getting together or we've met someone. So, these two are quite different that way, but it can be pretty confusing.

Paige: No, definitely. And they're just very, very common words that we use all the time so it's good to know those differences especially like you said, if you know someone, it's more long-term. If you meet someone, they're usually a stranger that you just met. Another really common one and I talked about this with my students all the time and they're so easy to confuse is “look” versus “watch” versus “see”. They all are very, very similar and in English, we use them a lot for very specific things. I think one of the most common is “watch”. “Watch” is usually an activity where you watch TV, you watch a baseball game. It's usually something where it's a series, a movie, it's something that you are doing is more what watch is, where often “look” is often a command. You're like, “Look! Did you see the wild deer out in the field?” Or, “Look! Did you see our friend across the street?” So “look” is often more of command. It usually involves pointing, as you notice. Often, “see” we use a lot in English of the past tense of “see” like, “Oh, I saw my friends this weekend.” Which just means you spent time with them but you physically saw them. It's a little confusing too where you can say, when it comes to movies, you could say, “I watched” but you can also say “I saw the newest Oscar movie this weekend in the theater.” So, sometimes “watch” and “see” are pretty interchangeable. What do you think, Ian? They're pretty confusing.

Ian: You bring up a really great point. I talk about these a lot with students because it can be so easy to not know which one to use, right? What I usually say to students is, especially with “see”, “see” is something that can be something that just happens. Just something that happens and you happen to make eye contact with it. So maybe a dog runs by and you see the dog run by, just because it's happening. You're not really making a conscious effort. And with “look”, you're more making that conscious, voluntary effort to “look” at that, like you said, a command. You're directing the eyes to a certain spot. And then with “watch”, “watch”, I think is easier because it usually has to be something dynamic, like you said, something moving like a movie, sports, something that's not just static. So, things that involve more movement, I typically say, you're probably going to use “watch”, but really consider the context of what you're talking about when you're thinking about which one to use. So, it's not easy but those three differences there should hopefully help our listeners in deciding which one to use.

Paige: Hey, Ian. Did you know besides the podcast, Dynamic English offers one-on-one classes with native teachers from all over the world?

Ian: Really? But isn't it just a bunch of grammar lessons?

Paige: No, it's completely discussion-based and focuses on topics that the student is interested in.

Ian: That's amazing. But what if I'm not living in Chile?

Paige: No problem. Dynamic does online classes. You can be living anywhere.

Ian: Great, but I'm a little intimidated to take the class alone. Can I join with a friend?

Paige: Of course. Dynamic offers group classes of up to four. Plus, for the next month, Coffee with Gringos listeners get 10% off individual or group classes. So go online to www.dynamicenglish.cl and mention that you are a listener and get your discount.

Ian: Well, I'm sold. Sign me up.

Ian: So, another one that I can think of “to borrow “and “to lend.” So, these again, like all these, they're very similar, but we have some key little differences here. So, “to borrow”, we are asking someone else if we can use something of theirs and it's usually just for a little while—it's a temporary situation. So, if we wanted it for a permanent situation, we might say “give” instead. So, “borrow” is like saying, “Paige, could I borrow your computer for today? Mine's broken and I need to do some work.” I'm going to give it back to you at the end of the day or whenever you need it.

Paige: I hope so.

Ian: If I'm a nice guy, I'll give it back to you.

Paige: Then it's “steal.”

Ian: Exactly. Then we go to a different verb, but in that case, we would say “borrow”. I'm going to use something of yours for a little while. And on that opposite end, we have our verb “to lend” so, “to lend” is to temporarily give something to someone else. So, if I am borrowing from you, you are lending to me. So, you would say, “Sure, I will lend you my computer.” And so, in that way, I know to our listeners these probably seem super similar, but these key differences can really help. So, remember, “borrow” is you are receiving, “lend” is you are giving and both of these are a temporary situation.

Paige: That's a very good explanation and very easy to confuse them like you said since they are opposite of giving—who's the one giving it, who's the one receiving it that it could definitely offer some confusion. So, the next one, which are also very similar but have some slight differences is “win” versus “earn.” They're generally used in similar contexts but “win” is often for games. Whenever you play a game, there's a winner and a loser—one wins, one loses. And generally, there's obviously skill involved depending on the game, but “win” it’s something that is often perceived as less work, where “earn” is something where there's a lot of work involved. Like, you “earn” a salary. I work certain hours and I get a certain payment, right? I “earn” that I put time into it. I “earn” a degree. I put in a lot of time in the classroom, I study, I take all the tests. Where “win” often is used more for, like I said, for sporting, for card games, for something that you play. There could be effort involved but it's not as much as “earning” something. There’s value in earning it because you put sweat into it, you put your time and your skills.

Ian: That's a great difference to put there. And I think one more thing that's important is, I get this a lot with students, especially my business students, when we're talking about companies gaining money, getting more money. A lot of my students want to say “win”. “Amazon won $3.5 billion this last quarter.” Now, we wouldn't say “win” in this context. If we're talking in a business or financial sense, we need to use the verb “earn.” “Amazon earned $3.5 billion in earnings.” Again, that read word “earnings” this quarter. So, it's really easy to say that they “won” this amount of money or “with my salary I win, X amount” but we're really not using that or applying it in the correct way. So really make sure, again, if you're talking financially—“earn”.

Paige: Yeah because “win” has the connotation of luck, especially when it comes to money. Like, “I won the lottery.” It's luck, but when it comes to business, you would never say “win” because there isn't luck involved. There's work and there are people putting in the time and making the right decisions and that's why it's “earn” and “win” is definitely more informal. The next one we have is “lose” versus “miss.” And so, “lose” is something where I say, “I have money and then I lose it. I don't have it anymore—I lost it.” Where “miss” is a feeling of longing, like “I miss my family. I miss my childhood friends. I miss those days when I was young. I miss my old childhood dog…” It's more of a feeling of kind of like sadness. Like something that you don't have any more where “to lose” is an action of like I had an item and I lost it or I lost touch with a friend. I no longer have it. Another good distinction which we probably all have using public transit is if you're going to work and the bus leaves you, you “missed” the bus. You didn't “lose” it because you never had it. You can't lose something you didn't have, where you missed it, where you were just almost there but you weren't. Another way of “lose” is with directions is common. I was walking a certain way and then I “lost” the path. Like I went off.

Ian: Right and you would say “lost the path”—you wouldn't say “missed”. Good distinction there. And today our last one that we're going to talk about is one that I also get a lot in class, and that is “hear” versus “listen.” So again, these can be really confusing, but they do have some key differences. So, for example, “to hear” is more an involuntary action. So, let's say you hear an ambulance or a police car go by with its sirens—you are not doing this, you're not sticking your ear out consciously listening for these sounds. They're just happening in your atmosphere. Maybe a dog barking or car honking, these are kind of things that you just hear in the background—you involuntarily get them. And then “listen”, we are voluntarily, consciously listening—we're really paying attention to something. So, I could tell you as a command, I could say, “Listen to me” or “listen to this song.” We talk about music, we listen to music, because if we say we “hear” music, it's maybe just happening in the background. We're not consciously doing that so if I put my headphones in and I'm jamming out to some music, I am listening to music—I am consciously doing it. So those are those two key differences there where “hear” is something that just happens and “listen”, we are consciously tuning into that. We are really paying attention to it. So again, listeners here were just some examples of some of these complicated verbs that we, unfortunately, face every day in English. But, hopefully, some of the tips that we've given you will help you out in deciding which verb to use in which situation. It's not easy but with practice and with listening, you're going to get it. So, as always, if you get lost, go online and check out that audio guide and transcript at www.dynamicenglish.cl. As always, thanks for listening.

Paige: We'll see you next time.

Paige: CWG officially has over one hundred episodes and we are among the “Top Podcasts in Chile”. And that’s thanks to you. But we are always working to grow our audience so make sure to rate sure to rate, review and share us. 

Key Vocabulary, Phrases & Slang:

 1.     to clear something up (idiom): to clarify or explain something.  

a.     I want to clear the story up for everyone so that they understand what happened.

2.     interchangeable (adjective): able to be changed with something else very similar.  

a.     There are a lot of verbs in English that have interchangeable meanings.

3.     conscious (adjective): having knowledge of something; aware.

a.     She is very conscious of the decision she made.

4.     static (adjective): lacking in movement, action, or change.

a.     Things around here have become pretty boring and static.

5.     slight (adjective): in a small degree; very minor.

a.     We need to make a few slight changes to the presentation.

6.     to perceive (verb): to realize or become conscious of something.

a.     They perceived the truth in a way that they never had before.

7.     connotation (noun): the idea or feeling that a word gives besides its literal meaning.

a.     The word has an unhappy connotation in the English language.

8.     to put in the time (idiom): to dedicate a certain amount of time to an activity.  

a.     It’s important to put in the time and hard work if you want to accomplish something.

9.     longing (noun): desire.

a.     She felt a longing for her old life back in her home country.

10.  involuntary (adjective): done without someone’s choice or will.

a.     The involuntary movement of his hand made him nervous.

11.  to jam out (phrasal verb): thoroughly enjoying listening to music.

a.     I love to jam out to my favorite music when I am at work.