Share Your Story with Confidence

Sarah

Hello and welcome to Fluent Vibes! I'm Sarah, your ever-enthusiastic British guide to all things English, and I'm joined by Ali, who's here to add his contagious American energy to the mix.

ALi

Hey everyone! Thanks for tuning in. Today, we're diving right into one of the most important topics—how to introduce yourself simply and, like, clearly. You want to sound confident, right? So, Sarah, what's the magic formula here?

Sarah

Oh, there’s definitely a bit of a formula to start with. When someone asks, "Tell me about yourself," stick to the basics first: your name, where you're from, and what you do—either your job or studies. For example: "My name is Sarah, I'm from London, and I teach English." It keeps things easy, but you can add a bit more for personality. And the structure's really helpful, isn’t it? It’s like, "I’m [name], I come from [place], and I work as [job]” or “I study [subject]."

ALi

Yeah, and honestly, people sometimes get nervous, especially about place names. I mean, I still mess up towns in the UK—Reading? Is it "Reading" like the book, or “Redding”? I always get that wrong, ha!

Sarah

You’re not alone… That actually reminds me of Maria, a student I taught a couple years back. She was so worried about saying her hometown—Guadalajara—correctly. She’d, like, almost whisper it. But we practiced together, just repeating sentences like, “I’m Maria, I’m from Guadalajara.” And you know what? The more she said it, the more confident she sounded. She started making friends because she dared to introduce herself, even if it wasn’t perfect. Sometimes you just have to go for it.

ALi

Totally. Don't let pronunciation make you freeze. People will appreciate the effort, and, like, asking, “Did I say that right?” can even be a conversation starter.

ALi

So, introductions are done—what comes next? Well, chatting about daily life or hobbies, that's where you can really make things interesting. You know, you can start with, “I usually…” or “In my free time, I like to…” For example, “I usually go for a run in the mornings,” or “In my free time, I like watching old movies.”

Sarah

Exactly—being specific helps people remember you better. Instead of just “I like music,” say, “I love playing guitar, especially jazz tunes from the ’60s.” Little details make your story unique and more engaging. Sometimes people think their daily life is boring, but honestly, those small details can start a great conversation.

ALi

Oh, totally. I remember this workshop I ran—everyone had to share a hobby. One guy said, “I collect vintage postcards.” Suddenly, three other people lit up—they also collected postcards! I did not see that coming, but it, like, got everyone talking, and even the shy students became super chatty. It shows that, you know, even kind of odd hobbies connect people.

Sarah

Absolutely! Don’t be afraid to be curious or honest. There’s always someone out there who’ll find your hobby interesting—or maybe even share it.

Sarah

So, after hobbies, it’s natural to move into ambitions and future plans. This is a good moment to practice phrases for describing your goals—like, “I hope to…” “My dream is to…” or “I’m learning English because…”

ALi

Yeah, and those connecting words help you sound smooth: "In the future," "after I graduate," "because…" It sort of ties everything together. Like, “I’m learning English because I want to travel,” or, “After I finish university, I hope to work as an engineer.”

Sarah

Right! I love helping students like Ahmed find the language to talk about their dreams. He wanted to become a chef and work abroad, but at first, he only said, “I study cooking.” So, we worked on expanding—you know, “I dream of opening my own restaurant”—and giving reasons, “I want to share my country’s food with the world.” It gives people so much more to respond to.

ALi

And you don’t have to be super formal! Just, “I’d like to…” or “I’m planning to…” It’s simple, but really effective.

ALi

Alright, now, I might repeat myself a little, but talking about dreams and goals is huge. You want to make it specific and, like, motivating. Instead of just, “I want a good job,” say, “My short-term goal is to finish my English course, and long-term, I hope to work in international marketing.” You know, it sounds more real that way.

Sarah

Exactly! And sharing details is powerful. For example, “I plan to study business management at university next year, so I’m focusing on English for presentations.” Or, “In five years, I hope to start my own small business.” If learners can explain the ‘why’ behind their goal, it makes them sound even more convincing—and it’s more interesting for listeners, too.

ALi

I actually know a guy, Pablo, who talked about his dream of teaching kids, even though his English was, like, not super fluent at first. But he kept describing his dream with new vocabulary, asking questions, and it totally gave him confidence. He’s teaching now, too!

Sarah

That’s lovely. Your story doesn’t need to sound perfect—as long as it’s yours, it’ll connect with others.

Sarah

Let’s talk about handling those everyday, common questions. You’ll get stuff like, “What do you do in your free time?” or “Why are you learning English?” Being ready makes a big difference!

ALi

For sure. Keep your answers short, clear, and—this is big—sound interested! Like, “I like hiking—what about you?” Or, “I’m learning English for my career. And you?” Those follow-up questions keep things natural.

Sarah

Definitely—asking “How about you?” or “What about your hobbies?” shows you actually want to hear about the other person. Oh, and if you’re not sure what to say, it’s okay to keep it simple at first, and build from there. No need to give a life story every time!

ALi

Right, you want the other person to feel comfortable. The goal is, like, a real back-and-forth, not a quiz.

ALi

Okay, now, this is the tricky part—what if you get asked something…unexpected or tough? My advice? Don’t panic. Take a sec, breathe, and it’s fine to say, “Hmm, let me think,” or, “I’m not sure about that.” Gives you a second to organize your thoughts.

Sarah

Exactly, and you can always ask for clarification—“Could you repeat that?” or “Do you mean…?” Sounding natural is more important than sounding like a dictionary. And if you’re feeling lost, steer things back to familiar territory. For example, “I’m not sure about that, but I can tell you about my last trip…” Works a treat!

ALi

Yeah, I do that all the time, honestly. Like, if someone asks about, I don’t know, historical figures, and I totally blank, I just say, “That’s a good question—I’m really interested in…” and then talk about what I actually know.

Sarah

So, when a conversation gets going, how do you keep it flowing? Asking open-ended questions is brilliant. Stuff like, “What do you enjoy most about your hobbies?” or, “How did you get into your job?”

ALi

Oh, and repeating or summarizing helps show you’re listening: “That sounds interesting,” or like, “So, you started hiking because you love nature?” It keeps the connection strong and helps if you need a moment to think.

Sarah

Yes! And if you want to gently steer the mood or topic, try phrases like, “Speaking of hobbies, I also enjoy painting,” or, “That reminds me of when I first learned English.” It’s a smooth transition so you’re never stuck or feeling awkward.

ALi

It’s all about being curious, honest, and staying engaged, even if you make mistakes. That’s how real conversations work!

Sarah

Exactly, Ali. Well, I think that’s a perfect place to wrap up for today. Thanks for joining us, everyone. Remember, sharing your story in English gets easier the more you practice. Don’t worry about it being perfect—just get started!

ALi

Yeah, couldn’t have said it better. Thanks for hanging out with us on Fluent Vibes—keep practicing, be brave, and tune in for more next time. See you, Sarah!

Sarah

Bye, Ali! Bye everyone, and keep sharing those stories. Until next time!