0:00 Haha.
0:00 Yeah.
0:00 Let's learn English with Breaking Bad.
0:03 >> Mr. uh Mayhew.
0:06 Nice of you to come down.
0:09 Please.
0:09 Oh, look at you.
0:10 Should I uh call the FBI and tell him I found DB Cooper?
0:15 Joking.
0:16 Come on.
0:17 Please.
0:18 Hello.
0:20 Saul Goodman.
0:21 Please sit.
0:25 So, it's a shame that we have to meet under these circumstances.
0:34 So, Walter White's former student, Badger or Brandon,
0:38 has been arrested for selling crystal meth.
0:41 And Walt is afraid that Brandon will snitch.
0:44 So, he goes to meet with his lawyer, Saul Goodman,
0:47 to make sure that Brandon stays quiet.
0:49 By the way, if you snitch on someone,
0:51 it means that you inform on others to the police or the authorities,
0:56 especially in criminal contexts.
0:58 And we're going to learn more than 16 other advanced expressions in today's lesson.
1:02 You don't want to get into a conversation,
1:05 have a chance to use one of these, and not remember it.
1:08 You want to be able to use every one of these confidently,
1:11 just like a native, right?
1:13 The easiest way for you to do this is with the flash cards
1:16 that we created for you on our app.
1:18 These use a scientific method called space repetition,
1:22 which works like super glue to make new words stick in your head.
1:26 See for yourself.
1:27 You can get the premium lesson with Breaking Bad for free using the link
1:31 in the description below.
1:32 And now, let's meet Saul Goodman.
1:38 Good things are happening.
1:40 Fact is, your nephew is going to get out in no time.
1:44 >> That's wonderful.
1:46 There's still a few details to be ironed out,
1:48 but now that the DEA is involved,
1:50 I think he's looking at time served and probation.
1:54 So, leave your number with Francesca and uh we'll be in touch.
1:58 >> Excuse me, the DEA.
1:59 >> Yeah, that's the Drug Enforcement Administration, the feds.
2:06 I hope that I'm not the breaker of bad news,
2:09 but your nephew got mixed up with some pretty nasty customers.
2:12 I understand that.
2:13 But what does that have to do with the DEA?
2:16 >> They're after some mystery man, some heavy hitter who goes by the name Heisenberg.
2:20 Look, look, what what about reprisals?
2:24 I mean, if if Badger if if Brandon informs on this Heisenberg I mean,
2:32 what if, God forbid that they decide to take revenge?
2:39 >> What have you been telling him?
2:41 The kid keeps spouting off about if if I talk they'll kill me.
2:44 Blah blah blah.
2:44 You know, right now he's the only thing holding up this deal.
2:50 Good.
2:51 >> No, that's not good.
2:51 That's terrible.
2:54 >> Now, although Walt is pretending to be Brandon's uncle,
2:57 he doesn't really care about helping Brandon to get out of prison.
3:00 Rather, he's afraid that Brandon is going to reveal
3:03 that he is in fact Heisenberg.
3:05 By the way, did you catch Saul's opening joke?
3:08 >> Oh, look at you.
3:09 Should I uh call the FBI and tell them I found DB Cooper?
3:13 >> Here's a fascinating piece of history.
3:16 DB Cooper is one of the most famous unsolved mysteries in American history.
3:20 In 1971, a man using the name Dan Cooper, later misreported as DB Cooper,
3:26 hijacked a plane, demanded $200,000 in ransom,
3:30 and then parachuted out of the aircraft with the money.
3:32 Despite a massive FBI investigation, he was never found.
3:36 So, we can see why Walt's outfit is a bit surprising
3:39 and Saul decides to poke fun at him.
3:41 Now, let's dive into the expressions from that first clip.
3:44 >> Good things are happening.
3:45 Fact is, your nephew is going to get out in no time.
3:49 >> Here, Salt is basically telling Walt
3:51 that Badger won't spend a lot of time in prison.
3:53 He'll be released soon.
3:55 You can use this in other context, too.
3:57 For example, imagine you're stuck in traffic, but then it suddenly clears up.
4:00 You might say, "We'll get there in no time."
4:02 Or if someone is worried about a minor surgery, a doctor might reassure them,
4:06 "Don't worry, you'll be out of here in no time."
4:09 Next, S expression that I personally use a lot.
4:12 >> There's still a few details to be ironed out,
4:14 but now that the DEA is involved, I think he's looking at time served,
4:19 then probation.
4:20 >> This expression comes from ironing clothes.
4:22 Just like you iron out wrinkles and fabric,
4:24 you iron out problems in a plan.
4:26 Like when you plan a trip,
4:27 if you booked your flight in a hotel already,
4:29 then you just need to iron out the details like tours you'll do
4:32 and restaurants you'll eat at.
4:33 We could even say that you're a good English speaker,
4:36 but you need to iron out some mistakes.
4:38 Saul also used a legal term here.
4:40 >> There's still a few details to be ironed out,
4:42 but now that the DEA is involved,
4:45 I think he's looking at time served and probation.
4:48 >> These are two sentences a judge could give as a punishment for a crime.
4:52 Time served refers to time spent in prison.
4:54 And probation is a period after release from prison where you have to follow
4:58 certain rules like checking in with a probation officer,
5:01 not leaving the state, or passing drug tests.
5:04 If you break these rules, you can be sent back to jail.
5:07 >> I think he's looking at time served, then probation.
5:11 >> I bet you feel like Saul speaks fast and is difficult to understand.
5:15 However, this is more about his use of connected speech than the actual velocity
5:19 of his speaking.
5:20 That's how we natives cut, reduce, and link our words together in fluent speech.
5:26 Listen to what he said here.
5:27 Again, >> I think he's looking at time served, then probation.
5:31 >> You might have noticed before that with words ending in ing,
5:35 we often drop the g sound.
5:37 So here, instead of saying looking, he said looking.
5:42 Looking.
5:43 The t in at is a glottle t.
5:45 This means that it's cut off at the back of the throat.
5:48 Pay attention to the difference. at at at So instead of looking at,
5:56 we hear looking at looking at.
6:00 Later we hear a similar example when Saul asked this question.
6:04 >> What have you been telling him?
6:06 >> What have you been telling him?
6:07 >> When we have pronouns like him, her, and them,
6:10 we often cut the first consonant sound.
6:13 So this becomes telling him.
6:15 Telling him.
6:16 Your speaking will only improve with lots of practice.
6:19 So listen to those two lines again
6:21 and try to say them just like Saul did.
6:23 >> I think he's looking at time served.
6:26 I think he's looking at time served.
6:35 >> What have you been telling him?
6:37 >> What have you been telling him?
6:44 >> Next, we heard Saul use a creative variation of a common expression.
6:50 I hope that I'm not the breaker of bad news,
6:53 but your nephew got mixed up with some pretty nasty customers.
6:57 >> Usually, we say someone is the bearer of bad news.
7:00 That means the person who has to deliver information
7:03 that the other person probably won't like.
7:06 Here's another example.
7:07 >> I hate to be the bearer of bad news,
7:09 but your psychic friend's predictions about the drug case were wrong,
7:13 which means all of her predictions are wrong.
7:15 Mm-m.
7:15 >> So, I'll probably confuse this with another expression, breaking news.
7:20 You might hear this on a news program
7:22 when something has just happened
7:24 and they interrupt the schedule programming to report on it.
7:26 And Saul said Badger got mixed up with nasty customers.
7:30 When you get mixed up with someone,
7:31 it means that you get involved with them, usually in a bad way.
7:35 You didn't plan to get into trouble,
7:36 but you ended up connected to dangerous people.
7:39 Check out this example.
7:40 >> Can I ask you a question?
7:42 >> Okay.
7:45 How'd you get mixed up with a guy like Wes?
7:50 >> Now, let's listen to some connected speech that Walt used here.
7:53 >> I understand that.
7:53 But what does that have to do with the DEA?
7:56 >> Wow, that was fast.
7:58 >> But what does that have to do with the DEA?
8:01 >> When we have a T d combination at the end of one word
8:04 and start of the next,
8:05 usually we just pronounce the second one.
8:08 So, what does becomes one fluent sound like what is.
8:12 What is to usually reduces to just to have to often just sounds like
8:18 have to have to.
8:20 So this full question is not what does that have to do with,
8:25 but what does that have to do with?
8:27 What does that have to do with?
8:29 Listen to Walt again and try to say it just like him.
8:32 >> I understand that.
8:33 But what does that have to do with the DEA?
8:35 But what does that have to do with the DEA?
8:44 They're after some mystery man, some heavy hitter.
8:47 It goes by the name Heisenberg.
8:49 A heavy hitter is someone who is powerful or influential in their field.
8:53 The term comes from baseball where heavy hitters hit the ball really hard
8:57 and score a lot of runs.
8:59 In business or even crime,
9:00 a heavy hitter is someone at the top of the organization.
9:03 Think about Apple or Microsoft.
9:06 Tim Cook and Satia Nadella are heavy hitters in the tech industry.
9:10 Now listen to this example.
9:13 >> The party was a complete home run.
9:15 All the fashion heavy hitters were there.
9:19 >> Look look look.
9:19 But what what about reprisals?
9:24 >> What do you think reprisals are?
9:25 Rewards for good behavior.
9:27 Acts of revenge.
9:28 Legal appeals.
9:37 Great.
9:38 This word is formal
9:39 and Walt may have chosen it
9:41 because he's talking to a lawyer.
9:43 However, you'll probably more commonly just hear revenge.
9:46 But then we hear Saul use a couple of nice informal phrasal verbs.
9:50 >> I mean, what if, god forbid, that they decide to take revenge?
9:58 >> What have you been telling him?
9:59 The kid keeps spouting off about if if I talk they'll kill me.
10:02 Blah blah blah.
10:03 You know, right now he's the only thing holding up this deal.
10:06 First, to spout off about something means to talk about it a lot,
10:10 often in an annoying way.
10:12 Imagine you have a friend who just learned about cryptocurrency
10:15 and won't stop talking about it.
10:17 You might ask them to stop spouting off about Bitcoin.
10:19 Next, when Saul says that Brandon is holding up the deal,
10:23 he means Brandon's fear is an obstacle preventing the deal from moving forward.
10:27 In business, you might hear, "We're ready to sign the contract,
10:30 but there's one issue holding up the deal."
10:31 Or in real estate,
10:32 the home inspection found some problems that are holding up the sale.
10:35 Now, let's continue with the next part of the scene.
10:41 Trust me, sir, your nephew won't last in prison 2 weeks, right?
10:45 You let him take his chances on the outside.
10:47 Maybe I can work in some witness protection.
10:49 >> No, look, look, the these are are vicious, desperate people.
10:53 I I I I've been told
10:56 that that one of them killed another man by crushing his head with an
11:00 ATM machine.
11:03 People love to take credit for the fun ones.
11:06 Yeah.
11:06 The guy who got his head smooshed used to be a client of mine.
11:09 His wife killed him.
11:10 All right.
11:11 It was open and shut.
11:12 Trust me, you folks have nothing to worry about.
11:14 Okay?
11:15 I'm going to set your nephew straight.
11:17 Get him singing like a canary.
11:18 All's right with the world.
11:30 $10,000. >> 10,000 cash to you.
11:31 I'm not saying to throw the case.
11:34 Just no talking to the DEA.
11:38 >> Are you saying what I think you're saying?
11:41 >> Yes.
11:42 What's it going to be?
11:47 >> Trust me, sir.
11:48 Your nephew won't last in prison two weeks, right?
11:51 you let him take his chances on the outside.
11:53 >> When you take your chances,
11:55 you decide to face an uncertain situation and accept whatever happens.
11:58 Saul is saying Brandon should risk revenge outside of prison rather than face the
12:02 guaranteed danger inside.
12:04 For example, when the weather looks uncertain, you might say,
12:07 "I don't know if it'll rain,
12:08 but I'm going to take my chances and not bring an umbrella."
12:11 Here's another example.
12:12 >> I'm going to go to Moscow.
12:13 >> Wait, wait, wait, wait.
12:14 Hold on.
12:14 You can't just go to the Soviet Union, Hank.
12:16 You need a you need a business visa, a full background check.
12:19 It takes months.
12:19 Well, get a tourist visa then.
12:21 >> So, you lie.
12:22 But >> that's a felony.
12:23 They could throw you in jail.
12:25 >> I'll take my chances.
12:26 >> Next, let's take a moment to talk about grammar.
12:29 >> Maybe I can work in some witness protection.
12:31 >> No.
12:32 Look, look, the these are are vicious, desperate people.
12:35 I I I I've been told
12:38 that that one of them killed another man by crushing his head with an
12:42 ATM machine.
12:43 >> Notice how Walt says, "I've been told rather than someone told me."
12:48 Why did he use the present perfect here?
12:49 We use the present perfect when the exact time doesn't matter,
12:53 but the information is still relevant now.
12:56 So, although using the simple past would also be correct here,
12:59 we'll probably use the present perfect to emphasize the importance of this information to
13:03 the present moment.
13:04 You'll hear this a lot in news reporting.
13:06 We've been told that the president will make an announcement.
13:08 Or when planning where to have dinner, your friend might say,
13:10 I've been told that this restaurant is excellent.
13:15 People love to take credit for the fun ones.
13:17 To take credit for something means to claim responsibility for it.
13:20 Usually, we take credit for good things we've done.
13:22 Like, if you have friends over to your house for dinner
13:24 and they compliment the food,
13:26 you might take credit for cooking.
13:27 However, Saul is joking darkly that criminals often brag about dramatic murders.
13:32 By the way, the opposite would be take the blame,
13:34 accepting responsibility for something bad.
13:36 >> I I've been told
13:38 that that one of them killed another man by crushing his head with an
13:42 ATM machine.
13:45 People love to take credit for the fun ones.
13:48 The guy who got his head smooshed used to be a client of mine.
13:51 His wife killed him.
13:52 All right.
13:53 It was open and shut.
13:54 Now, what do you think smooshed means?
13:57 Exploded, cut, crushed, right?
14:09 Smoosh is an informal, somewhat playful word meaning to crush something,
14:14 like with this stress ball here.
14:15 It's interesting that Saul uses this almost cute sounding word to describe something
14:19 so violent.
14:20 It shows his dark sense of humor.
14:22 For example, kids love to smoosh Play-Doh.
14:25 Here's another example.
14:27 >> Norton's tree.
14:31 >> Yeah.
14:31 You mean the dead one I've been asking him to take down for 3
14:33 years before it finally blew over?
14:35 That tree >> really got smooshed.
14:39 You ain't kidding.
14:41 >> And Saul used an expression we can hear in many police
14:43 and law TV series.
14:47 >> People love to take credit for the fun ones.
14:50 Yeah.
14:50 The guy who got his head smooshed used to be a client of mine.
14:53 His wife killed him.
14:54 All right.
14:54 It was open and shut.
14:56 When a case is open and shut, it's very clear with obvious evidence.
15:01 There's no doubt about what happened.
15:02 Think about someone who is caught stealing with the stolen goods in their bag.
15:07 That's open and shut.
15:08 You might use this outside of legal context, too.
15:10 It's an openand shut decision.
15:12 We obviously need to hire her.
15:13 She's by far the best candidate.
15:15 Let's check out a final bit of connected speech.
15:17 Saw I used here.
15:18 The guy who got his head smooshed used to be a client of mine.
15:22 Used to be a client of mine.
15:24 >> First off, often is reduced to just awah sound.
15:28 Uh uh.
15:30 And when we have an N and T together,
15:32 we usually drop the T sound like in advantage, dentist, or internet.
15:39 So instead of a robotic client of mine,
15:42 this becomes a fluent client of mine.
15:45 Client of mine.
15:46 Listen to Saul again and try to say that just like him.
15:49 >> The guy who got his head smooshed used to be a client of mine.
15:53 Used to be a client of mine.
16:01 By the way, can I ask you a quick favor?
16:03 We depend on your feedback to make lessons you enjoy
16:06 and that will help you to speak English confidently
16:09 and fluently.
16:10 So, take just a moment to pause the lesson and comment below one series,
16:15 movie, or celebrity you would love for us to make a lesson with.
16:18 The real life team and I read every single comment.
16:21 Trust me, you folks have nothing to worry about.
16:23 Okay, I'm going to set your nephew straight.
16:26 Yet I'm singing like a canary.
16:27 All's right with the world.
16:30 >> To set someone straight means to get someone to behave properly.
16:34 You might often hear
16:35 that a parent set their child straight
16:36 when they did something wrong.
16:39 >> I should have listened to her in high school
16:40 and stood up to those mean girls.
16:42 >> You know, if I was in high school with you,
16:44 >> I would have set them straight.
16:46 >> And I love this other colorful idiom that Saul used.
16:49 >> I'm going to set your nephew straight.
16:51 Get him singing like a canary.
16:52 All's right with the world.
16:54 What do you think singing like a canary means?
16:57 Singing beautifully.
16:58 Being very happy.
17:00 Revealing secret information.
17:09 Exactly.
17:10 When someone sings like a canary, they're telling everything they know to the authorities,
17:14 usually to get a better deal for themselves.
17:17 Canaries are song birds known for their singing.
17:19 So, the image is of someone who can't stop talking
17:21 and revealing information. 10,000 cash to you.
17:27 I'm not saying to throw the case.
17:30 Just no talking to the DEA.
17:34 >> Finally, we have throw a case,
17:37 which in legal terms means to deliberately lose a case,
17:40 usually because you've been bribed.
17:42 This is obviously illegal and unethical.
17:45 You might also hear about athletes throwing a game, losing on purpose.
17:49 Here's another example.
17:50 >> Let me make things a little easier for you.
17:53 Yeah, figure out a way to throw this case
17:55 or figure out where you're going to work
17:57 when you get out of here
17:58 because I don't know where it's going to be
17:59 if it's not for us.
18:01 >> I hope you had a lot of fun learning English with Breaking Bad.
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18:09 lost,
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18:53 And if you're sticking with us here on YouTube,
18:55 then I recommend you check out this lesson next.
18:57 >> You want to see me?
18:59 Did you go see Joy after I told you not to?
19:02 >> I told you a puppy can't clean up its own mess.
19:04 Look, my plate's full with stable shelters.
19:07 I need you to look into Jerome's daughter.
19:09 But if you think
19:10 that means that I can't kick your ass up
19:12 and down this floor,
19:14 take a swing and see what happens.
19:17 Look, I took him the offer.
19:19 I presented it to him and recommended that he take it.
19:22 In fact, I urged him to take it.
19:24 You know what he told me to do?
19:25 You told me to tell you to shove it up your
