to USE

Welcome to season 7 of FYI. This season instead of tackling topics we’ll discover the most common verbs in the English language! Are you USED to me USING the verb in the intro in several USES? We’ll get USED to USE on this week’s episode of FYI!

Transcript

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welcome to season 7 of FYI this season instead of tackling topics we'll discover the most common verbs in the English language are you used to be using the verb in the intro in several uses we'll get used to use on this week's episode of FYI welcome to for your info engl you got it hello hello hello fyers welcome welcome to another exciting edition of FYI for your English and this is a show where we take a look at a topic but more specifically here in season 7 we are taking a look at the most essential verbs in the English language so that you may familiarize yourself with them get to know them this way instead of being your biggest enemies words such as get and set that have many meanings they become your best friends in the whole world so welcome today we're going to look at how to use the word use and that's that's right the word use has many uses use uses so I use things it has a lot of uses my sister uses a remote to change the channel right she gives it that use sustantivo so now that we've cleared that up the noun and the verb are pronounced differently also it's a regular verb so it's used right and obviously that's the adjective used close us used and as you'll see and we talked about it here in the intro right now it's used in many structures to get used to to be used to I used to but don't worry folks we will get used to all of the different uses as I said let's start with a basic definition here and remember guys if you want to follow along and you want to you know follow along obviously you should be following along and saying the different things aloud but if you want to follow along on a PDF document it's real simple you can join my Curious community over on patreon it's patreon.com Alberto Alonso and we are having tons of fun because patrons get a bonus episode every week so you get another 30 plus minutes of class and in that class in that podcast in that show class whatever you want to call it you will get the phrasal verbs associated with use today for example then you'll also get idiomatic expressions using use and we'll look at it in pop culture and then at the end there's a little test to make sure that you guys are used to using the verb in question so we've got a lot of stuff to cover there's over an hour of class every week on each verb if you're in my community and if you want to get access to the PDFs that you can keep them and you know you can have them in your collection of essential verbs well then join us and if you're in our higher levels our Interstellar students for example they get a weekly class with me where we review the the key elements of each episode so I want to send a shout out to all my patrons especially my Interstellar students Garmin lenina Issa bako David Jos Maria and Edgard and if you guys want more information or want to learn how you can become a patron and what you get on all the different levels just go to patreon.com Alberto Alonso and you'll find everything you need at your fingertips but summing up if you're hungry for more if you're thirsty for more there's more there's much more where this came from all right so let's Loosely define this word with so many uses the verb use means to employ or apply something for a specific purpose not purpose purpose say it with me purpose purpose or to achieve a particular goal it often involves imra making something work for a particular function utilizing a resource object tool or method and let's pronounce that word too notice method it's method method it's come ID right method so some of the common uses to apply a tool or object okay this is like handling or manipulating something let's take a look at the example she used a hammer to fix the table FAS is not to fix it's she used they used she used Hammer she used the hammer she used a knife she used the no she used a hammer to fix the table how would you ask me what did she what did she use to fix the table what did she what did she use to fix the table she used a hammer to fix the table to fix is okay how how would you tell me no she didn't use a hammer to fix the table she she used a screwdriver did you know that vocabulary some tools a screwdriver a wrench unikate these are the basic tools all right uh the next one is to consume or expend a resource okay so to use consumption fuel is in this category fuel time energy or materials if you need to work on the pronunciation of the word fuel don't forget there's a Metallica song and it goes give me fuel give me fire give me that which I desire fuel fire that which I desire let's take a look at the example he used doll he used all the milk in the fridge he used all is dull he used all the milk in the fridge ask me this way we really get the structure down not just the translation but the whole structure all right did he remember did he did he use all the milk in the fridge yeah he used all the milk in the fridge he didn't use all the juice no use use say us juice he didn't use all the juice in the fridge and remember you can call a refrigerator a fridge right and a freezer freezer I had somebody come to my house say where's the ice and I looked at them like Are you seriously asking me where the ice is because it wouldn't be ice if it were in any other place all right another one another usage to take advantage of something or someone we can use people right and uh this is uh manipulation associated with manipulation taking advantage of people or situations the way I always teach this one is to take advantage of something can be good or bad right man you really took advantage of the morning and and got a lot done or you shouldn't take advantage of people so that one can be positive or negative to make the most of we saw it in the make episodes making into to make the most of is always positive okay to use a person so here's an example he used his charm he used his he used his charm he used his charm I don't feel like breathing there it's not natural to breathe there so I say he used his charm he used his he used his charm to get a promotion ask me mahmo am I making it up there to get a promotion did he did he use his charm to get a promotion yeah how would you say he always uses his charm to get promotions ask me does he does he always use his charm yeah he always uses his charm use uses right we also have to operate or control a machine or system now the word machine remember in English that CH sounds like an sh another word like that that machine Chef right that CH is in Chicago Michigan those CHS are really sh's just take note so uh this is uh yeah engaging with technology or Machinery to perform or carry out great word to perform or to carry out tasks let's take a look at the example I use a computer for work every day okay ask me do you do you do you use because you can say do you but do you do you use do you use do you use a computer for work every day yeah I use a computer for work every day how would you say my boss uses my boss uses a laptop for work every day remember we have a laptop or we have a desktop a laptop obviously goes on your lap and a desktop obviously goes on your desk so do you do you use a computer for work every day does your boss does he does he or does she use a computer for work every day yeah every everybody uses a computer everybody everybody I know uses a computer how would you ask me does everybody does does everybody use a computer yeah everybody uses a computer nowadays even if it's just that computer that's in your phone right the next one is to adopt a method or strategy and the word method we already looked at the pronunciation say it with me method method method and the second word strategy why because I know in Spanish a strategy so uh this is when you employ a technique strategy or approach and approach is the way you do something I think the word in Spanish is inoke my Approach is I always try and be calm and then I deal with it that way the way I deal with things is my Approach the way I approach the situation let's take a look at the example she used a unique method to solve the problem right to to apply would be another way to say this she used used n she used a unique method to solve the problem ask me did she use a unique method to solve the problem did she did she use a unique unque method to solve the problem yeah she used a unique method to solve the problem no she didn't use a unique method to solve the problem she used the oldest trick in the book no the expression oh that's the oldest trick in the book remember if you're taking notes right now I recommend you do because obviously we go through the PDF but there are of different things Expressions that come up pronunciation notes so make sure you guys are marking them up right really use the material don't just you know look at it use it interact with it so that you get used to it and now it's time to get to this used to all right now this is the one that I've heard since day one I've heard my students mix this one up and I get it it's really confusing but we are going to clear it up right here right now okay the first one is the past tense so I used to I used to work in New York I used to live used to not used to used to used to the sound is used to and it's used all the time okay so get used to it so it's a past action something that you don't do anymore right you can always add to the end of used to but I don't anymore right I used to smoke but I don't anymore because it means you don't do something anymore now the problem a lot of people mix this up with usually usually is SW right I usually go to the bank okay because I had I have students say Alberto I used to listen to your podcast I'm like oh you don't no no I I do every week I'm like then that's usually used to tells me you don't anymore remember that that's the key right there I used to you know it from music now you're just somebody that I used to know is so we'll put those two in their own category usually it's the present tense I usually go to the bank in the morning I usually work out in the morning come up with your own examples of these so something you usually do P I usually have pizza for dinner on Fridays make it up but if you make it true then you can actually practice using it aloud okay so um I usually I'll give you my examples here okay I usually um I usually have coffee for breakfast okay that's something I do habitually normally just think of it this way usually equals normally but the moment you say used to you don't do that anymore so I used to have tea but I don't have tea anymore so I usually have coffee I used to have tea okay and let's look at the question there so I'll give you the answer you give me the question y I used to live in New York ask me the question did you did you did you used to live in New York so did you used to did you did you used to live in New York yeah I used to live in New York I usually avoid cities so used to versus usually and then we've got to be used to so to be used to is used with the gerand and it's are you used to listening to my voice yeah I'm used to listening to your voice now what's the problem here a lot of people see the word to and they want to put the infinitive I get it it makes sense even though that two is there which generally throws people off it throws them off time after time so I'm used to teaching English right I'm used to teaching English ask me are you used to teaching English so to be used to and to get used to I got used to it after six months okay I'm getting used to it now I didn't get used to it at first to be used to to get used to when they're followed by a verb that verb is the gerand now you can also use a noun I'm used to my town right I got used to my town quickly I got used to living in my town quickly I'm used to living here right I used to live in the center I used to the infinitive so I used to live in New York now I'm used to living in Madrid okay so it can be very confusing there but if you just think to be and to get used to those are the the ones that have the why because it's something you do often that it's a good way to at least in your head think about it and say what this doesn't make sense you know it's another one that reminds me of a lot is I look forward to I look forward to seeing you next week to yeah again that's what happens so but the good news is if you know these little exceptions then you'll have it under control so I want you guys to make a list okay using all of these tell me first start with a list I used to live in New York I used to work out at a 24-hour gym I used to work in sales in um bentas I used to work in theaters I used to work in many many jobs I'm not used to working with children I've never gotten used to working with children because I work with adults in general right so I'm giving you some examples from my own life but that's what you should do what are you used to what are you getting used to let's take a look at the example I have with to be used to okay they are used to speaking English they are used to speaking English ask me are they used to speaking English are they used to it are they used to speaking English yeah they're used to it let's up the anti oh tough one this is for Superstars how long did it take you how long did it take you to get used to speaking English how long did it take you to get used to speaking English did you say it right it's a tough one okay it took me six months to get used to speaking English again the only way to really get this down pat is make lists and practice them aloud until you never mix up used to usually to be used to to get used to and this way it becomes something that you used to do hey just trying to use it in context there and the last usage over here is to use drugs to use to consume drugs or substances in fact you call somebody a user somebody who uses drugs who takes drugs is called a user let's take a look at the example here he quit using drugs after years of addiction he quit using drugs right to quit or to stop is stop or quit a lot of a lot of in today right quit bothering me stop bothering me the reason I tell you is if you use the infinitive it means another thing the exact opposite so stop to bother me bothering or bugging someone right so quit bugging me stop bugging me quit to bug me stop to bug me the exact opposite so be careful with those structures as well again the best way to practice those is by doing them aloud right quit doing this stop doing the other until it doesn't come out the wrong way it just feels right when it's right you know and if you look at it especially my intermed immediate and higher level students The Ear The easier structures you don't have to think about them very much what's your name my name's Alberto you don't have to think my no my my my n you got that one so just imagine if we learned all the structures or at least the most common structures and tenses with that uh that second nature and the only way you get that it's just like playing a guitar I always think of it you know you go to your first guitar lesson you have to look at the guitar I mean you have to look at your fingers the guitar you have to I mean you are literally like staring at that guitar but then you keep going to classes you keep practicing and you're strumming struming my pain with his fingers to strum is to play the guitar and guess what your fingers for some reason start to know what to do and you don't have to look as much and you can start you know making faces and doing the other things rock stars do you know making it look like you're in pain they love doing that one but it becomes easier it becomes second nature why it's muscle memory your fingers your brain every everything comes together and says this is the task that we have to carry out we've done it a million times let's do it and that's what we're looking for we're looking at we're looking at getting you to a point where yeah you've got stuff to learn sure we've all got stuff to learn I've been learning Spanish for 46 years been learning I still make mistakes but where you're comfortable where you can say I'm using this language all right let's take a look at some synonyms and antonyms and then we are going to wrap up this first part I hope you guys are going to join us cuz in the B bonus part as always we're going to take a look at idiomatic expressions phrasal verbs we'll look at the verb in pop culture and we'll also take a test at the end some synonyms for the word use to utilize now I've got to be honest with you I wouldn't recommend you use it because it sounds very formal but it is a word you'll see it on signs you are um homeowners are not allowed to utilize as you call it that's why we use use normally nine times out of 10 but it's good to know the word utilize yeah it's you we looked at this word before to employ to employ you say the same thing in Spanish just be careful if we're talking about people I've heard people mix up employer and employee so employee is the person who gets the paycheck and employer is the person who signs the paycheck LOM so to employ something to use it the next one to apply apply this is a regular verb just like the first two utilized employed applied the next one I've had students mix up with expl like boom right well we've got expl to explode or to blow up but this one is to exploit something right we were talking about taking advantage you need to exploit your strengths a lot of times we talk about strengths and weaknesses and the last synonym to exert to exert and it's a regular verb as well exploited exerted wow all five of them are regular verbs let's take a look at some antonyms for the verb to use as well we've got to neglect a lot of times we talk about uh someone who has neglected their children or their home that means they have not paid attention to it at all the next one to discard to discard does anyone remember the phrasal verb we use to rule out Nores don't rule him out don't rule them out don't rule her out rule her out don't rule her out because she is going to come back the next antonym is abandon it's also a regular verb the past tense abandoned the next one ignored another regular verb from the D column and the last one misused so this is you know if for you're talking oh I misused that expression that's the wrong expression for that moment so folks I hope you don't misuse this very useful verb to use and we're going to take a look at it more in depth in in the bonus episode of this week's FYI