6 Minute English

How would you feel about going up to a stranger on the street and asking them for a cheeky favour? If the idea makes you nervous, then don't worry – you are not alone! But recently, some people have been filming themselves doing this, as part of a social media trend called 'rejection therapy'. It's not an officially recognised form of therapy, but some have found that it improves their confidence. Georgie and Neil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. 6 Minute English now has a VIDEO VERSION! 6 Minute English now comes with a video! It's the same programme that you know and love, but now you can see us! Watch this podcast here (and find a free worksheet): https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260917 Let us know what you think of the new version of 6 Minute English at learningenglish@bbc.co.uk

Have you ever used Duolingo, Babbel, Busuu or perhaps another language-learning app? How did you get on? Some people love the convenience of these apps – you can learn on the go, like during your commute to work, rather than committing to a certain time each week, like learning in a class. But are they teaching the languages effectively? Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260910 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Every year we see damage, death and destruction caused by hurricanes, cyclones and typhoons - tropical storms. Is climate change making this impact worse? Climate change may be making this destruction worse. Phil is joined by BBC weather presenter and meteorologist Sarah Keith-Lucas to learn more about this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260903 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

What is the worst smell in the world? And what is the best smell? Are there any smells that you like, but that your friends or family hate? Smells are all around us all the time, but the English language is often quite general in the way it describes smells, as opposed to other senses like sounds or tastes. But why is this? Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260827 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Imagine crossing a road and turning to see a car heading towards you... without a driver! While this might seem scary, driverless cars are already operating safely in many cities around the world. These autonomous cars contain huge amounts of technology to help them drive alongside other road users carefully. But will humans behave as carefully around them? Can we communicate clearly with these 'robotaxis', or are we simply incompatible? Phil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Learn English from authentic BBC programme clips. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260820 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Unloading the dishwasher, mopping the floor, cleaning the loo... what is your most hated household chore? We all know there are jobs around the house which have to be done regularly, even if they are sometimes boring or unpleasant. But who tends to do the most amount of jobs in your household? And is there anyone who isn't pulling their weight...? Pippa and Neil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Learn English from authentic BBC programme clips. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260813 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Across the world, climate change is already beginning to change the way we live our lives. But how big will that change be and what kinds of change will occur? These are the kinds of questions that scientists have been asking for decades. So, how exactly do they try to find answers to such complex questions about the future? Understanding where we are heading might help humanity prepare for the consequences of climate change. Phil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Learn English from authentic BBC programme clips. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260806 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

What would the world of athletics look like if athletes were allowed to take drugs? Pippa and Neil discuss the Enhanced Games. Learn English from authentic BBC programme clips. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260730 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

The most recent figure from 2024 says that 520 million children are living in conflict zones. That's about one in every five children worldwide. Some of the discussions in this episode will be about death and trauma. Neil and Becca hear from a journalist who has spent some time with children in warzones and discuss the topic in simpler English. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260723 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Football players are faster than ever before. But in a game where every tiny decision counts, elite clubs are turning to neuroscience to understand how players can think, decide and perform even faster. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260716 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

When did you learn to ride a bike? Perhaps you learnt as a child and have not cycled for a long time. Well don't worry, you can pick it up again quickly – it's just like riding a bike! And if you have never cycled, it's not too late to start. With new cycle tracks and electric bikes, cycling is becoming more and more accessible. Neil and Becca discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260709 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

What is the rudest email you have ever received? We all deal with emails on a daily basis, but sometimes people can write them too quickly, without thinking enough about how it makes the other person feel. Is there anything that people write in emails which you find impolite? And have you ever sent a rude email yourself...? Phil and Becca discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260702 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Are you a fussy eater? Many of us remember foods that we used to hate as children – some of us still do hate those foods! But what can parents do to help encourage their children to eat a healthy diet, without turning every dinner into disaster? Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260625 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Many parents worry that their children spend too much time on screens. Governments around the world, such as in the UK, Australia and China, are introducing online safety measures to limit the amount of screen time for children or prevent them accessing social media. Neil and Becca talk about their own screen time and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260618 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

What was the last thing you bought? And can you remember why you bought that particular thing, rather than something else? We all like to think we make rational, independent choices when we buy things, but advertisers are constantly trying different strategies to influence us to behave differently. Pippa and Phil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Listen to natural English conversations with Real Easy English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english Learn English from the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260611

Do you like to read poetry? When was the last time you heard someone recite a poem? Some people may just think of poetry as something they studied at school, but for many people it has a powerful presence in their lives. Poetry can help you connect with others, come to terms with personal emotions, or even spread the word about important global events. If you think poetry is not for you, perhaps you just haven't found the right poem yet! Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Listen to natural English conversations with Real Easy English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english Learn English from the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260604

Many people have to borrow money to make big purchases, like buying a house or a car. When you do this, you have to pay the money back over time – the money you owe is a debt. With the current cost of living getting increasingly high, some people are having to borrow money even for everyday purchases like bills and food. Sometimes this debt can get out of control, which causes anxiety and stress. Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260528 Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com

What do you prefer – the sounds of birdsong and wind rustling in the trees, or the hum of traffic and chatter of people passing by? Some people like the quiet of the countryside and others love the noise of the city, but did you know that constant exposure to loud noise has been found to increase anxiety? That's why some people have been trying to find ways to make our cities feel quieter. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260521 Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com

Do you remember what it was like before you learnt to read? It's hard to think back that far! Scientific research has shown that learning to read changes the way our brains work. Not only that, but depending on the language you are reading, your brain changes in different ways. Becca and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260514 Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com

Will we ever be able to live on a planet that isn't Earth? A science and space journalist explainss the latest research and data collected from planet TRAPPIST-1e. Neil and Becca teach you some new language to understand this potentially habitable planet. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260507 Practise your listening skills at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Learn language to use at work in Office English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/office-english Get our latest programmes. Subscribe to our free email newsletter: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters