Thinking in English

Thinking in English

Thinking in English is a podcast for intermediate and advanced English learners who want to do more than just study grammar and vocabulary. I believe that thinking is one of the most important steps on the road to fluency. That’s why each episode explores fascinating topics, from politics, economics, and history to philosophy, science, and culture. Instead of simply learning English, this podcast helps you learn in English. You’ll expand your knowledge, discover new ideas, and improve your language skills, all at the same time. Bonus episodes and ad-free episodes, exclusive for Patreon subscribers: https://www.patreon.com/collection/869866 Join our Conversation Clubs and support the podcast: ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish⁠ Visit the website: ⁠https://thinkinginenglish.blog/⁠ Thinking in English is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on Thinking in English.

Episodes

365. Who Was Ramanujan? The Greatest Mathematician of All Time? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

December 7, 2025 • 21 mins
Today I want to talk about one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. A genius who, with almost no formal training, made mathematical discoveries that still astonish experts today. His name is Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his story is as extraordinary as the mathematical formulas he created. Despite growing up in poverty and facing enormous challenges, Ramanujan produced ideas that continue to shape modern mathematics. This epis...
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364. What is the EU? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

November 30, 2025 • 28 mins
Thinking in English BLACK FRIDAY SALE (50% Off Annual Memberships) - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish What is the EU? Is it just a group of countries in Europe? Is it a trade bloc? Or is it something much more complex? When people talk about the EU, they often mention things like the Euro, the Schengen Zone, or European laws, but many people don’t actually know what the EU really is or how it works. In today’s episo...
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363. History of Mexico City! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

November 23, 2025 • 25 mins
Thinking in English BLACK FRIDAY SALE (50% Off Annual Memberships) - https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish The biggest city in North America isn’t New York or Los Angeles, it’s Mexico City. Mexico City is also the oldest capital city in the entire Americas and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world. Today, this enormous metropolis is home to over twenty million people. But its story began centuries ago, long before...
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362. What is the 2025 Word of the Year? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

November 16, 2025 • 25 mins
Try the Lingoda Sprint Today! 20 EUR OFF with code 20THINKING or click the link ⁠⁠https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust ⁠⁠ The Collins Dictionary Word of the Year is… Vibe Coding! In this Thinking in English episode, I’m going to define and explain the term vibe coding and talk about why it was chosen as the Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary. I’ll also discuss some of the other contenders and runners up for the 2025 Word ...
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361. What Are Idioms, Euphemisms, and Slang? (And Should You Learn Them?) (English Vocabulary Lesson)

November 9, 2025 • 25 mins
Try the Lingoda Sprint Today! 20 EUR OFF with code 20THINKING or click the link ⁠https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust ⁠ Have you ever heard someone say, “kick the bucket” or “pass away,” and felt confused? They both have the meaning of “die”… but are used in different contexts. English, like all languages, is full of phrases and expressions that don’t always make sense if you look at the words literally. Native speakers use ...
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360. What is Wales? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

November 2, 2025 • 24 mins
Try the Lingoda Sprint Today! 20 EUR OFF with code 20THINKING or click the link https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust  When people think of the United Kingdom, they often think of England. Maybe, on a rare occasion, they might also think of Scotland. But the United Kingdom is made up of four historic countries, including the proud nation of Wales. Wales is a small country with a big identity. It has its own language, culture...
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359. History of Vampires (English Vocabulary Lesson)

October 26, 2025 • 17 mins
When you hear the word vampire, what comes to mind? Dracula? The Twilight books? Ancient castles in Transylvania? What if I told you that vampire stories are much older, and much stranger, than you think? In today’s Halloween special episode of Thinking in English, we’re going to explore the history of vampires. We’ll start with ancient superstitions and medieval fears, move on to the vampires of literature, and finally look at h...
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358. History of Rome (English Vocabulary Lesson)

October 19, 2025 • 21 mins
When you imagine the city Rome, what comes to mind? Maybe the Colosseum, the Vatican, one of the largest empires in history, or delicious pasta? Rome isn’t just Italy’s capital; it’s also one of the most influential cities in human history. In today’s Thinking in English episode, we are going to take a journey through time, from the mythical founding of the city by Romulus and Remus, through the Roman Republic and Empire, the Mid...
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357. The Great Fire of London: Passive Voice (English Grammar Lesson)

October 12, 2025 • 17 mins
Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/passive-voice-in-140250338?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link In 1666, most of London was destroyed. Over 13,000 houses were burned, thousands of people were made homeless, and the entire city had to be rebuilt. The event I’m talking about is one of the most famous disasters in English history: the Great Fire of Lon...
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356. What is a Podcast? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

October 5, 2025 • 22 mins
What actually is a podcast? You probably think you know. You might think you are listening to one right now. But are you actually? The definition of the word podcast has been changing over the past few years. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, especially with platforms like Spotify and YouTube changing how we listen and what podcast means. Video podcasts, for example, are everywhere now (including Thinking in Engli...
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355. My Greatest Language Challenge: Learning to Drive in Another Language (English Vocabulary Lesson)

September 28, 2025 • 25 mins
Imagine learning to drive… joining classes, talking to driving instructors, and taking theory exams in a foreign language. That’s exactly what I just did. Two weeks ago, I passed my Japanese driving test! It wasn’t easy. I went from knowing almost nothing about Japanese road signs, traffic rules, or driving terminology to passing both my provisional and main license written tests on the first try. I also completed over 60 hours of...
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354. What is Gerrymandering? And Other Useful Political Terms! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

September 21, 2025 • 20 mins
In today’s episode, I am going to talk about a very interesting political topic: gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is when politicians create voting districts in a way that gives one political party an advantage over the others. This topic is incredibly relevant right now, and constantly in the news in the USA. This year, Texas and some other US states have decided to redraw their congressional maps. This is, of course, causing a ...
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353. Marie Curie: The Greatest Scientist of All Time? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

September 14, 2025 • 18 mins
Try Lingoda with code 20THINKING for 20€ off. ⁠ https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust Today, we’re diving into the fascinating life of Marie Skłodowska Curie. Was she the greatest scientist ever? Well… maybe! She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields, and a true pioneer in the study of radioactivity. In this episode, we’ll explore her life, achiev...
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352. What is the United Nations Security Council? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

September 7, 2025 • 20 mins
Try Lingoda with code 20THINKING for 20€ off. https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust In recent weeks the United Nations Security Council has met to discuss Israel’s planned military expansion in Gaza, to reject the creation of a rival government in Sudan, and hear reports of conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and at the Thailand/Cambodia border. The Security Council is a powerful, yet controversial, organisation at the centre of the ...
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351. History of Istanbul! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

August 31, 2025 • 20 mins
Which city has been the capital of three different empires? Which city is located on two continents at the same time? And which city has been known throughout history by three very different names, including Byzantium and Constantinople? The answer, of course, is Istanbul. Today, we’re going to explore the fascinating history of this city. For over 2,500 years, Istanbul has stood at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, Christianity...
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350. The Ship of Theseus: What Makes Something Truly the Same? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

August 24, 2025 • 17 mins
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! What makes something the same object over time, even if all of its parts are replaced? This might sound like a strange question, but it’s one of the oldest and most interesting puzzles in philosophy. And we still ask similar questions all the time: about identity, technology, artificial intelligence, and ourselves....
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349. How to Become an Expert in English (or Anything Else!) (English Vocabulary Lesson)

August 17, 2025 • 22 mins
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! What does it really take to become an expert English speaker? How do some people reach such a high level of fluency, while others seem to struggle for years without much progress? Is it talent? Luck? Or something else? Recently, I rewatched a fascinating video from one of my favourite YouTube channels, Veritasium,...
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348. What is Universal Basic Income? (English Vocabulary Lesson)

August 10, 2025 • 22 mins
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Today we are going to look at an interesting and often controversial idea: Universal Basic Income, or UBI for short. Let me ask you a question: What if the government gave everyone free money, no strings attached? No matter who you are, where you work, or how much you earn; just regular payments, every month, gua...
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347. Stoicism, Existentialism, and More...: Philosophy for Frustrated English Learners! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

August 3, 2025 • 21 mins
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/think85 Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You’re studying every day… but you feel stuck. You forget vocabulary. You hesitate to speak. And you start to wonder… “Why am I even doing this?” If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many English learners experience frustration, boredom, or burnout at some point on their journey. But what if I told you that...
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346. History of New York! (English Vocabulary Lesson)

July 27, 2025 • 18 mins
EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Today, we are going to talk about the history of New York city. New York is one of the most famous cities in the world. Its history is interesting and important, and I think also relevant for people learning English. Why? Because by learning about New York’s history, you can understand more about American culture a...
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