Pippa

B, between 20,000 and 30,000. Or C, between 200,000 and 300,000. I'm going to say A, 2,000 to 3,000. Okay, well, we will find out later in the programme.

Now, Pippa, you said you found it stressful speaking in French, even though you are quite good at it. Now, someone else who has had this experience is Hanan Razek. Hanan is a journalist at BBC Arabic and also host of the podcast Beating Speaking Anxiety.

So why do so many people have anxiety about speaking a foreign language? Experts think it's connected to the beliefs we have about ourselves. Han Luo, professor of Chinese at Lafayette College in the United States, explains more to BBC Learning English presenter Georgie. Usually the beliefs that cause anxiety, especially severe anxiety, we call it irrational beliefs.

Hans sanoi, että joillakin ihmisillä, joilla puhutaan yllättävää, on vähäisiä itseperiaatteita. Itseperiaatteesi on se, mitä ajattelet itseäsi. Itseperiaatteet ja irrasiaaliset uskot ovat kuitenkin sisäisiä faktoreita. Ne tulevat sinun ympärilläsi, eikä ihmisistä ympärilläsi. Esimerkiksi, kun puhutaan ensimmäisen kieliäsi,

The answer is twenty to thirty thousand. That's quite a lot. Yeah, that's loads. Okay, let's recap the vocabulary we've learnt. Pretty can be used as a modifier to mean quite or a bit. If you relate to a person or situation, you understand them, usually because you've experienced something similar. Anxiety is feeling uncomfortable or worried about something that is happening or could happen in the future.

Irrational beliefs are beliefs about something that is not true. They're not logical. Self-perception is the way you see yourself. And internal means inside the body or mind. Once again, our six minutes are up. But if you'd like to find out more about speaking anxiety, then head over to our website, bbclearningenglish.com,

to find our Beating Speaking Anxiety series. There are podcasts about the things we find scary when speaking a different language and videos with tips to help you feel more confident with speaking. Thanks for joining us and goodbye. Goodbye!

Hello! This is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Pippa. And I'm Beth. In English, what we say and what we mean are sometimes two very different things. We often use exaggeration for emphasis or for humour, something known as hyperbole. For example, people say, I am so hungry I could eat a horse, but of course no one really could –

Well, sometimes we say, hi, you alright? Which means, hi, are you alright? Like, are you okay? But actually, we don't really want to hear the answer. It just means hello, doesn't it? Yeah, I have a friend who actually just says, alright? And they just mean hello. They don't mean, are you okay? They don't want to hear about my day. No, if you're having a bad day, they don't want to know. They're just saying hello.

In this episode we'll be finding out more about how the meaning of words changes in English. As usual, we'll be learning some useful new words and phrases. And remember, you'll find all the vocabulary from this episode on our website.

Understatement is valued in British culture, unlike taking yourself too seriously. If you take yourself too seriously, you think you're more important than you really are. In Britain, this is a no-no, a way of behaving that is not socially acceptable. In other words, it's not the done thing, meaning it's not what you're expected to do in a particular social situation.

As an English learner, unclear word meanings are a challenge. A lot depends on the situation and on the relationship between speaker and listener. So don't be shy, get talking to others in English. And if you make a mistake, say no worries and carry on. Okay Pippa, I think it's time to reveal the answer to your question.

Once again, our six minutes are up. But if you're keen to practice these new words and phrases, then check out our website, bbclearningenglish.com, where you'll find a worksheet and quiz for this episode. See you again soon, but for now, goodbye! Bye!

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.

I'm Pippa.

And I'm Beth.

Yes, we used to go and pick blackberries when I was younger, but I haven't really done it as an adult.

And I would be a bit nervous to look for mushrooms or things like that.

What about you?

I'm exactly the same.