In this mini episode, you will learn the interesting expression “Same old, same old.”
Episode 275 of the Everybody ESL podcast is a mini episode that teaches you the interesting expression “Same old, same old.” Send your questions about English and your suggestions for future episodes to EverybodyESL@gmail.com! (And let me know if you’d like to record the introduction to a future episode.)
Intro
“Hi, everyone. This is Mobina, from Iran. And you are listening to this amazing podcast, Everybody ESL.”
Welcome to episode 275 of Everybody ESL, the podcast for everybody who wants to improve their English, practice their English, or just learn more English. My name is Ben, and I have a mini episode for you today, where I am going to teach you about one English topic. You can subscribe to the Everybody ESL podcast at Apple podcasts, on the Stitcher app, and wherever you find your podcasts. If you like Everybody ESL, leave it a good review so other people can find out about it too. And if you have any questions, comments, or suggestions for me, please send an email to everybodyESL@gmail.com. Okay! Let’s get on with this mini episode.
The episode
In this episode, I am going to teach you a very strange expression. Before I tell you this expression or what it means, let me give you an example of a situation where someone might use this expression.
Let’s say that my friend asks me how I’m doing. My friend says, “How are you these days? How is your life? What have you been doing these days?”
If I have not been doing anything special—if I have been doing the same things that I usually do, nothing special is happening—I might answer the question like this: “Same old, same old.” Same old, same old. That’s same: s-a-m-e, old: o-l-d. Same old, same old.
Do you agree with me? Do you think that sounds like a strange expression? “Same old, same old.”
For one thing, there isn’t even a noun in it. Same old… what? This expression is just those words: same old, same old.
And here is what it means: it means “the same things I usually do.” You can think of it as a shortened version of “I am doing the same things I always do. I am doing the same things that I usually do. Nothing special or different is happening.”
That’s what it means when we say, “Same old, same old.”
I think this expression is also strange because we always repeat it. We never just say, “Same old” one time.
What’s happening these days? “Oh, same old.” No! One time is never enough!
We need to repeat that: What am I doing these days? “Oh, same old, same old.” Same old, same old. We always must say it twice.
This is a very natural and casual expression. It is the kind of thing that you will hear people say in casual, friendly conversations.
I think it is a very strange and useful expression that you should know.
Outro
This is the end of episode 275 of Everybody ESL. Remember: if you have questions about English, or if you have comments or suggestions for the podcast, or if you would like to record an introduction that I can play at the beginning of future episodes—the same way Mobina recorded the introduction you heard at the beginning of this episode—send an email to everybodyESL@gmail.com. I’ll be back soon with a new episode, and until then, keep going, keep practicing, and keep learning. Goodbye! I’ll see you soon.