Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Break Down
Break Down English, baby! Video Lesson

Learn English with this crying English lesson

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

If a friend calls to say that her car broke down on the side of the road, you know what you need to do. When a car breaks down, it can’t be started, and it definitely can’t get her to a mechanic. It’s time to step up and be the best friend you can. It’s time to pick her up and take her where she needs to go.

It’s especially important to step up when someone we know breaks down. No mechanic in the world can fix a person who’s sad, working too much, has a broken heart, or just needs to talk. That’s the job of a friend. Sometimes the people we love need us to be brave for them when they can’t be brave for themselves. It’s all part of taking care of each other when life gets difficult.

It’s easy to break down when saying goodbye to friends. Read on to get the whole story in today’s English lesson about feeling emotional.

3. Watch - Watch the video without reading the dialog.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Brian

Brian

Lily

Lily

Jessica

Jessica

Gary

Gary

Brian:  I can’t believe you’re really leaving.

Lily:  I know.

Jessica:  Where’s Marni tonight?

Lily:  She couldn’t come, so she took me out to lunch to say goodbye. It was super emotional. We both broke down.

Gary:  Not to minimize your feelings, but tell me exactly what happened with Rafael and Emma.

Jessica:  What are you talking about?

Brian:  Rafael and Emma ran away together.

Jessica:  What? Are you serious?

Lily:  It’s serious. It’s so weird. But, you guys, you have to help me with something.

Gary:  What do you need, Lily?

Lily:  How do I make new friends in Paris?

Brian:  I know. You just stay here.

Lily:  Brian…

Jessica:  Take a class. That’s the best way to meet new people.

Gary:  Jess is right. It’s a great way to build your social circle.

Lily:  OK, but classmates are just acquaintances. How do we actually get to know each other?

Jessica:  You can start a study group.

Brian:  Or just invite them over.

Lily:  That’s true.

Gary:  You could join a book club, or a gym, or…

Jessica:  Making friends in a new city is hard, but it’s not impossible. You just have to be brave.

Lily:  Be brave.

Brian:  I know you can do it.

Lily:  I’m going to totally break down again.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "Comparatives and Superlatives" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Lily is saying goodbye to Brian, Jessica, and Gary. She’s moving to Paris to start her new job, and it’s difficult. Not only will she miss her friends, but she’s worried about making new friends. Lily asks for advice about what to do.

Jessica feels strongly that Lily should take a class after she moves to France because it’s a great way to meet people. Gary offers that a book club or visits to a gym could help Lily make friends. Brian is no help at all, because he just asks Lily to stay.

Do you often break down when saying goodbye to friends?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

Sergijko

Sergijko

Ukraine

It’s going to be break down for some of my friends because of my leaving to another country. But everything will be allright.

10:12 AM May 30 2015 |

iftikhar659668

Pakistan

some times happens with me when i move to another place i break down form old friends, at same time we become emotional its hard to accept but time goes we make new friends in new enviroment. 

09:32 PM Feb 10 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

@2020, we people from Italian background are also emotionals  on the contrary to  Anglo  Saxon people that are more in control of their emotions.

06:27 PM Feb 08 2015 |

fcf515

fcf515

Taiwan

Last time when I left the company, my friend/colleague told me that she totally broke down. We entered the company at the same time and got trained together. I don’t often break down but feel a bit low when saying goodbye to friends. I think after saying goodbye to each other, we can still keep in touch. 

06:13 AM Feb 06 2015 |

wegaleier

Germany

,vmvmv

10:49 AM Feb 05 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Your English looks pretty fine Ditti, sometimes we misunderstand even in our native language, right?

07:09 PM Feb 04 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

Ok! :


Thank you the explanations !


  I wouldn’t break down then ! :) It seems I have to improve my English a lot !

06:32 PM Feb 04 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Hello Ditti, Julito said he couldn’t agree more so he agrees, so do I. 


You are not wrong at all.

06:22 PM Feb 04 2015 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

Hi Ditti,  I meant that i agree with your statement.  Sometimes breakdowns are necessary for us to evolve . 

06:18 PM Feb 04 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

Hi Julito,


Why was I wrong so much ?


03:24 PM Feb 04 2015 |

Crizsearch

Crizsearch

Indonesia

Well, parting is common good bye and I think it’s not the end of the world, we have saying ” if there is a meet, there will be  apart ” and I think it is true, we can’t  hold something which not fully ours that’s why we have to learn to have big heart. It’s hard to be part with anyone which always been with us all the time but we don’t know where place the world wanna send us and when the time will take us away from our beloved one. I think everyone need to prepare… BREAK DOWN, it’s fine . Life must go on, Heart must move on!

01:24 PM Feb 04 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

@Ditti,  i couldn`t agree more.

09:52 AM Feb 04 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

Yes I have felt it sometimes, but I think we need sometimes break down to know a new life, an other kind of life. We couldn’t live at the same place and the same situation in our entire life. Changes are necessary to improve, I think. Last but not least usually changes are good chance for a better life.

09:47 AM Feb 04 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Hello dear Meysam,


Thank you very much for pointing out my error to me. 


When I read the lesson yesterday, I felt pity for Lily and was crying so much that I forgot to stick to the point.


Have a lovely day. 



05:11 AM Feb 04 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Dear Julito,


Since you ask me so nicely, I’ll try not to cry too much in future. My friends also say that I look ugly when I cry and I should avoid it. 


And I’m in total agreement with dear Seiyf. You have a wonderful sense of humor and thus make learning fun on Ebaby. 


Regards~



05:06 AM Feb 04 2015 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

@ Julito,


ı always admire your good sense of humour :))))

11:02 PM Feb 03 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

@seiyf,  yes, i know what you mean, it is always good to have a shoulder to lean on :)))

09:28 PM Feb 03 2015 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Once I was called to work to supply. I didn’t want to go to work that day and I just out of the blue said very emotionally: ‘I’m, I’m, I’m totally broke down’. All of a sudden I realized that I’d said something scary because my co-worker was very very sympathetic as though somebody died on me. Since then I never use that expression.

08:22 PM Feb 03 2015 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

sometimes feelings can brake down ,


in this case,don’t push the panic button ..


you must call the service .


:))


07:35 PM Feb 03 2015 |

meysam66

meysam66

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

In my opinion, today you can keep in touch via new communications such as Skype, Line,etc. I know it’s different from physically keeping in touch. but it works.


Actually it seems to me that, the verb “Break Down” is used for someone who wanna say goodbye to her/his beloved ones, but SHOBA gave an example of her irritating neighbor.


Anyway believe it or not, saying  goodbye to your beloved ones is totally hard.


the most sadness goodbay is when your beloved ones is too sick and the doctor said  thatyour beloved one is gonna pass away in few days. I hope it NEVER EVER happens to you.

05:32 PM Feb 03 2015 |

Likes (22):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast