BOXCAR ENGLISH

One of the best and most pleasant ways to learn English, Boxcar English is a podcast for English learner spoken in warm, relaxed voice with a vocabulary range carefully chosen for English learners. A positive, uplifting podcast full of good energy and human experiences.

The series are designed for different levels of English learners. The podcast focuses on stories that are interesting, funny, sometimes beautiful, sometimes strange, so the listener engages with the meaning, rather than the surface level of the language. The “For beginners” podcast focus on basic phrases and vocabulary.

The philosophy of the podcast is to provide the good, positive energy needed for learning a new language, with much of the content for free or low cost, and for all of it to be made by a human, and not impersonal AI-based creation.

It’s based on the language-learning theory of “Comprehensible and Compelling input,” which says that you should listen and read to a lot of materials that are 1) Easy to understand (you know 95% of the vocabulary), and 2) Interesting to listen to. Boxcar English is designed to be fun, welcoming, & refreshing to different levels of learners.

At Boxcar English, there’s always room for you!

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    052: Postcards from Janet
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    I received a postcard from my cousin, Janet. I hadn’t seen her in years, but she’s going to come visit me — with her two young children!

    Phrase to remember:

    by the way – use “by the way” when you want to say something that is not directly related to the conversation

    Go to boxcarenglish.com for more podcasts

    Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast ! (for 3€ a month you get all the transcripts and live chats with me!)

    Send me an email at karl@boxcarenglish.com. Please send me a voice message that I will put in a future podcast!

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    051: A Ring
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    Boxcar English! Learn English through stories…

    See episode 050 for ideas about how to use this podcast to improve your English.

    Write or send me a voice message to karl@boxcarenglish.com ! I’m working on a podcast with your voices in it.

    Support the podcast and get all the old transcripts, so you can read along — so helpful! — at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

    And see boxcarenglish.com for more!

    Check out my music at alegendinthefieldofentertainment.com and bigkitty.bandcamp.com

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    050: How to use Boxcar English
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    This is a different kind of episode, where I talk about 4 (or 5) ways to use this podcast to learn English.

    1. RED (intense!) listening and BLUE (relaxed!) listening
    2. Listen and read at the same time.
    3. Read the transcript out loud
    4. Write your own story and send them to me at karl@boxcarenglish.com

    (I give writing lessons! I also change my prices depending on what country you come from, because I know that money is not equal between all countries. So send me an email, let me know where you’re from, and we’ll work it out so you can afford it!)

    Also, I want to make an episode of Boxcar English with YOUR voices in it… so please send me an audio recording of yourself (you can just make this on your phone) to karl@boxcarenglish.com

    Listen to more podcasts at boxcarenglish.com and support the podcast (and receive ALL transcripts for only 3€ per month) at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

    Thanks so much for listening, please tell your friends, and we’re looking forward to the next 50 episodes!

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    049: Christmas at the Waffle House
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    I spent Christmas alone this year…

    I was lonely, so I walked to a restaurant that is always open: the Waffle House.

    This is my story of Christmas at the Waffle House.

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    048: Lake House Story, part 4 (the end)
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    The last part of this everyday, yet strange, story…

    Spoiler: I survived! Otherwise, the whole series would be over, wouldn’t it?

    boxcarenglish.com

    patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    047: Lake House Story, part 3
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    Part 3 of the Lake House story…

    The strange shape turns out to be…

    Visit boxcarenglish.com and patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    046: Lake House Story, part 2
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    Here’s part 2 of this story!

    We take a ride on a boat on the lake… and I learn some history — there are entire towns under the water… I have to try to see them!

    If you’re new to Boxcar English, this podcast is easy to understand, if you’re learning English and have about a B1/B2 level.

    I speak clearly and slowly, and I use simple words, but the phrasing is authentic, American English. This is also a human experience, and at no point do I use Artificial Intelligence — in fact, I don’t use artificial intelligence for any purpose in my life. I like to keep it as far away as possible! So what you get with Boxcar English is a real person… me, Karl!

    And you can communicate with me. Send me an email at karl@boxcarenglish.com, or join my Patreon (patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast) where I’m starting an ongoing chat with Boxcar Podcast listeners.

    And of course check out the Boxcar English website: boxcarenglish.com.

    Thanks for listening!

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    045: The Lake House Story, part 1
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    I went to a lake house over the weekend and it was very good, but also very, very bad…

    So much happened on the trip that I divided the story into four parts.

    If you’re new to Boxcar English, this podcast is easy to understand, if you’re learning English and have about a B1/B2 level.

    I speak clearly and slowly, and I use simple words, but the phrasing is authentic, American English. This is also a human experience, and at no point do I use Artificial Intelligence — in fact, I don’t use artificial intelligence for any purpose in my life. I like to keep it as far away as possible! So what you get with Boxcar English is a real person… me, Karl!

    And you can communicate with me. Send me an email at karl@boxcarenglish.com, or join my Patreon (patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast) where I’m starting an ongoing chat with Boxcar Podcast listeners.

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    044: More than ever
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    I was feeling tired, so I slept longer than usual.

    I had a strange dream.

    Then I had to pee.

    Then I realized that I was sick…

    When I’m sick, I really miss being healthy.

    When I’m healthy, I don’t appreciate it enough.

    Please support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

    Check out our website at boxcarenglish.com

    Karl also makes music. Check out bigkitty.bandcamp.com…

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    043: Thanksgiving
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    Here is the story of my Thanksgiving — for you.

    This year, I spent Thanksgiving with my grandmother at her retirement home. It was a funny, sweet, everyday type of moment. It was so beautiful.

    Please support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast. You can ask me, Karl, all the questions you want there, in the chat. And you get all the transcripts — and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m going to post this one on my website. Then you can read along as you listen. It’s such a helpful way to learn a language. Click here to read the transcript online