519 - Descibing Family Relations

Descripción: Slow dialogue: 1:24
Explanations: 3:28
Fast dialogue: 15:29

Eri: What’s that?

James: It’s an invitation to a family reunion. Once every five years or so,... someone in the family organizes one.

Eri: Are you going?

James: I’m not sure. It’s always a little awkward seeing extended family. Did you know that there used to be a big feud between my father and his brother?

Eri: No, what happened?

James: I’m not sure, but it was something that happened before they got married. My father held a grudge for years. Then, about eight years ago, they made up. There’s still no love lost between their wives, but at least there are no hard feelings between the two of them any longer.

Eri: So you’ll go to the reunion?

James: I’m not sure. My mother’s side of the family has always looked down on my father’s. She comes from old money and they didn’t approve of her marrying my father. It was really hard on my mother. She really looked up to her mother and they were really close before my father came along.

Eri: But that’s ancient history, isn’t it? Considering how things turned out, your grandmother can’t hold it against your mother for marrying your father.

James: You’ve never met my grandmother. One thing everyone knows about her is this: She doesn’t know the words to forgive and forget.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

Getting along with your family can sometimes be difficult. Learn how to talk about family relations in English in this episode.