درسنامه واژه ها

Cat Cafes – Vocabulary Lesson

Hi, this is Kristin Dodds, one of the teachers and directors of Learn Real English and welcome to this month’s vocabulary lesson for the conversation Cat Cafes. So I have the text of the conversation printed out and I’ve just made some notes about some words or some groups of words that you may have had some difficulty understanding. And, as always, I’ll give you the meaning of the words or groups of words as they relate to this conversation, so they could have a different meaning in another conversation, but I’ll give you the meaning as they relate to this conversation.

And before we get started, I’d like to talk about three different words that you’ll see quite often throughout the conversation. So the first one is “yeah.” Yeah is just slang for yes.

The next one is “y’know.” Y’know looks…you’ll see it as y’know and what that is just basically two words put together so “you” and “know” but when we speak sometimes quickly or fast in English, it comes out sounding like y’know.

And the next word is “like.” Like can have different meanings or it can have no meaning at all. It can just be a filler word, just put in for no reason, it’s just used. That’s how we speak. The most common meaning of like that you probably know about is, for example, if I say “I like ice cream,” what I’m saying is I think the taste of ice cream is very good, it’s good. Y’know, the taste is good. I like the taste. But you’ll see like used in other ways throughout this conversation and I’ll tell you about each of those as we get to them. Alright, so let’s begin.

In the very beginning, Joe says, “Hey guys.” When he says guys he’s speaking to AJ and I. Usually guys, it means, a guy is a man. So guys could be a group of men or a group of boys but it also, in a slang way, can mean two or more people. So obviously I’m not a man but Joe says “Hey guys” speaking to me and AJ. So that’s okay, it’s just a slang way of talking to two or more people.

Next Joe says, “I was just looking online on this website about San Francisco.” So online: I think that online is used in other countries as well. It’s an English word that’s maybe been incorporated or been, y’know, brought into other countries, but if you don’t know what online means it means on the internet. San Francisco: San Francisco is a city in the state of California which is on the western, in the western part of the United States and it’s where Joe and I live.

Then Joe says, “I also read an article on CNN about it recently.” So CNN means Cable News Network and it’s a 24-hour news channel that was started here in the United States in 1980. And recently: I also read an article on CNN about it recently. So recently means not so long ago.

Okay, then I say, “I just recently read an article about one opening in Oakland.” So Oakland is another city here in the state of California and it’s very close to San Francisco.

And next I say, “So they’re kind of battling for time.” So when I say battling for time what I’m talking about is they’re hurrying, they’re trying to hurry. They’re battling for time, they’re trying to hurry to be the first to open.

And then I say, “So they can be dubbed the first one in America.” So dubbed means named. Dubbed means named.

And then I say, “But it’s a really interesting concept.” So concept here means idea. Concept means idea.

And then I say, “The one in Oakland is going to serve more coffee drinks and pastries.” So pastries: they’re…pastries are a type of sweet food. It’s like a dessert. Dessert is sweet food also.

And then I say, “There will be cats roaming around.” So roaming means walking. There will be cats roaming around. There will be cats walking around.

Next I say, “They can play with and pet.” So pet means to stroke an animal in a loving way. So let’s pretend I’m a cat and somebody comes and they want to pet me or they start petting me. They would take their hands like this in a very nice loving way. This is stroking or petting.

Okay, next I say, “They can adopt them.” So adopt means to take home and keep forever. Adopt, to take home and keep forever.

And then I say, “The one in Oakland and the one here in San Francisco plan to work with cat rescue organizations.” So cat rescue organizations: that means many so let’s say one cat rescue organization would be a group of people who take in, they take cats that are homeless and they give them a temporary home until they find a permanent home for them, a forever home.

Okay, then AJ says, “I first heard about them existing in Japan.” So existing here means being available.

And then AJ says, “In Kyoto I was walking down this little side street.” So Kyoto: this is a city in Japan.

And then AJ says, “It’s got a bunch of little kitties running around.” So a bunch means many. And kitties: kitties is a cute name for cats or for kittens. Kittens are baby cats.

And then AJ says, “It’s like 20 bucks an hour.” So like here is a filler word. It’s not needed. And bucks: 20 bucks an hour. Bucks is a slang term for dollars.

Okay, then AJ says, “You can go in and you hang out with the cats.” So hang out means spend time with.

And then AJ says, “They’re always looking in the windows like watching the cats.” So like here is another filler word. It’s not really necessary to say.

And then AJ says, “Maybe they have apartments and they can’t have pets.” So pets are companion animals. They keep people company, like usually people…y’know, the most common pets are cats and dogs. Cats and dogs, they keep people company. They’re companion animals.

And then AJ says, “They’re just living in this sort of city environment and they want that sort of connection.” So when he says they want that sort of connection he’s saying a connection with nature through animals.

And then I say, “I was reading how both places are going to be really conscientious of creating an area that cats can go to.” So when I say they’re going to be really conscientious of creating an area I’m saying they’re going to do what’s right for the cats by making an area they can go to get away from people if they want to.

Okay, then I say, “If they don’t feel like socializing with people.” So socializing means interacting.

And then Joe says, “For all the reasons you just cited, AJ.” So cited here means talked about. For all the reasons you just talked about, AJ. All the reasons you just cited.

And then Joe says, “Especially living in a metropolitan area.” So metropolitan means large city.

And then Joe says, “Some of the places you actually have to book ahead, like you need a reservation.” Okay, so book ahead: this means to reserve before going. You save, you call up and you have a space saved for you before you go. And when Joe says like you need a reservation: like here is a filler word. It’s not needed.

And then Joe says, “If too many people are coming and going, the cats might run out.” So he’s saying they might run out; if people are coming and going, they might run out from the door opening and closing constantly, opening and closing all the time, the cats might run out.

And then Joe says, “You need a good ratio.” So ratio means number of cats to number of customers.

And then Joe says, “But, yeah, it’s just real weird to me.” So weird here means strange. It’s strange to him because he’s never heard of this idea before, the cat cafe.

And then Joe says, “I can imagine that it would be popular though in a metropolitan area.” So popular means well-liked, liked a lot, well-liked.

And then I say, “You may have mentioned this, Joe.” So mentioned means talked about, mentioned, talked about.

And then I say, “So many things start here on the West Coast, become a trend, and move across the country.” So West Coast: so many things start here on the West Coast, West Coast meaning the western part of the United States, right along the ocean, the Pacific Ocean. And become a trend: a trend is something well-like and making it become well-known then. So it’s well-liked and then it becomes well-known. And when I say move across the country, I’m saying it’ll become well-known and well-liked in other parts of the United States.

And then I say, “So it’ll be interesting to see if it really takes off.” So takes off here: this means becomes, it’ll be interesting to see if this becomes well-liked and well-known in general. We’ll see if it happens.

And then AJ says, “Well, I think it’s probably something that would be more popular in urban environments.” So urban environments: this means cities.

And then AJ says, “San Francisco is a dense city.” So when he says it’s a dense city he’s saying, what he means is there’s a lot of buildings in San Francisco. There’s a lot of people in San Francisco. There’s not a lot of nature. That’s what he means by dense. It’s a dense city.

And then AJ says, “They’re living in this very, fairly stressful, high-paced environment.” So high-paced means fast, fast environment.

And then AJ says, “The regulations from landlords can be kind of tough in terms of pets.” So regulations: these are rules. The regulations are the rules from landlords. Landlords are owners of apartment buildings. And they can be kind of tough means they can be kind of unchangeable. They’re unchangeable. They’re not going to change the rules. So they can be kind of tough in terms of pets.

And in terms of pets: this means when it comes to pets, when it comes to people having pets in their apartments.

And then AJ says, “So maybe when I go back to Kyoto I’ll give it a…give it a shot.” So to give it a shot: this means give it a chance. He’ll give it a chance. He’ll give it a shot.

And then Joe says, “But you just raised a really good point.” So when he says you just raised, he says you just talked about a really good point. Good point here meaning a good idea.

And then Joe says, “Maybe it’s not a restriction necessarily on where they’re living.” So restriction means a controlling rule.

And then Joe says, “But the problem for some people is the commitment.” So commitment here is responsibility.

And then Joe says, “I mean, you get a cat, you’re not talking about a 2-year commitment.” So when he says I mean: what he’s saying, what Joe is saying is what I’m trying to say is you get a cat you’re not talking about just a 2-year commitment.

And then Joe says, “Sometimes people are a little wishy-washy about having a pet.” So wishy-washy: this means people can, maybe they change their mind later. They’re wishy-washy. They change their mind.

And then Joe says, “Once they get it, after a year or two, the newness wears off.” So when he says the newness wears off he’s saying the newness is gone. The pet, the cat, there’s no longer this new feeling of having it. It’s gone. The new feeling is gone.

And then Joe says, “And then you end up with all these cats in shelters.” So shelters are temporary places for cats that don’t have a home. They stay in the shelter. It’s a temporary home for them. They stay in the shelter until someone comes to take them home and give them a home forever, hopefully.

And then Joe says, “So this is something that’s, y’know, really good at preventing that from happening.” So preventing that from happening means stopping that from happening.

And then AJ says, “Yeah, I think it’s…it’s kind of cool.” So cool here: he’s saying I think it’s a good idea. I think it’s kind of cool. It’s a good idea.

And then I say, “I get my kitty fix going to the animal shelter to volunteer.” So when I say I get my kitty fix, I’m saying I get my good feelings in for the day by being with cats and kittens. And volunteer: this is to offer to work for an organization for free.

And then AJ says, “Rentaneko.” And hopefully I pronounced that correctly. That’s a Japanese word. So Rentaneko: that’s the name of the Japanese movie I was speaking about in the conversation and it actually means rent a cat, that’s what it means in English.

And then I say, “She was walking around actually renting out cats to people.” So when I say she, I’m talking about the Japanese woman in the movie Rentaneko.

And then I say, “She was pushing a little cart like she was vending them.” So like she was vending them: like here means as if, as if she was vending them. And vending is selling, usually selling some kind of a product.

And then I say, “With a megaphone.” So megaphone: this is something used to make your voice louder.

And then Joe says, “I’ve got to imagine these cafes aren’t going to just serve drinks.” So serve here means sell.

And then Joe says, “Doesn’t that kind of present a little bit of a dilemma here?” So present here means bring, doesn’t that kind of present or doesn’t that kind of bring a little bit of a dilemma here? Dilemma means difficult situation.

And then Joe says, “Some of these cats are going to shed.” So shed: when an animal sheds it means their hair comes out. It’s a natural process. Their hair comes out, just like our hair comes out when we brush it. So that’s what shed means, when an animal’s hair comes out.

And then Joe says, “You might have like fur all over the place.” So like here is a filler word. It’s not needed. And fur: this is another name for hair, cat hair, fur. It means the same thing. Fur is cat hair. And all over the place, he’s saying you might have cat fur or cat hair all over the place. All over the place meaning everywhere.

And then Joe says, “I guess that if you go into a cat cafe, something like that really wouldn’t bother you.” So like here means something such as that really wouldn’t bother you.

And then I say, “There’s very lax laws about pets coming into restaurants.” So lax laws: what I’m saying here is not very controlling laws. They’re easygoing laws.

And then AJ says, “Or at least lax enforcement.” So when he says lax enforcement he’s saying they’re easygoing in regards to the shop owners not really paying attention to the laws.

And then AJ says, “Like I think the one in Japan maybe.” So like here means for example. For example, I think the one in Japan, like I think the one in Japan.

And then Joe says, “Having a cat cafe is a much better idea than having a dog cafe in that sense then.” So when he says in that sense then he’s saying as far as having a separate cat room.

And then AJ says, “And getting rough with each other.” So when he says getting rough with each other he’s saying and play-fighting. He’s talking about the dogs play-fighting, getting rough with each other.

And then Joe says, “They might try and roughhouse.” Roughhouse means play-fight.

And finally, AJ says, “Yep.” And yep is slang for yes, just like yeah is slang for yes.

Alright, this concludes the vocabulary lesson for the conversation Cat Cafes and I’ll be right back in just a moment with the commentary.