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Talking about New Year's resolutions

Episode 260102 / 02 Jan 2026

(Photo: Getty)

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Introduction

Neil and Georgie have a real conversation in easy English about their plans and goals for 2026. Learn to talk about what you want to do over the next year.

Vocabulary

New Year's resolutions
promises you make at the start of the year to start doing something good, or stop doing something bad

goal
something you want to achieve

motivated
want to do something, and therefore be more likely to actually do it

wish your life away
think too much about the future, rather than enjoying the present day

Transcript

Georgie
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English, the podcast where we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Georgie.

Neil
And I'm Neil. Don't forget that there's a video version of this podcast on our website, bbclearningenglish.com. You can find subtitles to read along and you can download a free worksheet.

Georgie
Hello, Neil.

Neil
Hi, Georgie.

Georgie
Happy New Year.

Neil
Thank you. Happy New Year to you too.

Georgie
Today we are talking about the start of a new year. So we're going to talk about some of our plans for the new year. And we'll also make some New Year's resolutions. So this is a tradition where people make promises to themselves for the new year.

Neil
Yeah. They're difficult to keep aren't they?

Georgie
They are.

Neil
But we try anyway.

Georgie
Exactly. So are you excited about the new year, Neil?

Neil
I think so. 2026. Can you believe it?

Georgie
I cannot believe it.

Neil
OK, so have you got any big plans?

Georgie
Um, well, I'm going to start the year with a big trip, actually, with my family. Um, we're going to South Africa because this is where my parents had their honeymoon. And my mum also used to live there for a while. So, it's a dream of hers to go with the whole family. Um, and she can show us around a bit. What about you?

Neil
Well, I don't have any big plans yet, but it's an important year at school, especially for my daughter. Um, and so when she finishes that, her school year and her exams, maybe we'll do something special to mark that occasion.

So, Georgie, it's impossible to talk about the new year without mentioning resolutions. So what are your resolutions?

Georgie
I think my main one is to make fewer resolutions, because last year I made too many and it was really hard to keep them and it made me feel very bad about myself. So this year I'm just going to keep it simple. Health, so running and um, language learning, Spanish, I need to do that. But for running, I think this time I need a big goal. So I'm a bit scared about it, but I think I'm going to book a half marathon. Um, because then I can make a training programme and feel really motivated. Um, I think that's what I need.

Neil
I think that's a great idea.

Georgie
Um, what about you, Neil? Any New Year's resolutions?

Neil
Well, usually once Christmas and New Year are over, we have the two darkest, saddest months of the year. January and February. And normally I really just wish that those months go away and that we get into spring. But this year I think I'm going to enjoy every day. Regardless, you know, even if the weather is awful and it's dark and cold, I still want to get out there and appreciate it rather than wish my life away.

Georgie
So, Neil, do you have any goals for this year? So, something you want to achieve?

Neil
Yeah, I think I don't really want to take up something new. Take up means start a new activity. But I think my goal is to become good at something I like doing.

Georgie
Right. And what could that be?

Neil
So I like learning Spanish, but I'm not very good. I'm not very dedicated, and I'm always jealous of people who can speak really well. Um, and the same with my guitar.

Georgie
Yeah.

Neil
I always want to get better.

Georgie
Yeah. A goal could be to write a song and produce it.

Neil
Yeah. And play it on this podcast. If you're all really unlucky.

Georgie
I don't think anyone wants that.

Neil
Thank you for your honesty.

Georgie
Right. Let's recap the language we heard during the conversation. We heard New Year's resolution, which is a promise you make to yourself at the start of a year to start doing something good or stop doing something bad.

Neil
We heard goals. Now, goals are things that we say that we want to do and try to achieve them.

Georgie
We also heard motivated, which is a feeling of really wanting to do something and doing it. For example, I feel motivated to run a half marathon this year.

Neil
And we heard the expression to wish your life away. If you wish your life away, you don't appreciate what's happening now. You look far into the future.

Georgie
That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. Do you have a New Year's resolution? We'd love to hear about it. Email us at [email protected]

Neil
Is one of your New Year's resolutions to improve your English? If so, go to our website, bbclearningenglish.com, where you can find all kinds of activities and quizzes to help you improve. Goodbye for now.

Georgie
Goodbye.

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