Coordinating Food Contributions (Potluck)
If it's a potluck, friends volunteer or are assigned to bring different dishes (appetizers, main courses, desserts, drinks) to ensure variety and avoid duplication.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
potluck
A potluck is a meal where each guest brings a dish to share, common in casual gatherings like parties to make it fun and easy for the host.
chili
Chili is a spicy stew made with meat, beans, and chili peppers, often served as a main dish at casual dinners.
dessert
Dessert is a sweet food eaten at the end of a meal, like cake or pie, to balance savory dishes.
appetizers
Appetizers are small dishes served before the main meal to stimulate the appetite, such as finger foods or snacks.
salad
A salad is a dish of mixed vegetables, often fresh and healthy, served as a side to add balance to a meal.
savory
Savory means salty or spicy in taste, the opposite of sweet, used for non-dessert foods like main courses.
main course
The main course is the primary dish in a meal, usually hearty and the focus of the dinner, like chili or pasta.
side dish
A side dish is a smaller portion served with the main course to complement it, like a salad or vegetables.
crowd-pleaser
A crowd-pleaser is something popular and liked by most people, often used for food that everyone enjoys at a party.
recap
To recap means to summarize or review what has been said or planned, useful for clarifying agreements in group talks.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hey everyone! For the dinner party this Saturday, are we still doing a potluck?
This is a casual way to start a group conversation and confirm plans. Use it to check agreement in social planning; 'still doing' implies checking if something continues from before.
Yeah, absolutely! A potluck sounds great.
This shows strong agreement enthusiastically. 'Absolutely' emphasizes yes; useful for positive responses in casual talks to build excitement.
Oh, chili sounds delicious, John!
This compliments someone's idea politely. Use it to show appreciation; the exclamation adds enthusiasm, common in friendly chats about food.
I can take care of drinks and some appetizers.
This offers to handle specific tasks. 'Take care of' means to be responsible for; practical for volunteering in group coordination to divide work.
Maybe someone could bring a salad or a vegetable dish? We need some balance.
This suggests an idea indirectly with 'maybe' to invite volunteers. 'Balance' here means variety in food types; useful for suggesting improvements without demanding.
I'm pretty set on the cake, John. Desserts are my specialty!
This expresses a firm but polite decision. 'Pretty set on' means decided; 'specialty' means something you're good at; good for stating preferences in planning.
So, to recap: John with chili, Emily with chocolate cake, Michael with drinks and appetizers, and I'll bring the pasta salad. How does that sound?
This summarizes the plan and seeks final agreement. 'To recap' introduces a summary; 'How does that sound?' checks if everyone is okay; essential for closing group discussions clearly.
Perfect! That covers all the bases.
This expresses complete satisfaction. 'Covers all the bases' is an idiom meaning everything is included; use it to end planning positively and confidently.