Discussing Chores with a Family Member
Two family members are talking about who will do which household chores, like dishes, laundry, or tidying up common areas.
Dialogue
Listen and follow along with the conversation
Vocabulary
Essential words and phrases from the dialogue
mess
A 'mess' means a dirty or untidy state, like when things are scattered around. Use it to describe a room that's not clean, e.g., 'The room is a mess.'
dishes
'Dishes' refers to plates, bowls, and utensils used for eating. In chores, it means washing them after meals, e.g., 'I need to do the dishes.'
trash
'Trash' means garbage or waste that needs to be thrown away. Common in home tasks like 'take out the trash' to empty the bin.
tidying up
'Tidying up' means making a space neat by putting things in order. It's a polite way to say cleaning lightly, e.g., 'Let's tidy up the room.'
tackle
In this context, 'tackle' means to deal with or start a task, especially a challenging one. Use it for chores like 'I'll tackle the garden.'
laundry
'Laundry' means dirty clothes that need washing. It's often used for the whole process, e.g., 'I have to do the laundry today.'
hamper
A 'hamper' is a basket for holding dirty clothes before washing. Say 'The laundry is in the hamper' to mean it's waiting to be washed.
Key Sentences
Important phrases to remember and practice
Hey James, the kitchen is a bit of a mess. Who's on dishes tonight?
This sentence starts a casual conversation about chores. 'A bit of a mess' softens the complaint, and 'Who's on dishes?' uses 'on' to mean whose turn it is. Useful for asking about responsibilities in family talks.
Hmm, I did them last night, so I think it's your turn.
Here, 'Hmm' shows thinking, and 'so' connects reasons to conclusions. 'It's your turn' is a common phrase for sharing tasks fairly. Great for negotiating chores politely.
I can take out the trash though.
'Though' adds a positive offer after a refusal. 'Take out the trash' is a fixed expression for emptying garbage. Use this to compromise in discussions.
What about the living room? It needs tidying up too.
This asks about another task using 'What about...?' to suggest more. 'Needs tidying up' uses 'needs' for something requiring action. Helpful for expanding on household duties.
If you could start it, that would be a huge help.
This is a polite request with 'if you could' for hypothetical help, and 'that would be a huge help' expresses gratitude in advance. Ideal for asking family for assistance without demanding.
No worries. I'll get that going after the dishes are done.
'No worries' means 'don't worry' casually. 'Get that going' is an idiom for starting a task. Use this to agree and sequence actions in chore planning.
So, dishes and laundry for me, and trash and living room for you. Sound good?
This summarizes the agreement with 'So' for conclusion, lists tasks clearly, and ends with 'Sound good?' for confirmation. Perfect for wrapping up discussions on dividing work.
Sounds like a plan!
This idiom means 'that's a good idea' or 'agreed.' It's a positive way to end a conversation. Use it in casual settings to show approval of arrangements.