Boxcar English
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© 2025 BOXCAR ENGLISH
Description
Boxcar English is a podcast for English learners.
It's one of the best and most pleasant ways to learn English.
A gentle, slow voice, with simple language, tells stories that deal with everyday life situations in sometimes dreamlike ways, so the listener engages with the meaning, rather than idea of learning English.
Listen to episode 050 for instructions on how to use the podcast!
The philosophy of the podcast is to provide the good, positive energy needed for learning a new language, with much of the content for free or low cost, and for all of it to be made by a human, and not impersonal AI-based creation. It's based on the language-learning theory of "Comprehensible and Compelling input," which says that you should listen and read to a lot of materials that are 1) Easy to understand (you know 95% of the vocabulary), and 2) Interesting to listen to.
Boxcar English is designed to be fun, welcoming, & refreshing to different levels of learners.
At Boxcar English, there's always room for you!
go to boxcarenglish.com for more information and lessons (written and via Signal)
Support the podcast and get the transcripts at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast
It's one of the best and most pleasant ways to learn English.
A gentle, slow voice, with simple language, tells stories that deal with everyday life situations in sometimes dreamlike ways, so the listener engages with the meaning, rather than idea of learning English.
Listen to episode 050 for instructions on how to use the podcast!
The philosophy of the podcast is to provide the good, positive energy needed for learning a new language, with much of the content for free or low cost, and for all of it to be made by a human, and not impersonal AI-based creation. It's based on the language-learning theory of "Comprehensible and Compelling input," which says that you should listen and read to a lot of materials that are 1) Easy to understand (you know 95% of the vocabulary), and 2) Interesting to listen to.
Boxcar English is designed to be fun, welcoming, & refreshing to different levels of learners.
At Boxcar English, there's always room for you!
go to boxcarenglish.com for more information and lessons (written and via Signal)
Support the podcast and get the transcripts at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast
53 Episodes
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What happened to me when ICE came to my door. Learn how to tell Knock-Knock jokes. And some practice with what to say to ICE agents if they come to your home. Please visit immigrantjustice.org if you need any help. And if you can donate some money to them, please do. (Just in case you aren’t sure, this is an entirely fictional podcast) boxcarenglish.com patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast (Transcript available here)
I received a postcard from my cousin, Janet. I hadn’t seen her in years, but she’s going to come visit me — with her two young children! Phrase to remember: by the way – use “by the way” when you want to say something that is not directly related to the conversation Go to boxcarenglish.com for more podcasts Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast ! (for 3€ a month you get all the transcripts and live chats with me!) Send me an email at karl@boxcarenglish.com. Please send me a voice message that I will put in a future podcast!
Boxcar English! Learn English through stories… See episode 050 for ideas about how to use this podcast to improve your English. Write or send me a voice message to karl@boxcarenglish.com ! I’m working on a podcast with your voices in it. Support the podcast and get all the old transcripts, so you can read along — so helpful! — at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast And see boxcarenglish.com for more! Check out my music at alegendinthefieldofentertainment.com and bigkitty.bandcamp.com
This is a different kind of episode, where I talk about 4 (or 5) ways to use this podcast to learn English. (I give writing lessons! I also change my prices depending on what country you come from, because I know that money is not equal between all countries. So send me an email, let me know where you’re from, and we’ll work it out so you can afford it!) Also, I want to make an episode of Boxcar English with YOUR voices in it… so please send me an audio recording of yourself (you can just make this on […]
I spent Christmas alone this year… I was lonely, so I walked to a restaurant that is always open: the Waffle House. This is my story of Christmas at the Waffle House.
The last part of this everyday, yet strange, story… Spoiler: I survived! Otherwise, the whole series would be over, wouldn’t it? boxcarenglish.com patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast
Part 3 of the Lake House story… The strange shape turns out to be… Visit boxcarenglish.com and patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast
Here’s part 2 of this story! We take a ride on a boat on the lake… and I learn some history — there are entire towns under the water… I have to try to see them! If you’re new to Boxcar English, this podcast is easy to understand, if you’re learning English and have about a B1/B2 level. I speak clearly and slowly, and I use simple words, but the phrasing is authentic, American English. This is also a human experience, and at no point do I use Artificial Intelligence — in fact, I don’t use artificial intelligence for any […]
I went to a lake house over the weekend and it was very good, but also very, very bad… So much happened on the trip that I divided the story into four parts. If you’re new to Boxcar English, this podcast is easy to understand, if you’re learning English and have about a B1/B2 level. I speak clearly and slowly, and I use simple words, but the phrasing is authentic, American English. This is also a human experience, and at no point do I use Artificial Intelligence — in fact, I don’t use artificial intelligence for any purpose in my […]
I was feeling tired, so I slept longer than usual. I had a strange dream. Then I had to pee. Then I realized that I was sick… When I’m sick, I really miss being healthy. When I’m healthy, I don’t appreciate it enough. Please support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast Check out our website at boxcarenglish.com Karl also makes music. Check out bigkitty.bandcamp.com…
Here is the story of my Thanksgiving — for you. This year, I spent Thanksgiving with my grandmother at her retirement home. It was a funny, sweet, everyday type of moment. It was so beautiful. Please support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast. You can ask me, Karl, all the questions you want there, in the chat. And you get all the transcripts — and in the spirit of Thanksgiving, I’m going to post this one on my website. Then you can read along as you listen. It’s such a helpful way to learn a language. Click here to read the transcript […]
On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, school ends at 12 noon, and that gives an interesting feeling to the day. On this day, I felt like I did when I was a kid, and as I was cleaning up, I found a green magic marker. It made me really want to draw with markers like that… I’ll let you find out the rest by listening along… If it helps you to read along to the words, you can do that. I make a transcript for every episode and you can get those by supporting the podcast on Patreon for as little […]
Have you ever gotten a surprise call? I got one when I was at work telling me my Grandmother was in the hospital. I had to ask my boss to leave work to see her. She understood, and let me go. This is the story of what happened that day. It was almost like a dream, but there I was, in reality. Please visit boxcarenglish.com for more podcasts and lessons, and support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast for more human-centered, AI-free, gentle, supportive, and effective English-learning entertainment! Write to me at karl@boxcarenglish.com – I’d love to read some of your letters […]
There’s an election, and the voting happened at the school where I work. This is about how I went to vote and what happened that day and the day after. Please check out our page at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast And do leave us a review on the podcasting service you use. Send me an email at karl@boxcarenglish.com
I found some sunglasses on a sunny day… and they made me think. Go to Patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast to support us. And Boxcarenglish.com for more!
The final installment of grandpa’s visit to Haytown. An ending, but a new beginning as well. Thanks for listening! Let me know how your English is coming. Check out the website for more: boxcarenglish.com Join our Patreon to chat with me and get transcripts: patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast
The weekend is here! I take my Grandpa to a Chinese restaurant to celebrate. Visit boxcarenglish.com for more podcasts and lessons Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast
1This story is about my Grandpa visiting my house. My grandpa has a lot of dogs and cats, and he brought them all to my house — including a tiny kitten! Sometimes English learners get confused by the words “fun” and “funny.” This episode can help you out. Read this: “I noticed that Shelby was acting funny. That’s my dog. Shelby is her name. She was acting funny. I mean, she wasn’t acting normally.” This type of language is easiest to learn through stories like the ones you hear in Boxcar English. I hope it’s useful to you! Please find […]
A drive in the country. Let’s take a look at three of the natural, American-style phrasings used in this episode: 1–“It sounded like they hadn’t had a chance to speak in a long time” You can say “it sounds like” in the same way as “it looks like” or “it appears”! “to have a chance” – to have an opportunity “to speak” in this case means the birds haven’t had a chance to speak to each other! 2. “We drove off” — we drove off? That means we started driving, and sounds like the drive will go a long way! […]
I could not find my username. I could not find my password. And, I admit it, I cried. Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast and get some bonus stuff! Find more and take lessons with me at boxcarenglish.com
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