939 - What’s Up With? - English Tips in a Minute | Happy English

939 - What’s Up With? - English Tips in a Minute | Happy English

Author: Michael DiGiacomo Happy English November 29, 2025 Duration: 2:17
Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Saturday with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently. And by the way, if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.
Today, let’s look at a really useful conversational phrase - “What’s up with…?”

We use what’s up with…? to ask about something we don’t understand. It’s another way to say
“What’s the situation with…?”  And you can use it for people, for events, or even for weird situations.

  • Like,  Maybe your coworker is acting strange. You can say:  “What’s up with John today?”
  • Or if you’re confused about a rule at work, you might say:  “What’s up with casual Fridays? Can we wear jeans or not?”
  • We also use it to talk about trends or new behaviors we don’t get.  Like:  “I don’t know what’s up with kids these days and that 6-7 thing.”
One thing to keep in mind is tone. With a neutral tone, it sounds curious.  With a strong tone, it can sound annoyed or frustrated:  “Oh man, what’s up with all this traffic today?”

What’s up with waiting? Go try this phrase in your next conversation! 

Lemme know in the comments how it goes, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Saturday’s English Tips in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening. And until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup


The Happy English Podcast
Helping people speak English better since 2014
Over 1,000 episodes • 8 million downloads

📘 Build your vocabulary with my free Vocabulary Workshop
https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

🎥 Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts

🌐 Learn more about my English lessons and courses
https://www.myhappyenglish.com

Ever feel like you're missing a piece of the puzzle when you hear native English speakers chat? That's where Happy English Podcast comes in, hosted by Michael DiGiacomo. This isn't about dry textbook rules; it's about the living, breathing language you actually encounter. Each episode feels like a friendly conversation, breaking down the nuances that can trip you up. You'll find yourself understanding the subtle differences between confusing words, getting a handle on those tricky phrasal verbs that seem to change meaning constantly, and even picking up the rhythm and pronunciation of everyday American English. The focus is always on practical use, whether it's mastering common idioms that add color to your speech or clarifying grammar points in a way that sticks. Designed for learners at any stage, the podcast turns complicated topics into manageable, even enjoyable, lessons. The goal is to build your confidence so you can express yourself more naturally and understand more of the world around you. Tune in and discover how approachable learning a language can be, one clear and helpful episode at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Happy English Podcast
Podcast Episodes
957 - Luck Out - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:45
Today’s phrasal verb is luck out. When you luck out, it means you have really good luck - usually by chance. Something goes much better than you expected, and you didn’t have to do anything special. It just happened.For…
955 - Went, Gone, or Been - What’s the Real Difference? [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 7:04
Have you ever gone somewhere… and then realized you should’ve been somewhere else? Or maybe you went somewhere, and now you’re trying to explain that… but the grammar just won’t come out right. Don’t worry - this happens…
954 - The Tiny W - Speak Naturally in a Minute | Happy English [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 2:02
Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation. And i…
952 - Chew Out - Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:51
Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English.I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you spea…
951 - Does "I hear you" mean "I can hear you?" [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:36
Have you ever been in this situation? You’re venting to a friend about having a long and tough day, and your friend’s response is something like, Yeah, I hear you.” That little phrase - "I hear you"- has nothing to do wi…
949 - Sure Enough - English Tips in a Minute | Happy English [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:52
Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Saturday with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently. And by the way, i…
948 - Bang Out -  Phrasal Verbs in a Minute | Happy English [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:54
Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you spe…