Have you ever felt completely confused after talking to a British person?
You understood every word — the grammar was clear, the vocabulary was familiar — but something felt off. You left the conversation thinking: Did they like it? Did they agree with me? Or were they being polite… or critical?

If that has ever happened to you, you’re not imagining things — and you’re definitely not alone.

In today’s episode, we talk about The British Code: the polite, indirect way British people communicate and why what they say is often very different from what they actually mean.

British people are famous for being polite, but that politeness often hides true opinions. Instead of being direct, we soften language, avoid conflict, and try not to “cause a fuss.” The result? A lot of confusion for non-Brits.

In this episode, you’ll learn:
• What Brits really mean when they say interesting, original or that’s a brave decision
• How polite disagreement works in British English
• Why Brits say sorry when they’re not apologising
• How words like just and a bit soften requests
• Why understatement is such a key part of British communication

English isn’t just grammar and vocabulary — it’s culture. And British English is full of hidden meaning. Once you understand the code, conversations start to make a lot more sense.

🎭 Tip: Watching British sitcoms like Fawlty Towers, Doc Martin, Fleabag or Gavin & Stacey is a great way to hear this in real life.

If you’d like to go deeper into British culture, humour, and communication, join my live event The British Way, happening this February.
👉 Here’s the link to take part: https://talk2rachel.com.br/the-british-way/

See you next time!

A Sweet Tooth and a Social Mission: The Story of Cadbury

Did you know that one of the biggest chocolate companies in the world was created to stop people drinking alcohol?

In this episode, we explore the surprising history of Cadbury and how chocolate, religion, and social values shaped one of Britain’s most iconic brands. You’ll learn about Quakers, temperance, work–life balance, and the famous “glass and a half” slogan — all while practising real British English.

• Transcript: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ymjkA_l7forCp1AW1K8QyE7rT9-AhvJZ/view?usp=sharing

• Study with me: 👉 https://www.talk2rachel.com.br

• Talk to my team on WhatsApp: 👉 https://wa.me/5512981216741

See you next time — and remember, you can always Talk2Rachel!

In this episode, you will find out the reason why the 5th November is a special date for British people and what the story behind the famous Guy Fawkes character is. You will also discover the reason why bonfires are lit across England on this date and how King James I was almost assassinated! 

If you enjoyed this episode, remember to comment below and leave your rating for my podcast on your podcast platform. 

If you would like the transcript of this episode, send me an email at [email protected]. You can also email me for more details about my courses, my books and how to study with me. 

See you soon, 

Rachel 

My guest today is Claudia Rant. She is a Brazilian born English Language teacher/Linguist who lives in the UK but is currently in Brazil. Claudia grew up in Petropolis in Rio de Janeiro and has not one but two degrees! She has been teaching English for over 24 years now and has students all over the world. She has taught both Brazilians and international students in schools and online. 

In 2011 Claudia moved to my home country, one year after I did the opposite, where she joined her husband who is British. Claudia is clearly passionate about teaching and has contributed greatly with her tips and advice on social media during the pandemic, which is actually where I met her! 

Claudia believes that ‘It’s nice to be nice’ something that I think is greatly underrated in the world today. And that ‘every day is a school day’ which is definitely true for any language learner. 

I hope you enjoyed this special episode, remember to rate my podcast and leave any comments and feedback. 

Thanks for listening!

Rachel

@talk2rachel

In this episode I talk about Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee, what it is, why it is celebrated and what events are going to happen. Learn all about this special celebration in this podcast!

If you enjoyed the episode don't forget to leave your feedback and give it 5 stars. Thank you for listening!

Check out my site for more details about my courses! www.talk2rachel.com.br and my instagram for more tips!

See you soon! 

Rachel

In this episode I explain, 100% in English, all about the history behind Easter traditions in the world and especially in my home country England.

Neste episódio eu explico 100% em inglês tudo sobre a historia atrás de algumas tradições da pascoa no mundo e na Inglaterra.

Transcription available via email [email protected].

Happy Easter!

Rachel

In this episode I talk about St. Patrick's Day, which is celebrated on March 17th. Where did this day come from? Who is Saint Patrick? Learn all about this special day in this podcast!

The transcript is avaliable on my website/Telegram group.

If you enjoyed the episode don't forget to leave your feedback and give it 5 stars. Thank you for listening!

Check out my site for my new course!

Neste episódío falo sobre o Dia de São Patríck, que é comemorado em 17 de março. De onde veio este dia? Quem é São Patrício? Saiba tudo sobre este dia especial neste podcast!

Tem a transcrição disponível no meu site (talk2Rachel.com.br) e no meu grupo de Telegram.

Se você gostou do episódio, não se esqueça de deixar seu feedback e dar 5 estrelas. Obrigada!

Rachel

In this episode I talk about the British tradition of Pancake Day and its origins. There is a lot of new vocabulary in this episode and it is a great opportunity to practice your listening comprehension skills. The transcript is on my site and in my Telegram Group - Talk2Rachel. 

Thanks for Listening!

Rachel

Neste episódío falo sobre a tradição britânica do dia da panqueca e suas origens. Há muito vocabulário novo neste episódio e é uma ótima oportunidade para praticar suas habilidades de listening. A transcrição está no meu site ou no meu grupo de Telegram!

Hello and welcome to one more episode of the Talk2Rachel podcast.

In this episode I’m going to talk a little bit about the English language, its origin and the words that we use in our daily life that come from different languages.

This podcast is 100% in English and is focused on English language learners, however I speak at a normal speed, so after listening for the first time, I invite you to read the transcript which you can request through my website.

You can find out more about me and my work by accessing my social media pages and on my website https://www.talk2rachel.com.br. I hope you enjoy this episode!

See you soon,

Rachel

Hello and welcome to one more episode of the Talk2Rachel podcast.

In this episode I’m going to talk about a very important and very symbolic date in British history: Remembrance Day. This date was chosen because it is the day an agreement between the Allies and Germany in WW1 was signed, the number 11 being a symbolic sign of when the conflict formally ended "at the 11th hour, of the 11th day of the 11th month”. The agreement was signed in Northern France, and forced the German forces to evacuate and stop all hostilities.

This podcast is 100% in English and is focused on English language learners, however I speak at a normal speed, so after listening for the first time, I invite you to read the transcript which you can request through my website.

You can find out more about me and my work by accessing my social media pages and on my website https://www.talk2rachel.com.br. I hope you enjoy this episode!

See you soon,

Rachel