Jessica: Hello everyone! Welcome back to 5-minute English Practice.
Today is my first week in a new apartment. I just moved in and I’m excited to meet my neighbors. While I was carrying some boxes, I met Marry, a friendly lady from Canada who has been living here for 5 months. Let’s practice natural English for greeting, introducing yourself, and having a casual conversation with a new neighbor. This is very useful real-life English. Let’s go!
[Scene transition: Jessica is outside her apartment door, carrying a small box. Marry walks by with a shopping bag.]
Marry: Oh, hello there! Do you need any help with that box?
Jessica: Hi! Oh, thank you so much. That’s really kind of you. I’m just moving in today.
Marry: Moving in? Welcome to the building! I’m Marry. I live in apartment 305, right next to the elevator.
Jessica: Nice to meet you, Marry. I’m Jessica. I just moved into apartment 308 today. It’s my first time living in this area.
Marry: 308? That’s right next to mine! We’re neighbors then. How are you finding the apartment so far?
Jessica: It’s really nice! The place is bright and has a good view. But I’m still unpacking and everything feels a bit messy right now. Have you been living here long?
Marry: I’ve been here for about five months now. I moved from Canada. At first, I was a little worried because I didn’t know anyone, but the building is actually very friendly and quiet.
Jessica: Five months already? That’s great. I was a bit nervous about moving to a new place too. How do you like living here?
Marry: I really like it. The location is convenient — there’s a supermarket just five minutes away, and the park nearby is perfect for morning walks. The neighbors are nice and respectful. Sometimes we even have small parties on the rooftop. What about you? Why did you decide to move here?
Jessica: I got a new job nearby, so it’s much closer to work. I also wanted a quieter place than my old apartment. The rent is reasonable too. By the way, is there anything I should know about living here? Like rules or tips?
Marry: The rules are pretty simple. No loud music after 10 PM, and you can use the laundry room on the ground floor anytime. The building has a nice gym on the 2nd floor — it’s free for residents. Oh, and the security is quite good. If you ever need anything, like borrowing some tools or sugar, just knock on my door.
Jessica: That’s so kind of you. Thank you! I’ll definitely remember that. Do you have any favorite places around here? Restaurants or cafés?
Marry: Yes! There’s a lovely café called “Morning Brew” just two blocks away. Their coffee is excellent. And there’s a small family restaurant on the corner that serves really good local dishes. I can show you sometime if you want.
Jessica: That would be wonderful! I love trying new food. Since you’re from Canada, how do you find the weather here compared to Canada?
Marry: Haha, it’s very different! In Canada we have cold winters with lots of snow. Here it’s much warmer, but I’ve gotten used to the heat now. The rainy season can be strong sometimes, so keep an umbrella handy.
Jessica: Good advice. I’ll remember that. By the way, I brought some homemade cookies from my old place. Would you like to try some? I can bring them over later.
Marry: Oh, that sounds delicious! I’d love to. Maybe we can have tea together this weekend if you’re free. It’s always nice to know your neighbors.
Jessica: I’d really like that. Thank you so much, Marry. You’ve made me feel so welcome already.
Marry: You’re very welcome, Jessica. If you need any help with unpacking or setting up furniture, just let me know. I’m usually home in the evenings.
Jessica: I really appreciate it. It was so nice meeting you. I’ll come by later with the cookies.
Marry: Looking forward to it! Welcome again to the building. Have a great day!
Jessica: You too! See you soon.
[Scene transition back to Jessica facing the camera]
Jessica: And that’s how a friendly conversation with a new neighbor usually goes! You practiced natural greetings, introducing yourself, asking questions, sharing information, and making plans to meet again.
Small talk with neighbors is a great way to feel more comfortable in a new place. Practice this dialogue and you’ll feel confident next time you meet someone new.
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Comment below: Have you ever talked to a new neighbor? What did you talk about?
See you in the next video. Bye!
See more: Easy Topics for B1 learners
| Word / Phrase | Part of Speech | Meaning (English) | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| move in | phrasal verb | to start living in a new place | I just moved in yesterday. |
| neighbor | noun | a person living near you | My neighbor is very friendly. |
| apartment | noun | a place to live in a building | She lives in a small apartment. |
| carry | verb | to hold and move something | He is carrying a heavy box. |
| kind | adjective | nice and helpful | That was very kind of you. |
| introduce yourself | phrase | to tell someone your name | Let me introduce myself. |
| area | noun | a place or region | This area is very quiet. |
| unpack | verb | to take things out of boxes | I am still unpacking my things. |
| messy | adjective | not clean or organized | My room is messy right now. |
| worried | adjective | feeling nervous or concerned | I was worried at first. |
| convenient | adjective | easy and useful | The location is very convenient. |
| nearby | adverb/adjective | close to a place | There is a park nearby. |
| respectful | adjective | polite and considerate | The neighbors are respectful. |
| rooftop | noun | the top of a building | They had a party on the rooftop. |
| rent | noun | money paid to live somewhere | The rent is quite high. |
| reasonable | adjective | fair, not too expensive | The price is reasonable. |
| rules | noun | instructions to follow | The building has simple rules. |
| laundry room | noun | a place to wash clothes | The laundry room is downstairs. |
| security | noun | safety and protection | The building has good security. |
| borrow | verb | to take something and return later | Can I borrow some sugar? |
| knock on the door | phrase | hit a door to get attention | She knocked on the door. |
| recommend | verb | to suggest something | I recommend this café. |
| local dishes | noun | food from the area | The restaurant serves local dishes. |
| compare | verb | to look at differences | Let’s compare the weather. |
| get used to | phrase | become familiar with | I got used to the heat. |
| rainy season | noun | time of heavy rain | The rainy season is long here. |
| handy | adjective | useful or easy to reach | Keep an umbrella handy. |
| homemade | adjective | made at home | She brought homemade cookies. |
| appreciate | verb | to be thankful | I really appreciate your help. |
| set up | phrasal verb | to arrange or prepare | I need to set up my furniture. |
| look forward to | phrase | feel excited about something | I look forward to meeting you. |
Use the correct words:
(move in, neighbor, convenient, unpacking, messy, borrow, rooftop, nearby, appreciate, get used to)
| A | B |
| 1. move in | a. feel excited about something |
| 2. look forward to | b. start living in a new place |
| 3. set up | c. become familiar with |
| 4. get used to | d. prepare or arrange |
| 5. knock on the door | e. hit the door to get attention |
Answer these questions (1–2 sentences):
Topic:
Describe a time when you met a new neighbor.
You should say:
💡 Sample Answer (Band 6.5–7.5)
I’d like to talk about a time when I met my new neighbor. It happened when I had just moved into a new apartment. I was carrying some boxes when a friendly woman came over and offered to help me.
We introduced ourselves and started talking about the building and the neighborhood. She gave me useful tips, like where the nearest supermarket is and some good cafés nearby.
I felt very happy and relieved because I was a bit nervous about moving to a new place. Meeting such a kind neighbor made me feel more comfortable and welcome.
Exercise 1:
Exercise 2:
Exercise 3:
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