Photo: David, CC BY 2.0
Flirting in English: For Travellers
A fun, friendly hour of English for beginners and elementary learners who travel, stay in hostels or meet people from other countries. You will learn how to start a conversation at a bar, café or hostel, keep it going, give compliments that land (and which ones to avoid), ask someone out, swap numbers or Instagram, and say yes or no politely. Respect and consent are part of the lesson: a clear "no" is a good answer too.
After this hour you can
- Start a conversation with someone new at a bar, café or hostel
- Keep the conversation going with easy questions and reactions
- Give compliments that feel nice, and know which ones to avoid
- Ask someone for a coffee, a drink or a date
- Swap numbers or Instagram
- Say yes, say no politely, and accept a "no" with a smile
- 0′–5′
Welcome
Know how the class works and the two rules of the hour: be friendly, be respectful.
- 5′–12′
Starting a conversation
Open a conversation with a stranger in a natural, relaxed way.
Hi! Is this seat taken?
say HAI! iz dhis SEET TAY-kun
Ask if a chair is free. A perfect, natural way to start talking at a bar or café.
Mind if I join you?
say MAIND if ai JOYN yoo
"Is it OK if I sit with you?"
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 12′–19′
Keeping it going
Ask follow-up questions and react with interest.
What brings you to Lisbon?
say wot BRINGZ yoo tuh LIZ-bun
"Why are you visiting this city?" Change the city name.
What do you like to do for fun?
say wot duh yoo LAIK tuh doo for FUN
Ask about hobbies. Friendlier than asking about work.
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 19′–26′
Compliments that land
Give a nice compliment, accept one gracefully, and know which compliments to avoid.
I love your style.
say ai LUV yor STAIL
A safe, friendly compliment about how someone dresses.
That's a great jacket. Where's it from?
say dhats uh grayt JAK-it. WAIRZ it from
Compliment + question = a conversation, not just a compliment.
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 26′–33′
Asking someone out
Invite someone for a coffee, a drink or a date with no pressure.
Can I buy you a drink?
say kan ai BAI yoo uh DRINK
A classic friendly offer at a bar.
Do you want to grab a coffee sometime?
say duh yoo WON-uh GRAB uh KOF-ee SUM-taim
A relaxed invitation. "Grab" = get, quickly and casually.
+ 6 more on your phrase sheet
- 33′–39′
Numbers and Instagram
Ask for and give a phone number or social media handle.
Can I get your number?
say kan ai GET yor NUM-buh
Ask for someone's phone number.
Are you on Instagram?
say ar yoo on IN-stuh-gram
A very common, lower-pressure alternative to a phone number.
+ 4 more on your phrase sheet
- 39′–47′
Yes, no, and taking no
Say yes happily, say no clearly and politely, and accept a "no" gracefully.
Yes, I'd love to!
say yes, aid LUV tuh
A happy, clear yes to an invitation.
Sounds great! What time?
say sowndz GRAYT! wot TAIM
Say yes and make a plan.
+ 7 more on your phrase sheet
- 47′–57′
Practice: the hostel bar
Have a short, friendly flirting conversation from first line to goodbye.
- 57′–60′
Recap and this week
Remember the key phrases and know what to practise this week.
English flirting is often light and indirect: people use questions, jokes and small compliments, not big romantic sentences. A friendly tone and a smile matter more than perfect grammar, and many English speakers find a foreign accent charming. Short, simple questions work best. And in English-speaking cultures, "maybe", "I'm here with my friends" or a short answer usually means "no, thank you", so we learn to hear that too.
- Zoom on a computer, tablet or phone
- A microphone; headphones with a mic are best
- Somewhere you are happy to speak out loud
- Pen and paper, if you like. No English needed.
Do I need to know any of the language already?
No. Every class is for complete beginners. We start from hello, and everything is explained in English. If you already know a little, it will be a good warm-up, but it will feel easy.
What happens in the hour?
A short welcome, then the sounds (or, for Japanese and Korean, a first look at the writing), greetings, introducing yourself, numbers to ten, ordering at a café and the phrases that get you out of trouble. Then you practise in small breakout rooms and we finish with a recap. Each class page shows the hour minute by minute.
Will I have to speak?
Yes, that is the point, but gently. Most of the time the whole class repeats together with microphones on, so nobody is singled out. Near the end you practise in breakout rooms of 2 or 3. Your camera is up to you.
How big are the classes?
At most 12 people, so everyone gets to speak and ask questions.
How much is a class?
One class is one payment, and you see the price before you pay. Nothing renews and there is no subscription.
Can I cancel or move my class?
Yes. Write to support@bunevents.com at least 24 hours before the start and we will refund you in full or move you to another time, whichever you prefer.
