Learn English with Marley & Me

A newly married couple, in the process of starting a family, learn many of life's important lessons from their trouble-loving retriever, Marley. Packed with plenty of laughs to lighten the load, the film explores the highs and lows of marriage, maturity and confronting one's own mortality, as seen through the lens of family life with a dog.

Why learn English with Marley & Me?

"Marley & Me" tells the funny and heartwarming story of a young couple, John and Jenny, who adopt a very energetic and naughty Labrador Retriever puppy named Marley. The movie follows their lives together as they navigate marriage, careers, and eventually, parenthood, with Marley by their side. From Marley's mischievous antics like eating furniture and escaping obedience school to the emotional journey of family life, you'll learn lots of everyday vocabulary related to pets, family, work, and emotions. For example, you'll hear words like "leash," "kibble," "obedience training," "pregnant," "mortgage," and "exhausted." The film explores themes of love, family, responsibility, and accepting life's unexpected turns. The language used is mostly conversational and easy to follow, with a mix of humor and heartfelt moments. By watching "Marley & Me," you can improve your understanding of natural English dialogue, learn how emotions are expressed in English, and pick up some common idioms and expressions. The characters often talk about their feelings, using words like "frustrated," "overwhelmed," "grateful," and "proud," which can help you expand your emotional vocabulary. This movie is a great choice for English learners for several reasons. First, the clear and engaging storyline makes it easy to follow, even if you don't understand every word. Second, the emotional range of the movie provides a good opportunity to learn how English is used to express different feelings. Finally, because the movie focuses on everyday family life, the vocabulary and situations are relevant and practical, making it easier to apply what you learn to real-world conversations. Plus, who doesn't love a story about a lovable, albeit naughty, dog?

Words from Marley & Me

Here are the first 15 of the more difficult words in Marley & Me:

buddy: a casual word for a friend
hound: a dog with a good sense of smell that can run fast, used for hunting
freak: very unusual or unexpected
blizzard: a snowstorm with strong winds
incredibly: to an extreme degree or hard to believe
sexy: sexually or physically attractive
someplace: a place that you do not know
reporter: a person who finds and shares news for newspapers, radio, or TV
metropolitan: related to a main city
estimable: deserving respect and high regard
gazette: an official journal or newspaper, sometimes used in the title of a newspaper
comedian: a person who is amusing and tries to make others laugh, often professionally
haven: a peaceful and safe place where people or animals are protected
journalism: the act of gathering and writing news stories for different media outlets, such as newspapers, magazines, radio, TV, or online news platforms
bong: a long pipe used for smoking substances like marijuana by passing the smoke through water