🇺🇸 Boston · English
Learn American English in Boston
Choose your first conversation
American diner English is its own dialect: the bottomless coffee, the «hon», the Boston «regular» that already has cream and sugar in it. Donna's diner runs you through the fastest service talk in the language — and waits for you anyway.
Hey hon, what'll it be?
How Boston actually talks
What you'll pick up
- Diner ordering at full speed — sides, refills, «for here or to go»
- Boston specifics: the «regular» coffee trap, «wicked» as an intensifier
- Friendly American small talk that actually expects answers
Where you'll practise in Boston
195 missions across 25 scenes and 2 guided tours. Each mission is a real errand with a goal, a person who talks back, and a debrief afterwards in your own language.
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The 911 Call emergency call (on the phone)
Martine, 911 dispatcher at a Boston-area emergency communications center · 5 missions · A1–B2
- Say where you are A1 — The address, said clearly, twice. The first question on every 911 call, and the one fact only the caller can supply.
- The neighbor collapsed A2 — What happened, awake?, breathing?, how old — the four questions every medical call runs on, answered in plain short sentences.
- I smell gas B1 — Out first, then the call. Report the smell from the sidewalk, answer who's still inside, and hold the line on not going back in.
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Unit 2, 47 Wrenfield Street apartment viewing
Angela, Property manager showing a unit in a Dorchester triple-decker · 6 missions · A1–C1
- At the door A1 — Hello, I'm here to see the apartment, how many bedrooms, how much is it, thank you. Your first viewing, in five short sentences.
- Look around A2 — Ask to see every room, say what you think, find out what's staying and when it's ready. Drive the viewing yourself.
- What's included B1 — Rent, deposit, broker's fee, heat, snow, lease length. She's precise the moment you ask — but she won't bring any of it up first.
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Alden Square Benefits Office benefits office
Dulce, Case manager at a Boston benefits office · 6 missions · A1–C1
- Check in A1 — Name, appointment, ten thirty, ticket, seat. The first sixty seconds of every benefits visit, made sayable.
- One paper at a time A2 — ID, address, pay stubs — handed over one at a time. Two papers won't work; find out why, and read the come-back list back.
- The letter, decoded B1 — You ask, she answers. Term by term, a scary verification letter turns into three papers and a date.
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Explore all 25 scenes
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Bay State Newcomer Services resettlement services office
Phong, Senior resettlement caseworker at Bay State Newcomer Services in Boston · 6 missions · A1–C1
- First visit A1 — Walk in, say your name, name the one thing you need most, take the appointment. The easiest office in Boston — this one is on your side.
- The checklist A2 — Address, phone, household, work status — then you choose where the minutes go. Your file, said out loud, written down right.
- The job plan B1 — What work, what hours, what you won't give up. Build the plan together, defend your class night, and read the whole thing back.
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Citizenship interview — JFK Federal Building citizenship interview
Marcus, Immigration services officer at the JFK Federal Building in Boston · 8 missions · A2–C1
- The walk to the office A2 — Check in, answer to your name, and make the corridor walk where the small talk is already the test. Swear to tell the truth, and hear the rule that protects you.
- Continued, not denied B1 — One paper is missing. Learn what a continuance is, get the document named exactly, and plan the follow-up around your work week — with the deadline in your own voice.
- What happens today B1 — Ask the officer to map the day: the three parts, the tests, the three possible decisions, the ceremony — and when the certificate actually lands in your hands.
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Dr. Walsh's Office doctor's office
Dr. Walsh, GP at a small Boston practice · 6 missions · A2–C1
- How it happened A2 — Dr Walsh can't help without the story. Tell her how you hurt your wrist, step by step.
- A cold and a sore throat A2 — You've got a cold. Tell Dr. Walsh how you feel, answer a couple of easy questions, and follow her simple advice.
- See the doctor B1 — Describe your symptoms, answer Dr. Walsh's questions, and get a diagnosis, advice, and a prescription — the core doctor's visit.
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Boston Common park
Danny, A friendly local on Boston Common · 13 missions · A1–C1
- Ask about the dog A1 — A friendly guy, a scruffy dog, a bench on the Common. Say hi and ask Danny about his dog.
- See you tomorrow A1 — Danny asks if you'll come to the park tomorrow. Say yes, pick a time, and say the plan back.
- Your weekend A1 — Danny asks about your weekend. Tell him three small things you did — one short sentence at a time.
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Wrenfield Street Dental dental office
Deb, Dental hygienist at a neighborhood dental office in Dorchester, Boston · 6 missions · A1–C1
- The nine o'clock A1 — Say your name, say 'nine o'clock', answer one yes/no question, take the chair. Pointing counts.
- Where it hurts A2 — Point to the tooth, pick the pain — sharp, dull, throbbing — say since when, and what cold does to it.
- Chair talk B1 — Ten minutes with Deb between patients — the hockey puck, twenty-nine years, and why the chart exists.
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Beacon Drug drugstore
Rosa, Pharmacist at a Boston drugstore · 10 missions · A1–C1
- One quick thing A1 — Buy one simple thing — a bottle of water — from Rosa and pay. Your very first drugstore visit.
- Wrong medicine A2 — The syrup you bought is the children's one. Take it back to Rosa and swap it for the right one.
- The card at pickup A2 — Name, date of birth, the insurance card, the copay. The everyday pharmacy pickup, with the vocabulary America runs on.
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Harborview Community Health Center community health center (on the phone)
Yolanda, Front-desk scheduler at a Boston community health center (voice on the telephone) · 6 missions · A1–C1
- Call the health center A1 — Your first phone call in English. Say your name, ask for an appointment, take the day she offers. No faces, no pointing — only your voice.
- Book it properly A2 — New patient or not, spelling, date of birth, insurance, pick a slot. Everything by voice — she has nothing to look at but what you say.
- New here B1 — You've just moved. Becoming a patient, documents, insurance, same-day sick visits, nights and weekends — you have to ask for every single one.
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Harborview Care Center interview room
Ray, Human resources manager who interviews candidates at a Boston nursing and rehabilitation center · 7 missions · A1–C1
- The first minute A1 — Hello, your name, which job, one yes-or-no answer, thank you. The shortest job interview there is — and the most nerve-racking.
- Hours and history A2 — Where you worked, what you did, which shifts you can take, when you can start, and a number he can call. The practical half of an interview.
- Weekend shifts A2 — Answer a follow-up about weekend shifts. Say when you are available, clarify the hours, and agree on a workable shift.
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Beacon Loop — Software Interview software engineering interview
Daniel Okafor, software engineering lead at Beacon Loop in Boston · 13 missions · A1–C1
- Arrive for your IT interview A1 — Say your name, name the interview and say you are ready.
- Introduce your IT skills A2 — Introduce yourself, name one skill and say when you can start.
- Get to know your team lead B1 — Ask about your interviewer’s background and team, then check what you understood.
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Harbor Desk IT — IT Support Interview IT support interview
Maya Chen, IT support team lead at Harbor Desk IT in Boston · 13 missions · A1–C1
- Arrive for your IT interview A1 — Say your name, name the interview and say you are ready.
- Introduce your IT skills A2 — Introduce yourself, name one skill and say when you can start.
- Get to know your team lead B1 — Ask about your interviewer’s background and team, then check what you understood.
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Alden Square Branch Library public library
June, Branch librarian at a neighborhood public library in Dorchester, Boston · 6 missions · A1–C1
- The card is free A1 — Ask for a card, say your name, show one paper with your address. Free — that's the whole idea.
- A book for my English A2 — Say what you need, find the shelf, check it out, and know when it's due back.
- The librarian's story B1 — Port-au-Prince at six, a blue plastic chair, Miss Predette — and why she takes your being here personally.
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Gull & Anchor Moving moving company
Carla, Office manager and dispatcher at a neighborhood moving company in Dorchester, Boston · 6 missions · A1–C1
- On the whiteboard A1 — Name, date, both addresses said out loud — and the whiteboard makes it real.
- Hourly or flat A2 — Rooms, the couch, the third-floor stairs — then the two prices, and your choice out loud.
- The whiteboard's history B1 — The rusty truck in the photo, phones at sixteen, Kriolu at home, the red circle — and why the coverage speech exists.
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Beacon Harbor Labs office
Dana, Engineering manager at Beacon Harbor Labs, a Boston software company · 8 missions · A2–C1
- The birthday card A2 — A card and an envelope are going around the office. Learn the ritual: chip in, sign your line, and keep the Thursday-at-three cake a secret.
- The opener B1 — "So — tell me about yourself." Walk through your background in order, get concrete about the day-to-day, and connect it to the job.
- Coffee chat B1 — Two minutes at the coffee machine with your manager. Small talk that's easy but professional — the weekend, the marathon, her story.
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Park Street Station transit station
Marcus, MBTA station attendant at Park Street · 7 missions · A1–B2
- Lost bag A1 — Your bag is still on the train. Tell Marcus what you lost, what color it is, and where you left it.
- Get a CharlieCard A2 — New to the T? Ask Marcus how to pay, what it costs, and how to get through the gate.
- Getting to Fenway B1 — Ask the T attendant the way to Fenway Park — then read the route back and make sure you've got it.
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Morrissey Station Post Office post office
Curtis, Window clerk at a neighborhood post office in Dorchester, Boston · 6 missions · A1–C1
- A book of stamps A1 — Ask for stamps, say how many, hear the price, pay. The gentlest window in Boston.
- A box going home A2 — A box for your family overseas: the customs form, what's inside, what it's worth, and fast or cheap.
- The slip on your door B1 — Collect a held package with your ID — and use the wait to find out who has stood at this window for 26 years.
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RMV Service Center RMV service center
Gail, Window clerk at a Massachusetts RMV service center · 6 missions · A1–C1
- Ticket B47 A1 — Your number is up. Say what you need, give your name, spell it, say your date of birth. The shortest trip to window 4 there is.
- The form A2 — Line by line through the glass: your address out loud, the boxes you skipped, your height in feet — and where to sign and pay.
- The permit rules B1 — Documents, the fee, the test, your language on the screen — she'll answer exactly what you ask and nothing more.
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Alden Corner Elementary School elementary school
Denise, Second-grade teacher at a Boston public elementary school who runs parent–teacher conferences · 7 missions · A1–C1
- Maya's conference A1 — Your first conference in English. Say who you are, hear three good things about your daughter, answer three easy questions. The news is good.
- The hard news A2 — Good news, then a real concern: reading. Hear it without panicking, agree on one small plan, and learn what to say to Maya tonight.
- One thing to try at home A2 — Clarify a new suggestion from the teacher and agree on one small action you can try at home.
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Harbor Threads clothing shop
Kayla, Salesperson at a Boston clothing shop · 5 missions · A1–C1
- Too small A1 — The sweater doesn't fit. Tell Kayla it's too small and ask her for a bigger size.
- Buy clothes A2 — Say what you're looking for, find your size and color, and buy it at a Boston shop.
- Try on & exchange B1 — Try it on, tell Kayla it doesn't fit, and sort out a size or exchange.
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Kettle & Cod restaurant kitchen (on the phone)
Vinnie, Kitchen manager at a Boston seafood grill, taking your call mid-shift (voice on the telephone) · 7 missions · A1–C1
- Running late A1 — The T died under Downtown Crossing. Say who, say late, say when. The shortest, scariest phone call there is — made easy.
- The sick call A2 — Who you are, what's wrong, how long, who covers. The two-minute call every worker dreads — landed clean, with tomorrow agreed.
- When can you return? A2 — Call back with an update. Explain whether you can return tomorrow, ask about your next shift, and agree when to check in again.
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Tommy's Cab taxi
Tommy, Boston taxi driver · 8 missions · A1–C1
- Your day in Boston A1 — Nothing to sort out — the ride is set. Just tell Tommy three places you went today.
- The medal A2 — The ride is set — nothing to arrange. Ask Tommy about the medal on his mirror, and about him.
- A quick ride A2 — Hop in Tommy's cab: say where you're going, pick a route when he offers, find out roughly what it costs, and pay when you arrive.
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Baywire Mobile phone store
Jayden, Sales rep at a neighborhood mobile phone store in Dorchester, Boston · 6 missions · A1–C1
- Twenty on the number A1 — Ask for a top-up, give the number, say 'twenty', pay. The confirmation buzz is the finish line.
- A SIM, no SSN A2 — Prepaid SIM in your own phone: pick the plan, passport as ID, one polite no, and bars by the door.
- The kid behind the counter B1 — Night classes, the two-store dream, tech support for the whole family since age ten — and the kitchen-table story.
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Sal's Diner diner
Donna, Career waitress at Sal's Diner, a Boston breakfast counter · 18 missions · A1–C1
- Coffee to go A1 — Order one coffee to go from Donna and pay. Your very first diner visit.
- Coffee to go A2 — A quick one: order a coffee the way you like it and a muffin to go, and pay.
- What's good? B1 — Not sure what to order? Ask Donna what's good, what's on special, and let her steer you.
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Tours
- Boston: a North End food walk with Tony, North End food-tour guide in Boston — 4 stops: New England clam chowder, The lobster roll, The North End Italian sub and The North End cannoli.
- Boston: a walk on the Freedom Trail with Eileen, Freedom Trail walking-tour guide in Boston — 5 stops: Massachusetts State House, Faneuil Hall, Paul Revere House, Old North Church and USS Constitution.
Words that change in Boston
Donna speaks the way Boston does, not the way a textbook does. A few of the swaps you'll hear from the first minute — the full list lives in the app's «Talk like a local» guide:
| They say | It means | You'll hear |
|---|---|---|
| bubbler | drinking fountain elsewhere: water fountain | There's a bubbler right by the door. Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island (and Wisconsin) — say it "bub-lah". Plenty of locals also just say "water fountain". |
| regular | a coffee, cream + sugar elsewhere: coffee with cream and sugar | Large regular, please. Order a coffee "regular" and it comes with cream AND sugar automatically. Very Dunkin'. |
| frappe | blended ice-cream milkshake elsewhere: milkshake | I'll get a coffee frappe. Ice cream + milk, blended. Rhymes with "app". Here a plain "milkshake" has NO ice cream. |
| grinder | a hot sub sandwich elsewhere: sub / hero | A steak-and-cheese grinder, please. A hot sandwich on a long roll. "Sub" works too; "grinder" is the old-school word. |
| jimmies | ice-cream sprinkles elsewhere: sprinkles | Chocolate jimmies on top, please. The little sprinkles on your ice cream. |
| packie | liquor / package store elsewhere: liquor store | I gotta hit the packie before it closes. From "package store". Everyday, casual. |
| rotary | a traffic circle elsewhere: roundabout / traffic circle | Take the second exit off the rotary. What the rest of the country calls a roundabout. |
| the T | Boston's subway / transit elsewhere: the subway | Just take the T to Park Street. The MBTA — subway, trolleys and buses. "Take the T" = take the subway. |
- wicked — very / really THE Boston intensifier — goes before adjectives: wicked good, wicked tired, wicked expensive.
- pissah — excellent / awesome Old-school high praise — often paired: "wicked pissah" = really awesome. (Spelled from "pisser".)
- Dunkies — Dunkin' (Donuts) The affectionate name for Dunkin'. The region genuinely runs on it.
- the Pike — the Mass Pike (I-90) The Massachusetts Turnpike, the main east–west highway.
Questions people ask about Boston
Which English will I hear in Boston?
American English (Boston). Donna and the other locals in the Boston scenes speak the way people in Boston actually speak — accent, pace, register and vocabulary. They'll say bubbler for drinking fountain, regular for a coffee, cream + sugar and frappe for blended ice-cream milkshake, and the coach tells you when a word is local rather than universal.
Do I need to speak English already?
No. Missions in Boston run from A1 (first words: greet, order, ask for the bill) to C1 (argue a point, handle a complication, hold a real conversation). You pick a level, the scene meets you there, and the coach explains anything you missed in your own language.
What will I actually do in the Boston scenes?
195 missions across 25 scenes — The 911 Call, Unit 2, 47 Wrenfield Street, Alden Square Benefits Office and Bay State Newcomer Services and more. Each mission is an errand with a goal: order, negotiate, describe a symptom, get directions, small-talk your way through a wait. The person you're talking to has their own agenda, so it never goes exactly to script. There are also 2 guided tours — Boston: a North End food walk and Boston: a walk on the Freedom Trail — where the guide talks and you ask.
Is it free?
You can start speaking without creating an account. A free account keeps your notebook and progress and comes with 10 minutes of live conversation a week, refilled every Monday; the app tells you where you stand.
How does the feedback work?
Donna answers in English, and a separate coach watches the conversation and flags what to fix — grammar, a word choice that isn't Boston's, pronunciation — in your language, without interrupting the scene. Words you didn't know go into your notebook with the Boston pronunciation, and after each mission you get a debrief you can review.