Podcast Summary: All Ears English Podcast

Episode: 2484 - English Vocabulary Tips You Can Believe In

Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Aubrey Carter
Date: September 24, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Lindsay and Aubrey explore the nuanced difference between “believe” and “believe in” in American English. Through clear explanations, personal stories, cultural insights, and a playful role play, they demonstrate how these two expressions convey different types of trust, confidence, and support in daily conversations. The discussion is tailored for intermediate to advanced English learners who want to make their language more natural and their communication more effective.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Opening & Theme Introduction

• The hosts share a warm greeting and pose a reflective question: Is there something you believe in that not everyone else does?
• [02:10] Lindsay: “I believe in ghosts. I believe that you can communicate with the dead in certain situations... I guess I do believe in that stuff.”
• [02:27] Aubrey: “I do too. I have also had a couple of experiences… It’s interesting how we as humans can have all kinds of different ideas because none of us knows for sure, right?”

Insight: The episode is sparked by a listener question about the subtle difference between “believe” and “believe in”—terms that are similar but serve different functions in conversation.

2. Understanding “Believe”

• [03:58] Aubrey: “‘Believe’ means to accept something as true or real. It’s used more for belief in ideas or personal opinions.”
  • Example: “I believe she’s the best person for the job.”
• [04:26] Lindsay: “It’s kind of like saying ‘I think,’ right?”
• [04:41] Aubrey: Highlights using “believe” to soften blame or criticism, making it more playful:
  • Example: “I believe you were late to my party last year as well.”
• [05:47] Lindsay: “‘I believe you owe me an apology.’ You can play around with how you want to deliver this, depending on how direct you want to be.”

Insight:

• Adding “I believe” can soften statements, making them less confrontational – a key strategy for maintaining positive connections.

3. Exploring “Believe In”

• [07:07] Aubrey: “‘Believe in’ is used for describing confidence or faith in the existence of something or someone’s ability.”
  • Example: “I believe in you.”
• [07:40] Aubrey: “If we say, like, ‘I believe in you,’ that implies a deeper level of trust and conviction than simply accepting something as true.”
• [08:16] Aubrey: Contrasts “I believe you” vs. “I believe in you”:
  • “I believe you” → I think you’re telling the truth.
  • “I believe in you” → I have confidence in your abilities.
• [08:40] Aubrey: Using “believe in” for abstract, faith-based, or unprovable concepts:
  • Example: “He believes in the supernatural.”
  • [08:57] Lindsay: “…you don’t necessarily have evidence for. That’s usually what it is.”

Insight:

• “Believe in” involves confidence, faith, or trust beyond just accepting facts. It often relates to support, encouragement, or spiritual concepts.

4. Personal Stories: Ghosts, Dowsing Rods, and Ouija Boards

• [09:12] Aubrey: Shares about using dowsing rods (divining rods) to try communicating with spirits and water.
  • “We’ve used them a few times, and it has been very interesting… I believe in these dowsing rods that… my ancestors can somehow influence them or move them in order to communicate with us.”
• [10:31] Lindsay: Recalls playing with a Ouija board as a child—always suspecting someone else was moving it.

Memorable Moment:

• [10:07] Aubrey: “It seems to move on its own sometimes… so often, that was how wells were found in the early 1800s… it’s been pretty fascinating.”

Insight:

• These anecdotes illustrate the kinds of things people might “believe in”—whether or not there’s evidence, people’s faith in the unknown fuels culture and conversation.

5. Role Play: Applying “Believe” and “Believe In”

[11:36 – 12:14]
A fun, relatable scenario between friends discussing nerves before a big competition:

• Aubrey: “You really think we can win tomorrow? I’m starting to have doubts.”
• Lindsay: “Most definitely. I believe in our team. We’ve trained so hard for this.”
• Aubrey: “That helps, I guess. I believe we can win, but maybe I just don’t want to get my hopes up and then be disappointed.”
• Lindsay: “I get it. But if we’re gonna have a chance, we need to all believe it’s possible and believe in ourselves.”

Teaching Points:

• “I believe in our team” = trust/team confidence.
• “I believe we can win” = personal opinion/thought.
• “Believe in ourselves” = self-confidence.

[12:53] Aubrey: “If you say, ‘I believe our team,’ the meaning completely changes… that means the team has said something that we believe to be true.”

6. Deeper Language & Culture Tips

• [14:41] Lindsay: “So believing in ourselves, in whatever we do, and having people around us that believe in us too, is huge, you know?”
• [15:07] Aubrey: “Anytime someone’s doubting themselves, let them know you believe in them; you know they can do it.”

Notable Quote:

• [06:30] Lindsay: “We’re always thinking about how our words are going to be received. That’s huge. That’s what we believe here at All Ears English, at least. Right?”

Notable Quotes & Moments

• [02:10] Lindsay: “I believe in ghosts… had a few experiences myself.”
• [04:41] Aubrey: “We also use believe to downplay blame or criticism… this is an excellent connection skill.”
• [06:28] Lindsey: “And that’s how connection builds.”
• [07:40] Aubrey: “‘I believe in you’… implies a deeper level of trust and conviction…”
• [08:16] Aubrey: “‘I believe you’… I think you’re telling the truth. ‘I believe in you’… I have confidence in your ability.”
• [10:07] Aubrey: “We’ve used [dowsing rods] a few times… it’s been pretty fascinating.”
• [14:41] Lindsay: “Believing in ourselves… and having people around us that believe in us too, is huge, you know?”
• [15:07] Aubrey: “Anytime someone’s doubting themselves, to let them know that you believe in them… you know that they can do it.”

Timestamps of Key Segments

| Timestamp | Segment | |-----------|-------------------------------------------------------------| | 02:10 | Personal beliefs and intro to “believe in” | | 03:58 | Defining “believe” and its uses | | 04:41 | Using “believe” to soften blame/criticism | | 06:54 | Transition to “believe in” and its deeper meaning | | 08:16 | Contrast: “I believe you” vs. “I believe in you” | | 09:12 | Stories: dowsing rods and spiritual beliefs | | 11:36 | Role play using both expressions | | 12:53 | Analyzing nuances from role play | | 14:41 | Emphasizing mutual support and encouragement | | 15:07 | Cultural connection: expressing belief in others |

Takeaways

• “Believe” is generally used for opinions, truths, or to soften directness in conversation.
• “Believe in” conveys faith, trust, or confidence in something’s existence or someone’s abilities—often with emotional or relational depth.
• Recognizing and using these phrases accurately helps create richer, more authentic connections in English.
• Letting others know you “believe in them” is a culturally important support gesture in English-speaking contexts.

Closing Thought:
Lindsay and Aubrey reinforce the All Ears English philosophy—focus on connection, not perfection. Being attentive to nuance in language can make your English warmer and your relationships deeper.