Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in
 
Fate
Fate

Learn English: Meaning of Fate

Date: Feb 28 2020

Themes: Time

Grammar: You're vs. Your

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Life can feel like a mystery. Some experiences might feel like bad luck, and others like good fortune. It may rain on the day you forgot to bring your umbrella with you. Or you might get all green lights when you’re late to school. We say that it’s fate when we feel like we can’t control what is happening.

But not everyone believes in fate. Some people feel that they can control the way things turn out and nothing is left to destiny. For people who believe in fate, they may just go with the flow and not worry too much about making things happen.

Brian and Rafael talk about if they believe in destiny. Find out more in today’s English lesson about fate.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

Log in to Listen

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Brian

Brian

Rafael

Rafael

Brian:  Hey, Rafa. Do you believe in fate?

Rafael:  No, Brian. Do you?

Brian:  Sometimes I think things happen for a reason. Sometimes relationships end or you get a new job because that’s where you really should be later on in life.

Rafael:  I think people say that to console themselves about the pain. Like if they break up with their girlfriend. “It happened for a reason. My soul mate’s still out there.” Is that kind of where you’re coming from?

Brian:  No. There have been many times where I’ve actually broken up with someone, and in hindsight I see why that relationship wasn’t working out. And I think that that was fate and it made me who I am now.

Rafael:  Let me tell you something, man. You have control over your life.

Brian:  I think that some things were meant to be. And you find that out through experiences. You don’t believe in destiny at all?

Rafael:  Nah.

Brian:  So, you’re responsible for all your failures and all your successes?

Rafael:  Definitely. Come talk to me when you decide to take charge of your own independence.

Brian:  Or maybe we’ll just happen into the conversation by luck and fate.

 

Grammar Point

Go Super to learn "You're vs. Your" from this lesson Go Super!

Quizzes

Go Super to take Quiz Go Super!

 

Lesson MP3

Go Super to download full lesson MP3 Go Super!

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Discussion

Go Super to Listen Go Super!

Brian believes in fate. He feels that the situations in his life, good and bad, all happen for a reason that he might not be able to control. Brian feels comfortable with knowing that fate exists and that all of his experiences are meant to be.

Rafael doesn’t share Brian’s view about destiny. Rafael thinks that people can control how everything turns out. He feels that people who believe in fate use it as a way to console themselves when they may be going through a bad situation. Instead of saying that something happened because of fate, Rafael feels like people should just take control and move on with their lives.

Do you believe in fate? How much of your life is under your control?

 

Comments

Log in to Comment

YellovY

YellovY

Aruba

If we have something in mind we should work for it. Don’t just follow the fate or go with the flow. As long as our aim is good we gotta work for it. Go with the flow is just let us swinging with no answer. It is us, we are who lead to our destiny. Not fate.

01:04 PM Feb 20 2015 |

2 people like this

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

@Julito,


We are alive because we have dreams _


And you’re right, I have to follow my passion. It’s me in charge now, not fate I guess.

06:09 PM Feb 19 2015 |

1 person likes this

 julito

julito

Argentina

@Princesse,


Follow your passion , major in english or other language ,you could work as an translator and make a living.


If you asked me, i like marine biology and everyting that has to do with oceans , to work in an aquarium ,etc. but i am only dreaming:))))





05:03 PM Feb 19 2015 |

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

@Julito, hello!


Well, at the present, I’m a student in faculty of sciences, department of biology and chemistry and this year I have majored in zoology and chemistry although I wanted to study biochemistry, but again fate interfered because I didn’t really like biochemistry, I just wanted to be in the best department even if not best for me. But let me say that I really don’t see myself in any of them, I don’t think if I can be a biology/chemistry researcher despite the idea that I like biological sciences but not that far, so recently, I’ve decided to turn to a side I’ve neglected for so long and it’s my passion for languages. I’m improving my English, and now learning French and then Spanish. Maybe this will be a part in my future, and it’s a good plan B until I know what I can do with biological sciences.


I think I’m leaving it to Fate :)

04:45 PM Feb 19 2015 |

 julito

julito

Argentina

@ La princese de la vie , hello !!


 You could  realized  that  you were not  meant for medicine at the get go .I have a friend ,she is a real state broker  ,  i came to know that she had a doctorate in medicine  but never have  practiced that profession. Was she also afraid of blood and needles ? probably..    may I know then what career   have you decided to pursue  ? 

04:16 PM Feb 19 2015 |

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

Of course I believe in fate, but it’s not like I’m gonna sit down here while I wanna be there, and if fate wants me to be there, so I’ll be there :D


Before, I wanted to study medicine, I always wanted to be a doctor, so I did what I could do to have my wish. Then it didn’t work, and I didn’t get the required total to join faculty of medicine. And now I realized that I can’t stand seeing blood and, actually, till now I shiver when I hold an injection. Now in hindsight, I realize that that happened for a reason. 


Of course we are responsible for our lives, but in fateful situations, destiny interferes to choose the best for us instead of ourselves. 


Man doesn’t always know what the best is.

03:30 PM Feb 19 2015 |

Oluna

Oluna

Russian Federation

Dear julito!


Thank you…yes, I think optimism is the great power with which can do many many things..:))

06:48 PM Feb 18 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Dear Ditti,


You are right.. Yeah maybe she can see this features. I really haven’t thought of that before. 

04:59 PM Feb 18 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

Dear ScienceBoy,


I also don’t believe in astrology so much but I have to admit that sometimes I read my daily or weekly prediction when I am before an exam for example and sometimes do it just for fun.


But if your friend said that you have many good features of Dragon, you can belive it ! :-) Maybe she can see your those good features that you can’t.

04:41 PM Feb 18 2015 |

lostpoem

lostpoem

Turkey

# I feel myself as a  toy  in the hands of FATE, like a muppet  # 


04:34 PM Feb 18 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Dear Ditti


I believe in horoscopes. I don’t believe in Astrology though. I don’t belive when somoene says that I am gonna have good news in this week or find my love, bla, bla. But I believe in horoscopes because I am a pisces and I have all the features of a pisces described. That cannot be a coinsidence. 


My Chinese horoscope is Dragon but I don’t have its features. That’s unfortunate. It has many good features. 


But my dear friend Julie3 says I am a Dragon so I have this features. I just need to believe. It’s şad she is not active these days. Her comnents were always worth reading.

04:29 PM Feb 18 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

You Are The Creator Of Your Own Destiny Facebook Cover

04:28 PM Feb 18 2015 |

lostpoem

lostpoem

Turkey

# I wished,a beautiful fate for you ,when ı saw you at first ,as a beautiful woman.#

04:15 PM Feb 18 2015 |

lostpoem

lostpoem

Turkey





Control of fate.


03:56 PM Feb 18 2015 |

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

First al of all dear S&W ! Have a happy new year ! Do you have any resolution for the year of the ship or you just accept what the destiny brings ?


Secondly I think that there is a fate. I mean every man has a task in their life. There is a good saying for this. Your fate has wrotten but your own life you can turn. So dear ScinceBoy, Shoba, S&W,Mojtaba,Oluna I agree with you. Faith is exists but you can change it, you can turns it, you can do for your better life a lot. But of course there are some facts ( that hoseiny mentioned)that we cannot change. We have accept them as we can and do for those things that we can change.


Ususally people who don’t have enough power to change their life say that ‘it was disposed by the fate and they don’t do anything against it.


And there are some mistery for example thing which were written by Nostradamus and other prophets who anticipate events, actions. These things are so mistery, but maybe some of them come true, and many people belive them.


And turning back the new year of the ship. What about horoscope ? Do you belive them ? Anyway it’s such a funny thing that my europian singn is leo but according to chinese I am a rabbit, and they are so different. But to tell the truth I feel myself as a rabbit rather than a leo !  :-)

03:54 PM Feb 18 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

Hello dear Shoba,


Thank you for your kind words.:)

03:42 PM Feb 18 2015 |

1 person likes this

jennimaggi

jennimaggi

Ukraine

when you think about the differences between people of different countries (their health, wealth, facilities,culture and… ) then you will believe in fate

03:23 PM Feb 18 2015 |

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Dear Mojtaba,


Thanks for sharing this wonderful story with us. I like the optimism it preaches.



03:04 PM Feb 18 2015 |

1 person likes this

Shoba

Shoba

Sri Lanka



Hi dear ScienceBoy,


I do like your comment very much. It sounds sensible enough to me. 



02:53 PM Feb 18 2015 |

hoseiny

hoseiny

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

who does not belive in fate? who says we are whatever we want? ok, where are you from? imagine you were born in afghanistan, gaza strip, iraq and… , now instead of thinking of progress in your life you must think of being alive under bombing.


this is fate and we can not do anything about that.

02:43 PM Feb 18 2015 |

Likes (24):

See all >

Share this lesson:

  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Bebo
  • Share on Myspace
  • Share on Twitter
  • Email this to a friend
  • Share on Sina

Post Ebaby! lessons on your blog:

Ebaby! Cast