First Conversations in English
Start speaking English with confidence in everyday interactions. Learn how to introduce yourself, build clear simple sentences, ask practical questions, and handle real conversations with ease.
Like Duolingo, but for First Conversations in English. Tomo turns the whole topic into a game you play five minutes a day, until it actually sticks.
A short one: 12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes end to end, roughly 5 days at five minutes a day. It moves through Starting to Speak and Keeping the Conversation Going. It starts from scratch.
Free forever · No credit card · iPhone & Android
Key ideas in First Conversations in English
- Formal English greetings change with the clock: 'Good morning' before noon, 'Good afternoon' until early evening, and 'Good evening' at night
- Short greetings like 'Hey' or 'Hi' are natural with friends and peers, but can feel too casual for formal or professional encounters
- 'Good night' is used exclusively when saying goodbye or going to sleep, never as a greeting upon arrival
- Standard English introductions follow a reliable three-part formula: greeting, stating your name ('I am...' or 'My name is...'), and offering a polite acknowledgment
- 'Nice to meet you' comes after the names are exchanged, acknowledging the newly formed connection
- Saying 'Nice to meet you' before stating who you are interrupts the typical conversational rhythm
- 'You're welcome' is the conventional paired response to 'Thank you' in English
- 'Please' is used strictly when making a request, not as a reply to thanks (unlike equivalents in German or Russian)
- Omitting a response to 'Thank you' can sound cold or indifferent in everyday English service interactions
- 'Excuse me' is the correct phrase to catch someone's attention politely or to pass through a crowded space
- 'Sorry' (or 'I'm sorry') is reserved for acknowledging a mistake, accident, or inconvenience you caused
- Calling out 'Sorry!' to someone who isn't looking at you sounds like you made an error rather than requesting service
- Parting wishes like 'Have a nice day' and 'Take care' smoothly wind down a conversation without awkward silences
- 'See you later' (or 'See you tomorrow') signals an informal departure when you expect to cross paths again
- 'Nice to meet you' belongs only to a first-time meeting at the beginning or end of that initial introduction, not daily departures with familiar colleagues
- Standard English sentences place the actor (subject) first, followed by the action (verb), and then the receiver (object)
You've tried the other tabs
Thirty open tabs. Four facts you actually kept.
You watched. You nodded. By Sunday it was gone.
One answer, then back to scrolling.
Eight weeks. You meant to finish. You didn't.
Tomo gives First Conversations in English the Duolingo treatment: levels, streaks, and quick quizzes that test what you just learned. That game loop is what the tabs above never had, so it's the one you actually finish.
Here's what playing it feels like
A real question from this course. Take your best guess.
You walk into a formal meeting with a new business client. Why might you avoid saying 'Hey'?
Get it right to open this lesson and 11 more in the app.
How to learn First Conversations in English, step by step
Go in order. 12 short levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes in all, five minutes a day.
- 1
Starting to Speak
- Opening Interactions Politely
- Putting Simple Sentences Together
- 2
Keeping the Conversation Going
- Asking Practical Questions
- Repairing Misunderstandings
2 sections · 4 units · 12 levels. Built to play, not to enroll.
Questions about First Conversations in English
How do I learn First Conversations in English?
Go in order: start with Starting to Speak, then Keeping the Conversation Going. On Tomo that's 12 short levels, about 24 minutes in all, played five minutes a day. Start free and play the first level in under a minute.
Is there a Duolingo-style app for First Conversations in English?
Yes. Tomo works like Duolingo: short daily lessons, streaks and quick quizzes. First Conversations in English is one of its free courses, and you can type any other topic to get a course of your own.
Is the First Conversations in English course free?
Yes. First Conversations in English is playable on Tomo's free plan, which doesn't expire. No credit card, no waitlist. Download the app and start your first lesson.
How long does it take to learn First Conversations in English?
12 levels across 2 sections, about 24 minutes of play in total. It's built for five minutes a day, so you finish it a little at a time instead of all at once.
Do I need any background to start First Conversations in English?
No. It's pitched at a beginner level, so it starts where you are and builds up. If you can tap a phone, you can start.
Tomo is in ChatGPT
Tomo is also a ChatGPT plugin: the same playable courses, built and played inside your chat.
Add Tomo to ChatGPT- What to ask
- “Make me a Tomo course on black holes.” “Turn this chat into a Tomo course.”
- What you get
- Quick questions with instant feedback, hearts and stars, ready to play in about a minute.
- Where it goes
- No sign-up to start. Connect your Tomo account and your streak carries on in the app.
You pick the voice
First Conversations in English is taught in the Bestie style: your friend who just gets it. Want a different feel? In the app you can spin up the same topic in any of Tomo's teaching styles. Same facts, totally different vibe.
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Start First Conversations in English today.
Download Tomo, search First Conversations in English, and play your first lesson in under a minute.