A2 English Everyday Situations Stories
Build your English skills with A2 everyday stories. More complex daily situations, shopping dialogues, and social interactions.
33 stories available
At the Airport
Maria travels to Paris for a business trip. She goes through check-in, security, and boards her flight. After a smooth journey, she arrives in Paris and takes a taxi to begin her meeting.
Shopping for Clothes
Emma goes shopping for summer clothes. She buys a beautiful blue dress, brown sandals, and a discounted t-shirt. She considers a leather bag but decides it's too expensive. She pays and goes home happy with her purchases.
At the Bank
Maria visits a local bank to open a new savings account. A friendly employee guides her through the process, explaining account types and fees. Maria provides her documents, makes her first deposit, and learns about online banking features. She leaves with a temporary card, pleased that the process was simple and straightforward.
Calling Customer Service
Emma calls customer service after noticing unexpected charges on her phone bill. A helpful agent named David identifies a billing error for international calls she never made and removes the charge. He also helps her switch to a cheaper plan with more benefits, leaving Emma satisfied with the quick resolution.
Getting a Haircut
Marco visits the barbershop for a much-needed haircut. The barber Tony cuts his hair following a picture Marco shows him, trims his beard, and they chat about football. Marco leaves feeling fresh and confident after paying and giving a tip.
Noise from the Neighbor
Maria lives in an apartment where a new neighbor, Thomas the drummer, moves in upstairs. The constant noise disrupts her work from home. After two weeks, she talks to him and they find a compromise - Thomas takes breaks during her important hours. They become friends after Maria attends his concert.
The Queue Jumper
Anna is waiting in line at a busy supermarket when a tall man pushes his cart to the front, ignoring everyone. Despite protests from an elderly woman, a young father, and others, the man refuses to move. The store manager arrives and firmly tells him to go to the back. Embarrassed, the man complies. Anna leaves the store with a smile, noticing that the queue jumper is still waiting - he would have been served faster if he had simply waited his turn.
The Apartment Viewing
Lisa has been searching for a new apartment for two weeks. She finally finds one that looks perfect and schedules a viewing with the landlord, Mr. Hansen. The apartment has a bright living room, a renovated kitchen with modern appliances, a cozy bedroom, and a bathroom with both a bathtub and shower. At 800 euros per month including utilities, the price fits her budget. Lisa is delighted to discover there is also a small balcony with a view of the park. She decides to take the apartment and arranges to sign the contract on Monday.
Splitting the Bill
Four friends finish dinner at a restaurant and need to split the bill. They decide to pay individually rather than equally since Mark only had a salad while Tom had an expensive steak. They also discuss leaving a tip for the excellent service. When Tom realizes he forgot his wallet, he uses his phone to pay. The evening ends with plans to meet again at an Italian restaurant next month.
The Flat Tire
Sarah gets a flat tire on her way home from work on a quiet road with no phone signal. Having never changed a tire before, she uses the instruction manual in her trunk and successfully changes the tire herself. Her husband is impressed, and the next day a mechanic fixes the puncture caused by a small nail. Sarah feels more confident knowing she can handle problems on her own.
Requesting a Refund
Emma buys a defective coffee machine and learns to navigate the refund process at the electronics store, successfully returning the product and getting her money back.
The Wrong Order
Sophie goes to her favorite Italian restaurant and orders spaghetti carbonara. The waiter makes multiple mistakes, bringing her pizza and then bolognese instead. After finally receiving the correct dish, the restaurant offers her the meal for free, turning a frustrating experience into a memorable and entertaining evening.
The Lost Credit Card
Emma loses her credit card after shopping and cannot find it at home. She quickly calls her bank to block the card and verify no unauthorized purchases were made. The bank confirms only her supermarket purchase and promises to send a new card. Emma then returns to the supermarket where a staff member found her card. She retrieves it, cuts it up for safety, and receives a new card the following week. She learns to always keep her card in her wallet.
At City Hall
Maria visits city hall to renew her expiring identity card. After waiting her turn, she submits her documents and pays the fee. Two weeks later, she picks up her new card, pleased by how smooth the process was.
Furniture Shopping
Lisa and Tom have just moved into a new apartment and need to buy furniture. They spend Saturday at a large furniture store, choosing a sofa, bed, dining table with chairs, bookshelf, and other items. After paying, they spend the rest of the weekend building the furniture together, and finally their apartment feels like home.
Joining a Gym
Tom decides to get healthier and joins a gym near his apartment. After a tour of the facilities, he signs up for a monthly membership and starts his first workout with cardio and weights. A friendly trainer helps him learn proper exercise techniques. Over the following weeks, Tom develops a regular routine, joins a yoga class, makes new friends, and sees positive changes in his strength and energy levels.
Recycling Rules
Emma moves to a new apartment and is confused by the five colored recycling bins in her building. Her neighbor Hans explains the system: blue for paper, yellow for plastic, green for glass, brown for organic waste, and black for everything else. After learning the rules and collection days, Emma sorts her waste at home. A month later, recycling becomes a natural habit. When a new neighbor arrives, Emma pays it forward by explaining the system, just as Hans did for her.
Car Breakdown
Mark's car breaks down on his way home from work on a Friday evening. After pulling over, he discovers smoke coming from the engine and calls Quick Fix Garage for help. A tow truck driver named Tom takes the car to the garage, where Lisa diagnoses a leaking radiator. Mark pays for the repair and picks up his car the next day, grateful that the problem was fixed and ready to enjoy his weekend.
The Lost Phone
Emma loses her phone while shopping at the mall. After retracing her steps and asking for help, she finally finds it at the coffee shop where she had stopped for a drink. A kind customer had found it and given it to the barista. Emma feels grateful and learns to be more careful with her belongings.
Returning an Item
Maya buys a coffee maker that does not work properly. She returns it to the store with her receipt, and the friendly employee processes her refund quickly. The experience is easier than she expected.
Paying Bills
A young woman learns to manage her monthly bills for the first time after moving into her own apartment. She discovers helpful tips along the way.
Making a Reservation
Sophie plans a surprise weekend for her parents' wedding anniversary. She books an Italian restaurant, a hotel with a river view, and jazz concert tickets. The weekend is a complete success, and her parents are deeply grateful.
The Power Outage
When a winter storm causes a power outage, the Miller family discovers the joy of spending time together without electronics. They have a candlelit picnic, play board games, and share stories. The experience brings them closer, and they decide to make game nights a weekly tradition.
Buying New Glasses
Maria has trouble reading and visits an eye doctor. After an exam, she learns she needs reading glasses. She chooses elegant silver frames and leaves the shop feeling happy.
Canceling a Subscription
Maria discovers she is still paying for a streaming service she no longer uses. She spends twenty frustrating minutes navigating confusing menus, declining special offers, and answering questions before finally canceling her subscription.
The Parking Ticket
Sarah drives to the city center to buy a birthday gift for her mother. She finds a parking spot and pays for one hour at the meter. While shopping, she takes longer than expected choosing between a scarf and a handbag, eventually buying both. When she returns to her car, she finds a fifty-euro parking ticket on her windshield.
At the Electronics Store
Lisa visits an electronics store to buy a new laptop for work. A friendly salesman helps her find the perfect computer with good specifications and a fair price. She also buys a laptop bag and pays by card. Lisa is happy with her purchase and looks forward to using her new laptop.
The ATM Problem
Maria's card gets stuck in a broken ATM. She calls the bank and learns she can get it back the next day. She uses another ATM nearby with a different card and gets her cash.
At the Optician
Maria visits an optician after experiencing headaches and difficulty reading. After an eye exam, she learns she needs glasses and chooses stylish blue frames. Once she starts wearing her new glasses, her headaches disappear and reading becomes enjoyable again.
Getting an ID Card
Emma, who has just turned eighteen, visits a government office with her mother to get her first ID card. After waiting in line, providing documents, having her photo taken and fingerprints recorded, she learns her card will be ready in two weeks. When she picks it up, she feels proud to finally be an official adult.
The Noisy Neighbors
Emma moves to a new apartment but struggles with noise from the family upstairs. After talking to her neighbor Maria, they find a solution and become good friends.
Emergency Contact
Maria is at work when she receives an urgent call. Her son had a small accident at school and needs to be picked up. She learns the importance of having reliable emergency contacts.
Appliance Repair
When Sarah's washing machine breaks down, she must navigate the process of getting it repaired. From calling customer service to waiting for the technician, she learns patience and discovers the importance of regular appliance maintenance.