English Phrases That Show You Really Mean It

Hello everyone and welcome back to Bileo English.

I'm Leo.

And I'm Bella. So happy to have everyone here today.

Bella, something is on your mind today.

I do. My friend Jina. She finally got the job.

Oh! The one she has been preparing for?

Yes. Almost six months of interviews and tests.

Six months. That is such a long time. How is she feeling?

She is so happy. And I wanted to write her a message.

What did you send?

Just "Congrats!" with an exclamation mark.

Bella. That is all you wrote?

I know. It felt so small after everything she went through.

Six months of work. One word. "Congrats."

I wanted to say so much more. I just did not know how.

So is that what we are talking about today?

Yes. Today we are learning how to really congratulate someone in English.

Not just "Congrats." Something the other person actually remembers.

Something that stays.

I think many people feel this way, Bella.

There is something meaningful to say. But the words are not there.

I did this before. My friend Min passed a very difficult exam.

Oh no. What happened?

I said "That's great, man." And he smiled. But I could tell it was not enough.

It was right there on his face.

He studied for two years. Two years. And I said "That's great."

The words were true. But they did not carry the weight of what he did.

Exactly. They did not match the size of his effort.

So today we have four phrases that match that weight.

Phrases that your friend will remember for a long time.

But first, a small request.

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Okay, Bella. So how do we say it better?

Let's start with: "I knew you could do it."

"I knew you could do it." Oh, I love that already.

"Congrats" says: you did something great.

But this phrase says something more.

It says: I believed in you. Before this moment.

Even when it was hard. Even when they doubted themselves.

They could already feel your support.

"I knew you could do it."

Add their name: "Jina, I knew you could do it."

Or: "I always knew you could do it."

That word "always" adds so much warmth.

It says: this was never a surprise to me.

I never stopped believing in you.

Your friend will feel that. Really feel it.

What is the next phrase?

"I'm so proud of you."

"I'm so proud of you." That one feels very big.

Why does it feel so big?

Because it is about your feeling. Not just their achievement.

Exactly. "Congrats" is about them. "I'm so proud of you" is about your connection.

It says: this achievement matters to me. Personally.

Proud. Do you know this word, everyone?

Proud means: a warm, happy feeling when someone you care about does something great.

We feel proud of our children. Our friends. Our team.

"I'm so proud of you."

Try: "I'm so proud of everything you did."

Or: "I'm just so proud of you, honestly."

"Honestly" makes it feel genuine. It says: these are not just polite words.

And the third phrase?

"You worked so hard for this."

Hmm. This one feels different.

How so, Leo?

It is about the process. The journey. Not just the result.

Yes. It says: I saw what it took to get here.

"You worked so hard for this."

Anyone can say "Congrats." But this shows real attention.

It acknowledges the effort. The stress. The hard days.

Effort. Do you know this word, everyone?

Effort means: the energy and work someone puts into something important.

To say "You worked so hard" is to recognize their effort.

And people need to feel seen. Not just celebrated.

Try it: "You worked so hard for this. It really shows."

"It really shows." That is such a beautiful ending.

It says: the effort is visible. I could see it.

And the last phrase?

My favorite. "You deserve this."

"You deserve this." That is so complete.

It is the most final of all four phrases.

Why?

Because it says: this was always meant for you.

Deserve. Do you know this word, everyone?

Deserve means: you earned it. Your work, your effort, your character. This is yours.

Saying "You deserve this" is more than a reaction.

It is a confirmation. It says: yes. This is right.

"You deserve this."

Or add: "You worked so hard. You deserve this."

Two phrases together. The journey and the destination.

Or: "You deserve this and so much more."

That says: this is just the beginning.

I believe in everything still ahead of you.

Okay. Let's review everything we learned today.

We started with just "Congrats." True. But sometimes not enough.

"I knew you could do it."

Use this to say: I believed in you. Before this moment.

"I'm so proud of you."

Use this to share that feeling. That connection to them.

"You worked so hard for this."

Use this to honor the journey. The effort behind the result.

"You deserve this."

Use this to say: yes. This was always meant for you.

And the most important thing today?

"Congrats" takes two seconds. But real encouragement stays with someone forever.

Leo, is there someone right now to congratulate?

Actually, yes. My brother passed his driving test yesterday.

Oh! Today is the perfect day. Use one of these phrases.

We have a question for everyone today.

Think of one person in your life you are proud of right now.

Write them a message in English. Use one phrase from today.

Leave it in the comments. We want to read every single message.

The people we love deserve to hear it. In any language.

Thank you for listening to Bileo English. See you next time.

Bye, everyone.

Bye-bye. Take care.