Most relationships begin with a simple moment: meeting someone new, starting a conversation or discovering that you have something in common. The person might be a newcomer at school, a team-mate, a co-worker or even a flatmate. At first, it can feel difficult to approach someone, especially when neither person knows what to say. A friendly question or a small joke can break the ice and help both people relax.
Sometimes people immediately click with each other or hit it off. Conversations feel easy, and a natural connection begins to form. At other times, friendship develops more slowly. People need time to get to know each other, learn about their interests and understand their personality. For a newcomer, being accepted by a peer group can make it much easier to fit in. Small actions can also make someone feel welcome, such as inviting them to join an activity or simply talking to them during a break.
As people spend more time together, some become part of each other’s social circle, while others may become close friends. Strong friendships are usually based on trust and respect. It takes time to build trust, because people need to see that they can count on each other and that the other person will be there for you when things become difficult. As trust grows, people may feel comfortable enough to open up and talk honestly about their thoughts, worries or experiences.
Relationships also need effort. Even good friends can become busy or move to different places, so both people may need to make an effort to keep in touch. Today, it is easy to be in contact with someone through messages or video calls, but meaningful relationships still need attention. If people have not spoken for a long time, they may decide to reconnect. Sometimes one person simply needs to reach out to the other first.
Not every connection is a friendship. Two people may decide to go out and eventually become a couple. Some people first meet on a blind date, where they have agreed to meet because there may be romantic interest, even though they have never met before. Whether a relationship becomes romantic or stays friendly depends on the people involved and how their connection develops.
Over time, the people we trust can become part of our support network — the group we turn to for advice, encouragement or help. Building strong relationships is not about knowing as many people as possible. It is about creating connections in which people feel accepted, respected and able to rely on one another.
In this unit, you will explore how people meet, build connections and develop different kinds of relationships.
Sometimes people immediately click with each other or hit it off. Conversations feel easy, and a natural connection begins to form. At other times, friendship develops more slowly. People need time to get to know each other, learn about their interests and understand their personality. For a newcomer, being accepted by a peer group can make it much easier to fit in. Small actions can also make someone feel welcome, such as inviting them to join an activity or simply talking to them during a break.
As people spend more time together, some become part of each other’s social circle, while others may become close friends. Strong friendships are usually based on trust and respect. It takes time to build trust, because people need to see that they can count on each other and that the other person will be there for you when things become difficult. As trust grows, people may feel comfortable enough to open up and talk honestly about their thoughts, worries or experiences.
Relationships also need effort. Even good friends can become busy or move to different places, so both people may need to make an effort to keep in touch. Today, it is easy to be in contact with someone through messages or video calls, but meaningful relationships still need attention. If people have not spoken for a long time, they may decide to reconnect. Sometimes one person simply needs to reach out to the other first.
Not every connection is a friendship. Two people may decide to go out and eventually become a couple. Some people first meet on a blind date, where they have agreed to meet because there may be romantic interest, even though they have never met before. Whether a relationship becomes romantic or stays friendly depends on the people involved and how their connection develops.
Over time, the people we trust can become part of our support network — the group we turn to for advice, encouragement or help. Building strong relationships is not about knowing as many people as possible. It is about creating connections in which people feel accepted, respected and able to rely on one another.
In this unit, you will explore how people meet, build connections and develop different kinds of relationships.
1. People and Social Groups
co-worker — [ˌkəʊˈwɜː.kər] — a person who works with you, usually in the same workplace; darba kolēģis, darba kolēģe
flatmate — [ˈflæt.meɪt] — a person who shares a flat with you but is not usually a member of your family; dzīvokļa biedrs, dzīvokļa biedrene
newcomer — [ˈnjuːˌkʌm.ər] — a person who has recently arrived somewhere or joined a group; jaunpienācējs(a)
peer group — [ˈpɪə ˌɡruːp] — a group of people of a similar age, background, or social position; vienaudžu grupa
social circle — [ˈsəʊ.ʃəl ˌsɜː.kəl] — the group of people you regularly spend time with and know socially; draugu un paziņu loks
support network — [səˈpɔːt ˌnet.wɜːk] — a group of people who can give you help, advice, or emotional support when you need it; atbalsta loks, atbalsta tīkls
team-mate — [ˈtiːm.meɪt] — a person who is in the same sports team or other organised team as you; komandas biedrs, komandas biedrene
2. Meeting People and Making Connections
approach someone — [əˈprəʊtʃ ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to go up to someone and start talking to them, especially when you do not know them well; pieiet pie kāda un uzrunāt viņu
break the ice — [ˌbreɪk ði ˈaɪs] — to say or do something that makes people feel more relaxed when they first meet; mazināt sākotnējo neveiklību, uzsākt brīvāku sarunu
click with someone — [ˈklɪk wɪð ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to quickly feel comfortable with someone and find it easy to communicate with them; uzreiz saprasties ar kādu
get to know someone — [ˌɡet tə ˈnəʊ ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to gradually learn more about someone and become more familiar with them; iepazīt kādu tuvāk
have something in common — [ˌhæv ˌsʌm.θɪŋ ɪn ˈkɒm.ən] — to share the same interests, experiences, opinions, or characteristics with someone; būt kaut kam kopīgam
hit it off — [ˌhɪt ɪt ˈɒf] — to immediately like someone and have a friendly connection with them; uzreiz labi saprasties
fit in — [ˌfɪt ˈɪn] — to feel accepted by a group and comfortable as part of it; iederēties, iekļauties
make someone feel welcome — [ˌmeɪk ˌsʌm.wʌn fiːl ˈwel.kəm] — to behave in a friendly way that helps someone feel comfortable and accepted; likt kādam justies gaidītam un pieņemtam
3. Building Trust and Closeness
trust — [trʌst] — the belief that someone is honest, reliable, and will not deliberately hurt or disappoint you; uzticēšanās, uzticība
open up to someone — [ˌəʊ.pən ˈʌp tə ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to begin talking honestly to someone about your thoughts, feelings, or personal experiences; atklāties kādam
build trust — [ˌbɪld ˈtrʌst] — to gradually develop confidence that another person is honest, reliable, and supportive; veidot uzticēšanos
count on someone — [ˈkaʊnt ɒn ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to trust someone to help you or do what they have promised; paļauties uz kādu
be there for someone — [bi ˈðeə fə ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to be ready to listen to, help, or support someone when they need you; būt līdzās kādam, atbalstīt kādu
4. Maintaining Connections
reach out to someone — [ˌriːtʃ ˈaʊt tə ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to contact someone because you want to communicate with, help, or support them; sazināties ar kādu, vērsties pie kāda
be in contact with someone — [bi ɪn ˈkɒn.tækt wɪð ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to communicate with someone or exchange information with them, either regularly or from time to time; būt kontaktā ar kādu, sazināties ar kādu
keep in touch — [ˌkiːp ɪn ˈtʌtʃ] — to continue communicating with someone, especially when you do not see each other regularly; uzturēt kontaktu, turpināt sazināties
reconnect — [ˌriː.kəˈnekt] — to start communicating or spending time with someone again after a period of little or no contact; atjaunot kontaktu, atsākt saziņu
5. Romantic Connections
go out with someone — [ɡəʊ ˈaʊt wɪð ˌsʌm.wʌn] — to have a romantic relationship with someone and regularly spend time together; satikties ar kādu, būt romantiskās attiecībās ar kādu
couple — [ˈkʌp.əl] — two people who are married or in a romantic relationship with each other; pāris
Practice: You already know the language of building connections — now use it in real-life situations. Read each scenario and explain what you think the people should do, why, and what might happen next. Use the target vocabulary and develop your response by giving reasons, examples and possible solutions. Use the answer prompts if you need help organising your ideas.
Scenario 1 — A New Student
A new student has joined your class. They seem friendly but quiet and usually spend breaks alone. What could you do to help this person feel more comfortable?
Target vocabulary: newcomer, approach someone, break the ice, make someone feel welcome, fit in
Model response:
A new student has joined your class. They seem friendly but quiet and usually spend breaks alone. What could you do to help this person feel more comfortable?
Target vocabulary: newcomer, approach someone, break the ice, make someone feel welcome, fit in
Model response:
"I think the best thing would be to approach the newcomer and start a simple conversation. Asking about their interests could help break the ice and make the situation less awkward. I would also invite them to join my friends during a break or take part in an activity. This could make them feel welcome and help them fit in. Over time, we would have a chance to get to know each other better."
Scenario 2 — Staying Close from a Distance
Your close friend has moved to another town. At first, you talked almost every day, but recently you have had less and less contact. What could you both do to keep the friendship strong?
Target vocabulary: close friend, make an effort, keep in touch, be in contact with someone, reach out to someone, reconnect
Model answer:
Your close friend has moved to another town. At first, you talked almost every day, but recently you have had less and less contact. What could you both do to keep the friendship strong?
Target vocabulary: close friend, make an effort, keep in touch, be in contact with someone, reach out to someone, reconnect
Model answer:
"When a close friend moves away, it can be harder to stay connected, so both people need to make an effort. They could keep in touch by sending messages or calling each other regularly. If they have not spoken for a while, one person should not be afraid to reach out first. Even a short message can help them reconnect. Being in different places does not have to end a friendship if both people want to be in contact."
Scenario 3 — When a Friendship Becomes One-Sided
Two close friends now live in different towns. One of them regularly sends messages and suggests meeting, while the other rarely replies and almost never makes contact first. The first friend is beginning to wonder whether the friendship is still important to both of them. What would you advise them to do?
Target vocabulary: close friend, make an effort, keep in touch, reach out to someone, reconnect, count on someone, be there for someone
Model answer:
Two close friends now live in different towns. One of them regularly sends messages and suggests meeting, while the other rarely replies and almost never makes contact first. The first friend is beginning to wonder whether the friendship is still important to both of them. What would you advise them to do?
Target vocabulary: close friend, make an effort, keep in touch, reach out to someone, reconnect, count on someone, be there for someone
Model answer:
"I would advise the person to talk honestly to their close friend before deciding that the friendship is over. Staying close at a distance usually requires both people to make an effort and keep in touch, but there may be reasons why one person has become less active. They could reach out and explain how they feel without blaming their friend. If both people still value the friendship, they may be able to reconnect and find a better way to stay in contact. A strong friendship should also mean knowing that you can count on each other and be there for each other when it matters."
Scenario 4 — Instant Connection or Real Trust
Two students meet while working on an international school project. They immediately enjoy talking to each other and discover many shared interests. After only a few days, one student wants to share a very personal problem with the other. Do you think feeling an immediate connection is enough to trust someone with private information?
Target vocabulary: connection, click with someone, hit it off, have something in common, get to know someone, build trust, open up to someone, trust, respect
Model answer:
Two students meet while working on an international school project. They immediately enjoy talking to each other and discover many shared interests. After only a few days, one student wants to share a very personal problem with the other. Do you think feeling an immediate connection is enough to trust someone with private information?
Target vocabulary: connection, click with someone, hit it off, have something in common, get to know someone, build trust, open up to someone, trust, respect
Model answer:
"People can sometimes click immediately and hit it off because they have a lot in common. This can create a strong feeling of connection, but I do not think that automatically means there is already complete trust. Trust usually develops as people get to know each other and see how the other person behaves over time. Before you open up to someone about something very personal, it is worth thinking about whether that person has shown respect and can keep private information confidential. An instant connection can be the beginning of a strong relationship, but it usually takes longer to build trust."
Scenario 5 — Old Friends, New Social Circles
After starting secondary school, a student quickly becomes part of a new peer group and spends most of their free time with new friends. As a result, they see an old close friend much less often. The old friend feels that the friendship is becoming less important, while the student believes it is natural for people’s social circles to change as they grow older. Do you think people should make an effort to maintain old friendships when their lives and social circles change? Explain your opinion and consider both sides.
Target vocabulary: close friend, peer group, social circle, connection, make an effort, keep in touch, reconnect, support network
Model answer:
After starting secondary school, a student quickly becomes part of a new peer group and spends most of their free time with new friends. As a result, they see an old close friend much less often. The old friend feels that the friendship is becoming less important, while the student believes it is natural for people’s social circles to change as they grow older. Do you think people should make an effort to maintain old friendships when their lives and social circles change? Explain your opinion and consider both sides.
Target vocabulary: close friend, peer group, social circle, connection, make an effort, keep in touch, reconnect, support network
Model answer:
"I think it is natural for a person’s social circle to change when they start a new school or enter a different stage of life. Joining a new peer group can help people develop new interests and form new connections, so they should not feel guilty about making new friends. However, I also think strong friendships are worth protecting. If someone has been a close friend for years, both people should make an effort to keep in touch, even if they cannot spend as much time together as before. Old friends can also remain an important part of a person’s support network. At the same time, friendships should not feel like an obligation. Sometimes people naturally grow apart. If they still value the friendship, they can always reconnect later. In my view, the important thing is to balance new relationships with the ones that still matter."