Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. By the way, if you want to see the video version of this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.

Today’s phrasal verb is perfect for the new year - kick off. When you kick off something, it means you start it in an energetic or official way. We use kick of for events, projects, meetings, and even new habits or goals.

• Like, my friend Emma kicked of2026 by joining a new gym.
• A lot of companies kick off events with a big team meeting.
• And me? I’m kicking off the new year with a fresh batch of podcast English lessons like this one.

And here’s a pronunciation tip: kick off sounds like kik-koff. The K at the end of kick links with off. That makes the sound smooth.

So how about you? How are you kicking off the new year? Maybe with a new hobby, a new routine, or a new goal for learning English?

Let me know in the comments, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Phrasal Verbs in a Minute.  Hey, thanks for listening - and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

I’m starting a small live English group next week focused on speaking with phrasal verbs.
Keeping it small so everyone can talk. Join us here: https://www.myhappyenglish.com/snpv