Summer has arrived and you might be gearing up for a holiday soon. Knowing some of the local language is always helpful, but to genuinely speak like a native English speaker, you must grasp and use common phrases and idioms that locals employ in daily conversations. Native English speakers have a natural command of these phrases, whereas non-fluent speakers often need to study and practice them to achieve fluency.
In this blog post, weāll delve into essential English phrases that will help you sound more like a local and less like a tourist.
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Depending on where you go, the language will be vastly different, but quite often, certain English phrases overlap, so you might hear some common phrases being used in more than one country.
This quirky phrase means that something has gone wrong or not as planned. For example, if your holiday plans fall apart due to bad weather, you could say, āOur trip to the coast has gone all pear-shaped.ā In other words, itās bad news for our vacation.
In Australia, youāll often hear the phrase āNo worries, mate!ā used to convey that everything is fine or that thereās no problem. Itās a versatile expression of reassurance and friendliness. For instance, if you apologize for bumping into someone on a busy street, you might receive a cheerful āNo worries, mate!ā in response.
This phrase is an invitation to help yourself to as much of something as you want. For example, if youāre at a buffet and someone says, āFill your boots,ā theyāre encouraging you to enjoy as much food as you like. Itās a welcoming expression that showcases generosity and hospitality.
This expression is used to affirm the truth or genuineness of something. It can be equated to saying āreallyā or āhonestlyā in other English dialects. For example, if someone tells you a surprising fact about the local wildlife, you might respond with āFair dinkum?ā to confirm that it is indeed true.
This phrase means that something is full to capacity. For instance, if a pub or restaurant is very crowded, you might hear someone say, āThe pub is chock-a-block tonight.ā Itās an evocative way to describe a situation where space is limited or an area is very busy.
In Canada, especially when discussing coffee, a ādouble-doubleā refers to a coffee with two creams and two sugars. For example, if youāre at a cafe and want a coffee with two creams and two sugars, you would say, āIāll have a double-double, please.ā This phrase will make you sound like a fluent English speaker.
Feeling extremely tired? Then youāre āknackered.ā This phrase is commonly used in the UK to express exhaustion. After a long day of sightseeing, you might say, āIām completely knackered!ā If you only feel this tired once in a blue moon, youāre lucky! This is a common way to express tiredness in everyday conversation in the UK.
If something isnāt to your liking, you might say, āItās not my cup of tea.ā This phrase is a polite way of expressing disinterest or dislike. For example, you might say, āHorror films are not my cup of tea.ā Even if English is not your native language, using phrases like āItās not my cup of teaā can help you sound more natural.
If you find yourself slightly annoyed or irritated, you might use the phrase āa bit miffed.ā Itās a mild way to express discontent. For example, if youāve been waiting a long time in a queue and someone cuts in front of you, you might say, āI was a bit miffed when they pushed in.ā If you think cutting in line will get you served faster, youāre . Fluent English speakers often use āa bit miffedā to express mild irritation politely.
A common greeting in the United States, āWhatās up?ā is a casual way to ask someone how they are or what they are doing. Itās extremely common and often used among friends and acquaintances. For instance, when meeting a friend, you might say, āHey, whatās up?ā to start a conversation.
Another casual greeting you might hear is āHowās life?ā which is used to check in on someoneās well-being.
If you hear someone use this phrase, āin a jiffy,ā it means they will do it very quickly. Itās a phrase used to indicate promptness or immediacy. For example, if youāre waiting for your meal at a restaurant and the server says, āItāll be ready in a jiffy,ā you can expect it to arrive shortly.
If youāre ready to go to bed or sleep, you can use the phrase āhit the sack.ā Itās a casual way of saying that you are going to sleep. After a long day of activities, you might tell your friends, āIām exhausted, I think Iāll hit the sack.ā When speaking English, using phrases like āhit the sackā can make your conversations sound more natural.
Brits love talking about the weather, so it's no surprise this idiom is weather-related. The idiom is a colorful way to describe heavy rain. Using this idiom not only conveys the severity of the rain but also adds a touch of humor to your conversation. If you visit during its rainy seasons (which is more often than you think), you'll have plenty of opportunities to use this phrase.
Incorporating these common English phrases into your conversations will not only help you blend in better but also make your interactions more engaging and authentic. Remember, language learning is an ongoing process, so donāt be afraid to make mistakes. Expanding your spoken English vocabulary will also help you feel more confident in your interactions.
The more you practice, the more confident youāll become. The more you practice, the more you will sound like a fluent English speaker. If you can, consulting a native speaker can help you understand such idioms and use them correctly. Native speakers often talk quickly and use complex vocabulary, so donāt hesitate to ask them to speak slower or provide examples to improve your understanding.
Read our blog post 'English words and slang terms you should know'
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In a previous blog, we shared someĢżstrange English phrases that might have left you with some questions. The English language is full of peculiar phrases that can even confuse fluent speakers. In today's post, we'll take a look at a few more such phrases to help you expand your repertoire.
English is the second most widely spoken language ā it is estimated that nearly two billion people worldwide can speak English at a useful level. That means they can hold a conversation with other English-speaking people.
A report by the attests the importance of the English language to the world, and says thatĢżsecond-language English speakers far outnumber fluent English speakers. It also recognizes how being able to speak English can give individuals a competitive edge over others. If you're asking the question, "Why should I learn English?", read on to find out more...
What is it about music that helps boost your English skills, confidence and pronunciation? A song can provide an emotional connection between the music and the listener, providing learners with new ways to express their feelings. Music and rhythm have also been shown to benefit memorization, which is a key component of learning.
Here are some of our favorite lyrics to some of our favorite songs:
The Beatles are the best band to help you learn English. There are many Beatles songs with catchy melodies and simple lyrics, but Blackbird captures the Fab Four at their most poetic:
Blackbird singing in the dead of night
Take these broken wings and learn to fly
All your life
You were only waiting for this moment to arise
This song is a great way to help learn the days of the week (that may be obvious). Love is also a very popular English word, so this one is for all the romantics out there.
Always take a big bite
Itās such a gorgeous sight
To see you eat in the middle of the night
Another one for the lovers, Edās heartfelt lyrics are huge in the mainstream pop charts. Here, he tells the sweet story of long-time love in this ballad and heās becoming one of the worldās most sought-after songwriters.
Take me into your loving arms
Kiss me under the light of a thousand stars
Place your head on my beating heart
This classic from Morrissey and co was voted runner-up in VH1ās Top Lyrics poll, for the lyrics: So you go and you stand on your own, and you leave on your own, and you go home and you cry and you want to dieā but itās the opening lines of the song that are the most intriguing. Firstly, theyāre adapted from George Eliotās novel Middlemarch and include some rather clever double meanings ā namely āsonā (sun) and āheirā (air).
I am the son
And the heir
Of a shyness that is criminally vulgar
This was Neil Youngās only number-one hit single from 1972ās Harvest album. He uses simple lyrics and melodies to tell his story of searching for true love.
Iāve been in my mind
Itās such a fine line
That keeps me searchinā for a heart of gold
And Iām gettinā old
U2 is the second-best band to help you learn English and frontman Bono is the second-best male artist to help you learn (edged out by Justin Timberlake). The chorus was inspired by a moment during a performance in New York City, when Bono saw the audience lit up and shouted, āOh, you look so beautiful tonight!ā
And I miss you when youāre not around
Iām getting ready to leave the ground
Oh you look so beautiful tonight
In the city of blinding lights
These lyrics are a good use of repetition and rhyme, which is excellent for helping memorization. Most people consider this a love song, but thatās a common mistake. In 1983, Sting was interviewed for New Musical Express and explained: āI think itās a nasty little song, really rather evil. Itās about jealousy and surveillance and ownership.ā
Every move you make and every vow you break
Every smile you fake, every claim you stake, Iāll be watching you
Every move you make, every step you take, Iāll be watching you
Dylanās whimsical, poetic lyrics might be difficult for an English language learner to interpret, but that doesnāt mean theyāre not a pleasure to listen and sing along to.
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
Iām not sleepy and there is no place Iām going to
Hey! Mr Tambourine Man, play a song for me
In the jingle jangle morning Iāll come followinā you
This song takes you through the daily goings-on in a typical household in the 80s. This song has been around for a while now but is a story that most people can still connect with. This is an excellent song for understanding the concept of nostalgia!
I remember way back then when
everything was true and when
we would have such a very good time
such a fine time
Sadly, Otis Redding lost his life in a plane crash shortly after this song was recorded, and it was released after his death. His lyrics are quite reflective, provoking both contentment and sadness. You can really imagine yourself sitting on the dock with his simple yet descriptive words.
Sittinā in the morning sun
Iāll be sittinā when the evening comes
Watching the ships roll in
Then I watch them roll away again
No list of standout turns of phrase would be complete without Leonard Cohen, a man whose songwriting process is so painstaking heāll often spend years on the same song. When quizzed on his process, Cohen once said it often took so long because, āAfter a while, if you stick with the song long enough it will yield.ā Itās interesting to note then that, even for a master of the English language, the words donāt always come easily. Everybody Knows remains a firm favorite among fans, with the majority of lines starting with the words āEverybody knowsā¦ā Itās a lengthy song, but for the sheer beauty of its words and phrasing, the opening lines are a highlight:
Everybody knows that the dice are loaded
Everybody rolls with their fingers crossed
Everybody knows that the war is over
Everybody knows that the good guys lost
