Idioms and idiomatic expressions. Idioms based on the principle of associations with colors
Hello my dear readers!
This morning, sitting on the balcony with a cup of coffee and reading latest news on BBC World News, I once again wondered why most of us study for so long foreign language but can't bring it to perfection? Why, since childhood, we spend our days learning new rules, writing new words, and news on English language, but faced with real colloquial speech, we fall into a stupor. Why at such moments it seems to us that our vocabulary as thick as a toothpick?
And so, asking myself more and more questions, I found the answer in another question: how do you teach at all new vocabulary in English? According to statistics, two-thirds of language learners learn simply individual words from a dictionary. And you among them? I invite you today to try with me to start doing everything in a completely different direction. Namely: to teach conversational phrases in English with translation.
Content:
Everything you need for everyday conversation
Yes, as much as I would like to fit everything I want into this short article, but, alas, I will have to choose only the best. And only then, my dears, you will have to go on a journey through useful expressions on your own. English speech(Of course, I will gladly be your companion on this journey).
I provide you with the following interesting expressions for your study. various topics:
Sorry for being late
. - Sorry for being late.
Sorry for interrupting you…
- I'm sorry to interrupt...
It turned out to be…
- It turned out...
I meant well
. - I wanted the best.
It didn't work out
. - It didn't work.
He backed out.
- He backed off.
Let us clean everything up.
- Let's find out.
It is none of your business.
- This is not your business.
Make up your mind.
- Make up your mind.
What is the use?
- What's the point?
Don't take rush steps.
- Don't take hasty steps.
I see.
- I realized).
There is no use
…- It's useless…
sooner or later
. - Sooner or later.
Time is up.
- Time is over.
Play for time
. - Play for time.
In no time.
- Instantly.
From time to time.
- Occasionally.
From now on.
- From now on.
take your time.
- Do not rush.
Many of these phrases sound a little familiar, which means that you can only use them with people you know well. But most of- General, which are suitable for completely different situations.
By the way, about situations... Soon I will start publishing exactly "situational" materials that you can immediately apply in your practice. Be sure to click on the "subscribe" button under this article or in the sidebar on the right if you don't want to miss the fun ;).
travel phrases
We all love to travel without a doubt. Modern reality repeats: on any trip, whether it's a one-day visit to a granny in another country or a full-fledged trip to the other side of the world, you can't get by with a primitive set of phrases like: thank you, where is the museum?, and "how much does it cost?". At a minimum, in addition to greeting phrases, you will have to learn the most popular expressions for tourists: about checking into a hotel, about food, about shopping, and, of course, about local attractions.
Below are some of them:
I need your help.
- I need your help.
I'm hungry\thirsty.
- I'm hungry / thirsty.
I am feeling sick.
- I feel bad.
I have a headache\stomachache.
- My head/stomach hurts.
Useful phrases when checking into a hotel:
I need a double\single room.
- I need a double/single room.
I have a room reserved.
-I booked a room.
What time is breakfast served?
- What time is breakfast served?
Most necessary expressions when walking around the city:
Tell me, please, where is the underground station\supermarket\currency exchange office?
- Tell me, please, where is the bus stop\supermarket\currency exchange?
What bus should I take to get to …?
What bus can I take to...
I want to buy a monthly metro pass/bus pass.
- I would like to buy a metro/bus pass for a month.
I want to pay by a credit card\in cash.
- I want to pay by credit card/cash?
May I have the bill, please?
- May I get the bill?
If the topic of tourism is not indifferent to you, please visit, where you will find comprehensive knowledge for traveling abroad.
Business phrases
Like any ambitious person, you will certainly pay attention to foreign suppliers in the conduct of your business, or to foreign buyers (with whom it is possible). And in order not to look ridiculous, even if there is a professional translator at the negotiations, knowledge of the basic expressions of business topics is simply vital. By the way, you will find even more business expressions and words.
So some useful phrases for business:
Give me, please, your name and number…
- Please give me your name and phone number...
Thanks you for enquiring\interest in…
- Thank you for your interest…
Answering your question…
-In response to your question about...
I look ahead to…
- I am looking forward…
Our company deals with producing…
Our company is engaged in manufacturing...
Our company confirms\approves
… - Our company confirms…
According to the agreement…
- According to the contract…
We would be glad to cooperate\collaborate with you…
- We look forward to working with you...
We are interested in your business offer
… - We are interested in your commercial offer…
I would like to pay your attention to
... - I would like to draw your attention to the fact that ...
Many more thematic words, phrases and expressions in different business sectors - you can find in!
Want some more goodies? So to summarize all of the above, I leave a few notes for you:
- Always learn ready-made expressions, not individual words. Once you learn just the words, you will never have the slightest idea how to use them.
- Learn basic phrases like "Our Father" and use them whenever possible.
- Break up the vocabulary to study on different topics so that you have a complete and vivid picture in your head.
- Learn them in the way that works best for you: make mindmaps and tables, watch movies and listen to audio, in online programs and in the form of games. Anything that helps you learn new vocabulary faster and better will be welcome.
- Always learn new words and expressions along with pronunciation. And it is desirable (but not necessary) to listen to direct recordings of the carrier.
As I said at the very beginning, my dears, I cannot fit into this article all the wealth of English speech that has been accumulating for centuries. But I tried to squeeze out all the best especially for you. I sincerely hope that these expressions will only be the starting point for your language learning.
Thus, with all your desire, the best base is to remember basic expressions, not words! And on my blog I am ready to help you at any time and give you the most necessary and timely information.
Read my new articles, subscribe to the newsletter of the most delicious materials and be always up to date.
And for today I tell you "goodbye";)
Idioms are set expressions(phrases), the meaning of which is not determined by the meaning of the individual words included in it. For example, To let the cat out of the bag. - Speak up.
Learning idioms is not only useful, but also very exciting - nothing reflects the mentality of native speakers of the target language like idioms. In addition, it will help you understand live speech and non-adapted literature.
Idioms - set expressions
You can't translate idioms verbatim, since they are indivisible lexical coalescences that can be translated either by meaning or by the corresponding equivalent in the target language. Idioms reflect the realities of the language and even history. For example, the idiom "work, carelessly" due to the fact that in ancient times Russian clothes had long sleeves, that is, it was impossible to work well in this condition. And, in turn, some English idioms will be incomprehensible to the Russian people. For example, "to pull someone's leg" does not mean “pulling someone by the leg”, but “playing a joke, fooling your head”. It also has to do with history. The origin of this expression dates back to the 18th century, when the streets of the cities were very dirty, and the British “jokingly” put a stick with a hook under the feet of the object of such unpretentious humor.
The meaning of some idioms is easy to understand, as they are similar to Russian
I can't believe my ears. - I can't believe my ears. That is, I do not believe what I hear.
Many idioms have a similar meaning, but are embodied in the language in different ways, other images and associations are used, related to the peculiarities of culture. different countries. For example, A carrot and stick- literally this combination is translated "carrot and stick", that is, the method of encouragement is carrots, and punishment is a stick. In our language, this idiom sounds - "the carrot and stick method." In this case, in the first place there is a punishment - a whip, and then a reward - a carrot.
Like two peas in a pod. - Like two peas in a pod, which is very similar. Our language also has a similar idiom, but the comparison takes place between two drops of water - "similar as two drops of water" .
Such idioms are the most difficult for an inexperienced translator, since the meaning will simply be lost in a literal translation.
There are idioms whose meaning is simply hard to guess
For example:
The bee's knees - the highest grade
All thumbs - clumsy. (He spilt his coffee again, he’s all thumbs - that is, literally, all the fingers on the hand are big).
Also ran - loser. (The idiom came from horse racing - literally - also ran, but did not receive a prize).
An arm and a leg is a huge amount of money. (That car cost him an arm and a leg.)
Make a pig's ear - doing something out of hand is bad.
Let's highlight the main groups of idioms
Idioms Based on Animal Comparisons
Pigs might fly - What only does not happen in the world!
Will a duck swim! - Still would!
To flog a dead horse - Wasting energy.
Straight from the horse's mouth - Firsthand.
A big fish in a small pond - An important bump out of the blue (local scale).
There isn't enough space to swing a cat - The apple has nowhere to fall.
To make a monkey out of someone - Make a fool out of someone.
Set expressions related to food
A bad egg - Scoundrel.
To go bananas - Go crazy.
To spill the beans - Give out a secret.
To be full of beans - Be very energetic.
It's a hot potato - This is a touchy subject.
A second bite of a cherry - Second attempt.
It's as good as a chocolate teapot - from this sense, like from a goat's milk.
Idioms related to body parts
To get cold feet - Be shy, drift off, get scared.
To be up in arms - Fully armed, be ready to fight.
He's twisting my arm - He puts pressure on me.
To keep an eye on something - Keep an eye on something.
I'd give my right arm to do it! - I would give anything to do this.
To have eyes on the back of one's head - Have eyes on the back of your head.
An old head on young shoulders - Be wise beyond your years.
To have someone's head in the clouds - Soar in the clouds.
To let someone's hair down - Relax, act relaxed.
Idioms based on the principle of associations with colors
It's like a red rag for a bull - It's like a red rag for a bull.
It's black and white - This is obvious.
To catch someone red-handed - Catch someone red-handed.
To paint the town red - Go on a spree.
Once in a blue moon- For once. Rarely.
To give a green light - Give good. Give permission.
There are unimaginably many set expressions in English (there are even!), and learning them is a real pleasure!
So - roll up your sleeves, and go ahead - gnaw on the granite of science!
To help - special dictionaries and lists of the most commonly used idioms and idiomatic expressions!
How quickly you got to us! Seems like you live far from here?
- Itook a taxi
.
The correct combination of words.
- I'm so glad to see you! Which unexpected meeting!
- I didn't expect it. Justtook the plane
and flew to you.
Wrong combination of words.
Well, we Russians don't say that. Got on a plane, bought a plane ticket, but not took the plane. Of course, we will understand the meaning of the expression, but an unnatural combination will “cut the ear”.
In English, the same principle: some words are combined, others are not.
quick food - fast food
a fast shower
Hence our advice: learn not only individual words, but also popular set expressions in English.
Even when you learn a single word, immediately look for the context in which it can and should be used (you will find it in dictionaries). We will devote to how best to learn new words. And today we are talking about phrases.
List of set expressions in English with translation
Yes, we have prepared a small list of ≈ 140 expressions. The same set phrases are duplicated in our set of words -.
And yes, just in case: set expressions- these are combinations of 2 or more words that are often used together with each other and sound natural to a native speaker. It can be noun + adjective, noun + verb, verb + adverb, etc.
Translation of set expressions from English into Russian
1. Set expressions with the verb to do in English
To do someone a favor (Provide someone a favor)
To do the cooking (Cook)
To do the housework (Do housework)
To do the shopping (Make purchases)
To do the washing up (Wash the dishes)
To do your best (Try)
To do your hair (Comb your hair)
2. Set expressions with the verb to have in English
To have a good time (Have a good time, more often used as a wish)
To have a bath (Take a bath)
To have a drink (Drink)
To have a haircut (Cut your hair)
To have a holiday (Have a vacation / vacation)
To have a problem (Have a problem, face a problem)
To have a relationship / to be in relationship (To be in a relationship)
To have lunch (Dine, have lunch)
To have sympathy (Sympathize)
3. Set expressions with the verb to break
To break the law (Break the law)
Break a leg (Informal: Good luck! No fluff, no feather!)
To break a promise (Break a promise)
To break a record (To break a record)
To break someone's heart (Break someone's heart)
To break the ice (Idiom: break the ice, take the first step, soften the situation, make a start)
To break the news to someone (Tell someone important news)
To break the rules (Break the rules)
4. Set expressions with the verb to take
To take a break (Take a break)
To take a chance (Take a chance, use a chance)
To take a look (Look)
To take a rest (Relax)
To take a seat (Sit down)
To take a taxi (Take a taxi)
To take an exam (Take an exam)
To take notes (Take notes)
To take someone's place (Take someone's place)
5. Set expressions with the verb to make
To make a difference (Make a difference, make a difference, significantly change things)
To make a mess (Make a mess)
To make a mistake (Make a mistake)
To make a noise
To make an effort (Make an effort)
To make money (Earn)
To make progress
To make room (Give room for someone)
To make trouble (Deliver problems)
6. Phrases with the verb to catch
To catch the bus (Catch the bus)
To catch a ball (Catch the ball)
To catch a cold (Catch a cold)
To catch a thief (Catch a thief)
To catch fire (Light up)
To catch sight of (See, notice)
To catch someone's attention (Catch someone's attention)
To catch someone's eye (Get someone's attention)
To catch the flu
7. Set expressions with the verb to pay
To pay respect (Express respect)
To pay a fine (Pay a fine)
To pay attention (Pay attention)
To pay by credit card (Pay by credit card)
To pay cash (Pay cash)
To pay interest
To pay someone a visit (Visit someone)
To pay the bill (Pay the bill)
To pay the price (Pay the price)
8. Stable expression with the verb to keep
To keep the change
To keep a promise (Keep a promise)
To keep an appointment (Come to the appointed place)
To keep calm (Keep calm)
To keep in touch (Stay in touch)
To keep quiet
To keep someone's place (Take, hold someone's place)
9. Phrases with the verb to save
Dictionary of set expressions of the English language
Phew, that's quite an impressive list, isn't it? to learn these expressions through interactive training.
But that is not all. Let's move on to the promised dictionaries. Oxford Collocation Dictionary- an amazing dictionary of set expressions in the English language. It works like this: you open the word that you learn in this moment, and look at lists of words (nouns, verbs, adjectives, collective words, etc.) that go with it.
There is another source where you can find the context of a word - these are English-English online dictionaries: Cambridge Dictionary, Oxford Dictionary, Oxford Learner's Dictionaries. You type a word into the search bar and you will find a bunch of usage examples next to its meaning. It is immediately clear which independent and service parts of speech are used together with it.
- Learn not only individual words, but also set phrases that native speakers use. Learn and perceive them together as a whole.
- To search for them, use a special dictionary with stable expressions or look at the context in which the word is used in English-English dictionaries. You need to do this with every new word that you learn!
- When you read texts / watch movies / listen to songs in English, also write down the combinations of words that you hear there.
- You can memorize set expressions in English in different ways: by topic (food, time, business, etc.) or by keyword(as in our article). If it is more convenient for your memory to memorize by topic, take our examples and break them into such thematic groups.
- If you are writing a text or compiling a story in English on a topic, then look for English-language articles on this topic. Look at what expressions are used there (most often, they will be the same). If you find it, feel free to use it: this is exactly what native speakers say about this topic.
: we have a huge number authentic materials in English, from where you can pick up set expressions, and then drive them away in training. 🙂
Most of these phrases are used in works of art, movies, TV shows. Also, some expressions will come in handy if you decide to visit a country on business or go to tourist trip, to rest. To communicate with service personnel, taxi drivers, sellers, you will need knowledge of English colloquial phrases.
How to learn colloquial phrases?
Some sites serve English popular expressions simply alphabetically, without classifying them by topic. In my opinion, it is more difficult to learn them this way. It is much easier to learn English idioms if you divide them by topics and situations where they are used: Greeting, Farewell, Politeness, Road, Emergencies and others. Therefore, on our website, I made a thematic selection with translation.
sustainable English expressions it is necessary to repeat every day, try to think in English, often use them in communication. Also, so that you remember these phrases and words faster, look through or reread them before going to bed. It is better to start with the simplest designs, gradually getting closer to more complex ones and increasing the pace. Step by step learning is the most effective.
English colloquial phrases, expressions and words are very concise. With what phrases to start learning is up to you. I recommend choosing based on which area you need to tighten. It is better to learn with translation. You can start, for example, with phrases of greeting and farewell:
- Of course, words like Hello (Hello), Goodbye (Goodbye), Hi (Hello) and Bye (Bye) are the legitimate leaders in terms of frequency of use. Without them, nowhere. But in order to at least slightly diversify your speech, I recommend using other expressions:
|
Phrase |
Translation
And finally universal linking idioms for all occasions:
|
Two heads and six legs; four walk, and two lie still
Self-esteem - what is it: concept, structure, types and levels
Cassandra's Path, or Pasta Adventures War on Earth and Underground