Common American Phrases
Common American Phrases
Hello,
This is Teacher Ben at E52.
Below you’ll find a helpful list of short idioms, sayings, and phrases that you will hear a lot in everyday speech or in writing. While these are often informal, these phrases can have you sounding like a native speaker in no time. Try some of these out on your friends and see how they react!
Scoot over
When someone says “scoot over”, they want you to move over.
Break a leg
Although this idiom sounds bad, this is ironic theatrical slang for “good luck!”
Knock on wood
You say this when you want to stop a confident statement or a boast from turning into bad luck or bad consequences. You can also literally knock on wood to drive the point home!
No problem
This means “you’re welcome” or that something is not a big deal.
Wrap up
When you wrap something up, it means you finish it.
Jump the shark
This phrase comes from the sitcom Happy Days and is usually applied to TV shows – it means to take something too far for the sake of novelty or in an attempt to remain relevant. It usually shows a decline in quality or popularity for a show or series.
My bad
When something is your fault or your mistake, you can say “my bad”.
Green thumb
If you are very good at gardening, you have a green thumb.
Ride shotgun
To ride shotgun is to ride in the front passenger seat of a car.
Jacked
If you are really strong and muscular, you are jacked.
Lemon
When you make a bad or faulty purchase, the item you bought could be called a “lemon”.
Up my alley
If it is something you would like or it suits your taste, it is up your alley.
Take a rain-check
When you want to postpone something for a later time or date, you can “take a rain-check”.
Under the weather
If you feel sick or crummy, you are under the weather.
Trash
To trash something means to destroy it – for example, rock bands always trash hotel rooms when they are on tour!
Shoot the breeze
If you talk idly or chat, mostly focusing on small talk, you are shooting the breeze.
Spill the beans
If you reveal a secret, usually unintentionally, you are spilling the beans.
I’m all ears
If you are “all ears”, it means that you are truly listening to someone or something.
Racking my brain
If you are racking your brain, you are thinking very hard and straining to think of something.
Think outside the box
When you are thinking outside the box, you are being creative and thinking of unique solutions to your problems.
Playing hardball
You are playing hardball when you are not taking it easy and you are trying hard to win or succeed
Fall in love
When you fall in love, you develop a deep romantic attachment to someone
We are letting you go
When you are being let go, you are being fired.
An arm and a leg
If you are paying an arm and a leg, you are spending a lot of money on something very expensive.
Bad hair day
This one is pretty straightforward –you say you are having a bad hair day when your hair looks bad that day. It can also mean that you are just having a bad day in general.
Feel free to post any phrases of your own or ask a question about a phrase that you overheard!
Cheers,
Ben at E52
This is Teacher Ben at E52.
Below you’ll find a helpful list of short idioms, sayings, and phrases that you will hear a lot in everyday speech or in writing. While these are often informal, these phrases can have you sounding like a native speaker in no time. Try some of these out on your friends and see how they react!
Scoot over
When someone says “scoot over”, they want you to move over.
Break a leg
Although this idiom sounds bad, this is ironic theatrical slang for “good luck!”
Knock on wood
You say this when you want to stop a confident statement or a boast from turning into bad luck or bad consequences. You can also literally knock on wood to drive the point home!
No problem
This means “you’re welcome” or that something is not a big deal.
Wrap up
When you wrap something up, it means you finish it.
Jump the shark
This phrase comes from the sitcom Happy Days and is usually applied to TV shows – it means to take something too far for the sake of novelty or in an attempt to remain relevant. It usually shows a decline in quality or popularity for a show or series.
My bad
When something is your fault or your mistake, you can say “my bad”.
Green thumb
If you are very good at gardening, you have a green thumb.
Ride shotgun
To ride shotgun is to ride in the front passenger seat of a car.
Jacked
If you are really strong and muscular, you are jacked.
Lemon
When you make a bad or faulty purchase, the item you bought could be called a “lemon”.
Up my alley
If it is something you would like or it suits your taste, it is up your alley.
Take a rain-check
When you want to postpone something for a later time or date, you can “take a rain-check”.
Under the weather
If you feel sick or crummy, you are under the weather.
Trash
To trash something means to destroy it – for example, rock bands always trash hotel rooms when they are on tour!
Shoot the breeze
If you talk idly or chat, mostly focusing on small talk, you are shooting the breeze.
Spill the beans
If you reveal a secret, usually unintentionally, you are spilling the beans.
I’m all ears
If you are “all ears”, it means that you are truly listening to someone or something.
Racking my brain
If you are racking your brain, you are thinking very hard and straining to think of something.
Think outside the box
When you are thinking outside the box, you are being creative and thinking of unique solutions to your problems.
Playing hardball
You are playing hardball when you are not taking it easy and you are trying hard to win or succeed
Fall in love
When you fall in love, you develop a deep romantic attachment to someone
We are letting you go
When you are being let go, you are being fired.
An arm and a leg
If you are paying an arm and a leg, you are spending a lot of money on something very expensive.
Bad hair day
This one is pretty straightforward –you say you are having a bad hair day when your hair looks bad that day. It can also mean that you are just having a bad day in general.
Feel free to post any phrases of your own or ask a question about a phrase that you overheard!
Cheers,
Ben at E52