15 essential English conversational expressions

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

From the article by Polina Chervova, who founded the training center "" and developed her own teaching methodology, you will learn about the most common colloquial expressions that native speakers really use, and learn how to use them.

Book English is very different from living spoken language. No Englishman or American will use high-flown textbook expressions when chatting with friends or to explain to you how to get to the city center.

When trying to memorize basic conversational phrases, do not cram them. And do not try to learn everything in one go, because it will not do any good. Memorize one expression a day, come up with associations, recall interesting cases from your life for each of them, and, of course, use it in conversation.

Up to you - decide for yourself, it's up to you

Used in cases when you want to give the right of choice to your interlocutor.

- We can go to Rome or to Barcelona. Where do you want to go to?

(We can go to Rome or Barcelona. Where do you want?)

- I don’t know, up to you.

(I don't know, decide for yourself.)

Break out - open

An analogue of the well-known word open, the use of which will also not be a mistake, but to give your speech a less formal shade, you can use break out.

- Did you break out the cookies we bought yesterday?

(Did you open the cookies we bought yesterday?)

Head for - go, head

This expression can be used both literally and figuratively. For example, you can say that you are heading to a bar or cafe, or you can say that someone will have problems, that is, this person is moving towards them.

- Did you head for the beach for sunset yesterday evening?

(Did you go to the beach last night to watch the sunset?)

Catch - cross

Used to mean "to catch someone" both literally and figuratively.

- Sorry, I'm busy now I have to pack my bag by 5pm.

(Sorry, I'm busy right now, I need to pack my bag by 5 o'clock.)

- OK, no problem, I'll catch you later.

(No problem, we'll see you later.)

Have a clue - have an idea

We use this expression when we say we know or don't know about something. Most often used in a negative sense.

- I haven’t a clue about buying charter tickets to Europe.

(I have no idea how to buy charter tickets to Europe.)

Same as always (same old same old) - also

An analogue of the well-known the same.

- How are you today?

(How are you?)

- Same old same old

(Normally.)

It sucks it sucks

In colloquial speech, expressions such as what’s a pity or it’s a shame have not been used for a long time. Instead, they just say it sucks.

- I've lost our money and passports.

(I lost our money and passports.)

- Oh, it sucks.

(It sucks.)

It's worth it - it's worth it

A terrific expression that can be used both in the present and in the past and future tenses. Please note that worth is an adjective in this case, so when using this expression in different tenses, do not forget to change the verb to be.

- We walked up to the top of the mountain over 1 678 stairs, we were extremely tired, but it was worth it.

(We climbed to the top of the mountain, overcoming 1,678 steps, we were incredibly tired, but it was worth it.)

To figure out - to understand, to be aware

Analogous to words like understand and realize. Also to figure someone / somebody out can be used in situations where you have finally understood someone or something or solved a problem.

- We were on our way to the beach when I suddenly figured out that I’ve left our beach blanket at home.

(On the way to the beach, I suddenly realized that I had left our beach cover at home.)

- It took me 2 hours to figure out how to get to the airport from my hotel.

(It took me 2 hours to finally figure out how to get to the airport from my hotel.)

All set out to - everything is ready to

- I was all set to go to the city center, but he rushed around and couldn’t calm down.

(I had everything ready to go to the city center, but he was fussing and could not calm down.)

Kick off - start

Synonym for start, begin. Note that after kick off, the next verb will end with -ing (gerund).

- Have you kicked off visiting dance classes?

(Have you started going to dance lessons?)

Run into, bump into - collide, accidentally meet (Xia)

The main point of these expressions is to bump. You can crash into a post or into a person, but we also use these expressions when we want to communicate that we accidentally met someone, it was not planned.

- I ran into my best friend yesterday, so we talked for a while.

(Yesterday I met my best friend by chance and we chatted for a bit.)

Screw up - spoil any situation

I mean, do something wrong. The person who constantly messes things up is called a screw-up.

- I am going to tell her the bad news in the evening coz I don’t want to screw up her day.

(I'm going to tell her the bad news tonight so I don't ruin her day.)

Make sense - make sense

- It doesn’t make sense to go to the store together I can go there by myself.

- There is no point in going to the store together, I can go alone.

Grab - grab, grab

This word can be used for any situation. For example, you can grab / grab a bag, a child, and even a coffee in a coffee shop or a pizza in a restaurant.

- Let’s grab some coffee at the coffee shop!

- Let's get some coffee at the coffee shop!