TODAY'S IDIOM: A BALLPARK FIGURE

"A BALLPARK FIGURE"

If you give a ballpark figure or a ballpark estimate, you give a number which you think is fairly close to the actual one.

Example: I know you can't tell me exactly when it'll be finished, but can you give me a ballpark estimate?

Una cifra aproximada

Example sentences:

• We don't know the exact cost, but a ballpark figure would be around six million dollars / No sabemos cuanto es el costo exacto, pero una cifra aproximada sería alrededor de seis millones de dólares.

• She gave us a ballpark figure for the cost because she didn't know the exact amount / Ella nos dió una cifra aproximada de los costos porque no sabía la cantidad exacta.

Additional examples:

• I don't need an exact number. A ballpark figure will do.

• We're expecting sales of the book to generate around $10,000 dollars, although obviously that's just a ballpark figure.

• I'd say two hundred dollars, but that's a ballpark figure. 

• I’m not sure how much a flight to Bali would cost, but the website should give you a ball park figure.   

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A HEAD START

"A HEAD START"

If you have a head start, you start something ahead of others or with an advantage over others. 

Example: If you're born into a rich family, and you've had a good education, you're lucky enough to have had a head start in life, so don't waste it.


Una ventaja.


Example sentences:

• Marylin's beauty and natural grace gave her a big head start in the modelling and acting business / La belleza de Marylin y gracia natural le dieron una gran ventaja en el modelaje y el negocio de la actuación.

• George had a head start in the race to be president because he's part of a powerful family / George tenía una ventaja inicial en la carrera como presidente porque venía de una familia poderosa. 

• Julia has a head start on us for the job in Paris because she's bilingual / Julia tiene una ventaja sobre nosotros en el trabajo en Paris porque es bilingüe.

• Give the smallest runner a head start. He can't run very fast / Dale al corredor más pequeño una ventaja. No puede correr muy rápido.

Additional examples:

• I was able to get a head start on my reading during the holidays.

• If I hadn't had a head start, I'd be behind in my reading.

• We tried to get a head start on our holiday.

• We’re so confident in our team that we’ll give you a five minute head start. 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A ZEBRA CROSSING

"A ZEBRA CROSSING"

A zebra crossing is a pedestrian crossing that is marked on the road with painted black and white stripes.

Example: Visitors to Britain are sometimes confused when they're told there's a zebra crossing up ahead. Some even expect to see a zebra walking across the road.

Paso de zebra.

Example sentences:

• If someone steps onto a zebra crossing, all cars must stop and wait for them to cross the road / Si alguien camina en el paso de zebra, todos los carros tienen que parar y esperar a que cruzen la carretera.

• A zebra crossing is a place for people to cross the road / Un paso de zebra es un lugar para la gente al cruzar la carretera.

Additional examples:

• Zebra crossing, remember look right and look left.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: JOHNNY COME LATELY

"JOHNNY COME LATELY"

Someone who has only recently started a job or activity and has suddenly become very successful.

Example: She denies suggestions that she's a Johnny come lately, saying that she has worked for years to get her own show.

Recién llegado.

Example sentences:

• He's a Johnny come lately and doesn't really know what he is talking about / Es un recién llegado y realmente no sabe de lo que está hablando.

• Everybody was amazed when a Johnny come lately beat the old favorite in the race / Todo el mundo se sorprendió cuando el recién llegado batió al viejo favorito de la carrera.

Additional examples: 

• She may be a Johnny come lately on the board, but she's doing a fine job with publicity. 

• When it looked as though Mr. Brown had a good chance of winning, many Johnny come latelies began to support him. 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: WITHOUT A DOUBT

"WITHOUT A DOUBT"

For certain.

Example: He is without a doubt, a tough competitor. 

Sin lugar a duda.

Example sentences:

• Are you going to watch the game tomorrow? Without a doubt! / ¿Vas a ver el partido de mañana? Sin lugar a duda.

• Without a doubt it will be a day to remember / Sin lugar a duda será un día para recordar.

• Each candidate believes he is without a doubt more qualified to lead the country / Cada candidato cree que sin lugar a duda es el más calificado para dirigir el país.

• 2014 will be without a doubt our year / El 2014 sin lugar a duda será nuestro año.

Additional examples:

• Without a doubt, this is the best product of our company.

• I think, without a doubt, that we are doing the right thing.

• This cheese is as hard as a rock. It must have been in the fridge for weeks. Without a doubt. 

• Taxes will surely go up before I retire. Without a doubt!

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS

"TAKE THE BULL BY THE HORNS"

If you take the bull by the horns, you deal with a problem or a challenge in a direct and fearless way.

Example: The magazine's sales were falling, so the owner took the bull by the horns and replaced the editor, had the layout redesigned, and brought in new writers.

Tomar el toro por los cuernos.

Example sentences:

• Pauline wasn't happy with the manager's decision, so she took the bull by the horns and demanded to see him in order to discuss the matter / Pauline no estaba contenta con la decisión del gerente, asi que tomó el toro por los cuernos y exigió verlo con el fin de discutir el asunto.

• The team wasn't playing well, so the coach took the bull by the horns and sacked several senior players / El equipo no estaba jugando bien, así que le entrenador tomó el toro por los cuernos y sacó varios jugadores de alto nivel.

• I took the bull by the horns and finished the assignment a week early / Tomé el toro por los cuernos y terminé la tarea una semana antes.

• What did you do when you lost your job? I took the bull by the horns and opened my own business. Now I'm a multi-millionaire! / ¿Qué hiciste cuando perdiste tu trabajo? Tomé el toro por los cuernos y abrí mi propio negocio. Ahora soy multimillonario.

Additional examples:

• It's time to take the bull by the horns and get this job done.

• Why don't you take the bull by the horns and tell him to leave?

• If you don't take the bull by the horns and ask your boss for a raise, you'll never get one. 

• Now that her children are grown up, Maria is going to take the bull by the horns and go to University.

• I heard your boyfriend broke up with you. Yeah. What are you going to do? I'm taking the bull by the horns and going clubbing tonight.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE

"GREAT MINDS THINK ALIKE"

Intelligent people think like each other

Example: Both of you got the same conclusion, it's true that great minds think alike.

Las grandes mentes piensan igual.

Example sentences:

• Excellent idea!, definitely the great minds think alike / ¡Excelente idea!, definitivamente las grandes mentes piensan igual.

• Luis and Hector make a great team. I told you, great minds think alike / Luis y Hector hacen un gran equipo te lo dije las grandes mentes piensan igual.

Additional examples:

• This competition proves that great minds think alike.

• Let's ride our bikes to the store instead of walking. I was just thinking we should do that, too. Great minds think alike.   

• I was just thinking to call you, then the phone rang and it was you calling me. Great minds think alike. 

• This summer I've decided to take scuba diving lessons. Really? Me too. I have already paid for the course. Great minds think alike.

• Great minds think alike and just as I suggested that we go to a movie, my friend suggested the same thing.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: DROP A BOMBSHELL

"DROP A BOMBSHELL"

If you drop a bombshell, you announce some shocking news.

Example: Our boss dropped a bombshell today when he told us that our company is going public, and we're all getting a thousand shares for a bonus!

Caer la bomba.

Example sentences:

• The Liverpool football club dropped a bombshell when they announced that they had sacked their manager / El club de fútbol Liverpool dejó caer la bomba cuando anunciaron que habían despedido a su director.

• If someone drops a bombshell, they have some really big news / Si alguien deja caer la bomba, realmente tienen grandes noticias.

Additional examples:

• They really dropped a bombshell when they announced that the mayor would resign.

• Friday is a good day to drop a bomb like that. It gives the business world the weekend to recover.

• They must choose their words very carefully when they explode a bombshell like that.  

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TODAY'S IDIOM: AN ACID TEST

"AN ACID TEST"

An acid test is something that shows the true worth or value of something or someone.

Example: Our new player has been doing well at training and in practice matches, but the acid test will come in her first real match.

Prueba de fuego.

Example sentences:

• The new political party is doing better and better in the polls, but the acid test will be the next election / El nuevo partido político se está haciendo mejor y mejor en las encuestas, pero la prueba de fuego será en la próxima elección.

• The real acid test for the new drug will come when it's tested on human beings / La verdadera prueba de fuego para el nuevo fármaco vendrá cuendo esté probándola en seres humanos.

Additional examples:

• The new show was well received but viewing figures for the next episode will be the real acid test.

• The acid test for the product will be whether people actually buy it.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CHANGE YOUR TUNE

"CHANGE YOUR TUNE"

If you change your tune, you change your opinion about something or your attitude towards someone.

Example: At first Bill was against selling the rights to his book, but he changed his tune when he realized how much money he could make.

Cambiar de parecer.

Example sentences:

• The prime minister wasn't polite to journalists at first, but he changed his tune when he realised they had a lot of influence / El primer ministro no fue amable con los periodistas al principio, pero cambió de parecer cuando se dió cuenta que había un montón de influencia.

• The teller was most unpleasant until she learned that I'm a bank director. Then she changed her tune / El cajero fue muy desagradable hasta que se enteró de que soy un director de banco. Luego cambió de parecer.

Additional examples:

• Kelly was quite rude to me at first, but she changed her tune when someone mentioned how wealthy I was.

• "I will help change your tune by fining you $150," said the judge to the rude defendant.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CAN OF WORMS

"CAN OF WORMS"

If you say a situation or an issue is a can of worms, you think that getting involved in it could lead to problems.

Example: Corruption in politics is such a can of worms that many journalists won't take the risk of seriously investigating it.

Caja de Pandora.

Example sentences:

• Cathy never talks about her childhood. She says it's a can of worms she doesn't want to open, though I have no idea why / Cathy nunca habla de su infancia. Ella dice que es una caja de Pandora que no queremos abrir, aunque no tengo ni idea de por qué.

• The investigators knew that examining the company's books might open a can of worms. They suspected there'd be evidence of serious crimes / Los investigadores sabían que el examen de los libros de la compañía podría abrir una caja de Pandora. Sospechan a que habría indicios de delitos graves.

Additional examples:

• This political scandal is a real can of worms.

• Let's not open that can of worms!

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TODAY'S IDIOM: QUIET AS A MOUSE

"QUIET AS A MOUSE"

If you're as quiet as a mouse, you're very quiet.

Example: Nadia has been as quiet as a mouse in class since everyone laughed when she said the wrong thing.

Tan silencioso como un ratón.

Example sentences:

• I didn't hear you come in last night. You must have been as quiet as a mouse / No te escuché entrar anoche. Debiste haber sido tan silencioso como un ratón.

• Francine is being as quiet as a mouse. Are you sure she's in her room? / Francine es tan silencioso como un ratón. ¿Estás seguro que está en su habitación?

Additional examples:

• She was as quiet as a mouse. I didn't even know she'd come in.

• The little boy was quiet as a mouse as he moved around the kitchen.

 

 

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