TODAY'S IDIOM: A BITE TO EAT

"A BITE TO EAT"

A lunch, a snack.

Example: We can grab a bite to eat at the arena. They sell snacks there.

Un bocado.

• Do you want to grab a bite to eat before we see the movie? / ¿Quieres tomar un bocado para comer antes de ver la película?

• I'm going to go out and grab a bite to eat from McDonalds. Do you want anything? / Voy a salir y a tomar un bocado para comer en McDonalds. ¿Quieres algo? 

Additional examples:

• You'll feel better once you've had a bite to eat.

• I usually sleep late and just have a quick bite to eat when I get to work.  

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A FINE LINE

"A FINE LINE"

A close relationship, not much difference.

Example: Sometimes there is a fine line between love and hate.

Una línea muy fina.

• There is a fine line between drinking with your friends every night and being an alcoholic / Hay una línea muy fina entre bebiendo con tus amigos cada noche y ser un alcohólico.

• There is a fine line between being careful of everything you do and being neurotic / Hay una línea muy fina entre ser cuidadoso de todo lo que haces y ser neurótico.

Additional examples:

• There's a fine line between courage and foolishness.

• There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line--- Oscar Levant.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A PRETTY PENNY

"A PRETTY PENNY"

A lot of money, a high price.

Example: I bet she paid a pretty penny for that coat. It looks expensive.

Un ojo de la cara.

• I'm sure it cost a pretty penny but Gav has the ability to pay them back tenfold / Estoy seguro de que cuestan un ojo de la cara pero Gav tiene la capacidad para pagar diez veces.

• That diamond ring must have cost him a pretty penny / Ese anillo de diamantes le ha costado un ojo de la cara.

 Additional examples:

• I have my restaurant all picked out and this will cost you a pretty penny.

• Mary's dress is real silk. It must have cost a pretty penny.

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: DON'T BITE MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW

"DON'T BITE MORE THAN YOU CAN CHEW"

To try to do more than you are able to do.

Example: We bit off more than we could chew in our original reform proposals.

El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta.

Example sentences:

• Don't bite off more than you can chew. Let someone else organize the party / El que mucho abarca, poco aprieta. Deje que otra persona organize la fiesta.

• Don't bite off more than you can chew. It will take four people a month do that!  You already have a full plate / El que mucho abarca, pco aprieta. ¡Se llevará cuatro personas al mes hacer eso! Ya tienes saturado.

Additional examples:

• When Rich said that he could write the complex computer program by the end of the week, he bit off more than he could chew.

• I think I bit off more than I could chew when I agreed to paint this house by myself.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED

"DON'T COUNT YOUR CHICKENS BEFORE THEY ARE HATCHED"

 

 

Don't rely on something you are unsure about.

Example: Helen bought an expensive couch and was going to use the money from her paycheck to make the purchase, but she counted her chickens before they hatched because her paycheck was delayed a week. 

No cantes victoria antes de tiempo.

Example sentences:

• Here's the list of the things I'm going to buy next month when I get money. It looks great, but don't count your chickens before they hatch / Aquí está la lista de las cosas que voy a comprar el próximo mes cuando tenga dinero. Se ve muy bien, pero no cantes victoria antes de tiempo.

• A friend of mine was competing in a local race and was planning his victory celebration before the race had even begun, so I warned him not to count his chickens before they hatched and instead focus on the race / Un amigo mío estaba compitiendo en una carrera local y estaba planeando su celebración de la victoria antes de la carrera, incluso había comenzado, por lo que le advertí que no cantara victoria antes de tiempo y que se centrara en la carrera.

Additional examples:

• You might not win the prize and you've already spent the money? Don't count your chickens before they hatch!

• I know you have big plans for your consulting business, but don't count your chickens before they hatch.

• You may be disappointed if you count your chickens before they hatch.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: FINDERS, KEEPERS; LOSERS, WEEPERS

"FINDERS, KEEPERS; LOSERS, WEEPERS"

If you find something, you are entitled to keep it.

Example: Hey! How come you're using my fountain pen? It's mine now. I found it on the floor. Finders keepers, losers weepers.

El que se fue a la villa; perdió su silla.

Example sentences:

• That's my hat, you can't have it. I found it. Finders keepers; losers, weepers / Ese es mi sombrero, no puedes tenerlo. Lo encontré; el que se fue a la villa; perdió su silla. 

• Someone left a dollar bill in this rented car. Finders, keepers; losers, weepers / Alguien dejó un dólar en el coche rentado. El que se fue a la villa; perdió su silla.

Additional examples:

• I found it, it's mine. That's not yours, it's mine. Finders keepers, losers weepers!

• Hey! That's my five dollar bill you have there. Finders keepers, losers weepers.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE

"A STITCH IN TIME SAVES NINE"

 

 

 

 

You use this proverb to say that it is better to spend a little time to deal with problems

or act right now than wait. If you wait until late, things will get worse, and it will take much longer to deal with them.

Example: I advise fixing the leak now. If not, you might need to replace the whole engine later. Fixing the leak costs $50, but you need to pay at least $1,000 to replace the engine. A stitch in time saves nine, you know.

Más vale prevenir que lamentar.

Example sentences:

• Let's patch the roof before that hole gets bigger. A stitch in time saves nine / Vamos a parchar el techo antes de que el agujero se haga más grande. Más vale prevenir que lamentar.

• If you have an idea for your final research paper, start writing today. Don't wait until the end of the semester. A stitch in time saves nine / Si tienes una idea para tu trabajo final, empeza a escribirla hoy. No esperes hasta el final del semestre. Más vale prevenir que lamentar.

Additional examples:

• Organise your notes after every lesson or you will have a lot of work to do at the end of the year. A stitch in time saves nine.

• Fix that leak in your kitchen as soon as you can before it damages your entire house. Remember that a stitch a time saves nine!

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME

"ALL ROADS LEAD TO ROME"

 

 

There are many different routes to the same goal.

Example: Some people learn by doing. Others have to be taught. In the long run, all roads lead to Rome.

Todos los caminos conducen a Roma.

Example sentences:

• "I don't care how you get the answer," said the teacher, "All roads lead to Rome" / "No me importa como obtengan la respuesta", dijo el maestro, "Todos los caminos conducen a Roma."

• All roads lead to Rome and the two groups used two different methods to finish the project / Todos los caminos conducen a Roma y los 2 equipos usaron métodos diferentes para terminar el proyecto.

Additional examples:

• Mary was criticizing the way that Jane was planting the flowers. John said, "Never mind, Mary, all roads lead to Rome.

• So long as you meet the deadline, I don't care how much help you get. All roads lead to Rome.

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CRYING WOLF

"CRYING WOLF"

 

To cry or complain about something when nothing is really wrong.

Example: I'll be in the other room, so call me if you need me. But no crying wolf.

Bromear.

Example sentences:

• Mom, Dad! Can you come to my room? I think there is something under my bed! Son, you just go back to bed, and stop crying wolf / Mamá, papá! ¿Pueden venir a mi habitación? ¡Creo que hay algo debajo de mi cama! Hijo, te vas a la cama y deja de hacer bromas.

• Hey that kid on the other team fell down. He looks hurt. Oh, not that kid. He's always crying wolf / Hey ese chico en el otro equipo se cayó. Se ve herido. Oh, no ese chico. Él siempre bromea.

Additional examples:

• Pay no attention. She's just crying wolf again. Don't cry wolf too often. No one will come.

• She had repeatedly rung the police for trivial reasons and perhaps she had cried wolf too often.

 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: SETTLE A SCORE

"SETTLE A SCORE"

If you settle a score with someone who has hurt you or insulted you in the past, you do something to hurt or insult them in return.

Example: Boxing promoters often create the impression that boxers have scores to settle with each other in order to create more drama before a fight and sell more tickets.

Ajuste de cuentas.

Example sentences:

• We think that the fire was lit on purpose to settle a score between rival gangs / Pensamos que el fuego fue encendido a propósito para un ajuste de cuentas entre bandas rivales.

• Johnny said he'd settle the score with Jimmy one day after Jimmy had told the police that Johnny had done the robbery / Johnny dijo que había ajustar cuentas con Jimmy un día después que Jimmy había dicho a la policía que Johnny había hecho el robo.

Additional examples:

• Police believe the killer was a gang member settling a score with a rival gang.

• John wants to settle a score with his neighbor. Tom, it's time you and I settled the score.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ONCE AND FOR ALL"

"ONCE AND FOR ALL"

If you do something once and for all, you do it in a way that's final and it means you'll never have to do it again.

Example: I was tired of getting new glasses every few years so I decided to solve my eyesight problem once and for all and have laser surgery.

De una vez por todas.

Example sentences:

• Jim said he's decided once and for all that he's going to stay single and never get married again / Jim dijo que decidió de una vez por todas que se quedará soltero y nunca se casará de nuevo.

• I'm tired of having to get my teeth fixed all the time, so I've decided to solve the problem once and for all by getting false teeth / Estoy cansado de tener que arreglarme los dientes todo el tiempo, entonces he decidido que para resolver el problema de una vez por todas conseguiré una dentadura postiza.

Additional examples:

• I'm going to get this place organized once and for all! That'll be the day! "We need to get this straightened out once and for all," said Bob, for the fourth time today.

• I'm fed up with arguing about this. Let's just settle this argument once and for all.

• He claims his photographs prove once and for all that UFOs do exist.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: IN THE WORKS

"IN THE WORKS"

To be in preparation. To be in the process of being planned or developed.

Example: The camera company has a new camera in the works, but nobody knows about it.

En desarrollo / En planeación

Example sentences:

• The new software version is in the works / La nueva versión del software se encuentra en desarrollo.

• The welcome party in already in the works / La fiesta de bienvenida ya se está planeando.

Additional examples:

• The employees are saying that a big change in the company is in the works right now.

• The new movie is already in the works.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: THERE'S MANY A SLIP TWIXT CUP AND LIP

"THERE'S MANY A SLIP TWIXT CUP AND LIP"

Said to emphasize that many bad things might happen before something is finished.

Example: On the side of the beer mug were these words: There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip. 

Del plato a la boca se cae la sopa.

Example sentences:

• We still might finish in time for the deadline, but there's many a slip twixt cup and lip / Todavía podría terminar a tiempo para la fecha límite, pero del plato a la boca se cae la sopa.

• They thought they had the contract all sewn up, but the client didn't sign in the end. There's many a slip twixt cup and lip / Ellos pensaban que tenían el contrato asegurado, pero el cliente no firmó al final. Del plato a la boca se cae la sopa.

Additional examples:

• Now that I have a contract with a publisher, nothing in the world can stop me from writing this book;  don't be so sure. There's many a slip twixt the cup and the lip.

• We still might finish in time for the deadline, but there's many a slip twixt cup and lip.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: SILENCE IS GOLDEN

"SILENCE IS GOLDEN"

It is often better to say nothing than to talk, so silence is golden.

Example: Don't tell anyone else about it, silence is golden.

El silencio es oro.

Example sentences:

• "Speech is silver and silence is golden" / "El discurso es plata y el silencio es oro."

• The man believes that silence is golden and he is very careful what he says / El hombre cree que el silencio es oro y es muy cuidadoso con lo que dice.

Additional examples:

• Silence is golden, as her father used to say when she used to fly into tempers and wanted to say nasty things to everybody within range.

• Silence is golden to me when I pray.

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