lunes, 31 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: WIDE OF THE MARK

"WIDE OF THE MARK"



If something is wide of the mark, it isn't true or accurate, or it misses the target.

Example: The manager expected sales to double this year, but his prediction was wide of the mark. They only increased by ten per cent. 

Lejos de la realidad.

Example sentences:

  • Ronaldo's first shot was wide of the mark, but his second one went right into the back of the net for a goal / El primer disparo de Ronaldo estaba lejos de la realidad, pero el segundo fue a la derecha en el fondo de la portería para un gol.

  • The weather forecast for today was wide of the mark. It's been a beautiful sunny day, but the forecast said it would be wet and windy / El pronóstico de hoy estaba lejos de la realidad. Ha sido un hermoso día, pero el pronóstico dijo que sería húmedo y ventoso.

Additional examples:


  • Yesterday's weather forecast was rather wide of the mark.

  • Giggs had another chance early in the second half, but once again his shot was wide of the mark.




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viernes, 28 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: NOW AND THEN / NOW AND AGAIN

"NOW AND THEN / NOW AND AGAIN"

If you do something now and then, or now and again, you do it occasionally.

Example: Harry and Irene nearly always go to Spain or France on their holidays, but now and again they'll go somewhere different for a change.

De vez en cuando.

Example sentences:

  • We usually stay home in the evenings during the week, but now and then we'll go and see a movie / Normalmente nos quedamos en casa por las noches durante la semana, pero de vez en cuando salimos a ver una película.

  • Most of the time our neighbours are very quiet, but now and then they'll have a party / La mayoría de las veces nuestros vecinos son muy tranquilos, pero de vez en cuando hacen fiestas.

Additional examples:

  • We eat lamb every now and then.


  • We eat pork now and then.


  • I read a novel every now and again.



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jueves, 27 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: VERBAL DIARRHOEA

"VERBAL DIARRHOEA"

If someone has verbal diarrhoea, they can't stop talking.

Example: Janice has a real bad case of verbal diarrhoea. It's like she's afraid of silence and has to keep talking to block it out. 

Diarrea verbal.

Example sentences:

  • There's this guy in our office who's got verbal diarrhoea. He must love the sound of his own voice / Hay un chico en la oficina que tiene diarrea verbal. Debe amar el sonido de su propia voz.

  • It was awful. A whole evening with this guy who had verbal diarrhoea / Fue horrible. Una noche entera con este tipo que tenía diarrea verbal.

Additional examples:
 
  • I don't know if you could say he's got verbal diarrhoea, but Alan sure does talk a lot.

  • We never could get a word in edgewise because Timmy had a case of verbal diarrhea last night.



 
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miércoles, 26 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: WHEELING AND DEALING

"WHEELING AND DEALING"



If you're wheeling and dealing, you're involved in the complex world of making deals and exchanging favours in business or politics, or both.

ExampleThe amount of wheeling and dealing that's needed to sort out a contract with the local government is incredible.

"Tratos" / "Chanchullos"

Example sentences:


  • Thanks to some very good wheeling and dealing, Graham got the building contract / Gracias a sus muy buenos "tratos", Graham consiguió el contrato de construcción.



  • It's an article about all the wheeling and dealing that goes on in financial markets / Es un artículo acerca de todos los "chanchullos" que suceden en los mercados financieros.


Additional examples:


  • If you want to be successful in this business, you have to wheel and deal.



  • You have to be very good at wheeling and dealing to start a successful business in Ukraine.




  • Hey, Velma Kelly, why are you wheeling and dealing about your Sheriff story?! Why don’t you just talk turkey and tell us, who was checked?!





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martes, 25 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: IN THE BLACK

"IN THE BLACK"



If a person or a company is in the black, their assets are greater than their debts.

Example: It's taken a long time, but we've paid off our loans and we're in the black again at last.

En números negros.

Example sentences:


  • If you rearrange your debts and save more than you spend, you could be in the black again within three years / Si reorganizas tus deudas y ahorras más de lo que gastas, podrías estar en números negros de nuevo dentro de tres años.



  • If you are in the black, you don't owe money / Si estás en números negros, no debes dinero.



  • I wish my accounts were in the black / Deseo que mis cuentas estén en números negros.


Additional examples:


  • Some states have legalized gambling as a way to put their finances in the black.



  • Sally moved the company into the black.




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lunes, 24 de marzo de 2014

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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sábado, 22 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: ONCE IN A BLUE MOON

ONCE IN A BLUE MOON


This is used when something happens very rarely.

Example: Does your husband ever bring you flowers? Once in a blue moon.  

Muy raramente / De vez en cuando

Example sentences:

  • Once in a blue moon, I buy a fashion magazine, just to see what people are wearing / Muy raramente compro una revista de moda, solo para ver que se está usando.

  • My sister lives in Alaska, so I only get to see her once in a blue moon / Mi hermana vive en Alaska, asi que iré a verla de vez en cuando.

Additional examples:

  • Once in a blue moon I have a little wine with dinner.

  • Once in a blue moon, I go to the cinema, only when there's a film I really, really want to see.




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viernes, 21 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: JUST MY LUCK

"JUST MY LUCK"



You can say "Just my luck!" when something goes wrong for you, or when something inconvenient happens. 

Example: A police car behind him started wailing and flashing its lights. After a lop-sided smile and a quick look to the heavens, Kenny said, "Just my luck!"

¡Que suerte la mía!

Example sentences:

  • Just as Leon got to the park for his run, it started to rain. "Just my luck!" he said / Justo cuando Leon llegó al parque a correr, comenzó a llover. "¡Que suerte la mía!, dijo.

  • Jeremy smiled and said "Just my luck!" when the traffic lights turned red and he had to stop / Jeremy sonrió y dijo "¡Que suerte la mía! cuando el semáforo se puso en rojo y se tuvo que detener.

Additional examples:

  • So he left five minutes before I got here, did he? Just my luck!

  • They sold the last ticket five minutes before I got there, just my luck!


 

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jueves, 20 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: A NARROW SCAPE

"A NARROW ESCAPE"



If you have a narrow escape, you survive a dangerous situation, but only just.

Example: While many people died in the explosion outside the market, my cousin had a narrow escape because he'd left the market a minute before.

Por un pelito. 

Example sentences:


  • He had a narrow escape when he fell off his motorbike. If he'd fallen off a second earlier, he would have been killed by the truck that had just passed by / Él se salvó por un pelito cuando se cayó de su motoSi hubiera caído un segundo antes, habría sido asesinado por el camión que acababa de pasar por ahí.

  • He only just got out of the vehicle before the whole thing blew up. It was a narrow escape / Él acababa de salir del vehículo antes de que todo explotara. Fue salvado por un pelito.

Additional examples:

  • Ken nearly lost all his money in the stock market crash, but he made a narrow escape thanks to a friend who told him to sell off his shares the day before it happened.

  • He had a narrow escape when he almost fell from his bicycle.





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miércoles, 19 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: LET OFF STEAM

"LET OFF STEAM"



If you let off steam, you do something to release pent-up emotion or energy.

Example: After sitting quietly in class all morning, kids need time to let off steam in the playground before going back to class in the afternoon.

Desahogarse.

Example sentences:

  • It'd be good to have a punching bag somewhere in the office so we could let off steam whenever we get a bit angry or frustrated / Sería bueno tener un costal de boxeo en la oficina para desahogarnos cada vez que andemos un poco enojados o frustrados.

  • Mario needed to let off steam so he ran around the house / Mario necesitaba desahogarse por lo que corrió alrededor de la casa.

Additional examples:

  • I'm sorry I yelled at you. I guess I needed to let off some steam

  • She's not that mad. She's just letting off steam.




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sábado, 15 de marzo de 2014

TODAY'S IDIOM: TURN OVER A NEW LEAF

"TURN OVER A NEW LEAF"



To turn over a new leaf means to make a fresh start or a new beginning, to start behaving in a different and better way.

Example: I have made a mess of my life but from today, I will turn over a new leaf.

Darle vuelta a una página nueva.

  • I want to turn over a new leaf, I’m going to start exercising more, and stop eating bad food! / Quiero dar vuelta a una nueva páginavoy a empezar a hacer más ejercicio y dejar de comer comida mala!

  • I’m turning over a new leaf. I’m going to start doing my homework every night! / Estoy dandole vuelta a una página nueva, voy a empezar a hacer mi tarea toda las noches.
Additional examples:

  • Why don't you turn over a new leaf and surprise everyone with your good characteristics?

  • Apparently he's turned over a new leaf and he's not drinking any more.



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