TODAY'S IDIOM: RAGS TO RICHES

"RAGS TO RICHES"

If you go from rags to riches, you start out very poor and you become very rich.

Example: My grandfather went from rags to riches when his dishwashing liquid became very popular. He started out making it at home, but in less than a year he had his own factory.

De mendigo a millonario.

Example sentences:

• Most of these young guys in professional basketball came from poor neighbourhoods and they all have the same rags-to-riches story / La mayoría de estos jóvenes en el baloncesto profesional vinieron de los barrios pobres y todos ellos tienen la misma historia de mendigo a millonario.

• This girl I knew in high school has had an unusual life. She went from rags to richesafter she became a top international model / Esta chica que conocí en la secundaria ha tenido una vida inusual. Ella pasó de mendiga a millonaria después de que se convirtió en una modelo internacional de primera.

Additional examples:

• People who go from rags to riches are often afraid the good life will be snatched away from them.

• The princess used to be quite poor. She certainly moved from rags to riches.

• After I inherited the money, I went from rags to riches.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE

"ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE"

You can say "all hell broke loose" if a situation suddenly became violent or chaotic.

Example: Everything was fine in the club until someone yelled, "Fire!" and then all hell broke loose as people started running and screaming and pushing each other.

Se armó a gorda.

Example sentences:

• I was walking through the station on my way to work when I heard this huge explosion, and then all hell broke loose / Estaba caminando por la estación de camino al trabajo cuando escuché esta gran explosión, y luego se armó la gorda.

• All hell broke loose after a guy pulled out a gun / Se armó la gorda después de que el hombre sacó un arma.

Additional examples:

• When the boss left early for the weekend, all hell broke loose.

• This big guy walked up to the bar and hit Freddie and suddenly all hell broke loose.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ABOVE THA LAW

"ABOVE THA LAW"

If someone is above the law, they are not subject to the laws of a society.

Example: Just because his father is a rich and powerful man, he seems to think he's above the law and he can do whatever he likes.

Por encima de la ley.

Example sentences:

• In a democracy, no-one is above the law; not even a president or a prime-minister / En una democracia, nadie está por encima de la ley; ni siquiera un presidente o un primer ministro.

• James seemed to think he was above the law, so he was shocked when he was arrested for selling drugs / James solía pensar que estaba por encima de la ley, por lo que se sorprendió cuando fue arrestado por vender drogas.

Additional examples:

• None of us is above the law. We have to obey all of them.

• Football players can't be above the law just because they are so valuable to team owners.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: YEAR IN, YEAR OUT

"YEAR IN, YEAR OUT"

If something has happened year in, year out, it's happened every year for many years in a row.

Example: If you do something year in, year out, you do it every year.

Año tras año.

Example sentences:

• Our family gets together year in, year out at Christmas time / Nuestra familia se reúne año tras año en la época navideña.

• Let's go somewhere new. We've been going to the same old places year in, year out since we were married. / Vamos a un lugar nuevo. Hemos estado yendo a los mismos lugares viejos año tras año desde que nos casamos.

Additional examples:

• I seem to have hay fever year in, year out. I never get over it.

• John wears the same old suit, year in, year out.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: KEEP YOUR CHIN UP

"KEEP YOUR CHIN UP"

An expression of encouragement to someone who has to bear some emotional burdens.

Example: Keep your chin up, we're going on holiday soon! 

Mantener la cabeza en alto.

Example sentences:

• You should keep your chin up in any kind of situation, It provides us power to fight from the problem / Debes de mantener la cabeza en alto a cualquier situación, eso nos da fuerza para pelear contra el problema.

• I didn't win the last competition, but I am keeping my chin up / No gané la competencia pasada, pero he mantenido mi cabeza en alto.

Additional examples:

• He is having a lot of difficulty finding a job, but he is keeping his chin up.

• Do not worry about being turned down a few times. Keep your chin upand someone will notice you.  

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TODAY'S IDIOM: OUT-OF-DATE

"OUT-OF-DATE"

Something is out-of-date if it is old and therefore no longer useful or no longer accurate. 

Example: I didn't know the timetable was out-of-date. I got it off the internet so I thought it'd be new, not an old one from the 1990's.

Pasado de moda / Vencido / Viejo

Example sentences:

• Don't waste money on old textbooks because they could be out-of-date and the information might no longer be correct / No desperdicies dinero en libros viejos que podrían estar pasados de moda y la información podría no ser correcta.

• The map we had was out-of-date, so we had trouble finding our way / El mapa que tenemos está viejo, así que tuvimos problemas al encontrar nuestro camino.

Additional examples:

• The 70's style couch is out of date.

• That program had been updated; your version is out of date.

• The milk expired two weeks ago and is thus out of date.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: CALL A SPADE A SPADE

"CALL A SPADE A SPADE"

If you call a spade a spade, you tell the truth in a straightforward and direct way, even if the truth is not pleasant.

Example: I should warn you that Sandra calls a spade a spade, so if she thinks you say something wrong or make a mistake, she'll say so.

Andar sin rodeos.

Example sentences:

• Sometimes it's good to call a spade a spade, but sometimes it's better to be more diplomatic in what you say / A veces es mejor andarse sin rodeos, pero aveces es mejor ser más diplomático en lo que dices.

• Harvey was just calling a spade a spade when he said you should lose some weight / Harvey no se anduvo con rodeos cuando dijo que deberías perder algo de peso.

Additional examples:

• Well, I believe it's time to call a spade a spade.

• We are just avoiding the issue. Let's call a spade a spade. The man is a liar.

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: IN SOMEONE'S GOOD BOOKS

"IN SOMEONE'S GOOD BOOKS"

If you're in someone's good books, they are pleased with you.

Example: Ever since I helped her son get into university, I've been in Jean's good books and she's been very nice to me.

Tener contento (a) a alguien.

Example sentences:

• All you have to do to get into his good books is to agree with everything he says / Todo lo que tienes que hacer para tenerlo contento es estar de acuerdo en todo lo que dice.

• I've been in Harry's good books ever since I fixed his computer / He tenido contento a Harry desde que arreglé su compudadora.

• I'm in my wife's good books at the moment. I bought her a new car last Saturday. It's a sports car and she has always wanted something sporty / Tengo contenta a mi esposa por el momento. Le compré un carro nuevo el Sábado. Es un automóvil deportivo y ella siempre quiso algo deportivo.

Additional examples:

• I cleaned the bathroom yesterday so I'm in Mum's good books.

• I’m in my manager’s good books right now because I agreed to work this weekend.

• My sister is in our parents’ good books because she did really well on her final exams. They’re really proud of her.

• My brother is never in our parents’ good books. He’s always getting into trouble.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: JUNK FOOD

"JUNK FOOD"

Food that is bad for us because it contains large amounts of harmful substances like artificial colouring, preservatives, salt, refined sugar, and so on.

Example: Food companies spend millions developing and advertising junk foods that make us fat, sick and ugly because the profits from this sort of food are far greater than the profits made by selling healthy foods. 

Comida chatarra.

Example sentences:

• Parents who feed their children junk food risk turning them into overweight, unhealthy, unhappy kids / Los padres que alimentan a sus hijos con comida chatarra se arriesgan a convertirlos en sobrepeso, insalubres y niños infelices.

• "You won't become a world class athlete by eating junk food every day," the trainer said / "No vas a convertirte en un atleta de clase mundial por el consumo de comida chatarra todos los días" dijo el entrenador.

Additional examples:

• No wonder people in Western societies are so unhealthy, overweight and unattractive. Have you seen the sort of junk food they're addicted to?

• Nell loves potato chips and other junk food.

• When I'm sick in bed I often resort to TV soap operas and similar junk food.

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A TOP SPEED

"AT TOP SPEED"

 

 

 
At the greatest speed posible.
 
Example: John finished his running at top speed.
 
A toda velocidad.
 
Example sentences:
 

• We drove down the highway at top speed / Nos dirigimos por la carretera a toda velocidad.

 

• William worked at top speed / William trabajó a toda velocidad.

 
Additional examples:
 

• The motor was running at top speed.

 

• For that reason, I would like to urge the Commission to do what is necessary and go top speed ahead with the study into external costs.

 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: NIP IT IN THE BUD

"NIP IT IN THE BUD"

If you nip something in the bud, you stop a problem from becoming serious by dealing with it as soon as you notice it.

Example: Alan has a serious weight problem. Now he wishes he'd nipped it in the bud by eating less and exercising more when he was first starting to put on weight.

Cortar el problema de raíz.

Example sentences: 

• I was starting to drink too much alcohol, so I nipped it in the bud and stopped drinking altogether before it became a serious problem / Estaba empezando a beber demasiado alcohol, así que corté el problema de raíz y dejé de beber por completo antes de que se convirtiera en un problema serio.

• Jules and Clive were starting to have problems in their marriage, so they decided to nip the problem in the bud and get some counselling / Jules y Clive estaban comenzando a tener problemas en su matrimonio, así que decidieron cortar el problema de raíz y buscaron asesoramiento.

Additional examples:

• I wanted to nip that little romance in the bud.

• The whole idea was nipped in the bud.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: IN A NUTSHELL

"IN A NUTSHELL"

You can say "in a nutshell" if you're about to describe something as briefly as possible, or you're going to sum something up.

Example: The president's in trouble and the reason, in a nutshell, is that people no longer trust him.

En pocas palabras.

Example sentences:

• It's a very complex situation, but the problem is, in a nutshell, a lack of sales / Es una situación muy compleja, pero el problema en pocas palabras es la falla en las ventas.

• I'll give you the story in a nutshell because we don't have much time / Te daré la historia en pocas palabras porque no tengo mucho tiempo.

Additional examples:

• Karen wants them to get married and buy a house and Mike wants them to carry on as they are and that, in a nutshell, is the problem.

• Well, to put it in a nutshell, we're going to have to start again.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A WHITE LIE

"A WHITE LIE"

If you tell a white lie, you say something that isn't true in order to be polite or so as not to hurt someone's feelings.

Example: I really didn't want to go to my boss's dinner party, so I told a white lie and said I had to go to a friend's wedding party that night.

Una mentura piadosa.

Example sentences:

• Sometimes it's better to tell a white lie than to tell someone a painful truth / Aveces es mejor decir una mentira piadosa que decirle a alguien una verdad dolorosa.

• Jack asked me how he looked after his operation, so I told a white lie and said he looked great / Jack me preguntó como se veía despúes de su operación, entonces le dije una mentira piadosa que se veía estupendo.

Additional examples:

• I don't see the harm in telling the occasional white lie if it spares someone's feelings.

• Every little white lie you tell is still a lie and it is still meant to mislead people.

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