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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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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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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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.

Example: The 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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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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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: 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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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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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 moto. Si 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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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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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 página, voy 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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