TODAY'S IDIOM: MERRY AS A CRICKET

"MERRY AS A CRICKET"

Very happy and carefree.

Example: Mary is as merry as a cricket whenever she has company come to call.

Feliz como una lombriz.

Example sentences:

• I felt as merry as a cricket as I waited for my friend to arrive at the airport / Me sentí feliz como una lombriz mientras esperaba a que mi amigo llegara al aeropuerto.

• What makes a maid as merry as a cricket? / ¿Qué hace a una dama feliz como una lombriz?

Additional examples:

• From morn to night our lives shall be as merry as a cricket!  

• He was as merry as a cricket, full of chat and very friendly and amusing. 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: MAKE MY DAY

"MAKE MY DAY"

Make me happy by trying to do that.

Example: You want to fight? Go ahead, make my day.

Hacerme el día.

Example sentences:

• It makes my day, when people tell me that I am helping them learn English / Me hace el día, cuando la gente me dice que estoy ayudándolos a aprender Inglés.

• My husband made my day, because he said I am a good wife / Mi marido me hizo el día, porque dijo que soy una buena esposa.

• My boss told me, I was doing a great job. My boss made my day!!! / Mi jefe me dijo, que estaba haciendo un excelente trabajo. ¡¡¡Mi jefe me hizo el día!!!

Additional examples:

• It makes my day when I go and volunteer at the animal shelter.

• I went to the store. I helped a lady. Helping the lady made my day.

• We just found out that our teacher thinks we are great students. That really made our day!!!  

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My husband made my day, because he said I am a good wife. - See more at: http://english-the-easy-way.com/Idioms/Made_My_Day.html#sthash.6Lw3LRJV.dpuf

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT

"A DAY LATE AND A DOLLAR SHORT"

 

Not enough to be useful.

Example: The government's attempts at reform were a day late and a dollar short.

Siempre tarde y nunca es suficiente.

Example sentences:

• The office worker tried his best to please his boss. Unfortunately, he was a day late and a dollar short. It was his office-mate who received the promotion / El oficinista hizo todo lo posible por complacer a su jefe, desafortunadamente, llegó tarde y no fue suficiente. Fue su compañero de oficina quien recibió el ascenso.

He finally tried to fix the problem but he was a day late and a dollar short. - See more at: http://idiomaticexpressions.org/content/day-late-and-dollar-short#sthash.Exq69sho.dpuf

• He finally tried to fix the problem but he was a day late and a dollar short / Finalmente trató de solucionar el problema pero fue tarde y no suficiente.

Additional examples:

• Despite her desire to help me in my studies, she was a day late and a dollar short. I had failed my exam already.

 

• I was a day late and a dollar short in submitting my requirements. As a result, my teacher gave me a D.

• Tommy, you seem to show up a day late and a dollar short all the time. You need to get organized.

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He finally tried to fix the problem but he was a day late and a dollar short. - See more at: http://idiomaticexpressions.org/content/day-late-and-dollar-short#sthash.Exq69sho.dpuf

He finally tried to fix the problem but he was a day late and a dollar short. - See more at: http://idiomaticexpressions.org/content/day-late-and-dollar-short#sthash.Exq69sho.dpuf

He finally tried to fix the problem but he was a day late and a dollar short. - See more at: http://idiomaticexpressions.org/content/day-late-and-dollar-short#sthash.Exq69sho.dpuf

He finally tried to fix the problem but he was a day late and a dollar short. - See more at: http://idiomaticexpressions.org/content/day-late-and-dollar-short#sthash.Exq69sho.dpuf

 

TODAY'S IDIOM: FAIR AND SQUARE

"FAIR AND SQUARE"

If something was done fair and square, it was done in an honest and straightforward way, without cheating.

Example: Sandra won the singing contest fair and square. She was obviously the best singer.

Honestamente.

Example sentences:

• We won the contract fair and square, without doing anyone any favours / Ganamos el contrato honestamente, sin pedirle favores a nadie.

• Manchester United won the match fair and square, because they were the better team / Manchester United ganó el partido honesamente, porque eran el mejor equipo.

Additional examples:

• She won the game fair and square.

• The division of the money should be fair and square.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: NOW OR NEVER

"NOW OR NEVER"

If you say it's now or never, you mean that something has to be done now or it can't be done at all. 

Example: It was my last day with the company, so it was now or never. I went up to Jenny and asked her out on a date.

Es ahora o nunca.

Example sentences:

• The band is going to break up after this tour, so if you want to see them perform, it's now or never / La banda va a separarse después de esta gira, asi que si quieres ver su show, es ahora o nunca.

• If someone says "it's now or never", it means it's the last chance to do something / Si alguien dice "es ahora o nunca", significa que es la última oportunidad para hacer algo.

Additional examples:

• This is your only chance, John. It's now or never.

• I decided that it was now or never, and jumped.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: EASY MONEY

"EASY MONEY"

You can say "easy money" to describe money that someone gets without having to make much effort.

Example: Lucinda decided to become a model because it looked liked easy money just walking down a runway or having your photo taken.

Dinero fácil.

Example sentences:

• Many people thought they could make some easy money by selling things on the internet / Muchas personas pensaron que podían hacer dinero fácil vendiendo cosas en internet.

• Larry was always trying to think of ways to make easy money because he didn't like working much / Larry siempre estaba intentando pensar las maneras de hacer dinero fácil porque no le gustaba trabajar mucho.

Additional examples:

• All you guys want easy money. Don’t you want to work for it?

• It must be easy money writing for one of those magazines.

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TODAY'S IDIOM:COME HELL OR HIGH WATER

"COME HELL OR HIGH WATER"

If you say you will do something come hell or high water, you mean you are determined to do it even if it is difficult.

Example: Come hell or high water I am going to pass that exam with a good grade.

Contra viento y marea.

Example sentences:

• I don't care what you think! We are going to finish this project come hell or high water / No me importa lo que pienses! Vamos a terminar este proyecto contra viento y marea.

• Come hell or high water, I intend to own my own home / Contra viento y marea, tengo la intención de ser dueño de mi propia casa.

Additional examples:

• I'll buy that ranch, come hell or high water. I'm determined.

• Will you be at the family reunion next year? Yes, we'll be there, come hell or high water!

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TODAY'S IDIOM: PUT SOMEONE'S NOSE OUT OF JOINT

"PUT SOMEONE'S NOSE OUT OF JOINT"

If you put someone's nose out of joint, you upset them by not treating them with as much respect or consideration as they think they deserve.

Example: Brad had his nose put out of joint when he saw that he didn't get top billing on the movie poster. George's name was written above Brad's name. 

Puso el grito en el cielo.

Example sentences:

• Our little boy had his nose put out of joint when we got a bicycle for his sister, so we got him one as well / Nuestro hijo pequeño puso el grito en el cielo cuando llevamos una bicicleta para su hermana, así que le dimos una a él también.

 

• Pedro was the captain of the basketball team last year, and she had her nose put out of joint when Mario was named captain this year / Pedro era el capitán del equipo de baloncesto del año pasado y puso el grito en el cielo cuando Mario fue nombrado capitán de este año.

Additional examples:

• What's wrong with Jill? What put her nose out of joint?

• Don't put your nose out of joint. I didn't mean anything by what I said.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: GOING DOWN

"GOING DOWN"

If you know what's going down, you know what's happening in a situation.

Example: A young guy ran over and said, "You know what's going down? I heard some gunshots and just now I saw these guys running from over that way."

Lo que está pasando.

Example sentences:

• If you need someone who knows what's going down in the world of youth fashion, you need a young person, not a middle-aged executive /  Si necesitas a alguien que sepa lo que está pasando en el mundo de la moda, necesitas a una persona joven, no a un ejecutivo de mediana edad.

• As soon as I know what's going down, I'll let you know / Tan pronto como sepa que está pasando, te lo haré saber.

Additional examples:

• Hey, we just got here! What's going down? What does it look like? This is a party, dude!

• "A collection of memorable pieces about the general craziness that was going down in those days"- James Atlas.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: AT SEA / ALL AT SEA

"AT SEA / ALL AT SEA"

If you're at sea, or all at sea, you're confused about something and not sure what to do.

Example: For the first few days in her new job, Gail felt totally at sea. She didn't know what to do or who to ask for help.

Perdido.

Example sentences:

• I'm all at sea with our new spreadsheet software. I just can't understand it / Estoy perdido con el nuevo software de hoja de cálculo. No puedo entenderlo.

• When it comes to higher math, John is totally at sea / Cuando se trata de matemáticas superiores, John está totalmente perdido.

Additional examples:

• Grant felt all at sea because it was his first day at university.

• I'm all at sea with this computer manual.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ON THE BALL

"ON THE BALL"

If you're on the ball, you're alert and you know what's going on around you.

Example: Someone really needs to be on the ball if they work as an air-traffic controller at an airport

En la jugada.

Example sentences:

• I didn't get much sleep last night so I'm not really on the ball today / No pude dormir mucho anoche, así que no estoy realmente en la jugada hoy.

• My brother is always on the ball, so it's hard to trick him or catch him unawares / Mi hermano siempre está en la jugada, así que es difícil engañarlo o agarrarlo desprevenido.

Additional examples:

• If you were on the ball, this wouldn't have happened.

• Their staff seems to be really on the ball, able to get projects done on time.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: IN THE NICK OF TIME

"IN THE NICK OF TIME"

 

Means just at the critical moment, just in time, not too late but very close!

Example: I got to the pharmacy just in the nick of time. It's a good thing because I really need this medicine.

Justo a tiempo.

• I almost missed the train but I got to the station just in the nick of time / Ya casi perdía el tren, pero llegué a la estación justo a tiempo.

• The doctor arrived in the nick of time, the patient's life was saved / El médico llegó justo a tiempo, la vida del paciente se salvó.

Additional examples:

• I reached the airport in the very nick of time and made my flight.

• We got there just in the nick of time; a minute later and she'd have left. 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW THAN THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW

"BETTER THE DEVIL YOU KNOW THAN THE DEVIL YOU DON'T KNOW"

Something that you say to mean it is better to deal with a person or thing you know, even if you do not like them, than to deal with a new person or thing who could be even worse.

Example: I know Mike can be difficult to work with sometimes, but better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.

Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer.

Example sentences:

• I hate my job so much that I'm thinking of asking for a transfer. I'd advise against it. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know / Odio tanto mi trabajo que estoy pensando en pedir una transferencia. Te aconsejo lo contrario. Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer.

• Although she was unhappy in her marriage, Donna never considered pursuing romances with other men. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know, was her philosophy / A pesar de que era infeliz en su matrimonio, Donna nunca consideró perseguir romances con otros hombres. Más vale malo conocido que bueno por conocer, fue su filosofía.

Additional examples:

• My friend wanted to change banks but he felt that it was better the devil he knew than the devil he didn't so he stayed with his old bank.

• Any other man might be as unpleasant to live with. Better the devil you know than the devil you don't know.

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: BY WORD OF MOUTH"

"BY WORD OF MOUTH"

If something becomes well-known by word of mouth, it becomes well-known because people are telling each other about it, and not because of advertising or other marketing tools. 

Example: Word of mouth made this movie a hit. A few people saw it and told their friends about it, and then they told more people about it, and before long everyone was going to see it. 

De boca en boca.

Example sentences:

• People heard about the book by word of mouth, so the publisher didn't have to spend much on marketing / La gente ha oído hablar del libro de boca en boca, por lo que el editor no tiene que gastar mucho en la comercialización.

• I don't trust things I hear about by word of mouth / No confío en las cosas que escucho de boca en boca.

Additional examples:

• The best possible marketing tool is word of mouth, but a product has to be extremely good to earn it.

• I learned about it by word of mouth. I need it in writing.  

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