TODAY'S IDIOM: CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT

"CROSS THAT BRIDGE WHEN WE COME TO IT"

You can say "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" if someone mentions a problem that might occur in the future, but you want them to think about what's happening now instead.

Example: Martin asked what we'd do if our new company couldn't find good staff when we needed to expand, and I said we'll cross that bridge when we come to it.

No te adelantes a los acontecimientos.

Example sentences:

• Jenny worries too much about things that might happen in the future, so people are always saying "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it" to her / Jenny se preocupa demasiado por cosas que podrían ocurrir en el futuro, por lo que la gente siempre está diciendo "No te adelantes a los acontecimientos" a ella.

• We can say "we'll cross that bridge when we come to it" if someone asks about a future problem / Podemos decir "No te adelantes a los acontecimientos" si alguien pregunta acerca de un problema futuro. 

Additional examples:

• What if the flight is delayed?' 'I'll cross that bridge when I come to it

Alan: Where will we stop tonight? Jane: At the next town.
Alan: What if all the hotels are full?
Jane: Let's cross that bridge when we come to it.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ON THE BACK BURNER

"ON THE BACK BURNER"

If a plan or a project is on the back burner, it isn't being worked on at present, but it might be completed in the future.

Example: It's a great idea, but we're too busy to look into it now so we'll put it on the back burner for a while.


En segundo plano.


Example sentences:

• Plans for the new factory have been put on the back burner until the economy improves / Los planes para la nueva fábrica se han puesto en un segundo plano hasta que la economía mejore.

• We'll put the project on the back burner for a while because we're too busy just now / Vamos a poner el proyecto en un segundo plano por un tiempo porque estamos demasiado ocupados en este momento.

Additional examples:

• The building project is on the back burner for now.

• This matter was on the back burner for a long time.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: DOWN TO EARTH

"DOWN TO EARTH"

 

If someone is down to earth, they are practical and sensible. 

Example: Steven is an artist and a real dreamer, but luckily his wife Sarah is down to earth, so she takes care of their day to day lives.

Pies en la tierra.

Example sentences:

• I like her down to earth approach to problem-solving / Me gusta su enfoque de los pies en la tierra para la resolución de problemas.

• We need someone who can come up with practical, down to earth ideas that we can work with in the real world / Necesitamos a alquien que venga con ideas prácticas, con los pies en la tierra que podamos trabajar en el mundo real.

Additional examples:

• This is not a very down-to-earth idea.

• So, tell me about Carl.  What's he like? He is very practical and reliable. He drives a fuel efficient car and dresses modestly. He is focussed on his career and makes steady progress with his studies.  He doesn't expect to get rich quick. He sounds very down to earth.

 

 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: COME A CROPPER

"COME A CROPPER"

If you come a cropper, you fall over, or you make a mistake which has serious consequences for you.

Example: A radio announcer really came a cropper when he made a racist remark. He lost his job and now he can't get another one.

Dar un golpe.

Example sentences:

• I came a cropper in the bathroom because the floor was slippery / Me di un golpe en el baño porque el suelo estaba resbaladizo.

• The prime minister came a cropper while coming down the steps and hurt his backside / El primer ministro se dió un golpe mientras bajaba las escaleras y se lastimó su trasero.

Additional examples:

• If you don't get down off that wall you're going to come a cropper.

• Bob invested all his money in the stock market just before it fell. Boy, did he come a cropper.  

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TODAY'S IDIOM: LOST FOR WORDS

"LOST FOR WORDS"

You are lost for words if you're so surprised by something that you can't think of anything to say.

Example: I've never seen our boss lost for words before, but when John called him a fool, he just stood there staring at him. I don't think anyone has ever said that to him before.

Quedarse sin palabras.

Example sentences:

• After hearing the news, Kerry was lost for words / Después de escuchar las noticias, Kerry se quedó sin palabras.

• Aisha was lost for words when she heard she'd won the lottery / Aish se quedó sin palabras cuando escuchó que había ganado la lotería.

Additional examples:

• Chris was lost for words at Kathy's incredible rudeness.

• Mary was lost for words when she was awarded the prize.

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH

"A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH"

If something is a matter of life and death, it's extremely important and it could involve someone's survival.

Example: Education about HIV and AIDS is a matter of life and death. If people aren't told to protect themselves with condoms, they could die from the disease.


Es una cuestión de vida o muerte.


Example sentences:

• We must find a doctor. It's a matter of life and death / Hay que buscar un médico. Es una cuestión de vida o muerte.

• Getting someone to hospital quickly after an accident or a heart attack is a matter of life and death. Just a few minutes can make all the difference / Conseguir un hospital rápidamente después de un accidente o un ataque al corazón es una cuestión de vida o muerte. Solo unos minutos pueden hacer la diferencia.

Additional examples:

• Al says one of the issues we face that's a matter of life and death for the whole planet is global warming

• A matter of life and death demands that I return home at once. 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: FORTY WINKS

"FORTY WINKS"

If you have forty winks, you have a short sleep, or a nap.

Example: If you're driving on a long trip and you feel yourself getting sleepy, stop and have forty winks. It might save your life, and the lives of other people too.

Siesta.

Example sentences:

• I'll sometimes have forty winks if I feel a bit sleepy / A veces tomaré una siesta si siento un poco de sueño.

• I could use forty winks before I have to get to work / Podría tomar una siesta antes de tener que ir a trabajar.

Additional examples:

• If I have a late night I sometimes catch forty winks on the train on the way to work.

• I need forty winks before I get started again.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: RUN RINGS AROUND / RUN CIRCLES AROUND

"RUN RINGS AROUND / RUN CIRCLES AROUND"

If you run rings around someone, or run circles around them, you do something much better than they do.

Example: The Democrat candidate ran rings around the Republican candidate in their debate on the economy. 

Le da mil vueltas.

Example sentences:

• We watched this dance contest and some kid from Brixton ran circles around a guy from Chelsea / Vimos este concurso de baile y un niño de Brixton le dio mil vueltas a un chico de Chelsea.

• After running rings around his competitor for the whole fight, the boxer from Cuba won the fight easily / Después de darle mil vueltas a su competidor en toda la pelea, el boxeador de Cuba la ganó fácilmente.

Additional examples:

• Why does he talk to Alison as if she's stupid, when we all know she could run rings around him?

• Olympic hockey runs rings around the game played by professionals.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY

"ALL WORK AND NO PLAY MAKES JACK A DULL BOY"

 

 

It is not healthy for someone to work all the time and never play.

Example: Don't come to the office this weekend. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

Hay que divertirse y dejar de lado el trabajo por un rato.

Example sentences:

• I'd like to take a week's vacation next month. All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy / Me gustaría tomar una semana de vacaciones el próximo mes. Hay que divertirse y dejar de lado el trabajo por un rato.

• You need to get out more in the evenings. You know what they say about all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy / Tienes que salir más por las noches. Ya sabes lo que dicen sobre de que hay que divertirse y dejar de lado el trabajo por un rato.

Additional examples:

• The parents always wanted their child to study and did not realize that all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

• Bill's mother told him to stop studying and to go out and play, because all work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.

 

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

"KILL TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE"

If you kill two birds with one stone, you achieve two things with the one action.

Example: Jenny says that she kills two birds with one stone if she does her own housework because she gets the house clean and she gets some exercise at the same time.

Matar dos pájaros de un tiro.

Example sentences:

• I need to go to the bank, and if I drop the books off at the library on the way I'll be killing two birds with one stone / Necesito ir al banco y si en el camino dejo los libros en la biblioteca estaría matando dos pájaros de un tiro.

• Sandra killed two birds with one stone by going to Paris. She practiced her French before her exam and she went to her friend's wedding / Sandra mató dos pájaros de un tiro llendo a Paris. Practicó el Francés antes de su examen y fue a la boda de su amiga.

Additional examples:

• John learned the words to his part in the play while peeling potatoes. He was killing two birds with one stone.

• I have to cash a check and make a payment on my bank loan. I'll kill two birds with one stone by doing them both in one trip to the bank.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: KEEP A LOW PROFILE

"KEEP A LOW PROFILE"

If you keep a low profile, you try not to do anything that will draw attention to you or create interest in you.

Example: Marco tried to keep a low profile because he didn't want to be bothered by the media.

Mantener un perfil bajo.

Example sentences:

• After all the bad publicity over the problems in his private life, the team's captain kept a low profile for a few months / Después de la mala publicidad sobre los problemas de su vida privada, el capitán del equipo mantuvo un bajo perfil durante algunos meses. 

• Sometimes it's a good idea to keep a low profile because too much interest or attention can lead to problems / A veces es una buena idea mantener un perfil bajo porque demasiado interes o atención pueden traer problemas.

Additional examples:

• The local people are not always pleasant to strangers, who are warned to keep a low profile while visiting.

• He's been keeping a low profile at work ever since his argument with Peter.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: COULDN'T CARE LESS

"COULDN'T CARE LESS"

You can say "I couldn't care less" when you don't care about something, or it doesn't matter to you.

Example: Tim thinks we're all interested in what he thinks, but we couldn't care less what he thinks, to be honest.

No me interesa.

Example sentences:

• Most people couldn't care less about the problems of people on the other side of the world. They've got their own problems to worry about / A la mayoría de la gente no le interesan nada los problemas de las personas en el otro lado del mundo. Ellos tienen sus propios problemas de que preocuparse.

• Yuki said she couldn't care less about the weather in Switzerland / Yuki dijo que no le interesaba el clima en Suiza.

Additional examples:

• Pick whatever dessert you want; I couldn't care less.

• I couldn't care less about the editor's opinion.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: COME TO GRIPS WITH / GET TO GRIPS WITH

"COME TO GRIPS WITH / GET TO GRIPS WITH"

If you come to grips with something, or get to grips with something, you deal with the problems or challenges it poses.

Example: The government is having trouble coming to grips with the problem of rising oil prices.

Enfrentarse.

Example sentences:

• If Henry wants to be a successful executive, he'll have to get to grips with his fear of public speaking / Si Henry quiere ser un ejecutivo de éxito, tiene que enfrentar el miedo que tiene hablar en público.

• The company's production manager hasn't come to grips with major issues relating to production, so he might lose his job / El gerente de la producción de la empresa no ha enfrentado los principales problemas relacionados con la producción, por lo que podría perder su trabajo.

Additional examples:

• We must all come to grips with this tragedy. 

• I cannot come to grips with Ed and his problems.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: KNOW YOUR STUFF

"KNOW YOUR STUFF"

If you know your stuff, you're very good at what you do, and you know a lot about it.

Example: When it comes to growing vegetables, Uncle Ken sure knows his stuff. He's been growing veggies in his back garden for forty years!

Saber lo que haces.

Example sentences:

• The technician who looks after the computers at our office really knows her stuff. She's great! / La técnica que se ocupa de las computadoras en nuestra oficina realmente sabe lo que hace. Es genial.

• We'll soon know how good he is at fixing cars. If he knows his stuff, the car should stop smoking / Bueno, pronto sabremos que tan bueno es él arreglando los coches. Si sabe lo que hace, el carro debe dejar de humear.

Additional examples:

• I know my stuff. I can do my job.  

• When it comes to restoring grand pianos, Mr Morley really knows his stuff.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: DO SOMEONE'S DIRTY WORK

"DO SOMEONE'S DIRTY WORK"

If you do someone's dirty work for them, you do something unpleasant for them because they don't want to do it for themselves.

Example: Whenever he wants somebody fired, my boss asks me to tell them. I'm sick of doing his dirty work for him, but if I refuse he'll ask someone else to tell me I'm fired.

Hacer el trabajo sucio.

Example sentences:

• One of the good things about being promoted is that you can tell someone below you do your dirty work for you / Una de las cosas buenas de ser promovido es que puedes decirle a alguien que esté por debajo de ti, que haga el trabajo sucio.

• I read this article today that says if the leader of a country starts a war, they should do their own dirty work and fight alongside their soldiers / Leí este artículo hoy que dice que, si el líder de un país comienza una guerra, ellos deben hacer su propio trabajo sucio y luchar junto a sus soldados.

Additional examples:

• Well, usually I do the dirty work and someone else gets the credit for getting it done.

• Naturally, he has assistants who do his dirty work.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: SPEAK YOUR MIND

"SPEAK YOUR MIND"

If you speak your mind, you say what you really feel about something, or what you really think.

Example: Joel comes from New York, so he nearly always speaks his mind, but Sayoko comes from Tokyo, so she almost never speaks her mind. They come from very different cultures.

Decir lo que piensa.

Example sentences:

• He's certainly not afraid to speak his mind / Ciertamente no tiene miedo decir lo que piensa.

• Kerry decided it was time to speak her mind and tell Steve what she really thought about his decision / Kerry decidió que ya era hora de decir lo que piensa y le dijo a Steve lo que realmente pensaba acerca de su decisión.

Additional examples:

• I just had to speak my mind and be honest with them

• You can always depend on John to speak his mind. He'll let you know what he really thinks.

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