TODAY'S IDIOM: JOHNNY COME LATELY

"JOHNNY COME LATELY"

Someone who has only recently started a job or activity and has suddenly become very successful.

Example: She denies suggestions that she's a Johnny come lately, saying that she has worked for years to get her own show.

Recién llegado.

Example sentences:

• He's a Johnny come lately and doesn't really know what he is talking about / Es un recién llegado y realmente no sabe de lo que está hablando.

• Everybody was amazed when a Johnny come lately beat the old favorite in the race / Todo el mundo se sorprendió cuando el recién llegado batió al viejo favorito de la carrera.

Additional examples:  

• She may be a Johnny come lately on the board, but she's doing a fine job with publicity. 

• When it looked as though Mr. Brown had a good chance of winning, many Johnny come latelies began to support him. 

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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: EXPAND / BROADEN / WIDEN YOUR HORIZONS

"EXPAND / BROADEN / WIDEN YOUR HORIZONS"

If you expand your horizons, you broaden your outlook on life and its possibilities. 

Example: Louise reckons books broadened her horizons more than anything because they really helped her to find new ways of looking at the world. 

Expandir / Ampliar / Aumentar nuevos horizontes.

Example sentences:

• It's a great idea for young people to travel because it can really expand their horizons / Es una gran idea que los jóvenes viajen, porque realmente pueden expandir sus horizontes.

• Most people think that one of the best ways to widen your horizons is to travel to foreign countries / La mayoría de la gente piensa, que una de las mejores formas de ampliar sus horizontes es viajar a países extranjeros.

Additional examples:

• This trip to the Far East has certainly broadened our family's horizons.

• Travelling certainly broadens your horizons.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: TIME AFTER TIME

"TIME AFTER TIME"

If you do something time after time, you do it again and again, or repeatedly.

Example: We've told our son time after time to call us if he's going to be late, but he still forgets sometimes.

Una y otra vez.

Example sentences:

• Tiger wins major tournaments time after time. He really is a champion / Tigre gana los torneos importantes una y otra vez. Realmente es un campeón.

• Shelley makes the same mistakes time after time. She never seems to learn / Shelley cometió los mismos errores una y otra vez. Parece que nunca aprende.

Additional examples:

• You've made the same error time after time! Please try to be more careful!

• Time after time she was involved with men who did not appreciate her.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: ABOVE BOARD

"ABOVE BOARD"

If something is above board, it's been done in a legal and honest way.

Example: The minister claimed all the appointments were above board and denied claims that some positions had been given to his friends.

Legalmente.

Example sentences:

• I'm sure the deal was completely above board as I know James well and he'd never do anything illegal or corrupt / Estoy seguro de que el acuerdo fue completamente legal, sé bien que James y él nunca haría nada ilegal o corrupto.

• The government officials are being investigated for corruption. If everything they've done has been above board, they'll have nothing to worry about / Los funcionarios del gobierno están siendo investigados por corrupción. Si todo lo que han hecho hasido legalmente, no van a tener nada de qué preocuparse.

Additional examples: 

• He likes to keep his business dealings above board

• Be assured, I always operate above board

 

 

 

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TODAY'S IDIOM: JOIN THE CLUB!

"JOIN THE CLUB!"

 

You can say "Join the club!" to someone who has just experienced something unpleasant that you've also experienced, or to someone who's in an unfortunate position that's similar to your own. 

Example: Peter: "Bobby here just got sacked because a machine can do his job cheaper." Paul: "Yeah? Join the club, Bobby!" 

¡Bienvenido al club!

Examples:

• Did you get fired too? Join the club! / ¿También te despidieron? ¡Bienvenido al club!

• When she heard Kerry's story of being badly treated at the hospital, Diana said "Join the club!" because the same thing had happened to Diana / Cuando oyó la historia de Kerry de haber sido maltratado en el hospital, dijo Diana "Bienvenido al club!" porque lo mismo le había pasado a ella.

Additional examples:

• You were conned by a bank into taking out a mortgage, and now they own your home? Join the club! We lost ours last month.

• You don't have anyplace to stay? Join the club! Neither do we.  

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TODAY'S IDIOM: A NIGHT ON THE TOWN / OUT ON THE TOWN

"A NIGHT ON THE TOWN / OUT ON THE TOWN"

If you have a night on the town, or go out on the town, you go out for dinner and then go to a show or a dance club or some other entertainment venue. 

Example: It's quite common for businessmen to take their colleagues out on the town.

En la ciudad.

Example sentences:

• Let's go out for a night on the town. We haven't been out for ages / Vamos a salir una noche en la ciudad. No hemos estado fuera por años.

• I had a night on the town with Lee and we left the last club at 2 a.m / Tuve una noche en la ciudad con Lee y nos fuimos del antro a las 2 a.m.

Additional examples:

• Did you enjoy your night on the town?

• After we got the contract signed, we celebrated with a night on the town.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

"MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING"

If you say something is much ado about nothing, you think it's an overreaction to something that shouldn't have caused so much trouble.

Example: Some people make a big fuss about which table they get in a restaurant, but as far as I can see it's much ado about nothing as long as the food's the same.

Mucho alboroto sobre nada.

Example sentences:

• The fight was much ado about nothing. It all started because a guy stepped on someone's foot / La pelea fue mucho alboroto sobre nada. Todo empezó porque un chico pisó el pie de alguien.

• All this arguing is much ado about nothing / Toda esta discusión es mucho alboroto sobre nada.

Additional examples:

•  All this nonsense about status and "losing face" is much ado about nothing as far as I'm concerned.  

• People have been getting very upset about the seating arrangements for the Christmas dinner, but as far as I'm concerned it's all much ado about nothing.

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TODAY'S IDIOM: UNDER FIRE

"UNDER FIRE"

You're under fire if you're being attacked by the media or cricitised by many people.

Example: The Defence Minister has been under fire since it was reported that injured soldiers have been getting poor medical care. 

En la mira / En boca de todos / Bajo la lupa

Example sentences:

• OPEC is under fire because of the high price of oil / OPEP está bajo la lupa porque subió el precio del petróleo.

• The government-run TV station has come under fire for not reporting news that embarrasses the government / El canal de televisión dirigido por el gobierno está en boca de todos por no informar de la noticia de que avergüenza al gobierno.

Additional examples:

• The court is under fire for being too political.

•  Mr. Johnson has come under fire for gossiping about his clients.

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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 nombradocapitán 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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