CONVERSATIONAL PHRASES

Question 1

A BIT MUCH (informal)

Answer 1

You can say this if you think something’s not fair or not reasonable.

Joel got a 6 on his math class. His mom grounded him for year.

“I think that was a bit much” (exageraste)

Question 2

A BIT OF A _____ (informal)

Answer 2

You can add this to a description to make what you say sound more informal or colloquial. To explain with other words.

(no es cualquier cosa, no es objetivo, es una opinion)

Example:
I need to go to the airport.
-That’s a bit of a drive!

My dad didn’t answer my message, I think he hates me.
-Uhm, that’s a bit of stretch.

Question 3

ABOUT TIME (informal)

Answer 3

You can say this if something’s happened later, or taken longer, than it should have. (ya era hora, hasta que!) en pasado, o Ya es tiempo (en presente) ya estuvieras)

You’re stuck in traffic for two hours. Finally, the traffic starts to disappear.
-It was about time!

It’s about time we start planning for our Seattle trip.

Question 4

AFTER YOU (formal)

Answer 4

A polite thing to say when you’re letting somebody do something before you do, such as walk through a door or take salad from a bowl.

(cortesia, pase ud, usted primero, despues de usted)

Question 5

ALL RIGHT

Answer 5

You can say this instead of “yes” if you’re accepting a suggestion or granting permission.
You can say this to make sure you’ve been understood, or to let someone know you’ve understood them.
You can say this to get everyone’s attention.
You can say this if you’re trying to comfort someone.

TEACHER: do you have any questions?
-No

All right, let’s move on with our next exercise.

Question 6

ALL RIGHT BY ME

Answer 6

You can say this if you agree with a suggestion or a request, but you know that others might not agree.

(por mi esta bien)

Question 7

ALL THE BEST

Answer 7

You can say this to wish someone good luck when you’re saying good-bye.

Question 8

ALLOW ME (formal)

Answer 8

This is a polite thing to say when you’re offering to help someone.

(permiteme ayudarte, dame chance de ayudarte)

I can't open this box.
Allow me (to help you)

Question 9

ANY LUCK?

Answer 9

You can ask this if you want to know if someone’s been able to do or find something.
(tuviste suerte?)

(Dad is looking for his high school diploma)
Any luck?

Question 10

AS A MATTER OF FACT

Answer 10

You can say this when you’re adding information, or when you’re correcting wrong information.
(de hecho…. añade o clarifica informacion)

Poor bees are going to get killed and they’re innocent.
-As a matter of fact, african bees are very dangerous.

Question 11

AS FAR AS I CAN TELL / AS FAR AS I KNOW

Answer 11

You can say this when telling someone what you think or believe is true, based on what you’ve deduced so far.
(hasta donde yo sé, segun yo si)

Am I allowed to drink wine after my vaccine?
As far as I can tell you should be ok.

Question 12

AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED

Answer 12

You can say this when giving your personal opinion or views about something.
(en lo que a mi concierne, con opinion)

“What’s the most serious challenge we’re facing now?”
“As far as I’m concerned, it’s man-made climate change.”

Question 13

AS IT HAPPENS

Answer 13

You can say this if something’s true by chance, esp. if it’s surprising.
(de hecho… por coincidencia)

I’ve just lost my phone.”
“I’ve got a spare one, as it happens. You can have it if you like.”

Question 14

AS IT IS

Answer 14

You can say this instead of “already” when describing the way things are.
(ya de por si)

“Can I get this new computer game, Dad?”
“You waste enough time on games as it is, Nico.”

Question 15

AT IT (informal)

Answer 15

You can say someone’s “at it” if they’re doing something you don’t approve of, esp. if they often do it.

I can’t find my uncle. He’s at it again. (smoking)

Question 16

AT LEAST

Answer 16

You can say this when clarifying or changing what you’ve just said.
You can use this when mentioning something positive in a generally negative situation or context.

“They stole your new TV?”
“Yep. But at least they didn’t take my computer.”

“Is Josh a good swimmer?”
“The best in the school. One of the best, at least.”

Question 17

AT THE END OF THE DAY

Answer 17

You can say this when stating the most important fact, or the most fundamental truth, of a situation.
(a final de cuentas, al final del dia)

“We think William should go to college.”
“So do I, but at the end of the day it’s your son’s decision, not yours.”

Question 18

AT THE SAME TIME

Answer 18

You can use this to introduce another fact or view that should be considered alongside those already mentioned.

“Don’t you want your kids to be safe?”
“Of course I do. But at the same time, I want them to be free enough to enjoy their lives.”

Question 19

back in the day | back in the old days

Answer 19

You can say this if you’re talking about a time long ago, or a time much earlier in your life.

example: “Back in the day, all phones were connected to phone lines. We couldn’t carry one around back then.”

(en mis tiempos…)

Question 20

bad luck

Answer 20

You can say this to show you’re sorry or sympathetic if something bad happens to someone.

example: After the game, the coach said, “Bad luck, girls. You tried hard, but it wasn’t your day.”

Question 21

be happy to

Answer 21

You can say this if someone asks you to do something, and you’re willing or happy to do it.

“Could you sign a copy of your book for me, please?”
“I’d be happy to.”

Question 22

be my guest (formal)

Answer 22

You can say this instead of “yes” if someone asks you for permission to do something.

“I’m running late, so do you mind if I go first?”
“Be my guest.”

Question 23

be right with you (formal) / be right there (informal)

Answer 23

You can use this to tell someone you’ll be with them very soon.

“Take a seat, please. I’ll be right with you.”
(ahorita estoy con ud.)

“Dinner’s ready!”
“I’ll be right there, Mom. I’ve just got to send an email first.”

Question 24

be seeing you (informal)

Answer 24

You can use this to say goodbye to someone if you’re not sure when you’ll be seeing them again.

“It was great catching up with you, Luke.”
“Same here. Be seeing you, Pedro.”

Question 25

be sure to

Answer 25

You can say this when you're reminding someone to do something. "Be sure to lock the door when you leave." "Yes, Mom."

Question 26

beats me (informal)

Answer 26

You can say this if you don't know or understand something. | "Where's Stanley?" "Beats me. He never tells me anything." ni idea, no lo entiendo

Question 27

been there, done that (informal)

Answer 27

You can say this if you've done something before and you're not interested in doing it again. "Why don't you join a book club?" "Been there, done that. I want to do something different." (next...)

Question 28

believe (you) / (me)

Answer 28

You can use this to emphasize the truth or importance of what you're saying. "Believe me, going to war again is a big mistake." "You think so?"

Question 29

believe it or not

Answer 29

You can say this when sharing some unexpected news or surprising information. Lucy looked up from her phone and said, "Wow! Oscar's getting married, believe it or not."

Question 30

better late than never

Answer 30

You can say this when you're glad something's happened, but you wish it'd happened sooner. "They've just paid us." "They should've paid us last month, but better late than never."

Question 31

better luck next time

Answer 31

You can say this to give encouragement or support to someone who's just failed to achieve something. "I failed my driving license test again, Mom." "Never mind, son. Better luck next time."

Question 32

between you and me

Answer 32

You can say this to someone when you're about to tell them a secret. Julia leaned over and whispered into my ear, "Between you and me, I think Lucas is really cute."

Question 33

big deal! (informal)

Answer 33

You can say this to show that you think something isn't important or impressive. When Gloria said she'd been to France, her nasty friend Lucy said, "Big deal! Everyone's been to France."

Question 34

bless you

Answer 34

You can say this to someone after they've sneezed. I kept on sneezing, and the nurse kept on saying, "Bless you."

Question 35

by all means (formal)

Answer 35

You can say this to politely give someone permission to do something. "Do you mind if I bring some friends?" "By all means. Bring as many as you like." (go ahead-informal)

Question 36

by any chance (formal)

Answer 36

You can add this to a "yes/no" question to make it sound more polite, esp. when asking if somebody has something, likes something, knows something or someone, etc. I'd left my phone in a cafe, so I went back and said, "Has anyone seen a black iPhone, by any chance?" What's her number? - informal Do you have her number by any chance? - FORMAL

Question 37

by the way

Answer 37

You can say this if you want to mention, or ask about, an unrelated topic, or if you want to change the topic. We were discussing politics when Ahmad looked up from his phone and said, "By the way, does anyone have Alya's number?" (cambiando de tema)

Question 38

Can I help you?

Answer 38

If you work in a shop or a business, you can say this to a customer if you think they might need your help. I was looking at the jeans when a sales assistant came over and said, "Can I help you?"

Question 39

can't wait / can hardly wait

Answer 39

You can say this if you're looking forward to something very much. "I'm sick of school." "Me too. I can't wait for the holidays to start."

Question 40

chances are

Answer 40

You can use this instead of "probably" when saying what's likely to happen. "It's not raining now, but chances are it'll rain later on, so you'd better take an umbrella."

Question 41

check this out / check it out (informal)

Answer 41

You can say this if you're showing something to someone. "Check this out. It's that website I was telling you about." "Yeah? Let's see."

Question 42

come again? (informal)

Answer 42

You can say this if you don't understand a word or phrase that someone's used. "My wife's a paediatrician." "Come again?" "A doctor for kids. It's a special field of medicine."

Question 43

come on

Answer 43

1. You can say this if you're comforting someone who's sad or afraid. "I'm scared, Daddy." "Come on, sweetie. It's only a storm. It'll be over soon." 2. You can use this to tell someone to hurry up. "Come on! We'll be late if you don't get a move on." 3. You can say this to get someone to put more effort into something, or to start doing something that requires effort. You can say this to get someone to put more effort into something, or to start doing something that requires effort. "Come on, you guys! Time to get back to work."

Question 44

come to think of it

Answer 44

You can say this if you're suddenly reminded of something. "I haven't seen Mike for ages," Charlie said, before adding, "Come to think of it, I haven't seen Kate either."

Question 45

correct me if I'm wrong

Answer 45

You can say this if there's a small chance you could be wrong, or if you're politely correcting someone. The teacher said, "Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't this issue already been discussed?"

Question 46

could always

Answer 46

You can say this when making a suggestion or giving advice. "I can't afford to pay my rent." "You could always get a cheaper apartment, couldn't you?"

Question 47

could do with (informal)

Answer 47

You can use this when saying what you, or someone else, needs. "Steve's been working too much. He looks like he could do with a couple of weeks off."

Question 48

could have easily

Answer 48

You can use this when saying that something was very possible, but it didn't happen. "Why did you climb that tree? You could've easily fallen down and hurt yourself."

Question 49

could have sworn

Answer 49

You can say this when you're very sure about something, esp. when it seems you could be wrong. Barry looked at the bill. "It says here I had four bottles of beer, but I could've sworn it was only three."

Question 50

couldn't help it

Answer 50

You can use this to say you, or someone else, can't be blamed for something going wrong. "She missed her appointment." "She couldn't help it. One of her kids was sick."

Question 51

cross my heart (and hope to die) | informal

Answer 51

You can use this to emphasize that you'll do what you promise to do, or that you're telling the truth. "Did you take some money from my purse, Owen?" "No, Mom. I didn't. Cross my heart and hope to die."

Question 52

cut it out! | cut that out! | informal

Answer 52

You can use this to tell someone to stop doing something that's annoying or upsetting you. The kids were shouting, so I said, "Cut it out, will you? I'm trying to hear the news."

Question 53

dare I say it

Answer 53

You can say this just before saying something that your listeners may not like, or may find challenging or controversial. example: The problem started when Ian's interviewer said, "Your latest novel is, dare I say it, not very original."

Question 54

do I make myself clear

Answer 54

You can use this to emphasize your power or authority over somebody. Example: "You will never see that boy again. Do I make myself clear?" "Yes, Dad."

Question 55

do you mind?

Answer 55

1.If someone says this in a friendly way, they're asking for permission to do something. A guy came to our table and pointed at the bottle of sauce. "Do you mind?" he said. "Not at all," I replied, "You can keep it." 2. If someone says this an unfriendly way, they must think you've been rude or inconsiderate. My brother came in and changed the channel. "Do you mind?" I said, "I was watching that!"

Question 56

don't ask

Answer 56

You can say this if you don't want to talk about what's happened. "How was your driving test?" "Don't ask."

Question 57

don't bet on it / I wouldn't bet on it

Answer 57

You can this say if you don't think something's likely to happen. "We'll find work soon enough." "Don't bet on it. There aren't many jobs around." "I'm sure she'll ring me." "I wouldn't bet on it. Lots of guys talked to her - not just you."

Question 58

don't even think about it

Answer 58

You can use this to tell someone not to do something. "Dad? I just need..." "Don't even think about asking for money, Glen. I've told you already - no more."

Question 59

don't get me wrong

Answer 59

You can say this if you think you might upset or offend someone, esp. when making a suggestion or giving advice. "Don't get me wrong, I think you're a good teacher. But you have to get better at using this new technology."

Question 60

don't give me that!

Answer 60

You can say this after someone's said something that you don't believe or can't accept. "I'm too old to go to university." "Don't give me that! Lots of older people study these days."

Question 61

don't hold your breath

Answer 61

You can say this if something will take a long time to happen, or might never happen. "Do you think the world will be a peaceful place one day?" "Don't hold your breath."

Question 62

don't make me laugh!

Answer 62

You can say this after someone's said something you think is impossible or ridiculous. "I'm going be the best footballer in the world one day." "You? The best in the world? Don't make me laugh!"

Question 63

don't mention it (formal)

Answer 63

This is a polite thing to say after someone has thanked you for something. "Thanks for getting here so quickly, officers." "Don't mention it, sir. We're just doing our job."

Question 64

don't mind me

Answer 64

You can use this to tell someone to ignore you and continue doing whatever they're doing. When Dan came into the room, he said, "Don't mind me. I'm just getting a book."

Question 65

don't you dare!

Answer 65

You can use this to very firmly tell someone not do something. "I'm going to tell Dad you smoked a cigarette!" "Don't you dare!"

Question 66

easy for you to say

Answer 66

You can say this if someone doesn't seem to understand how difficult it is to do what they've suggested. "Just try to relax." "Easy for you to say. You're not the one who's going on stage."

Question 67

enough already

Answer 67

You can say this if you're getting bored or annoyed and you want something to stop. "Enough already! I'm sick of listening to you kids fighting!" After sitting in the meeting for an hour, I said, "Enough already. Let's just make a decision."

Question 68

enough is enough

Answer 68

You can say this if something should stop because it's been allowed to continue for too long. The kids had been running around and shouting for a while when their dad said, "Come on, you guys. Enough is enough." "Enough is enough! We can't allow these companies to destroy our forests any longer!"

Question 69

excuse me

Answer 69

1. This is a polite thing to say if you want to speak to a stranger. I was waiting at the station when a woman said, "Excuse me, do you know what time the next train comes?" 2. This is a polite thing to say when you're interrupting somebody. "Excuse me, Dr Benway. Your next patient's here. Shall I send her in?" 3. This is a polite thing to say if you have to get past somebody in a crowded space. It was a really crowded shop. I must have said "Excuse me" a dozen times while I was in there. 4. This is a polite thing to say if you've accidentally done something. When she realized she'd stepped on my toe, she turned and said, "Excuse me." excuse me? 1.You can use this to ask someone to repeat what they've just said, either because you couldn't hear them or because you couldn't understand them. It was too noisy to talk. After we'd each said "Excuse me?" a few times, we laughed and stopped trying. 2. If someone glares at you and says this in a serious voice, you must have annoyed or upset them. After I told Dwayne he wasn't trying hard enough, he glared at me and said, "Excuse me?"