Speak Like a Native: 50 Common Idioms & Phrases in English

Hi, you language learners! This is Elly, and you're welcome to my YouTube channel. If you're here to improve your English, then you're in the right place. In today's video, we're going to explore some of the most common English idioms and phrases that you'll hear in everyday conversations. Whether you're a beginner or looking to level up your English skills, these phrases are going to help you sound more natural and fluent in conversations. From pulling someone's leg to hitting on someone, we're going to break down these expressions so you can understand and use them just like a native speaker. So, if you're ready to boost your English skills and sound more fluent, let's dive in! Grab a notebook, a cup of tea or coffee, and let's get started! Pull someone's leg This expression means you're joking with someone in a playful way and you don't expect them to take your words seriously. I'm just pulling your leg. You're not actually in trouble. Hitting on someone This means you're flirting with someone and showing romantic interest through words or behavior. He kept hitting on her at the bar even though she wasn't interested. Tease someone This means you joke about someone in a light-hearted way, usually to make them laugh and not to hurt their feelings. They always tease me about my early bedtime. Give someone a hard time means you make things slightly difficult for someone, often through joking criticism or playful complaining. She gave him a hard time for forgetting her birthday. Well, I think she was right. Mess with someone This means you try to confuse or joke with someone in a playful or mischievous way. Ah, don't believe him, he's just messing with you. Crack someone up This one means you make someone laugh a lot, usually with something funny you say or do. Ah, his silly dance moves crack everyone up. Goof around means you behave in a silly or playful way instead of being serious or focused. They were goofing around instead of doing their homework. Hang out It means you spend relaxed, casual time with someone without any serious purpose. We usually hang out at the coffee shop after work. Chill out It means you calm down and relax, especially when you're feeling upset or stressed. You need to chill out and stop worrying about everything. Make fun of someone It means you laugh at someone or joke about them. Sometimes in a way that can... Don't make fun of her accent, it's rude. Break the ice It means you start a conversation in an awkward or unfamiliar situation to make people feel more comfortable. He told the joke to break the ice at a meeting. Spill the beans It means you reveal a secret or share information that was supposed to stay private. Oh, don't spill the beans about the surprise party. Hit the sack It means you go to bed because you're tired and ready to sleep. I'm exhausted, I'm going to hit the sack. Oh my god, it was real. The yawning was real, I think I need to get some rest. Call it a day It means you stop working on something because you feel you've done enough or you're tired. Let's call it a day and continue tomorrow. Keep an eye on something It means watch something carefully to make sure nothing goes wrong. Please keep an eye on my bag while I get a drink. Feel under the weather It means you feel sick or unwell, usually in a mild way. She stayed home because she was feeling under the weather. Run into someone It means you meet someone unexpectedly without planning to. I ran into my old friend at the grocery store. Drop by means visit someone casually and usually without making an appointment. I might drop by later if you're not busy. Look forward to something Means you feel happy and excited about something that will happen in the future. I'm really looking forward to our vacation. Be fed up with something Means you're annoyed or tired of something because it's been happening too much. I'm fed up with this noisy neighborhood. Cut to the chase It means you skip the unnecessary details and go directly to the main point. Let's cut to the chase. What do you actually want? Get the cold feet Means you suddenly feel too nervous or scared to do something that you planned to do. He got cold feet right before the wedding. Yeah, I'm talking about channeling friends. Before we go to the next one, I think if you haven't subscribed to my channel or liked this video yet, I think this is the right time, isn't it? Get the hang of something Means you learn how to do something well after practicing it. I'm sure you'll get the hang of driving soon. Give something a shot Means you try something even if you're not sure you'll succeed. I've never tried surfing, but I'll give it a shot. Take it easy means you relax or avoid stress or you act calm in a situation. Oh, take it easy, everything will work out. The ball is in your court It means it's now your responsibility to take action or make a decision. I've done everything I can, so the ball is in your court. A piece of cake It means something is extremely easy to do and requires little effort. The test was a piece of cake for her. Bid around the bush means you avoid talking directly about an uncomfortable or important topic. Stop bidding around the bush and tell me the truth. Be in hot water means you're in trouble or facing consequences for something you did. He was in hot water for arriving late. Let the cat out of the bag Oh no, please, I'm scared of cats. Let the cat out of the bag. It means you accidentally reveal a secret or something that was meant to stay hidden. She let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. Hit the road means you leave or start the journey. We should hit the road before it gets dark. Hold your horses Oh my god, I love horses. They're so lovely, aren't they? Okay, this idiom means you should be patient and wait instead of rushing. Hold your horses, I haven't finished explaining. Let someone off the hook It means you stop blaming or punishing someone for something they did. The teacher let him off the hook this time. We are so kind. Blow off steam means you release anger or stress by doing something active. She went for a run to blow off steam. Play it by ear It means you decide what to do as the situation develops without a fixed plan. We don't need a schedule, let's just play it by ear. Get something off your chest. It means you talk about something that has been bothering you in order to feel better. He finally got it off his chest and apologized. Keep your chin up. It means you stay positive and hopeful even during difficult times. Keep your chin up, things will get better soon. Have butterflies, but not the actual ones. It means you feel nervous. Usually before she had butterflies before her speech. Be on the same page means you and others understand or agree on the same idea or plan. Let's meet to make sure that we're all on the same page. Talk someone's ear off. It means you talk excessively, usually in a way that overwhelms the listener. He talked my ear off about his new job. Hit the nail on the head. It means you say something that is exactly correct or perfectly describes the situation. You really hit the nail on the head with that comment. Be all ears. It means you're ready and eager to listen carefully. I'm all ears, tell me what happened. Kill time. It means you do something to stay busy while waiting for something else. We kill time by playing cards. Cut someone some slack. This idiom means you choose not to be too strict with someone and to give them extra freedom or forgiveness. Cut him some slack is still learning. A close call. It means something bad almost happened but was avoided at the last moment. The car almost hit us. That was a close call. Cost an arm and a leg. It means something is extremely expensive and costs much more than expected. Their new car costs an arm and a leg. Be in the same boat means you are in the same difficult situation as someone else and you face the same problems. We're all in the same boat with this deadline. Take something with a grain of salt means you should not completely believe something because it may not be accurate or it might be exaggerated. Take his story with a grain of salt. He tends to exaggerate. Hit the jackpot. This idiom means you experience great success or luck often unexpectedly. He hit the jackpot when he found an apartment he loved at a low price. Be up in the air. It means something is uncertain or not yet decided. Our weekend plans are still up in the air. Hit the brakes. It means you suddenly stop what you're doing or slow down your progress. We need to hit the brakes on spending so much money. Let someone down. It means you fail to support someone or do something they were counting on. I don't want to let you down so I finish the work today. Stay in the loop means you remain informed or updated about a situation or ongoing events. Please email me the details so I can stay in the loop. And that's it. We're done. Keep learning and take care. See you in the next video. Bye.