The English-Learning and Languages Review Æ Homepage
Miniphrase
A
Basic or First List of Idioms and
Expressions for Beginners in a New Language
Erik
V. Gunnemark
(ed. Amorey Gethin)
What follows is
a list of the idioms or expressions that are the most useful to know in any new
language that you are starting to learn. The list is based on many years of
research, but any such list is bound to be subjective to some extent. This
particular version of the list was made with translation into Italian in mind;
the list will vary slightly according to the language it is intended to be
translated into.
Alternatives are
separated by /.
At the very
beginning, the only practical way to learn quickly is to translate. But as soon
as possible you should try to forget your own language, and connect the
expressions in the new language directly to situations in real life. Your own
language should disappear from your mind. Avoid
the translation mentality at all costs!
You may find it
useful to study this list in combination with the page on learning vocabulary
at www.lingua.org.uk/voc ,
particularly section II, First Steps.
|
ACCIDENT There's been
a (bad) accident. Bruno's had
a (bad) accident. It's not
serious. AFRAID I'm
afraid not/I can't. Don't be
afraid or frightened. AGE - See OLD ALL RIGHT All right, or O.K., I'll come. That's all
right. or That's O.K. (after
"Sorry!") That's all
right. (= It
doesn't matter, don't worry about it.) Is that all
right? or Is that O.K.? (= Is that
agreed?) Fine! O.K. See you
tomorrow. Are you all
right? BED I'm sleepy.
I'm going to bed. BIRTHDAY Happy
birthday! BOTHER (Please)
Don't bother. It's
no bother. (I'm) Sorry
to bother you (but I wonder if you could help me). BY - See TRANSPORT CALL - See NAME, SAY CALM Keep calm! Calm down! or Take it easy! CAN, COULD - See also MAY,
PLEASE, HAVE, HELP & HOW Could or Can I have another cup of coffee? Certainly. or Of course. or Sure. Could I have
my key please? Number 22.
Could you
bring me another knife? This one's dirty. Can I have
five kilos of potatoes Can I smoke
here? No,
it's not allowed. Yes,
that's all right. Can you
drive? Yes,
I can. No,
I can't. CARE - See also LOOK Take care of
yourself/selves. I don't
care. CAREFUL (Be)
Careful! CHANGE I've changed
my mind. I must
change (my clothes). I'd like to
change my room. CHEERS Cheers! (=
toast) CHRISTMAS Merry
Christmas! CLOCK - See TIME COLD I'm cold. It's cold.
(= weather) COME Come here. I'm coming! Come in. Do come in. Where do you
come from? I'm
from COMPASS, POINTS OF It's in north/south/east/west They live
about 30 kilometres north of We must go
south. CONGRATULATIONS Congratulations! COST What does
this cost? or How much is this? COULD - see CAN COURSE, OF Yes, of
course. DATES What's the
date (today)? (on)
1st/2nd/30th January 1999 What day
will you arrive? The
eighteenth. in 1848/2000 in the
nineteen sixties DAY - see DATES DEAR Dear Nina/Bruno,... Dear Mrs/Miss/Mr Rossi,... DIRECTION - see WAY DISTURB - See BOTHER DO - See also HELP, STOP,
& WORK Can I do
something (for you)? Don't do
that! EASY - see CALM, SLOWLY ENJOY - See GOOD ENOUGH That's
enough. EXACTLY Exactly! EXCUSE Excuse me. (= apology
or preliminary to request) Excuse me. (= request
for permission to pass or enter - "May I come in?") FAR - see HOW FAR FINE - See ALL RIGHT and
HOW ARE FUN - See also GOOD We had great
fun. GIVING something to
somebody - see THERE GLAD - See also WELCOME I'm glad to
hear that. I'll be glad
to (do it). GOOD Good morning/day. Good afternoon/evening. Good night. Good! Have a good
time. or Enjoy yourself. Have a good
trip or journey. Good luck! GOODBYE Goodbye. Bye-bye. or Cheerio. All the
best. GREETINGS - See HOW DO,
HULLO, MEET, REGARDS, W HALF - see TIME HAVE Can I have
four of those apples/them? or
I'll take four of those apples/them. HAVE DONE Where can I
have my bicycle/this part repaired? HEALTH - See HOW ARE HELLO - See also TELEPHONE Hullo! or Hi! HEAR Sorry, I
didn't hear what you said. HELP Help! Could you
help me? Certainly.
or Sure. Can I help
you? It can't be
helped. or There's nothing we can do. HERE - see also THERE Here he is/I am! HI! Hi! HOME Is he/she at home? Let's go
home. HOPE I hope so./Let's
hope so. I hope not. HOT I'm hot. It's hot. (=
weather) HOW (Can you
show me) how to do it? or How does one do it? HOW ARE How are you? Very
well, thank you. And you? I've
got a cold. I've
got a headache/sore throat/ stomach-ache. Not
too bad. I don't feel
well. He/She became ill yesterday. HOW ARE THINGS How are
things (going)? or How are you getting on? HOW DO How do you
do. or Pleased to meet you. my name's Tom Scott. How
do you do. or Pleased to meet you. I'm Luca Rossi. HOW FAR How far is
it to HOW LONG How long
does it take (by train)? How long
have you been here? I've/We've been here (for) a week. How long are
you staying here? Till
Monday. HOW MUCH - See COST HOW...SAY - See SAY HULLO - See HELLO &
TELEPHONE |