Real Everyday British English Expressions

地道英国习语50条

Quite a few English words or expressions, which British people use most frequently¹ in their daily life, can never ever be learnt or known² exactly from our textbooks. Not until one day we are in Britain. Here are some best ones:

Are you all right?-------你好吗？

This is the most commonly used greeting when people meet each other rather than how are you? from our textbook.

eg. ------Are you all right, David?

------Fine, thank you.

Cheers³!------谢谢, 再见！

While they get off the bus or buy things from shops etc, very often we can hear them saying Cheers! to the drivers or sellers⁴ instead of Thank You or Goodbye.

eg. ---------Five pounds fifty, please. Cheers!

---------Cheers!

Give me a minute!------请稍等一会！

eg. Give me a minute, David! I will find the map for you.

Does it make sense?-----你明白我的意思吗？

eg. If you buy a day ticket, you will save more. Does it make sense?

I don’t follow you.-------我不明白你说什么

eg. Sorry, I don’t follow, you. Could you say it again?

Are you kidding(joking)？-----你在开玩笑吧？

eg. ------Are you kidding,David?

-------I am not going to kid you, I am being serious!

I am behind you. ---------我支持你

eg Whatever decision you are going to make, I am behind you.

Do you really mean it?----------此话当真？

eg. ------- I can give what you want.

-------Do you really mean it?

-------Yes, I mean it!

That depends.--------那得看情况而定

eg. ---------Will you come here on that day?

----------That depends.

Feel free to do it-------请随意……

eg. If you have any problem, please feel free to ask me.

What’s going on?--------怎么了？

eg. -------What’s going on here?

-------He got his watch broken, I am helping⁵ fix it.

get on with it!--------快点！

eg. Get on with it, we have no time left!

Get a move on!---------赶快行动吧!

eg. Get a move on and help yourself to some food!

Believe it or not!-------信不信由你！

eg. Believe it or not, I don’t know how to cook!

Come to think of it.---------说到这……

eg. Come to think of it, let me tell you what the school is like first.

That’s a deal!--------成交, 一言为定！