Neil: Hello, this is Real English from BBC Learning¹ English, I'm Neil.

Helen: And I'm Helen. Hello!

Neil: In Real English, we look at words and phrases that you might not find in your dictionary.

Helen: 英语是一种富有成语和不同语言习惯的语言，所以要想学习地道纯正的英国英语，了解英国人常用的通俗语言和表达方式也是非常重要的。

Neil: Today's expression is 'a bite to eat'.

Helen: 听起来这个短语和吃有关，对不对Neil？

Neil: Yes, it certainly does have something to do with eating. To have a bite to eat means to go and have something to eat.

Helen: 这种说法是指吃什么东西都行还是说是要吃正经的一顿饭呢？

Neil: It usually means to have a small amount of food – so a snack or a light meal – or it can just mean to go and eat some food or a meal.

Helen: Bite就是用嘴咬的意思，而a bite to eat一般就是专指随便的吃点什么东西或者吃顿便饭的意思。

Neil: Here are some examples of how we might use it.

Insert

A: I'm hungry – shall we go for a bite to eat?

B: Sounds good.

A: So are we going to see the new Harry² Potter film later?

B: Yes. If we meet at 6 we should have time for a quick bite first.

Helen: 刚才他俩说的是a quick bite就是很快的吃点东西。所以a bite to eat也可以简单说成a bite – 都是咬一口什么东西吃，就是随便吃点东西的意思。

Neil: All this talk of food is making me hungry…

Helen: Shall we go for a bite to eat?

Neil: I would love a bite to eat. And that's about all from Real English today.

Helen: And today's expression is 'a bite to eat' – 随便吃点东西。感谢大家收听我们BBC Learning English的节目。 We'll see you next time.

Neil: Bye for now.