1-50 Useful English Expressions and Phrasal Verbs

Partial picture of the book cover: Idioms for Everyday use – Milada Broukal.

It is really essential to learn idioms when you are learning English not only to speak but also to understand the person that you are talking to. For instance, check the first expressions on this list: I have bigger fish to fry – if you translate it to the letter it is going to be: eu tenho um peixe maior para fritar.

Another one: You can say that again! It means: I totally agree! (eu concordo totalmente!)

If you translate to the letter again, you would have: você pode dizer isto de novo!

So, do I have to say anything else?

Try to memorize some sentences a day/a week and keep practicing as much as you can.

1 I HAVE BIGGER FISH TO FRY
Tenho coisa mais importante para fazer
2 HANDICAPPED PARKING
Estacionamento para deficientes
3 I HAVE A DEADLINE
Eu tenho um prazo
4 ROUND OFF THE AMOUNT
Arredonda a quantia
5 MY WORD IS MY BOND
Minha palavra é minha garantia
6 BY MY GUESS
Pelas minhas contas
7 I OUTSMARTED
Eu fui muito esperto
8 I’VE GOT A LOT ON MY MIND
Eu tenho muita coisa na minha cabeça
9 AS IT WERE
Até parece
10 DON’T FLATTER YOURSELF
Não se gabe
11 I’M DEAD TIRED
Estou cansado a beça
12 YOU PULLED IT OFF
Você se saiu bem
13 I SMELLED A RAT
Fiquei com a pulga atrás da orelha
14 SORRY, I MISDIALED/SORRY, WRONG NUMBER
Desculpe, foi engano.
15 FIRST AND FOREMOST
Antes de mais nada
16 LET’S GET THIS STRAIGHT
Vamos deixar isto claro
17 LIKEWISE
da mesma forma
18 So true!
Exatamente
19 IT STILL APPLIES.
Ainda está valendo
20 WHAT’S FOR THE FACE?
que cara é essa?
21 I STOOD BY
Fiquei de sobre-aviso
22 HE DID THAT OUT OF SPITE
Ele fez por pirraça
23 IT DIDN’T CROSS MY MIND
Não passou pela minha cabeça
24 CAN YOU SPARE A MINUTE?
Pode me dar um minuto?
25 I LOVE BRICK OVEN PIZZA.
Eu adoro pizza no forno a lenha
26 DITTO
Idem
27 TAKE SOME TIME OUT
Tire uma folga
28 I WON’T LET YOU DOWN
Não te desapontarei
29 WE AGREE ON THAT
Nós concordamos nisso
30 RUN THE CARD
Passe o cartão
31 WHATEVER IT TAKES
Custe o que custar
32 A COUPLE WEEKS
Algumas semanas
33 A COUPLE OF WEEKS
Duas semanas
34 KEEP ME POSTED.
Mantenha me informado
35 FIRST COME, FIRST SERVED.
Quem chega primeiro ganha
36 THIS IS PRETTY MUCH IT.
É isso mesmo.
37 FROM WHERE I’M SITTING…/FROM MY STANDPOINT…
Do meu ponto de vista
38 I HAD TO CANCEL ON HER
Tive que cancelar com ela
39 HE COPED WITH DIFFICULT TIMES
Ele enfrentou momentos dificeis
40 SAY OUT LOUD
Fala em voz alta
41 THE DEADLINE HAS BEEN EXTENDED
O prazo foi prorrogado
42 THE SERVICE HAS BEEN OUTSOURCED
O serviço foi terceirizado
43 I’D LIKE TO SLEEP ON THE SUBJECT
Gostaria de pensar mais um pouco
44 NO SECOND THOUGHTS
Sem hesitações
45 THREE DAYS IN A ROW
Três dias em seguida
46 WE´RE ON DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME – D.S.T.
Estamos no horário de verão.
47 I´LL MAKE IT UP TO YOU.
Eu te recompenso.
48 MAKE YOUR POINT.
defende seu ponto de vista.
49 HE IS ON PROBATION.
Ele está em experiência.
50 IT RINGS A BELL
Lembro vagamente

F.R.I.E.N.D.S – The one where it all began – Pilot – 1st Season

When I finished my English course I knew I had a lot to learn, and watching friends helped me a lot with it. Studying English with a sitcom or a movie is one of the best ways to memorize vocabulary. Here it is how you should do it:

  1. Watch it with the subtitles and pay attention to the vocabulary you don’t know.
  2. Watch it with the subtitles and see how much you can remember and please check the vocabulary you don’t remember to memorize it.
  3. Watch it without the subtitles.
  4. Have fun learning it.

These are some of the vocabularies from the episode:

When finding a word in Portuguese is somewhat hard, you will notice that I use English for the definition, this way helps to start thinking in English. I hope you make the best of it.

Hump – cordunda, corcova

Hairpiece – peruca

Chalk – giz

Murky – dark

To sob – sobbed – sobbing – to cry noisily while breathing in short sudden bursts

Strip joints – a strip club

hammer – martelo/arrasar (coloquial, figurativo)

Decaf – spoken decaffeinated coffee or tea

Gravy – sauce

Continue lendo “F.R.I.E.N.D.S – The one where it all began – Pilot – 1st Season”

Passive Voice

Passive voice is really easy when you understand its rules.

You are going to use passive voice when the focus is not in the agent, but in the action.

Those pyramids were built around 400 AD.

Too many books have been written about the Second World War.

The structure for the passive voice is:

  1. To be + Past Participle of the main verb.
  2. The object of the sentence becomes the subject of it.
  3. To be is going to be in the same tense of the main verb.
  4. If you want to mention the agent of the action you can usually use by to introduce it.
  5. And remember that Portuguese can help you with this subject.

Active Voice = AV Passive Voice = PV

AV: I made a cake. PV: A cake was made (by me).

The main verb (made) is in the past, so to be is going to be in the past.

Past Participle of the main verb: make = made.

AV: She writes books. PV: Books are written (by her).

The main verb (write) is in the present, so to be is going to be in the present.

Past Participle of the main verb: write = written.

and so on…

AV: She is going to write a book. PV: A book is going to be written (by her).

AV: She will write a book. PV: A book will be written (by her).

AV: She would write a book. PV: A book would be written (by her).

AV: She has written a book. PV: A book has been written (by her).

AV: She can write books. PV: Books can be written (by her).

AV: She could write books. PV: Books could be written (by her).

F.R.I.E.N.D.S – The one where Chandler can’t remember which sister – 3rd Season

Art bought in New York City from a street artist.

When I finished my English course I knew I had a lot to learn, and watching friends helped me a lot with it. Studying English with a sitcom or a movie is one of the best ways to memorize vocabulary and it is fun. Here it is how you should do it:

  1. Watch it with the subtitles and pay attention to the vocabulary you don’t know.
  2. Watch it with the subtitles and see how much you can remember and please check the vocabulary you don’t remember to memorize it.
  3. Watch it without the subtitles.
  4. Have fun learning it.

These are some of the vocabularies from the episode:

When finding a word in Portuguese is somewhat hard, you will notice that I use English for the definition, this way helps to start thinking in English. I hope you make the best of it.

  • Noose – laço que aperta conforme se puxa
  • The noose – enforcamento
  • Whip – chicote; chicotear
  • Punch line – fechamento de uma piada ou estória que a faz ficar engraçada ou surpreendente
  • Gassy – cheio de gás
  • ASAP – Assim que possível
  • Stick it out – ir até o final de uma atividade que é difícil, chata ou dolorosa.
  • Demeaning – sem importância
  • I don’t mind paying my dues – eu não me importo de começar por baixo para conseguir o que quero
  • To sort – por em ordem
  • Shots  – bebidas (drinks)
  • Hammered – muito bêbado
  • Grope – passar a mão
  • To tick somebody off – Irritar alguém
  • Bummer – uma situação que é irritante ou decepcionante
  • Be Giddy – estar muito feliz
  • Pushy – excessively or unpleasantly self-assertive or ambitious. – agressivo, intrometido.
  • Collar – gola
  • Baggy pants – calça folgada
  • Top-notch – having the highest quality of standard – é o melhor
  • Squint  – to look at sth with your eyes partly closed in order to see better – olhar de soslaio
  • Jump the gun – to start doing sth too soon, without thinking – agir prematuramente
  • Den – a room in Sb’s house where they can relax, watch TV
  • Paper route, paper round – to delivery newspapers to a group of house (a job)
  • To eavesdrop – escutar secretamente, bisbilhotar
  • Pogo stick – pula-pula

Batata Pizza

Batata Pizza

Peguei esta receita do site www.receitadevovo.com.br/receitas/batata-pizza e fiz algumas adaptações. Eu coloco 5 ou 6 batatas e também acrescento palmito.

Ingredientes

Modo de fazer

  1. Coloque as batatas para cozinhar no vapor, elas tem que ficar al dente.
  2. Em uma forma espalhe o molho de tomate, distribua as batatas.
  3. Forre com mussarela.
  4. espalhe os tomatinhos e um pouco de palmito (opcional)
  5. Salpique oregano e leve para assar por 15 minutos em forno médio.
  6. Pode servir!

Molho de Tomate

Ingredientes

  • 1 cebola
  • 2 colheres de óleo de coco
  • 10 pimentas biquinho
  • coentro fresco e cheiro verde a gosto
  • coentro (sementes trituradas)
  • um vidro de palmito aferventado
  • 6 tomates bem maduros (2 cortados em cubos e 4 batidos no processador/liquidificador)
  • 1 beterrraba pequena ralada
  • sal a gosto

Modo de Fazer

Refogue a cebola, acrescente as sementes de coentro e a pimenta biquinho, na sequência acrescente os tomates, a beterraba, o palmito fatiado, sal e um pouco de coentro fresco e o cheiro verde. Assim que o molho estiver pronto acrescente mais coentro e cheiro verde.

Obs.: o óleo de coco e o coentro ajudam a refrescar o corpo, já que a acidez do tomate faz com que o corpo esquente e a beterraba é para controlar/acertar a acidez do tomate.

Este molho fica uma delícia na Batata Pizza http://www.cortandocaminhos.com.br/2020/12/19/batata-pizza/

Conditional Sentences with if Clauses

This is a post about the basics of if clauses.

In clauses after if, we usually talk about uncertain events and situations: things which may or may not happen, which may or may not be true, etc.

If you’re free later, we can go for a walk.

If they’re hungry, I’ll make some sandwiches.

First Conditional (it’s a real conditional)

We use the first conditional to talk about a realistic situation in the present or future.

  • If + present + will/may/must/imperative/can + verb

If we play tennis, I’ll win.

If you’re not back by 5pm, give me a ring.

Second Conditional (Unreal, imaginary situations in the present or future)

We use the second conditional to talk about unreal or imaginary situations in the present or future.

  • If + past + would/could + verb

If I had more time, I’d exercise more. (But I don’t have more time so I don’t.)

*If I were rich, I’d spend all my time travelling. (But I’m not rich so I can’t.)

If she saw a snake, she’d be terrified.

If I knew her name, I would tell you.

* if I were

After if we often use were. This is common in both and formal styles

If I were taller, I’d be happier.

Third Conditional (Unreal, imaginary situations in the past)

We use the third conditional to talk about unreal or imaginary situations in the past.

  • If + past perfect + would have/could have + Past Participle

If you had asked me, I would have told you.

If you hadn’t forgotten her birthday, she wouldn’t have been upset.

 Zero Conditional

We use the zero conditional to talk about permanent truths, such as scientific facts, and general habits. The structure is simple:

Here are some examples:

If you heat water to 100°, it boils.

If you eat a lot, you put on weight.

If it doesn’t rain for a long time, the earth gets very dry.

If we go out with friends, we normally go to a restaurant.

If I’m tired, I go to bed early.

Sources:

Book: Practical English Usage – Michael Swan e www.wallstreetenglish.com

Sorbet de Banana

Fonte: Cozinhar com Arte, Intuição e Amor – Cléo Martins

Mais um sorbet para refrescar o seu verão!

Para duas porções:

  • 2 bananas nanicas bem maduras fatiadas e congeladas
  • canela a gosto

modo de fazer

  1. Congelar a banana de véspera.
  2. Retirá-las do congelador cinco minutos antes de servir e deixar a temperatura ambiente para que fiquem mais macias.
  3. Com um mixer ou liquidificador, triturá-las até obter um creme.
  4. servir imediatamente em taças com canela polvilhadas a gosto

Bon appetit!

Sorbet de Limão

Fonte: Cozinhar com Arte, Intuição e Amor – Cléo Martins

Este sorbet é divino e o livro também!

Ingredientes

  • 2 xícaras (chá) de purê de abacate (abacate amassado)
  • 1/2 xícara (chá) de suco fresco de limão
  • 1 colher (chá) de raspas de limão
  • 3/4 xícara de açúcar demerara
  • 1 colherinha (café) de baunilha em pó (eu coloco a líquida mesmo)

Modo de fazer

  1. Bater todos o ingredientes no liquidificador exceto as raspas de limão
  2. Incorporar as raspas de limão
  3. Acertar o doce e o ácido do limão e levar ao congelador por aproximadamente 4 horas (eu e meu marido comemos sem levá-lo ao congelador, o abacate só estava na geladeira, ficou muito bom)
  4. Para servir, deixar uns minutos à temperatura ambiente té que consiga tirar colheradas.
  5. Servir em taças.