abr/120
English idioms 11 – Gramática inglesa
Algunas de las frases hechas en inglés van relacionadas con las palabras skin and bones. Vamos a ver algunos ejemplos.
1- to get under one’s skin: “irritarle a uno, exasperarle a uno”
Ejemplo:
- So you do not get on well with your room-mate?
- No. She has so many irritating habits. She really gets under my skin.
2- to have a bone to pick with sb: ” tener un asunto pendiente con alguien”
Ejemplo:
- What´s the matter? Why are you glaring at me like that? What have I done wrong?
- I´v got a bone to pick with you! I wanted to roll a joint but could not find my cigarette papers anywhere.
3- skins: ” papel de fumar “
Ejemplo:
- Did you take my skins?
- Of course not. Why should I?
ene/120
English idioms 10 – Grámatica inglesa
Continuamos con las frases hechas en inglés, hoy vamos a ver algunas expresiones más relacionadas con las partes del cuerpo (nose).
1- to have a nose for sth: “tener olfato para algo”, es decir tener desarrollada la percepción, ser capaces de anticiparnos a los hechos.
Ejemplo:
- I don’t know how Suzy’s managed to furnish the flat so well at such little cost.
- My wife shops round and has a good nose for a bargain.
2- to get up sb´s nose: ” poner negro(a) a alguien “, significa hartar a alguien con su comportamiento.
Ejemplo:
- What have you got against yuppies?
- I hate having to listen to their materialistic chatter. It really gets up my nose the way they noisily use their mobile phones in public places.
3- to keep one’s nose clean: ” no meterse en líos “, es decir no causar problemas.
Ejemplo:
- Bloggsy, what did the prison governor say to you when you met him this morning?
- He told me I’m here for three years but that if I plays ball with the screws and keeps my nose clean there’s a good chance I could be out of the clink after two.
Si deseas reforzar tus conocimientos de grámatica inglesa, haz clic en este enlace.
nov/110
English idioms 9 – Grámatica inglesa
Todo el mundo conoce la palabra mind. Veamos como se utiliza esta palabra para formar frases hechas:
1- to have one´s mind on other things: “tener la cabeza en otras cosas”, significa estar distraido, no pensar en lo que se debe pensar .
Ejemplo:
- Have you been listening to a single word I´ve been saying?
- Please forgive me. My mind was on other things. My mother is seriosly ill.
2- to my mind: ”en mi opinión”, significa expresar su punto de vista.
Ejemplo:
- Without doubt Hemingway was the greatest writer of the 20th century.
- Do you think so? To my mind, Graham Greene is a far greater man of letters.
3- to keep an open mind on sth: ” mantener una mentalidad abierta”, significa no cerrarse frente a algo.
Ejemplo:
- What a lovely day today!
- It´s true. I can’t keep my mind on work when it’s so sunny outside.
dic/100
English Idioms 8 – Gramática inglesa
Una de las palabras inglesas que forma frases hechas muy interesantes es la palabra heart:
1- to take everything to heart: “tomarse todo a pecho”, significa ofenderse una persona por una cosa o considerarla demasiado en serio.
Ejemplo:
- Yumiko seemed very upset after classes yesterday. She was really hurt by the teacher’s comment about her dress.
- Of course Stuart was only kidding and didn’t mean to hurt her but you know how she takes everything to heart.
2- my heart was in my mouth: ”tener el corazón en un puño”, significa una gran angustia o ansiedad.
Ejemplo:
- How did you feel when you got a call from the hospital?
- My heart was in my mouth. I thought maybe my Dad had had a heart attack.
3- from the bottom of one’s heart : ”de todo corazón”, significa de buena gana, con amor.
Ejemplo:
- Thank you for the kind words you said about me during the ceremony.
- I meant everything I said. They were from the bottom of my heart. I really am eternally grateful for your help.
nov/100
English idioms 7 – Gramática inglesa
En el post de hoy seguimos con el tema de las frases hechas en inglés relacionadas con las partes del cuerpo humano, concretamente con la palabra head:
1- to lose one´s head: “perder la cabeza”, significa dejarse llevar por la ira y actuar sin pensar o actuar sin juicio o sin razonar o volverse loco.
Ejemplo:
- Were the passengers calm as they tried to get out of the burning plane?
- Not at all! Everyone was panicking. Even the cabin crew lost their heads.
2- to get sth into one´s head: ”metérsele en la cabeza”, significa obstinarse, mantener una opinión, intención o idea aun en contra de circunstancias contrarias.
Ejemplo:
- So James has decided to chuck in his job. Whatever for? How are you going to get by?
- He’s suddenly got it into his head that he’s going to write the greatest novel of the twentieth century. If you ask me, he’s gone soft in the head.
3- On your head be it! : ” Allá tú!”, se utiliza para expresar que el hablante se inhibe de lo que haga la persona denotada por el pronombre, de modo que lo que esta haga es de su responsabilidad.
Ejemplo:
- If my daughter insists on marrying that Shane then I want nothing to do with her ever again! I am not going to the wedding, I will never speak to her again and that’s that!
- You old fool! On your head be it if your grandchildren grow up not knowing you!
oct/100
English idioms 6 – Grámatica inglesa
Continuamos con las frases hechas en inglés relacionadas con las partes del cuerpo humano. Hoy veremos algunas frases hechas con las palabras feet, fingers y hands.
1- to get off on the wrong foot: “meter la pata”, significa cometer un fallo, equivocarse.
Ejemplo:
- You don’t seem to get very well with Hamish.
- When I met him I had no idea he was from Glasgow. I got off on the wrong foot by making a silly joke about Scotland.
2- to keep one´s fingers crossed: ”cruzar los dedos”, significa alejar la desgracia y atraer a la buena suerte.
Ejemplo:
- Wish me luck. I´m taking my driving test tomorrow.
- I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you.
3- to be in good hands: ” estar en buenas manos”, es decir bajo buen cuidado.
Ejemplo:
- Is he really a good surgeon? Will my son be okay?
- Don’t worry. He’s in very good hands. Mr Hacker has done loads of ops like the one Billy needs.
oct/100
English idioms 5 – Gramatica inglesa
En el último post hablamos sobre las frases hechas en inglés relacionadas con las partes del cuerpo humano. En el blog de hoy seguimos con este interesante tema y os enseñamos algunas expresiones relacionadas con ears, eyes, y face:
1- to come to one´s ears: “llegar a oídos”, es decir llegar algo a conocimiento de una persona.
Ejemplo:
- I believe you wanted to see me, Sir.
- Simpkins, it has come to my ears that you have been smoking cannabis in school. What have you got to say for yourself?
2- to have an eye for sth: ”tener ojo par algo”, significa ser hábil en algo que requiere el uso de la vista, tener la capacidad de hallar rápidamente la solución de ese tipo de problemas.
Ejemplo:
- You’ve created pop stars out of complete unknowns. How do you do it?
- I really don’t know. I just seem to have an eye for spotting talent.
3- to lose face: ” perder prestigio”, es decir quedar mal en alguna situación y sufrir consecuencias por ello.
Ejemplo:
- Giovanni, honour is very important where you come from, isn’t it?
- It certainly is. The worst thing that can happen to a Sicilian male is to lose face, to lose the respect of others.
jul/100
English idioms 4 – Gramatica inglesa
Continuamos con las frases hechas en inglés pero esta vez vamos a ver algunas expresiones relacionadas con las partes del curepo humano. Muchas se parecen a las frases hechas españolas, algunas son la traducción literal de estas:
1- to be somebody´s right arm: “ser mano derecha de alguien”, es decir ser muy importante para alguien, ser persona muy útil a otra como auxiliar o colaborador.
Ejemplo:
- Who does the President consult in time of trouble? Who´s his closest ally?
- His wife, Hillary. She´s his right arm.
2- strong-arm tactics: ” táctica de mano dura”, significa emplear severidad en el mando o en el trato personal.
Ejemplo:
- So you´re in the repossession business. What do you do with debt defaulters who refuse to hand over goods they haven´t paid for?
- I first go and ask them politely. If that doesn´t work I send in my heavy mob, my team of ex-boxers, and we use strong-arm-tactics.
3- to turn one´s back on somebody or something: ” dar la espalda a alguien o algo”, es decir desairarlo, ignorarlo, desatenderlo.
Ejemplo:
- So your cousin doesn´t keep in touch or help his family at all.
- No, since he became a succesful novelist down in London he´s turned his back on all his relatives and old friends.
may/100
English idioms 3 – Gramatica inglesa
Hoy empezamos con las frases hechas en inglés con animales. Y ya vereis que algunas expresiones en inglés son muy similares a las que se utilizan en España:
1- to take the bull by the horns: “coger el toro por los cuernos”, es decir afrontar de manera decidida y sin titubeos una situación compleja o difícil.
Ejemplo:
- My boss has a terrible temper. Should I ask him for a rise?
- Go on!! Take the bull by the horns. The worst thing he can do is say no.
2- like a bull in a china shop: literalmente “como un toro en una tienda china” que viene a significar: “como un elefante en una cacharreria”, osea, con poco tacto y sin atención al detalle o con cierta brutalidad.
Ejemplo:
- He had a brusque and tactless behaviour at the meeting.
- He certainly had! He was like a bull in a china shop. His manner could not have been more destructive.
3- Monkey business (“negocio de monos”) : asunto poco claro, tejemaneje o negocio sucio.
Ejemplo:
- They suspect there’s been some monkey business going on, involving secret transfers to a Swiss bank account.
mar/100
English idioms 2 – frases hechas en ingles
Hoy nos seguiremos adentrando en el mundo de las frases hechas en inglés (English idioms) y veremos algunas de las expresiones más comunes que utilizan la palabra “hot” (caliente):
1- hot spots: un “hot spot” es un lugar de gran actividad, bien sea en un sentido positivo (entretenimiento, diversión) o negativo (guerras, problemas políticos, etc…)
Ej.
- Afghanistan, Angola, Iraq – wherever there’s been a conflict, you seem to have been there.
- Yes. Since I became a foreign correspondent the BBC has sent me to all the hot spots.
2- not too hot on: “no ser muy bueno en” o “no tener conocimientos de” alguna cosa
Ej.
- Daddy, what do those words on the tombstone mean?
- I’m not sure David. I’m not too hot on latin.
3- hot on my heels: “pisando los talones”
Ej.
- Where have you been all this time!?
- I had to hide in Canada as the FBI were hot on my heels.