English speakers use idioms and expressions in everyday conversations, and we often aren’t even aware that we are doing it. It can be very confusing when you are learning the language. And worse, if you aren’t aware that something is an expression, and you take it literally, it can lead to misunderstandings.
I was speaking Spanish with a native Spanish speaker once, when out of the blue, he said “se fue la paloma!” It means ‘the pigeon has left’. I started looking all around, trying to see what pigeon he was talking about. Did I ever feel silly when he explained to me that it’s a Colombian expression, that means that he had forgotten a word.
It’s well worth it to make learning common idioms part of your regular English study routine. It’s a fun way to expand your vocabulary and comprehension, sound more natural, and even to avoid embarrassing moments.
Select a category to learn idioms and expressions related to it.
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