Idioms are an integral part of a language. Be it Hindi, Punjabi, Marathi, Tamil, Kannada, English or Chinese; every language has its idioms and proverbs. These idioms make the language rich, interesting and pleasant. Here, I bring you some commonly used English idioms with meaning and examples. You can incorporate these in your day to day conversation to sound more native, natural and fluent in English. Moreover, using these idioms is fun as you can say more in less words.
English Idioms with Meaning and Examples
- Don’t Believe on Hearsay – कहीं सुनी पर (अफवाहों पर) विश्वास न करें।
Example: Don’t believe on hearsay; always verify information from reliable sources.
- Don’t give up in difficult circumstances – कठिन परिस्थितियों में हार मत मानो।
Example: We should not give up in difficult circumstances, rather we should try hard to overcome the challenges.
- So be it – नहीं तो ना सही।
Example: A: I don’t want to come with you. B: Ok, so be it.
- Let it be – रहने दो।
Example: You can’t do it. Let it be.
- It’s a no brainer – इसमें सोचने वाली क्या बात है।
Example: A: What is the product of 15*15? B: 225! It’s a no brainer.
Practice time (English)
Now, we will practice the aforementioned 5 English idioms with meaning through this short skit among three friends. You can partner with your friends, select the roles and start enacting your part. Let’s begin:
A: I am very upset today. Due to dip in the stock prices, I have incurred a loss of 20,000 Rs.
B: Oh, that’s bad. But you know, it’s all fate. You will gain on some other day. Don’t give up in difficult circumstances.
A: Yeah, you’re right.
C: Hey, did you hear about that new restaurant that opened up?
B: Don’t believe on hearsay; let’s check the reviews online first.
C: But it’s getting late. Maybe we should just go and see for ourselves.
A: No, let’s not rush into it. We can always try it another day.
B: So be it. Let’s just go home and order in tonight.
A: Yeah, let it be. We can plan to visit the restaurant another time.
C: It’s a no brainer. Staying in and relaxing sounds like a better idea tonight.
Hindi Translation
A: मुझे आज बहुत उदासी है। शेयर कीमतों में कमी के कारण, मुझे 20,000 रुपये का नुकसान हुआ है।
B: ओह, यह बुरा है। पर जानते हो, यह सब भाग्य है। आप किसी दूसरे दिन प्राप्त करेंगे। कठिन परिस्थितियों में हार मत मानो।
A: हां, तुम सही कह रहे हो।
C: हेय, तुमने सुना है कि एक नया रेस्तरां खुला है?
B: कहीं सुनी पर विश्वास न करें; चलो पहले ऑनलाइन रिव्यूज़ देखें।
C: पर रात हो रही है। शायद हमें बस जाना चाहिए और अपनी आंखों से देख लेना चाहिए।
A: नहीं, हमें इसमें झटपट नहीं पड़ना चाहिए। हमें कभी दूसरे दिन प्रयत्न कर सकते हैं।
B: नहीं तो ना सही। चलो, चलें घर और आज रात ऑर्डर करें।
A: हां, रहने दो। हम रेस्तरां देखने की योजना अन्य समय के लिए बना सकते हैं।
C: इसमें सोचने वाली क्या बात है। आज रात में घर पर रहकर आराम करना बेहतर विचार लगता है।
Common Misused Phrases and Idioms
There are some phrases in English that are often used in a wrong way. If you are a beginner in English and are unaware of the right usage of common phrases, you might not feel very confident while speaking. To solve this problem, we have brought a list of these phrases:
- Marry & Marry off
Marry (शादी करना) – Virat Kohli married Anushka Sharma last year. / Virat Kohli got married last year.
विराट कोहली ने पिछले साल अनुष्का शर्मा से शादी की।
Marry off (- शादी करवाना) – Mukesh Ambani married his daughter off in 2018.
(मुकेश अंबानी ने 2018 में अपनी बेटी की शादी करवाई।)
- Apologise & Forgive
Apologise – (माफी मांगना) – You should apologize to your mother for your bad behaviour.
तुम्हें अपने बुरे व्यवहार के लिए अपनी माँ से माफी मांगनी चाहिए।
Forgive – (माफ करना) – You should forgive him now.
तुम्हें अब उसे माफ कर देना चाहिए।
- Wake up & Wake (pronoun) up
Wake up (जागना) – When do you wake up in the morning? I wake up at 6 A.M.
तुम सुबह कितने बजे उठते हो? मैं सुबह 6 बजे उठता हूं।
Wake (me/him/her) up – (जगा देना) – Can you wake me up at 5 in the morning?
क्या आप मुझे सुबह 5 बजे उठा सकते हैं?
Some Other English Phrases and Idioms with Meaning
- Don’t ditch someone in crisis (संकट में किसी को धोखा न दें।)
Example: A true friend never ditches us in crisis.
- Don’t embarrass your child in front of others (दूसरों के सामने अपने बच्चे को शर्मिंदा न करें।)
Example: It’s important for parents to handle disciplinary issues with their children privately and not embarrass them in front of others.
- I know you inside out (मैं तुम्हारी रग-रग से वाकिफ हूँ।)
Example: I know the inside out of my hometown.
- Lend me a helping hand (ज़रा मेरा हाथ बटा दो।)
Example: I am very busy today. Can you lend me a helping hand?
- Lend an ear to me (मेरी बात ध्यान से सुनो।)
Example: Lend an ear to your teacher while she is teaching in the class.
- Procrastinate (टालना)
Example: Don’t procrastinate the problems, rather face them.
Practice Time
Now, practice these English phrases and idioms with Hindi meaning using the following short skit.
Title: True Friendship
Scene: Two friends, Maya and Ria, are sitting in a park.
Maya: Ria, I’m in a bit of a crisis. I have a huge project due tomorrow, and I haven’t even started working on it.
Ria: Don’t worry, Maya. I’m here to help you out. A true friend never ditches us in crisis.
Maya: Thanks, Ria. You’re a lifesaver.
Scene change: Maya and Ria are now at Maya’s house, working on the project.
Maya’s Mom (entering the room): Maya, why haven’t you started your project yet? You always procrastinate and leave things for the last minute.
Maya: Mom, I’m sorry. I’ll finish it on time, I promise.
Maya’s Dad (suddenly entered): No, Reena. Maya is hardworking. She just needs some more time. We should not embarrass her in front of others.
Maya’s Mom: ( To Maya) Alright, just make sure you finish it today.
Scene change: Maya and Ria have completed the project.
Maya: Thank you so much, Ria. I couldn’t have done it without you.
Ria: No problem, Maya. That’s what friends are for.
Maya: You know, Ria, I’m really lucky to have a friend like you. You always lend me a helping hand whenever I’m in need.
Ria: And you always lend an ear to me whenever I need to talk. I know you inside out, Maya.
Maya: Thanks, Ria. I’m glad we’re friends.
Ria: Me too, Maya. Now let’s go submit this project.
For more such helpful lessons, click here:
- Simple Past Tense Structure and Usage
- 30 Popular Gen Z Slangs with Meaning
- 10 Commonly Used English Conversation Practice Topics
- Daily English Speaking Practice with 50 Smart Phrases
- 80+ Daily Use English Sentences with Hindi Meaning
- Common English Conversation between Parent and Teacher
I hope this has been a valuable lesson for you. Let me know if you find it useful and you need more English idioms with meaning for use in daily language.
Pingback: 10 Commonly Asked Teacher Interview Questions and Answers - English Fear