5 British Idioms in 5 Minutes

Summary

In this video, Tom, the English Hipster, introduces British idioms to help learners sound more natural in everyday conversations. He explains common phrases such as 'feel under the weather' (to feel ill), 'call it a day' (to stop for the time being), 'play it by ear' (to decide later), 'in a tick' (very soon), 'easy peasy' (very easy), and 'spend a penny' (to go to the toilet). Tom encourages viewers to practice these idioms, share the video, and leave comments if they've missed any other British idioms.

Takeaways

• 🇬🇧 British idioms can make your English sound more natural and authentic.
• 🌧️ 'To feel under the weather' means to feel ill or sick.
• 🛑 'Call it a day' means to stop what you're doing and resume later.
• 🎶 'Play it by ear' means to make decisions later based on new information.
• ⏳ 'In a tick' means very soon or very quickly.
• 😊 'Easy peasy' refers to something that is really easy.
• 💰 'To spend a penny' is an old-fashioned, polite way of saying you need to go to the toilet.
• 🤔 Using these idioms can make your English sound more British and natural.
• 📆 Many of these idioms are commonly used in daily British English conversations.
• 👍 The speaker encourages viewers to subscribe, like, and share to help others learn English.

Q & A

What does the idiom 'feel under the weather' mean?

The idiom 'feel under the weather' means to feel ill or sick. For example, if someone says 'I'm not coming to work today because I feel under the weather,' it means they are feeling unwell.

How is the phrase 'call it a day' used in British English?

'Call it a day' is used to indicate stopping what you're doing for a temporary period. It’s commonly used at the end of a working day or after completing a task, meaning to stop now and continue later.

What does 'play it by ear' mean?

The idiom 'play it by ear' means to not make a plan in advance and instead decide nearer the time or when more information is available. For example, if planning a picnic, you might say 'Let’s look at the weather and play it by ear,' meaning you'll make the final decision based on the weather later.

When do you use the idiom 'in a tick'?

'In a tick' is used to say something will happen very soon or quickly. For example, 'I'll be there in a tick' means 'I’ll be there very soon.'

What does 'easy peasy' mean, and how is it used?

'Easy peasy' means something is very easy or simple. For example, after completing a test, you might say, 'That was easy peasy,' meaning it was very easy.

What is the meaning of the phrase 'to spend a penny'?

'To spend a penny' is a polite, old-fashioned British idiom that means to go to the toilet. It comes from the old practice of paying a penny to use public restrooms.