Idioms are phrases that have meanings different from the individual words in them. They are a fun and creative way to express ideas. When learning English, idioms can be tricky, but they are also important. They help us understand how people speak naturally.
In this article, we will look at common idioms for beginners. These idioms can be used in everyday conversations. Understanding them will help you sound more like a native speaker. Let’s explore these phrases and see how they can make your speech more colorful and fun!
Idioms for Beginners
1. A big thank you
Meaning: Saying thanks in a special way.
Samples: I want to give you a big thank you for helping me with my homework. / A big thank you to my teacher for being so kind.
To Put it Another Way: Thanks a lot. / I really appreciate it.
2. Tip of the hat
Meaning: Giving respect or praise to someone.
Samples: I tip my hat to you for winning the race. / Let’s tip our hats to the volunteers who worked hard.
To Put it Another Way: I respect you. / Great job.
3. Hats off to you
Meaning: Showing respect or admiration.
Samples: Hats off to you for finishing the project early. / Hats off to the firefighters who helped us.
To Put it Another Way: Well done. / You did great.
4. A piece of cake
Meaning: Something that is very easy.
Samples: The test was a piece of cake. / Cleaning my room was a piece of cake today.
To Put it Another Way: It was easy. / No problem at all.
5. Break the ice
Meaning: To make people feel more comfortable in a new or awkward situation.
Samples: Telling a funny joke helped break the ice at the party. / She broke the ice by talking about her favorite movie.
To Put it Another Way: Start a conversation. / Make people feel at ease.
6. In the blink of an eye
Meaning: Very quickly.
Samples: The car disappeared in the blink of an eye. / He finished his homework in the blink of an eye.
To Put it Another Way: In a flash. / So fast!
7. Under the weather
Meaning: Feeling sick.
Samples: I’m feeling a little under the weather today. / She was under the weather and couldn’t come to school.
To Put it Another Way: I’m not feeling well. / I’m a bit sick.
8. Bite the bullet
Meaning: To do something unpleasant that you have been avoiding.
Samples: I had to bite the bullet and tell her the truth. / He finally bit the bullet and finished his chores.
To Put it Another Way: Face the difficult situation. / Do something you don’t want to do.
9. Hit the nail on the head
Meaning: To say or do something exactly right.
Samples: You hit the nail on the head with your answer. / She hit the nail on the head by suggesting we leave early.
To Put it Another Way: You’re correct. / You figured it out perfectly.
10. On the ball
Meaning: To be quick to understand or react to something.
Samples: He’s really on the ball when it comes to math. / I need to stay on the ball and finish my homework.
To Put it Another Way: Alert and aware. / Quick to act.
11. Let the cat out of the bag
Meaning: To accidentally reveal a secret.
Samples: I let the cat out of the bag about the surprise party. / He accidentally let the cat out of the bag about the gift.
To Put it Another Way: Spill the beans. / Give away a secret.
12. Keep an eye on
Meaning: To watch something carefully.
Samples: Can you keep an eye on the cookies in the oven? / She kept an eye on the dog while we went shopping.
To Put it Another Way: Watch closely. / Look after.
13. Jump the gun
Meaning: To start something too early.
Samples: Don’t jump the gun with your project, make sure you have all the information first. / He jumped the gun and started the race before the signal.
To Put it Another Way: Start too early. / Rush into something.
14. The ball is in your court
Meaning: It’s your turn to take action.
Samples: I’ve done all I can, now the ball is in your court. / The decision is yours; the ball is in your court.
To Put it Another Way: It’s up to you. / Your move.
15. Bite off more than you can chew
Meaning: To take on more than you can handle.
Samples: She bit off more than she could chew by taking three difficult classes. / Don’t bite off more than you can chew at work.
To Put it Another Way: Take on too much. / Overwhelm yourself.
16. By the skin of your teeth
Meaning: Barely managing to do something.
Samples: I passed the test by the skin of my teeth. / He finished the race by the skin of his teeth.
To Put it Another Way: Just barely. / With very little time.
17. Cut to the chase
Meaning: To get to the point without wasting time.
Samples: Let’s cut to the chase and start the meeting. / I’ll cut to the chase—here’s what happened.
To Put it Another Way: Get to the point. / Skip the details.
18. Cry over spilled milk
Meaning: To be upset about something that cannot be undone.
Samples: There’s no use crying over spilled milk; let’s just fix it. / Don’t cry over spilled milk, we’ll clean it up.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t dwell on the past. / Move on from mistakes.
19. Put your money where your mouth is
Meaning: To back up your words with action or money.
Samples: If you say you’ll help, put your money where your mouth is. / He put his money where his mouth is by donating to charity.
To Put it Another Way: Take action. / Prove it.
20. Back to the drawing board
Meaning: To start over after a failure.
Samples: The project didn’t work, so it’s back to the drawing board. / We’ll have to go back to the drawing board and try again.
To Put it Another Way: Start again. / Rework the plan.
21. Out of the blue
Meaning: Unexpectedly.
Samples: She called me out of the blue after years of no contact. / The rain came out of the blue this afternoon.
To Put it Another Way: Unexpectedly. / Without warning.
22. A blessing in disguise
Meaning: Something good that seems bad at first.
Samples: Losing that job was a blessing in disguise because I found a better one. / His injury turned out to be a blessing in disguise, as he had time to relax.
To Put it Another Way: A hidden benefit. / A good thing in a bad situation.
23. Under your nose
Meaning: Right in front of you, but you didn’t notice.
Samples: The answer was right under my nose the whole time. / The keys were under my nose, but I couldn’t find them.
To Put it Another Way: Right in front of you. / In plain sight.
24. Keep your fingers crossed
Meaning: Hope for a good outcome.
Samples: Keep your fingers crossed that I get the job! / I kept my fingers crossed for the team to win.
To Put it Another Way: Hope for the best. / Wish for good luck.
25. Get cold feet
Meaning: To feel nervous or afraid to do something.
Samples: I got cold feet before giving my presentation. / She got cold feet about the wedding.
To Put it Another Way: Feel nervous. / Have second thoughts.
26. Take it with a grain of salt
Meaning: To not take something too seriously or literally.
Samples: Take his advice with a grain of salt, he’s not an expert. / Don’t believe everything she says, take it with a grain of salt.
To Put it Another Way: Don’t take it too seriously. / Be skeptical.
27. A penny for your thoughts
Meaning: Asking someone what they are thinking.
Samples: You’ve been quiet, a penny for your thoughts? / What’s on your mind? A penny for your thoughts?
To Put it Another Way: What are you thinking? / Share your thoughts.
28. Hit the hay
Meaning: To go to bed.
Samples: I’m so tired, I’m ready to hit the hay. / After the party, he went home to hit the hay.
To Put it Another Way: Go to sleep. / Head to bed.
29. In a nutshell
Meaning: To explain something very briefly.
Samples: In a nutshell, the meeting was about new office policies. / He told us the story in a nutshell.
To Put it Another Way: To summarize. / In short.
30. Cry wolf
Meaning: To give a false alarm or warning.
Samples: He keeps crying wolf about the homework, but he’s just procrastinating. / Don’t cry wolf if there’s nothing wrong.
To Put it Another Way: Give a false alarm. / Make a false claim.
Find the Topics: Idioms for Beginners
Read the passage below and find 8 idioms about achievement. Underline or list them.
Passage:
Liam had been working hard for weeks to prepare for the school talent show. He had been climbing the mountain of practice, perfecting his performance each day. On the night of the show, he was nervous but excited. When it was his turn, Liam stepped onto the stage and felt like he was crossing the finish line. After his performance, he was so proud; he felt like he had hit the target with his speech.
Backstage, his teacher smiled and said, “That was amazing! You definitely earned your wings.” His parents were so happy and told him, “You really lit the torch for the younger students.” They promised to celebrate later and said, “You definitely made your mark tonight.”
Liam felt like he had reached the summit of his hard work and knew it was just the beginning of his journey. He was excited to see what other doors this would open for him.
Your Task: Can you find all 8 idioms in the story? Write them down or underline them.
Answer Key
- Climbing the mountain
- Crossing the finish line
- Hit the target
- Earned your wings
- Lit the torch
- Made your mark
- Reached the summit
- Opened doors
Conclusion
Idioms about achievement make it easy to talk about reaching goals in a fun and creative way. By using idioms, we can describe hard work, success, and the feelings we get when we accomplish something. Whether it’s “climbing the mountain” or “crossing the finish line,” these expressions help us connect with others and share our stories of success.
Learning these idioms makes your conversations and writing stronger and more interesting. So, next time you accomplish something big, try using one of these idioms to describe how it felt!
