For those who has learnt English as second language (or native speakers, what are some interesting phrases that stuck with you?

I speak English as second language. Whenever I hear new stuff, I save it to my Anki. Here's my Cool Phrases deck if anyone's interested.

https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/qqaxf29fk8w7035sbn3h0/Cool-Phrases-20260715174206.apkg?rlkey=aoikq8wupm6n4fud4vgur38tr&st=0slo8hox&dl=0

I want to expand this deck. Do you know a phrase that stuck in your mind? Any input is welcome.

Thanks in advance.

16 points · 41 comments · view on lemmy.world

41 Comments

Kennystillalive@feddit.org · 25 pts · 19d (6 replies)

Ain't no way I'm clicking that link...

As for cool phrases, my favourite is: "It's raining cats and dogs" (because it's funny if you imgane it, bit also macabre when you know th reason behind the phrase => back in the days the dead cats and dogs from allays would wash up on the main street when it was pouring down like crazy).

SelfHigh5@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 19d

Wow I didn’t know that. Dark.

erayerdin@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 18d (1 reply)

I didn't know the backstory of cats and dogs being so dark. Wth?

AskewLord@piefed.social · 1 pts · 17d

there was no drainage, heavy rains would flood and dead animals would swash up from the alleyways.

there were probably a lot of dead birds and rats, but cats and dogs are larger and more visible.

erayerdin@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 18d (2 replies)

I was looking for a better open-source platform to upload the file. If you suggest any, I could do that. :)

hirihit640@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 18d

You could use https://gitlab.com/timvisee/send, but honestly since there's no well known privacy-friendly platform (catbox.moe is great but only for images/video), it's bound to look sketchy

pishadoot@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 17d

Why not just copy and paste the contents of the file into your post? No need to link a file unless it's yuuuge

quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 11 pts · 19d (3 replies)

Me being Catalan, a culture with many poop related phrases and traditions, I'm pretty fond of "when shit hit the fan"

Today@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 18d (1 reply)

Don't shit where you eat.

quediuspayu@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 18d

That one is fun how it goes in Spanish "no metas la polla donde metes la olla", don't put your dick where you put your pot (as in cooking pot).

erayerdin@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 18d

It's even funnier to imagine it happen lamo

hexagonwin@lemmy.today · 11 pts · 19d (1 reply)

"half assed" was quite funny

raldone01@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 18d

Don't half ass it. Full ass it.

BigBrownBeaver@lemmy.world · 8 pts · 19d (6 replies)

"Thank you for having me"

It's weird

SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 18d (3 replies)

Probably short for "thank you for having me over" or another word implied at the end.

"Thank you for having/picking/tolerating me as your guest"

BigBrownBeaver@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 18d (2 replies)

See? Weird.

SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 1 pts · 18d (1 reply)

GIVUS WE THANKIS TOUND YE BLARSTED SHIVAS

BigBrownBeaver@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 18d

🥹

Almacca@aussie.zone · 1 pts · 16d (1 reply)

"Thankyou for being had."

BigBrownBeaver@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 15d

"If you had me, you'll be thank"

Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 8 pts · 19d (2 replies)

It never stops to make me smile that most Germans cannot pronounce "squirrel" properly, while most native English speakers cannot pronounce the same word in German "Eichhörnchen".

ilovededyoupiggy@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 19d (1 reply)

Ike cough hyorn chin

How'd I do?

Zwuzelmaus@feddit.org · 0 pts · 18d

Despite the many advices from AI, that knot in your tongue won't help.

Today@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 19d (4 replies)

These kids run through the house like shit through a goose.

nocturne@slrpnk.net · 8 pts · 19d (3 replies)

Native English speaker, never heard this one.

Today@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 19d (1 reply)

It's a West Texasism.

SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 18d

It definitely sounds both rural and southern

SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 18d

Same, but that's hilarious

akunohana@piefed.blahaj.zone · 7 pts · 19d (2 replies)

+1 for it's raining cats and dogs

But also

that's the way the cookie crumbles is just adorable
dinkin flicka just rolls off the tongue
bite the bullet is so raw and literal and
Bob's your uncle is just... No. Who the fuck is Bob 😂

blarghly@lemmy.world · 11 pts · 19d

If you didn't know, biting the bullet doesnt mean killing yourself. It comes from back in the day when soldiers would be given a bullet to bite down on while they got their leg amputated. Which is kind of even more gruesome

farmgineer@nord.pub · 2 pts · 16d

dinkin flicka

I have never seen this before

MisterNeon@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 19d

"When you mess with the bull, you get the horns."

hirihit640@sh.itjust.works · 6 pts · 18d

"multiple ways to skin a cat"

Toes@ani.social · 6 pts · 19d

"Fleshed out" just means to explain & expand upon.

folekaule@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 18d (4 replies)

Like a fart in a skillet.

erayerdin@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 18d

Apparently, "like a fart in ..." is a common thing. There's this website that shows movie scenes with certain phrases: Playphrase.

Have a look at yourself: https://www.playphrase.me/#%2Fsearch%3Fq=like+a+fart+in&pos=0&language=en

I've come across two "like a fart in the church" one, which I did not really understand. I think it is used for unpleasant situations.

SCmSTR@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 2 pts · 18d (1 reply)

American here. I live in a Northern urban area, and have never heard this. I wonder if it's regional or old or new. Looked it up, the internet says it's Appalachian, so, Eastern US. I might start using this now hahaha

folekaule@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 18d

Yep lol. I live in a small rural Ohio town. When I first heard it, it was from a friend's wife and even he had to look it up. She grew up on a small farm nearby.

SoGrumpy@lemmy.ml · 1 pts · 18d

Like a fart in a trance.

nimble@feddit.online · 3 pts · 18d

From the Appalachian region of the US, I bring you:
"I'll cut the blood out of you!"
and more generally within the US (I think?):
"I'll clean your clock!"

Both are threatening a fight, one a little more graphically than the other. I don't think I've heard either in a very long time, and it was only ever from my grandmother that I'd heard the first phrase. Not directly, as in discussing idioms.

87Six@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 18d

for some reason the nword is stuck in my head and popped up instantly when I read this

-_-

I don't know why

I guess because it's tabboo