English Idioms and Phrases that All Native Speakers Use

Hello, guys! Welcome back to my channel. Today we’re gonna talk about  

English Idioms and Phrases. These phrases are super useful  

and you should learn them to understand  native speakers and you can use them  

on a daily basis in your conversation. My name is Kate and I love teaching you  

English phrases and idioms that I personally use  and I hope you will enjoy this lesson. Let’s get  

right into today’s video. Phrase number 1 

Make a killing. I'm gonna be great  for them they could make a killing. 

This idiom is not about actual killing someone. This means to make a lot of money, to have a great  

financial success, to sell a lot of something. If someone makes a killing,  

they make a large profit very quickly Microsoft made a killing by selling software.

To go with the flow. When you say I’m gonna go with the flow  

this means that you’re not gonna try to  change the situation you’re just gonna  

relax and stop controlling things. It's learning how to go with the  

flow of life wherever the flow of life is  going wherever the flow of life takes you. 

This is a great phrase when you  are in a kind of a tricky situation  

and you wanna say that you accept what’s going on  and let it go, you’re just gonna go with the flow.

The next one is A mile a minute. 

This idiom is used to describe something that  is happening very quickly, extremely quickly,  

for example, we could say that someone is  talking a mile a minute, this means he’s or  

she’s talking very quickly, in a very rapid pace. I heard this little voice talking a mile a minute:  

Sarah! Sarah! We are going to fill the entire  sidewalk! Come on! Come see, we need your help! 

The next one - Miss the boat – to miss  

an opportunity or the chance. If you miss the boat,  

you fail to take an action in time so  you lose an advantage of an opportunity. 

If you don't buy clothes on  sale, you will miss the boat. 

The next I’m on top of the world. 

If things are going really well for you  

and you feel happy you can say “I  feel like I’m on top of the world”. 

After my morning yoga exercise  I feel on top of the world. 

Suddenly from bein' on top of the world,Job was  plunged down into the deepest pits of misery. 

I can’t win And if you want to  

describe the opposite of this feeling you can use the phrase I can’t win 

When you are feeling that your mood is not good  and you’re getting worse, just say “I can’t win” 

This doesn’t mean you’re gonna literally win  a game or something, it’s just the way of  

describing the situation when whatever you do  is wrong or not enough, and you feel hopeless. 

This morning my car’s broken down and I‘ve lost  my keys, I’m late to work, I just can’t win. 

The next one Keep your chin up. Keep your chin up 

is the phrase that is often used in the United  States when people want to encourage a person  

they say – Keep your chin up, this means  to stay positive in a negative situation

Things that are happening in the  world right now made me feel unhappy  

and I couldn't film videos,  I couldn't make scripts,  

I couldn't make anything but scrolling down  the news, and one day I said to myself.  

Kate, you should stop it. Just keep your chin  up. Go on filming, go on editing and don't worry. 

Everything's gonna be alright. You know what I mean guys.

The next one is to be at a loss. If someone is at a loss, they don’t know what to  

do. When something really bad happens, for example  when someone’s died, you can say – I’m sorry,  

I’m at a loss, this means it’s very sad so  you don’t know what to say. I'm was at a loss.

A lot of people in my country are at a loss  right now because of a geopolitic situation.

Let’s move on to the next phrase Right Up my Alley. Sounds right up my alley. 

We use this phrase to describe something  that is exactly the way we like it,  

exactly how we want it. It’s a positive idiom,  because if something is right up your alley,  

it goes with your interests and preferences,  it’s something that you really really like. 

I hear this one very often in American movies. 

I love classical music so piano  lessons would be right up my alley. 

The next phrase is I got your back. Got Your Back 

If someone tells you this phrase that means  he’s going to protect you or help you with  

your problems. Don’t worry. I got your back This means - you can rely on me. I will support  

you in a difficult situation. It’s a very good natural idiom.

Straight from the horse’s mouth Straight from the horse’s mouth 

I know this, because I’ve heard  it straight from the horse’s mouth 

This idiom is kind of strange because everyone  knows that horses don’t talk, but it’s  

often used by Americans and British people If you’ve heard something that was straight  

from the horse’s mouth that means this is true,  this information is from most reliable source.

To pull someone’s leg – to deceive  someone or play a joke on someone 

Don't believe him. He's just pulling your leg.

To sit on the fence is to avoid  making a decision or choice. 

If you sit on the fence, you refuse to make a  choice, or you don’t want to decide what to do.

give the benefit of a doubt When you believe someone and you  

don’t look for any proof of what he or she’s  saying, then you give the benefit of a doubt.  

When you’re sure that another  person is telling you the truth  

or doing the right thing. This idiom means "to trust."

Thank you for watching guys! I hope this video  was useful. Please don't forget to hit the like  

button and subscribe to my channel if you  haven't yet. And I see you next time. BYE.