Teacher Training30 English Idioms to Help You Sound Like a Native

If you’re learning English, you might have heard the phrase “idioms” before. An idiom is a phrase that has a figurative meaning that is different from its literal meaning. Native speakers often use idioms in their everyday conversation, so understanding them can help you improve your comprehension skills and sound more natural when you speak. Here are 30 English idioms to add to your vocabulary:

“One language sets you in a corridor for life. Two languages open every door along the way.”

1. Break a leg – good luck
2. Hit the nail on the head – to say or do something exactly right
3. Piece of cake – something that is very easy
4. Barking up the wrong tree – to make a mistake in one’s assumptions or beliefs
5. The ball is in your court – it is your turn to make a decision
6. A dime a dozen – something that is common and not valuable
7. When pigs fly – something that is unlikely to happen
8. A piece of the pie – a share of something
9. Bite the bullet – to face a difficult situation with courage
10. Under the weather – feeling ill or sick
11. Jump the gun – to do something too early
12. Cry over spilled milk – to dwell on past mistakes or misfortunes
13. Pull someone’s leg – to tease or joke with someone
14. Butterflies in your stomach – to feel nervous or anxious
15. To cost an arm and a leg – to be very expensive
16. It’s raining cats and dogs – it is raining heavily
17. Once in a blue moon – something that happens very rarely
18. Go the extra mile – to put in extra effort
19. In the heat of the moment – to act impulsively without thinking
20. The elephant in the room – an obvious problem or issue that no one wants to address
21. A taste of your own medicine – to experience the same unpleasant treatment that one has inflicted on others
22. Apple of my eye – someone who is loved and cherished
23. Bob’s your uncle – a phrase that means “there you have it”
24. Actions speak louder than words – what someone does is more important than what they say
25. Butter someone up – to flatter or compliment someone in order to get something from them
26. Keep your eyes peeled – to be alert and watchful
27. A picture is worth a thousand words – a visual image can convey a complex idea more effectively than words
28. Straight from the horse’s mouth – information that is obtained directly from the source
29. Bite off more than you can chew – to take on more responsibility than one can handle
30. Let the cat out of the bag – to reveal a secret

Learning and using idioms can be fun and add personality to your language skills. Try using a few of these idioms in your conversations and see how they can help you sound like a native speaker.