idiomy Flashcards
zła passa
a bad patch
Last year our football team hit a bad patch, but I’m optimistic about this season
bułka z masłem
a piece of cake
Passing this exam was a piece of cake because I’d been studying for a long time.
przejęzyczenie
a slip of the tongue
I meant to say Mr Cavill, not Mrs Cavill, so it was just a slip of the tongue.
błędne koło
a vicious circle
I gave up and started smoking at least ten times last year. It’s a vicious circle.
prosić się o kłopoty
ask for trouble
If you don’t obey the rules, you ask for trouble.
mieć dwie lewe ręce
be all fingers and thumbs
I tried to put this cupboard together according to the manual, but I guess I am all fingers and thumbs.
całkowicie się mylić
be all wet
She is all wet if she thinks that I’m going to clean the flat on my own. v
znać się na rzeczy / umieć coś bardzo dobrze
be at home with
Mark is at home with computers. If you have any problems, just ask him for help
mieć czegoś powyżej uszu/ dość
be sick and tired
I’m sick and tired of this job. They want us to work overtime.
owijać w bawełnę
beat about the bush
Stop beating about the bush and tell me why you’ve come here
ugryźć się w język
bite back
I believe sometimes it’s better to bite back instead of saying what you really think.
posiniaczony
black and blue
I fell off a horse and now I’m black and blue.
tracić przytomność
black out
After my operation, I was advised to avoid driving a car for a week for fear of blacking out anytime.
zakomunikować komuś złą wiadomość
break the news
It seems to be hard to break the news to someone about unpleasant events.
wtrącać się, wcinać się (np. w rozmowę)
butt in
Could you stop butting in, please? It’s impolite!
podlizywać się komuś
butter somebody up
If you want me to do you a favour, just ask me. You don’t have to butter me up.
nie dorastać komuś do pięt
can’t hold a candle to someone
You can attempt to show off, but you can’t hold a candle to my fiance.
złapać kogoś na gorącym uczynku
catch someone in the act of
The police caught the thief in the act of stealing valuable paintings.
pójść na łatwiznę
choose a soft option
No matter what you think, my brother didn’t choose a soft option.
przydawać się
come in handy
Never throw your documents. They might come in handy one day.
co ma być to będzie
come what may
I’m confused about my exam. Come what may.
dziecinnie proste
dead easy
English grammar is dead easy on condition that you do lots of exercises
igrać ze śmiercią
dice with death
When you watch Hollywood films it seems as if stuntmen diced with death.
jak kto lubi
each to their own
They like porridge, but I hate it. Well, each to their own.
kompletnie spłukany
flat broke
Peter was flat broke, but he didn’t give up.
wygłupiać się, obijać się
fool around
If you want to pass the final exams, you’d better stop fooling around.
na czarną godzinę
for a rainy day
Finn regularly puts some money away every month for a rainy day if it ever comes.
na litość boską
for crying out loud
For crying out loud, could you leave us alone, please?
z głębi serca
from the bottom of one’s heart
I’m grateful for your help from the bottom of my heart.
pospiesz się
get a move on
Get a move on! Everyone’s waiting for you outside.
złapać kogoś, skontaktować się
get hold of
We will get hold of you as soon as we know more information.
załapać, zrozumieć
get the message
It took me some time to get the message. I’ve never liked riddles.
dotrzeć do sedna czegoś
get to the bottom of something
She’s trying to get to the bottom of the problem.
wrócić do punktu wyjścia
go back to square one
I admit that this essay is awful. I’m afraid I’ll have to go back to square one
zbankrutować
go bust
If it hadn’t been for her help, our business would have gone bust last year.
poradzić sobie samodzielnie z czymś
go it alone
No matter how hard I tried to go it alone, I was forced to ask John to give me a hand.
