Every cloud has a silver lining

When we say that “every cloud has a silver lining” it means that every sad or unpleasant situation has a positive side to it. If you talk about silver lining you are talking about something positive that comes out of a sad or unpleasant situation.
Keep that in mind, and have a great weekend, folks!

Where there's a will there's a way

One of the things I like the most is proverbs! They're always very nice, full of insightfulness and they help us see the language in a more native-like way. One of the first I’ll post here is “Where there's a will there's a way”, meaning that, when a person really wants something he/she will do whatever it takes to get it! Nice, huh??

Câmbio

Mostly heard in military movies, the expression "roger" or "roger that" is the equilvalent to "câmbio".
"Roger" means "I have received all of the last transmission" in both military- and civilian aviation radio communications. This usage comes from the initial R of received: R was called Roger in then-current radio alphabets such as the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet.
"Roger that. Over and out" "Câmbio e desligo"

não tenho condições de comprar um carro

When, in Portuguese, we mean to say that we have no money to buy something, a car, for example, we say "eu não tenho condições de comprar um carro". In English, however, the same idea must be expressed like this: "I can't afford to buy a car".
Most students get lost in translation by trying to use an expression similar to Portuguese: "I have no conditions to buy a car" or " I don't have conditions to buy a car", which completely misses the point.

Pois não?

This one is very funny! I was reading a very nice blog about Brazilian expressions for Americans and the blog author mentioned we, Brazilians, use 'Pois não?' when a salesman wants to help you in a store. The correct way to say that in English is: 'Can I help you?'. Isn't it weird? Don't you agree with the post? Why do we say that? It makes sense to us, but not for them. Le'ts imagine you enter a store in the USA and the salesperson says: 'Because no?' LOL
That's it!!
Have a nice afternoon.

Deus ajuda quem cedo madruga

Now a proverb before going to bed. It is 1:37am and I am still awake and I have to wake up early tomorrow. :(

The early bird catches the worm

na pior das hipóteses

This expression I really like: 'in the worst-case scenario'

It means: the worst possible future outcome.

Example: Let's look at the worst case scenario!

Very simple, right???

retrado falado

police sketch

composite sketch

facial sketch

p.s. it might have other ways to say the same thing. I always post the ones I remember. :)

bem feito!

'It serves you right!' is the closest I could think of as 'bem feito' in Portuguese. There must be other ways to say the same thing. I believe this is the most used by Americans, though.

Do not forget that 'well done' is different. It can be either something performed accurately and diligently; executed with skill and efficiency or a meat that was thoroughly cooked, esp. until all redness was gone.

topa????

I was listening to Britney one of these days and paid attention to a nice expression: 'to be game'.

In the song '3' she sings: 'So are you game?'

'To be game' means that you are ready and willing to do something.

For example:

Is anybody game for some pizza?

Are you game for a swim?

Or simply: Are you game?

desmancha prazer

Some time ago I watched a horror movie (I don't remember the name) and really liked this expression: 'You're such a bust kill!'

There is another expression with the same meaning: wet blanket!!!!

pisar nos calos de alguém

This one goes for a student of mine. While in class, she asked me how to say 'ele pisou nos meus calos'. For a moment, I thought and realized I had no idea how to say that! So I looked up in the dictionary.

Here it goes:

According to Oxford, 'calo' is CORN. And the expression is: 'to tread sb's corns / toes'.

e.g. He trod on my corns.

This idiomatic expression is the same as we use here in Brazil.

Tread means: to set down the foot or feet in walking; step; walk

The questions is: is it still used nowadays?

Welcome

Hello and welcome to my blog!!! I am going to be writing about interesting expressions in English that I either find interesting or that my students ask me in class.

I'll be posting new expressions every week and my co-worker and friend is going to help me out!

I hope you enjoy!