Top 10 Most Useful Expressions

I was planning on compiling a list of useful English expressions… Then I completely drew a blank. I thought it would be interesting to do a top 10 list of useful expressions and throw in some funny / witty expressions. However, I couldn’t think of any that I use on a regular basis except for “cool” and that’s neither funny nor witty and I suppose it’s not really an expression. So I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions. Not necessarily10, but a couple of expressions you use on a regular basis.

I am always fumbled by the different ways of saying hello…

Hey mate how are you doing today? Answer?
How do you do? Answer?
etc.

For us with E as 2nd language, it can be a challenge to respond in the right fashion, not to start a conversation or being cool.

Here are 10 greetings I have heard used which may be confusing to people who just learned some basic english. Some are more common than others.

1 - Whats up?
2 - Hows it hangin’?
3 - Whats shakin’?
4 - Whats good?
5 - What you know?
6 - What it is?
7 - Whats happenin’?
8 - Hows it going?
9 - What you been up to?
10 - 'sup?

Here are some off the top of my head. None of these I use on a regular basis, but can certainly be useful in one’s arsenal of expressions:

i. pain in the neck/ass/arse
ii. Pandora’s box
iii. keep your shirt on
iv. wrong side of the bed, waking up on the
v. grain of salt
vi. set in stone
vii. spilt milk, no point crying over
viii. where there’s a will, there’s a way (Chinese equivalent: 世上無難事,只怕有心人)
ix. wet blanket
x. spill the beans

As a special bonus:
xi. knickers/panties in a knot/twist/bunch, don’t get your

And if you do get your knickers in a knot, remember:
xii. don’t have a cow, man!

  1. Hey baby, how YOU doin’?
  2. What’s your sign?
  3. Can I buy you a drink?
  4. Do you come here often?
  5. What’s a nice girl like you doing in a place like this?
  6. Wanna see my etchings?
  7. I hope you know CPR, 'cause you take my breath away!
  8. Hi, I’m Mr. Right. Someone said you were looking for me.
  9. Your place or mine?
  10. Hi. Let’s f***!

I hope the OP is teaching an adult class. If not, then this can be changed to “Hi. Let’s fart.” The kids will get a kick out of that one :smiley:.

How much
Can I get a (student) discount?
Whats in it?
Yummy
Do you have a boy/girl friend
Long time no see
Have you got the time?
Can I borrow your phone please its an emergency?
Its your shout
You seem to have short arms and deep pockets

My 3rd graders liked = That sucks.

What would be the chinese equivalent, if there is one?

*Who do you think you are? :fume:

*So, what? :raspberry:

*What’s wrong with you? :astonished:

*Are you alright? :loco:

*Will you excuse me for a moment? :wink:

*Are you out of your mind? :noway:

*What’s up? :slight_smile:

*What does it have to do with it? :s

The above are in question forms, but they don’t really ask anything.
I hope they’re usuful.

What would be the Chinese equivalent, if there is one?[/quote]
My third graders found “check it out” funny for some reason that I could never get. :loco:

The Chinese equivalent of “that sucks” would be “好爛/真爛/爛透了” <hao3 lan4/zhen1 lan4/lan4 tou4 le>, “真糟(糕)/很糟 (糕)/糟透了” <zhen1 zao1 (gao1)/hen3 zao1 (gao1)/zao1 tou4 le>, “遜/很遜/真遜” <xun4/hen3 xun4/zhen1 xun4> or a recent catchy phrase “很瞎/好瞎/真瞎” <hen3 xia1/hao3 xia1/zhen1 xia1>.