Native English Expressions | Ep.5
Do you feel lost when listening to native speakers? It’s likely because textbook English isn’t enough. Welcome to Native Expressions Ep.5.
Real conversations are full of idioms, phrasal verbs, and cultural nuances. This series curates authentic expressions directly from podcasts and YouTube videos to help you sound more natural and confident.
To see these idioms in action, check out the 0:00 – 5:00 mark of this video, where today’s expressions were originally used: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K7muA1KCCUc
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 1 – 5
thank you for having me
a polite expression used to show appreciation for being invited or included
After the interview, she smiled and said, “Thank you for having me — it was such a pleasure.”
I feel like
a common way to express one’s opinion, belief, or emotional impression
I feel like this project is finally moving in the right direction.
someone that I’ve wanted to have on
a person one has long wished to invite or include (especially in a show or event)
He finally met someone that he’d wanted to have on his podcast for years.
a long time coming
something that has been expected or delayed for a long period
Their reunion was a long time coming, but it finally happened.
sit down with someone
to meet and have a serious or friendly talk with a person
She was happy to sit down with someone she had admired for years.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 6 – 10
feel right
to seem natural, comfortable, or appropriate
When they finally talked, everything started to feel right again.
night owl
a person who tends to stay up late and be active at night
As a night owl, he often works on his projects after midnight.
fly in
to arrive by airplane from another place
They flew in from another city just to attend the concert.
haven’t slept
not having had proper rest or sleep for a period of time
She hasn’t slept much lately because of her busy schedule.
at least
no less than; the minimum amount or number
He said he hadn’t slept in at least two days because of the workload.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 11 – 15
fumes
strong-smelling gases or smoke, often from fuel or chemicals
The car’s fumes made the garage smell unpleasant.
run on fumes
to keep going with almost no energy or resources left
After working all night, she was running on fumes during the meeting.
hit that point
to reach a moment when you can’t continue easily or need to stop
She hit that point where she just needed to take a break and sleep.
go to bed earlier
to try to sleep sooner than usual
She promised herself to go to bed earlier to fix her sleeping schedule.
late start
beginning an activity later than usual or expected
They decided on a late start since everyone had been working all night.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 16 – 20
at one’s highest functioning quality
performing at the best or most effective mental or physical level
Her brain isn’t at its highest functioning quality until she’s had her morning coffee.
used to being up late
accustomed to staying awake until late at night
He’s used to being up late because of his night shifts at work.
get on a schedule
to start following a regular pattern of sleeping, working, or doing activities
Once you get on a schedule, it becomes easier to wake up at the same time every day.
hard to switch
difficult to change from one habit or pattern to another
It’s hard to switch from staying up late to waking up early.
creative brain
the part of your mind that helps you imagine, design, or come up with new ideas
Her creative brain seems to come alive late at night when it’s quiet.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 21 – 25
stay up
to remain awake instead of going to bed
They decided to stay up and finish writing their new song.
fabulous
extremely good, impressive, or enjoyable
The concert last night was absolutely fabulous — everyone had an amazing time.
lead singer
the main vocalist in a band or music group
The lead singer performed with so much emotion that the crowd went silent.
come out
to be released or made available to the public
Their new album will come out next month.
from the vibes
based on the general feeling or atmosphere of something
From the vibes of the music video, you can tell it’s more cheerful than their usual style.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 26 – 30
a departure from
something different from what is normal or expected
This calm acoustic song is a departure from their usual heavy rock sound.
convince someone to do something
to make someone agree to do something through reasoning or persuasion
She had to convince the team to do something new for their holiday project.
rephrase that
to say something again in a different or clearer way
Let me rephrase that — what I meant was slightly different.
form a band
to start or create a music group
They decided to form a band when they were still in high school.
put the connection together
to realize how two things or ideas are related
Fans quickly put the connection together when they heard her new Christmas song and remembered she had played the little girl in The Grinch, a famous Christmas movie.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 31 – 35
exponential
increasing very quickly and by larger amounts over time
The band’s popularity grew exponentially after their hit single came out.
put that together
to realize or understand how two things are related
It took me a while to put that together — she was the same actress from the movie!
go do
a casual way to say “go and do” or “decide to do” something, often used in spoken English
Every summer, they go do something fun like camping or surfing.
no way
a strong expression meaning “absolutely not” or “that will never happen”
When they suggested he sing on stage, he said, “No way!”
In zero worlds
a very strong way to say “never” or “under no circumstances”
In zero worlds did she think she would ever record that kind of song — she never imagined doing it.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 36 – 40
fast forward to
used when moving ahead in a story to a later time or event
Fast forward to a few years later, and they finally decided to try it.
go through a lot of loss
to experience many sad or difficult events, especially losing people or things
She had to go through a lot of loss before finding peace again.
in lockdown
a situation where people must stay inside because of safety rules or emergencies
During the pandemic, everyone was stuck in lockdown for months.
rehearse with the band
to practice playing or performing music together as a group
They rehearsed with the band every evening to prepare for the comeback show.
turn to someone
to look at another person, usually to ask or say something
She turned to someone on her team and asked for their opinion.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 41 – 45
see what happens
to try something without knowing the result; to experiment
They decided to start recording and just see what happens.
put together
to create or arrange something by combining parts
They put together a new version of the song in just one day.
tricky
difficult to do or deal with; requiring careful attention
Writing the harmony was tricky, but the result sounded beautiful.
work something out
to solve a problem or find a way to make something function
They finally worked it out after hours of discussion.
jam through
to play or practice a piece of music informally and with energy
The band jammed through the song a few times before recording it.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 46 – 50
I kid you not
a phrase meaning “I’m being completely honest” or “this is true”
I kid you not, the audience started clapping after just one note.
grin
a big, happy smile that shows your teeth
Everyone had a huge grin on their face after hearing the final mix.
being me
acting in a way that reflects one’s true personality or usual habits
Being me, I double-checked every detail before sending the final version.
be thorough
to do something carefully and with attention to every detail
She likes to be thorough when preparing her work so nothing is missed.
have context
to have background information or meaning that makes something understandable
The story needs to have context so people know why it matters.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 51 – 55
equate to
to be the same as or similar in meaning or value
Success doesn’t always equate to happiness.
some substance
real meaning, value, or importance behind something
The movie looks fun, but it also has some substance about family and love.
relentlessly
continuing without stopping or giving up; with great persistence
Fans relentlessly asked the band to release a new version of the song.
bring back
to return or reintroduce something from the past
They decided to bring back an old tradition from their childhood.
make a pivot
to change direction or focus, especially in career or life
After years in law, she decided to make a pivot and start her own business.
Native Expressions Ep.5 | 56 – 59
abandon who you were known for
to leave behind the image or identity people associate you with
She had to abandon who she was known for to start fresh in a new industry.
turn one’s back on
to reject or distance yourself from something or someone
He had to turn his back on his old career to pursue his true passion.
be taken seriously
to be respected or considered important or capable
It can be hard for young people to be taken seriously in professional settings.
get into
to start discussing or focusing on a particular topic or activity
We don’t have much time, so let’s get into the main idea right away.