Native English Expressions | Ep.29

Do you feel lost when listening to native speakers? It’s likely because textbook English isn’t enough. Welcome to Native Expressions Ep.29.

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.

Native Expressions Ep.29 | 1 – 10

be full of it

be wrong. to say things that are not true or are very foolish.
Some people say you cannot travel and work, but the speaker thinks they are full of it.

go through heartbreak

feel sad. to experience deep sadness because a romantic relationship has ended.
She decided to go on a long trip because she was going through heartbreak at the time.

solo trip

alone travel. a journey that a person takes by themselves without any companions.
Taking a solo trip helped the traveler think clearly about her life and her future career.

edge of the world

remote place. a very far or isolated location that feels like the end of the earth.
She traveled all the way to the edge of the world in Patagonia to find some peace.

converted

changed. something that has been modified to serve a new or different purpose.
The traveler stayed in a converted hotel that used to look like a very strong shelter.

happen to be

exist by chance. to be in a situation or place by accident or without planning.
There happened to be beautiful flamingos flying over the cold lakes in that region.

eerie

strange. mysterious or scary in a way that makes you feel slightly uncomfortable.
The landscape felt eerie and silent, almost like it was a different planet.

be in one’s head

overthink. to be too focused on your own thoughts or personal problems.
While she was walking, she was so in her head that she didn’t notice the danger right in front of her.

a bunch of

many. a large number or amount of something.
His bag was very heavy because he was carrying a bunch of gear and food for the long trip.

fall off

drop. to go down from a higher place or surface by accident.
The hiker almost fell off the side of the mountain when the path suddenly gave way.

Native Expressions Ep.29 | 11 – 20

thankfully

luckily. used to say that you are glad something happened or is true.
Thankfully, the main support beam was strong enough to hold her weight during the accident.

catch on

snag. to become stuck or hooked on something.
As he fell, his clothing caught on a metal pole, which saved him from hitting the water.

hang off

dangle. to be suspended from something while the rest of your body is in the air.
The traveler was hanging off the edge of the bridge, hoping the structure would stay steady.

total disaster

catastrophe. a situation that is a complete failure or very bad.
If she had fallen onto the rocks below, the entire trip would have turned into a total disaster.

lose someone

separate. to no longer have a person in your life because of death or a breakup.
After she lost someone very close to her, she decided to travel the world to find peace.

wild and crazy

exciting. very unusual, energetic, or surprising.
She realized that life is too short not to do wild and crazy things like traveling to remote places.

intertwine

mix. to connect or join two different things closely together.
It is a great idea to intertwine your career goals with your passion for seeing new cultures.

get out of college

graduate. to finish your studies at a university or college.
Most people realize how expensive real life is immediately after they get out of college.

early on

soon. at an early stage in a process, career, or relationship.
Many professionals face difficult challenges early on in their careers before they gain experience.

set someone up for

prepare. to provide what is needed to be successful in the future.
Making smart choices now will set you up for a much better life when you reach your 30s.

Native Expressions Ep.29 | 21 – 30

take a detour

change path. to go a different way than the direct one to gain new experiences.
The speaker suggests that young people should take a detour to learn things outside of their main job.

cover a topic

report. to deal with or give information about a specific subject or event.
As a young journalist, the writer had to cover very dangerous and serious stories near the border.

unsee something

forget. to remove something you have seen from your memory.
After witnessing the violence in that area, there were things the reporter could never unsee.

go at each other

fight. to attack or compete with someone very aggressively.
The two rival groups were going at each other during a very violent time in that region.

prison break

escape. an act of escaping from a prison.
A huge prison break occurred in the northern region while the journalist was working there.

have adventures

explore. to take part in exciting or unusual experiences.
Even in a dangerous place, the narrator managed to have adventures that she still remembers today.

cover a group

investigate. to report on the activities of a specific organization or group.
The team went to a local club because they were covering the cartels in that city.

get out of

quit. to leave a difficult, dangerous, or restrictive situation or organization.
She met a man at the club who was desperately trying to get out of a dangerous criminal group.

violent event

conflict. a situation where people use physical force to hurt others.
The journalists received a tip that a major violent event was about to happen in the city.

become obsessed with

love. to be extremely interested in or worried about someone or something.
After starting her new career, she became obsessed with the investment strategies of a famous financier.

Native Expressions Ep.29 | 31 – 40

top performing

best. doing much better than all the others in a specific group.
Their financial company became top performing because they made very smart decisions during the crisis.

give it up

quit. to stop doing a regular job, habit, or activity.
He decided to give it up and leave his successful career to explore the world on his own.

lead to

cause. to result in a specific situation, outcome, or success.
Doing things that others didn’t think of eventually led to great wealth for the adventurous traveler.

emerging market

developing economy. a country’s economy that is starting to grow and become modern.
Investing in an emerging market can be risky, but it often brings very high rewards.

be in the money

profitable. to be in a position where you are making a lot of profit.
Because he bought the property at a very low price, he was immediately in the money on the deal.

soulless

boring. lacking spirit, interest, or human emotion.
The young man quit his soulless office job to find a career that felt more alive.

afford

pay for. to have enough money to buy or do something.
Even with a promotion, the worker struggled to afford a home in the expensive city.

corporate cubicle

office desk. a small workspace with walls in a large business office.
She hated being stuck in a corporate cubicle all day under bright lights.

war atrocities

cruel acts. very bad and violent things that happen in a war.
The reporter saw many war atrocities before moving into the world of finance.

multiple six figures

high pay. earning hundreds of thousands of dollars per year.
He made multiple six figures at the investment firm but felt his life was empty.

Native Expressions Ep.29 | 41 – 50

first-class problem

minor trouble. a problem that only lucky or rich people have.
Being unhappy with a high-paying job is considered a first-class problem by many.

speak okay Spanish

basic. having a fair or average ability to talk in Spanish.
Since she could speak okay Spanish, she felt confident starting a project in Mexico.

get with

join. to start working for a specific company or group.
She decided to get with a firm that did not have a dedicated department for international business.

division

department. a specific part of a large organization that handles one area of work.
The company created a new division to focus on financial opportunities in South America.

pair things

combine. to put two different ideas or skills together to create a result.
The professional suggested they pair her knowledge of finance with her interest in new markets.

assets under management

managed money. the total value of investments that a person or company looks after.
The new team worked hard to grow their assets under management to over a billion dollars.

bond with

connect. to develop a strong relationship or friendship with someone.
She was able to bond with the wealthy investor because they both liked the same book.

be inspired by

be moved. to feel a strong desire to do something because of someone else’s work.
The local businessman was inspired by the same famous author that the young woman admired.

just about

almost. very nearly; used to say that something is mostly true.
Through one important contact, she met just about everyone who mattered in the city’s finance world.

be connected to

know. to have a social or professional relationship with someone influential.
She became connected to many powerful people after her successful meeting in Chile.

Native Expressions Ep.29 | 51 – 51

mutual love

shared interest. a feeling of liking the same thing that another person likes.
The business grew because both people had a mutual love for exploring new countries.