MẪU CÂU TIẾNG ANH VỀ IDIOMS FOR FEELINGS

Conversation Vocabulary & Phrases
What do all the expressions in blue have in common? They’re idiomatic expressions. Idioms are small phrases that often have a different meaning than their individual words.

Although idioms are not usually used in more formal written English, they are extremely common in spoken English – and we have a number of idioms to describe feelings and emotions – these can be more interesting and descriptive than simply saying “happy,” “sad,” “excited” or “angry.”

Take a moment to read over the conversation again and try to identify the emotion in each expression. Then continue reading the lesson to learn these phrases and many others.

Idioms for Positive Emotions

Happiness & Cheerfulness ( VUI VẺ , HẠNH PHÚC )

•  “She’s in seventh heaven.” / “She’s on cloud nine.” / “She’s walking on air.”
•  “He’s on top of the world.” / “He’s over the moon.” / “He’s jumping for joy.”

              All of these idioms mean that someone is VERY happy! These typically describe a temporary state of extreme happiness because something wonderful has happened (not someone who has a happy personality in general).

•  “I’m tickled pink.” / “I’m thrilled to bits.”

             These idioms mean that you are pleased; some event has given you a feeling of pleasure. These are not as strong as the previous idioms.

•  “He was smiling ear to ear.” / “He was all smiles.”

             These expressions describe the happy expression on someone’s face.

• “She’s in high spirits.”

             This expression describes someone who is in a good mood.

Excitement & Enjoyment ( THÍCH THÚ )

•  “My kids were raring to go.”

             The expression “raring to go” means very excited to do something. It does not necessarily mean going somewhere – you can arrive at a dance lesson “raring to go” – meaning you are very excited and eager to start.

•  “I’m pumped!” / “I’m psyched!” / “I can’t wait!”

             All of these expressions mean you are excited about something in the future. With pumped/psyched, you can use the prepositions for/to to continue the sentence: “I’m pumped for the concert! / I’m pumped to go to the concert!” With “I can’t wait,” you can use for, to, or until: “I can’t                  wait for summer vacation!” “I can’t wait until Christmas!” “I can’t wait to tell you about my trip!”

•  “We’re having a ball/blast.” / “We’re having the time of our lives.”

            These idioms are used for enjoying an experience or activity.

•   “I loved every minute of it.”

            This expression is also used for an experience that was so good, every minute was enjoyable; there were no bad moments.

Other Good Feelings

•  “That’s a huge load/weight off my mind.”

               This idiom is used for relief – when something that was worrying you is resolved.

•  “I feel like a million dollars/bucks.”

               This means you feel great, physically – you feel healthy and full of energy.

•  “This means the world to me.”

              This expression means something was very meaningful – important emotionally – for you.

•  “She’s starting to come out of her shell.”

             This means that a shy or timid person is starting to become more sociable.

•  “It’s okay. No hard feelings.”

             This phrase is used to forgive someone and tell them you aren’t angry or annoyed.

Idioms for Negative Emotions

Annoyance and Anger ( CẢM THẤY KHÓ CHỊU, TỨC GIẬN )

•  “He flew off the handle.” / “He lost his cool.”

              These expressions describe the moment when someone “explodes” with anger and loses control.

•  “He jumped down my throat.” / “He bit my head off.

              These idioms describe when someone yells or speaks strong, angry words to you.

•  “She had a fit.” / “My daughter threw a temper tantrum.”

              Use these phrases when someone becomes very upset. The second one is usually used for children... or an adult who is acting like a child!

•  “He got bent out of shape.”

              This expression means the person got irritated or annoyed.

• “It rubbed me the wrong way.”

              This means something irritated or annoyed you; it gave you a bad impression.

•  “She has a chip on her shoulder.”

              This idiom describes someone who, in general, is easily annoyed or offended.

•  “Working with him really tries my patience.”

              If something “tries your patience,” it means it annoys you and makes it difficult for you to stay calm and patient.

Boredom, Frustration & Desperation ( CHÁN NẢN, THẤT VỌNG )

•  “I was bored to death/tears.”

             These are expressions to exaggerate the fact that you were VERY bored.

•  “I was climbing the walls.”

             This idiom also means you were so bored, that you were desperate to escape the situation.

•  “I was tearing my hair out.”

             Use this phrase to describe intense frustration.

•  “I was at my wits’ end.” / “I was at the end of my rope.”

            These expressions mean that you were SO frustrated, that you were desperate – you were at the end of your patience and felt like you had no good options.

Fear, Embarrassment, Worry ( XẤU HỔ, LO LẮNG )

•  “It scared the living daylights out of me.”

             This is a way to exaggerate how much something scared/frightened you.

•  “That old house gives me the creeps/willies.”

             This means it makes you feel uncomfortable and a little bit scared.

• “I felt like a fish out of water.”

             This idiom means you felt uncomfortable in a particular social situation

•  “I couldn’t look him in the eye.”

             This expression means you are so embarrassed or ashamed, you couldn’t make eye contact.

•  “I had butterflies in my stomach.” / “My legs turned to jelly.”

            Both of these idioms are creative ways to describe nervousness. “My legs turned to jelly” can also be used for fear.

Sadness ( BUỒN BÃ )

•  “He’s really down in the dumps.”

             This means somebody is very sad, very depressed.

•  “He’s feeling a little blue.”

             This means someone is a little bit sad.

•  “She’s crying her eyes out.”

             This is a way to say someone is crying a lot, or crying very intensely.

•  “My heart sank.”

             This expression describes the moment when you start to become sad – like when you receive a piece of bad news.

•  “I got a lump in my throat.”

             This describes the heavy feeling you get in your throat when you might start to cry.

Those were a lot of idioms! Today’s exercise is to practice the expressions with the worksheet below – use it to write your own sentences with the phrases. 

Lesson 41 Worksheet

Complete the sentences with your own experiences! For example: “The last time I was walking on air was... when I got a raise in my salary because of my excellent work.”

The last time I was walking on air was...

The last time I was tickled pink was...

Right now, I'm pumped for/to...

The last time I was having a blast was...

Something that meant the world to me was...

The last thing that took a huge weight off my mind was...

The last time I flew off the handle was...

The last time someone else bit my head off was...

The last time one of my kids (or friends' kids) threw a temper tantrum was...

Something that rubs me the wrong way is...

One thing that really tries my patience is...

The last time I was bored to death was...

The last time I was at my wits' end was...

One thing that gives me the creeps is...

One time I felt like a fish out of water is...

The last time I had butterflies in my stomach was...

One time I was down in the dumps was...

The last time I cried my eyes out was...

One time when my heart sank was...

One time when I got a lump in my throat was...