Handy Expressions (1)

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Kind of is a common English expression with multiple uses.

It can indicate a category, soften a statement, or be used colloquially to mean somewhat or a little bit. It's also used as a way to express uncertainty or hesitation. 

🌞Categorization:

It can be used to identify something as belonging to a specific group or type. 

🦅 A bald eagle is a kind of bird. 

🌞Softening statements:

In more casual conversation, kind of can be used to make a statement less direct or assertive. 

🐝Instead of saying I'm busy, one might say, I'm kind of busy.

🌞Somewhat or A little bit:

When used as an adverb, kind of often means somewhat or a little bit. 

🫩 I'm kind of tired means I'm a little bit tired. 

🌞 Hesitation/Uncertainty:

It can also be used to express uncertainty or a lack of full conviction about something. 

🌞Colloquial usage:

In informal spoken English, kind of is often shortened to kinda.


🎷 What kind of music do you like? (categorization)

🥪 I'm kind of hungry. (softening/somewhat)

🤔 This is kind of difficult. (softening/somewhat)

👍 I kind of like the new design. (softening/hesitation) 


Source: You Tube (ChristinaRebuffet) Key Words: Rebuffet kind of


 

Source: You Tube (5SOSVEVO) Key Words: 5 seconds summer kind of hot



I don’t buy it.

➡️ Meaning: I don’t believe it / I think it’s not true / I’m not convinced. 

ES  No me lo creo / No me convence.

We use it when someone says something, but we doubt it or think it sounds unlikely.

🌞 He says he finished the project in one hour, but I don’t buy it.

🌞 

A: The company says prices won’t go up.

B:  I don’t buy it.

Give some examples of your own. 🙏


Augusto: He told me he can play chess very well, but I don't buy it / don't believe him. 😍

Graham: I don't buy it. = I don't believe what he claims.

Augusto: He told me he speaks German very well, but I don't buy it. 😍

Helen told me that she is an expert in thermodynamics, but I don't buy it. 😍

Manuel told me that he can talk to his dog, but I don't buy it. 😍

Abundio told me that he is able to play Kaikhosru Sorabji's Opus Clavicembalisticum on the piano, but I don't buy it. 😍


Helena: Politics say that they defend citizen's interests, but, who buys that???

Graham: Nobody buys it.

Politicians .... Los políticos .....

Politics = La política


Augusto: A German Shepherd is a kind  of dog.

Salsa is a kind of dance.


Juanmi: 🔮 No way, I don’t buy it 

🔮 The Politicians want low the taxes, I don’t buy it .

🔮 They promised new changes in their decisions, honestly I don’t buy it.

Graham: Politicians claim to want to lower taxes.


Su: I'm kind of sleepy today.

Graham: I kind of feel the same. 🥱



To get the hang of something

➡️ Meaning: to learn how to do something or to become skilled at it after practicing or becoming familiar with it.

It is often used when an activity or task seems difficult at first but gets easier with time. 

ES  cogerle el truco a algo

🌞 It took me a few days, but I finally got the hang of driving on the left side of the road.

🌞 Don’t worry if you find the software confusing at first; you’ll get the hang of it soon.

🌞 She got the hang of playing the guitar after a couple of weeks of practice.

🌞 It took me a while to get the hang of the new office system, but now I’m much faster.

🌞 Learning to use chopsticks can be tricky, but you’ll get the hang of it with practice.

🌞 At first, I couldn’t understand the game rules, but now I’ve got the hang of it.

🌞 I haven’t got the hang of cooking Thai food yet, but I’m getting better.


Answer any of the following questions:

🎖️What’s something you recently got the hang of doing?

📱How long does it usually take you to get the hang of using a new app or device?

🇬🇧 What do you find hard to get the hang of in English? 

🤔 Can you remember a time when you couldn’t get the hang of something no matter how hard you tried?

👨‍🍳 Do you think it’s easy to get the hang of cooking? Why or why not?

🏆 How do you feel when you  finally get the hang of something difficult?

🏇🏻 Is there a sport or hobby you’d like to get the hang of in the future?

 

 

Helena: To get the hang of English is rocket science to me.

Graham: You got the hang of English years ago. You speak better than many natives do.

Helena: 😳😳😳😳😳I have to pay for our breakfast....

Graham: In that case,; let's go to the Ritz.

Helena: 😳😳😳😳

Helena: How do you say...te has pasado??

You have overdone it???

Graham: Nope. I've overdone it - I'd say it when you do too much of something and suffer the consequences. e.g. I do a 2 hour workout at the gym and the next day I'm aching all over - I overdid it at the gym yesterday.

Let me think what you'd say in this case .... I might be a while haha

Graham: 

Source: You Tube (Addehiovy) Key Words: Putting on Ritz

You've gone too far. But that suggests you've done something bad and this time it won't be tolerated 

I'll keep on thinking ...

Graham: That's asking a bit much.


Augusto: Since I saw this tutorial, I'm about to get the hang of moon walking.



José: I get I've got the hang of cooking a sea bream and I'm very proud.

Graham: I'll take your word for it.

José: I'm sorry. I can"t give you the recipe. It's my secret.

Graham: That's fine. I'll survive.

José: When I was child, I was looking for a sticker of Mr. Di Stefano and when I got the hang of it I felt enormous.

Graham: ... when I finally came across it I was chuffed. (informal for very pleased)

I don't think you can get the hang of things like looking for stickers. It's not really a skill or is it?

José: After long time playing the lottery game, I don't get the hang of winning nothing.

Graham: After many years of playing the lottery, I still haven't got the hang of winning anything. (Use nothing with positive verbs.)


Augusto: When I went to Aberdeen, I realised that I'm getting the hang of English. 😍

Graham: Well, some of the accents around Aberdeen are tricky for me to understand.

Augusto: After falling off the bike twice in my first lesson, I thought: this is hard to get the hang of this.

Graham: ... I thought that it was hard to get the hang of.



for the time being

➡️ Meaning: for now or temporarily.

It’s used when something is true at the moment, but the situation might change in the future. (🇪🇸 Por ahora / De momento / Por el momento)

🌞 You can stay in the guest room for the time being until you find an apartment.

🌞 I don’t have a car right now, so I’m taking the bus for the time being.

🌞 The project has been postponed for the time being because of budget issues.

🌞 I'm living with my parents for the time being while I save money for my own place.

🌞 Let’s keep this information confidential for the time being until we have more details.

🌞 I’ll handle both jobs for the time being until we hire someone new.

🌞 We don’t need to make any changes for the time being; let’s wait and see what happens.


What are you doing for the time being?


Adolfo: I work for the time being until I'm rich.

Graham: And there was me thinking that you worked for the pleasure of it.


José: I thinking if the wars are for the time being or we have to live with them for ever.

Graham: I wonder if wars are for the time being or do we have to ...?

José: I play sport for the time being, but I am afraid I won't play when the storm clouds come.

Graham: Sounds a bit strange but I'll let it pass haha

José: There are people who prefer to live at the moment (Carpe diem), but I prefer to live towards the future, instead for the time being.

Graham: There are people who prefer to live for the moment but I prefer to live with a mind to the future rather than for the time being.

Anyone I've met who claims to live for the moment, doesn't really. It would be great if we could.



Graham: to have (got something) to do with

➡️ Meaning: to be related, connected, or associated with something.

🌞 What’s that got to do with it?

→ ¿Qué tiene que ver eso con esto?

(Used when someone mentions something irrelevant.)

🌞 That’s got nothing to do with me.

→ Eso no tiene nada que ver conmigo.

(Saying you’re not involved or responsible.)

🌞 It might have something to do with the new policy.

→ Puede que tenga algo que ver con la nueva política.

(Suggesting a possible connection.)

🌞 This has to do with what we discussed yesterday.

→ Esto tiene que ver con lo que discutimos ayer.

🌞 Don’t worry, it’s got nothing to do with you.

→ No te preocupes, no tiene nada que ver contigo.


👀 Other sense in Spanish:

No tiene nada que ver con can also mean:

➡️ One thing is far better (or worse) than another / They’re not even comparable.

English equivalents:

It doesn’t even compare to...

It’s on another level compared to...

It’s nothing like...

🌞 This homemade pizza doesn’t even compare to the frozen ones.

→ Esta pizza casera no tiene nada que ver con las congeladas.

🌞 Her presentation was on another level compared to the others.

→ Su presentación no tuvo nada que ver con las demás.

🌞 The beaches here are nothing like the ones back home.

→ Las playas de aquí no tienen nada que ver con las de mi país.

Source: You Tube (Tina Turner) What's love got Tina

🌞 See Spotlight on Vocabulary at the end of this blog post and click on the link to complete the lyrics to Tina Turner's song.

José: What does speed have to do with the fat (tocino)? It's a Spanish saying. 😂

Violence has nothing to do with sport. Sport is fresh air, while violence is air pollution. 👏

José: The Spanish omelette doesn't even compare to Italian pizza.

Graham: I think you'd find that much of the world disagrees with you.

José: Okay

Graham: I asked Chat GPT what it means. 


Graham: tocino 🤢 This tweet is before I turned veggie:

https://x.com/madteacher72/status/128150841608769536?t=OyBs6j3YTRvlKGLVn4L2fw&s=19

Helena: When I was younger I liked to go for camping, but getting older makes me havent got nothing to do with me

Graham: That doesn't make much sense here.

The expression “la velocidad no tiene nada que ver con el tocino” is a Spanish saying that literally translates to:

👉 “speed has nothing to do with bacon.”

It’s a humorous way of pointing out that two things being discussed are completely unrelated, kind of like the English expressions:

  • “That’s apples and oranges.”

  • “That has nothing to do with the price of tea in China.”


It plays on the fact that velocidad (“speed”) and tocino (“bacon”) rhyme a bit in Spanish, so it’s catchy and funny.


Helena: When I was younger I liked to go for camping, but getting older makes me haven't got nothing to do with me.

Graham: When I was younger, I liked to go camping but as I get older, it appeals to me less.

Helena: Ay madre 🤣🤣🤣 What is that ???🤣🤣🤣


Augusto: I have nothing to do with that, said the thief when the police caught him. 👍

Augusto: I have nothing to do with you, Trump told the duck. 😂

Graham: The two most famous Donald's 👆🏻


Augusto: After falling off the bike twice in my first lesson, I thought: this is hard to get the hang of this.

Graham: ... I thought that it was hard to get the hang of.

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