Como digo em inglês: Não é tão ruim assim

By Ana | Podcast Inglês Online

Jan 19
Como digo em inglês Não é tão ruim assim

Hi!

Hoje o podcast é sobre estas aqui: “Fácil falar, mas fazer…” e “Não é tão ruim/alta/bom assim…”

Transcrição

What’s up? I’m doing fine here, ’cause I’m recording this podcast and that’s always fun to do. OK, a very short introduction today: I’m gonna talk first about a very common phrase, and then the next topic will be how to use the word THAT in a way that is not usually in the books. Oh, and this is Inglesonline podcast.

So let’s get right into it: You know when someone tells you to do something, and he or she talks about it like it’s something easy to do… but in reality, it’s not that easy? For example, let’s say you’re having problems at the office. Let’s say one of your coworkers, Bob, has been snooping around your desk. Let’s say Bob has been stealing some of your ideas, and presenting them to the boss as if they were his ideas.

So you tell your friend Jane about Bob. You tell her “I have this coworker, Bob, and he’s been stealing my ideas!” And your friend Jane knows what to do. She thinks this problem is really easy to solve. She says “You should catch Bob in the act! Actually, you should confront him about stealing your ideas. Better yet, you should talk to him in the presence of your boss, and make him admit he’s stolen your ideas!” And you say “Well, Jane, thanks, but that’s easier said than done. Bob’s father is the CEO of the company. So exposing the CEO’s son as a thief might not be the smartest career move”.

So, Jane’s suggestion? That you just catch Bob in the act, that you just tell the boss about what Bob’s been doing? That’s easier said than done. Easier said than done. Jane’s ideas are great. They sound great, but you think they’re easier said than done. It’s like we say in Portuguese “Falar é fácil…”. So Jane thinks you’re a fool, she thinks you’re a pushover because Bob is taking advantage of you and you’re not doing anything about it. But you know it’s not as easy as it seems. Jane’s ideas? They’re easier said than done.

And here’s another example: let’s say your friend Michael just lost his job and you are trying to cheer him up. You say “Hey, I’m sure you’re gonna be working again in no time. Just start sending out your resume and before you know it, you’ll have more job offers than you can count.” Well, your friend Michael doesn’t think it’ll be that easy. He says “Yeah, that’s easier said than done.”

And by the way… let me go back to what I just said: your friend doesn’t think it will be that easy. What does that mean?

Well, picture this: two people go to a bakery and they’re looking at the pies, and they see a beautiful chocolate pie. They each buy a slice and eat it. Then, one of them says “This is the best chocolate pie I have ever eaten! I can’t believe how good this is. It’s amazing!” And the other one says “Hey, cool it with the pie… it tasted OK, but it was not that good!” So he thought the pie was OK, but it wasn’t that good. It wasn’t that amazing. In other words, he thinks his friend is exaggerating. The pie didn’t taste that good. In Portuguese we say something like “Não era tão boa assim”. It wasn’t that good.

A few more examples:

  • My friend is crazy about a TV show about monsters and supernatural stuff. She loves it. I think that show is OK, but I don’t think it is that good. I think it’s just OK.
  • I went to a restaurant the other day with a friend and she hated it. Me? I didn’t love it, but it wasn’t that bad either.
  • My sister is tall.. she’s taller than me, but she’s not that tall.
  • One company advertised their product saying that it was a great product, which it really was, and that it was very cheap. Well, when I asked them further questions I found out the product wasn’t that cheap, in reality, since I would have to pay for lots of extras. What else…
  • Someone asked me if I got stuck in traffic for hours yesterday. I said that there was some traffic, but it wasn’t that bad.

So this is an easy one to find examples for: tell us about something that people think is awful, but you disagree. You don’t think it is that bad. 

Talk to you next time!

Key expressions

  • easier said than done
  • not that bad, not that good

Glossary

let’s get right into it = vamos direto ao assunto

snooping around your desk = bisbilhotando na sua mesa de trabalho

catch Bob in the act = pegar o Bob no flagra

Better yet = Melhor ainda (usado no começo da frase)

it’s not as easy as it seems = não é tão fácil quanto parece

cheer him up = deixá-lo pra cima

cool it with the pie = relaxa o entusiasmo com a torta

Ana
Matheus Xavier 06/12/2019

I think I’m great writer and I love spending my time writing about many things, especially about life. So, despite beeing a good writter, I was afraid of start writing a book on my own because of the other people’s opinions. However it’s my dream! Actually, I feel sure it’s my gift. So, I decided to gave my dream a shot and now I’ve been writting my book. I don’t know its title yet, but it’ll treat about judgements and self awareness.

I’m not sooo confident in writting in english yet -There might be some mistakes, for sure lol – but i gave it my best shot.

    Hello, Matheus
    Awesome!
    Thanks for leaving us a comment.

Hmm it appears like your site ate my first comment (it was extremely long)
so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m
thoroughly enjoying your blog. I too am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new
to everything. Do you have any suggestions for rookie blog writers?
I’d genuinely appreciate it.

Veronica 14/02/2011

Hi, Ana… Let me tell you my exemple

A friend of mine told he got the job of his dreams and he could work in the place for the rest of his life without starting hating it. So months ago I got a job in the same place and I didn’t like, so I think my friend should just cool it with the office ‘cause it’s not that good.

Thanks a lot for this podcast, it’s amazing! (:

Camila 13/02/2011

I my opinion in the most of the time that one person is outside the situation the advice is easer than done. I think it’s very common happen in our lifes, because we always think that’s easy to solve the problem the other people.

Camila 13/02/2011

Very nice podcast! I my opinion in the most of the time that one person is outside the situation the advice is easer than done. I think it’s very common to happen in our lifes, because we always think that’s easy to solve the problem the other people.

rogério 11/02/2011

To study english 30 minutes every day ? It’s easier said than done, but it’s not that bad.

emilia 06/02/2011

Ola Ana
seus posts sao o maximo mt obrigada.
Tem me ajudado mt ate a proxima

Renata de França 03/02/2011

Ana,
Very nice job!
Congratulations one more time.
Some people doesn´t like studying English at all, usually can´t stand it, cause for them studying English is boring and difficult, but, in my opinion it´s not that bad.
I´ve heard many people saying that learning English: that´s easier than done.
Sorry by mistakes. =/
Thanks.

Daniel 02/02/2011

It´s my first time downloading this podcast and I really aprecciate to listen to podcasts. Specially this one is too good and I´ll try to keep listening the other ones!

wellington 30/01/2011

Hi Ana,

So I checked it again, and now I’ve found 10 episodes there, I don’t know what happened. This episode is not shown there, but forget about it, it’s better to come here and listen to it.

By the way, your podcast is awesome, keep it up!

Ana Luiza 30/01/2011

Hi wellington.
No, all the episodes should appear on iTunes.

Maybe itunes shows only the latest 5 episodes -is that the problem? Right now, I would’nt know how to fix that…

wellington 29/01/2011

Awesome podcast.
I tried to download it on iTunes store but it showed only 5 episodes. What happend, did you stop to put podcasts on iTunes store?

By the way, I thought it would be awful to not download your podcasts there but I realized it won’t be that bad, because I can download it here.

Ana Luiza 25/01/2011

Hi everyone,

Great examples!!!

Alysson – yes, maintaining an exercise (or running) routine is certainly easier said than done..

Diogo – I agree – I think waking up early isn’t THAT bad… but it depends on how late I went to bed.

Glauciene – working at home isn’t that bad either (but it’s easier said than done)

Gustavo – EPIC é uma gíria, como “demais”, fantástico, show de bola

Domires 25/01/2011

Your dedication is always save me. Congratulations!

Gustavo Costa 25/01/2011

Alguem poderia me dizer o significado da palavra “epic”  pois muito falam isso e eu nao sei oq ue significa

Tatiane 24/01/2011

My friend says that she doesn’t like to read,but I think it not that bad!

Henry Akashi 23/01/2011

My mom keep telling me and I also think so, it’s time to looking for a Master’s Degree, but people think it’s just signing papers and begin the classes. Now I decided to do, I noticed that it’s easier said than done.

Vej@Blog 23/01/2011

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Carlos 23/01/2011

Ana I saw a poster advertising saying that you can learn English very quickly just watching some classes:EASIER SAID THAN DONE.

Jane 22/01/2011

Congratulations, Ana!
I´m learn a lot here.

Thank you!

Glauciene 21/01/2011

Hello Ana!

Well, I have a publicist friend that don’t like to work at the office all the time. She likes to make meeting out the office and work in home sometimes. I work at the office all day and I think that is not that bad.

That’s it!

Take care!

And one more time, congratulations!

Arthur Rocha 21/01/2011

i finally found out a complete site, congratulations.

Caio 21/01/2011

Easier said THEN done??

Diogo Souza 20/01/2011

People generally say that don´t like to wake up early,but i think it isn´t that bad.

alysson 20/01/2011

Hey Ana
a lot of people think that run everyday is easy,but as far as i know this require much discipline, effort and mainly initiative.That’s easier said than done

by

Rogerio 20/01/2011

Hi Ana,
Let me tell you my example:

Once, a friend was crying,then I approached and asked: What’s the matter? She said: My boyfriend broke up with me. I told her to lift her head and move on, It wasn’t that bad. And she said: That’s easier said than done.
I guess it wasn’t a good advice. rsrs

Camila Buturi 20/01/2011

People always says that learning english is very hard, actually is not that hard, especially with you Ana Luiza.
You speak so naturally.
Love your posts!

Hi Ana. Thanks for the post. Some people think that learn English on line is awful, but I desagree. In fact, I’m loving to learn English this way.

Jair 20/01/2011

Very nice post! You have a cute voice!
I am bad in English, but I am not that bad…

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