Como digo em inglês: Não seja tão modesto!

By Ana | Podcast Inglês Online

Dec 07
Como digo em inglês Não seja tão modesto

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Hi, everyone. How are you?

Hoje no podcast Inglês Online falamos sobre como dizer em inglês expressões como “não seja tão modesto” e “o mérito é seu”.

Transcrição

Hi, everyone. How have you been? Today we have a new episode of the inglesonline podcast. To download or just listen to other episodes and download transcripts, go to inglesonline.com.br and click Podcast Inglesonline.

So here’s an expression I wanted to talk about today: sell yourself short. Have you ever heard this expression? Can you guess what it means? We usually hear people use it like this:  Don’t sell yourself short. And as you get used to listening to real English, be it from TV shows, or movies, or podcasts, you’ll see that this expression will start popping up here and there. So let’s get on to an example.

Imagine that you have a friend who works at a TV station, OK? Now, he’s very young. Let’s say he’s in his mid-twenties. However, he started working for the station when he was just seventeen, as an intern. He’s a pretty hardworking guy, though, so he’s been promoted quite a few times since then. He’s done a little bit of everything; he has become a true jack-of-all-trades. So, let’s say this is your friend and his name is… Jack, why not? Jack is a jack-of-all-trades.

Anyway, he tells you that the old station manager has quit his job and the station has got to fill the position pretty quickly. They’re looking for someone young (check!), with a lot of initiative (check!) and a minimum of 10 years of experience. So your friend Jack wants to apply for the position, but he’s afraid the station owners will think he is too inexperienced. So you remind your friend Jack of all the important work he has done for the station. You remind him that he’s the one who filled in for the manager last month when the guy got caught in a car accident. And, finally, you remind Jack that he has worked in practically every division of the station, that he gets along very well with everyone and that he was the one to initiate many significant actions that had a huge positive impact on the station’s bottomline.

You say to Jack, Don’t sell yourself short! That means, give yourself credit where you deserve it! By the way, that’s another very common phrase in English: give yourself credit, give someone credit, etc. But back to selling yourself short: you remind Jack of everything he’s done that was important for the TV station, and you tell him to remember all that. You say, Jack, give yourself credit for everything you’ve done. You have worked hard for this station since your first day as an intern and even the old manager himself said that you would be a good candidate to replace him. So don’t sell yourself short!

That’s good advice, in general, right? Don’t sell yourself short! Be aware of everything you’ve accomplished and when someone asks you, you can be honest. Now, that’s different from bragging, of course. What does brag mean? To brag means to talk about something you did, or one of your qualities, in an arrogant way, or in an annoying way… You know, sometimes it’s a little much and you may even get the sense that what that person is bragging about isn’t even true. So there’s a difference between giving yourself credit and not selling yourself short, and bragging, right?

So here’s my question to you: do you give yourself credit for your accomplishments? Has this ever happened to you – you sold yourself short because you wanted to come off humble, and then later you regretted it? What about bragging – when was the last time you or someone you know bragged about something? Come on!

Talk to you next time.

 

Key expressions

  • don’t sell yourself short
  • brag
  • give (someone) credit

 

Glossary

be it = seja

start popping up = começar a aparecer

in his mid-twenties = com 25, 26 anos

intern = estagiário(a)

jack-of-all-trades = faz-tudo, pessoa que tem habilidade com muita coisa ou quase tudo

check! = quando uma pessoa diz isso, ela quer dizer que alguma condição está sendo cumprida

filled in for (someone) = fez o trabalho de (alguém) enquanto a pessoa estava indisponível

bottomline = nesse caso, retorno financeiro

come off = parecer

Ana
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Alice 09/01/2012

Existe o curso para nível intermedário ou avançado?

Grata

    Ana 10/01/2012

    Alice – a continuação do básico (que será o intermediário) está em fase de planejamento.

Marina 09/01/2012

Ana, comecei a ler seus podcasts e já senti diferença no meu vocabulário. Parabéns!!! Mto bom mesmo
Esse texto eu fiquei em dúvida em uma parte “but he’s afraid the station owners” não seria he’s afraid OF the station?
Muito Obrigada

    Ana 09/01/2012

    Oi Marina

    Adorei saber q vc está sentindo diferença! Não é demais quando isso acontece?

    É que ele não está com medo dos donos do canal (que seria o q vc escreveu).

    Ele está com medo QUE os donos pensem que etc…
    He’s afraid (THAT) the station owners will think etc…

    O that ali é opcional.

Ana 16/12/2011

Obrigada, todos vocês. Sempre ótimo saber q vocês estão aproveitando os materiais!!

Itibrão 16/12/2011

Ana, leio e indico o seu blog para todas as pessoas que realmente querem aprender inglês. Excelente trabalho.

Nemézio 09/12/2011

Parabéns, Ana Luiza. Suas aulas são fantásticas, melhores das que as de muitos professores presenciais de inglês. Continue com o bom trabalho!

adriano 08/12/2011

what’s up Ana Luiza how have you been. Congratulations for your podcasts it has been helping me tremendous. since I have started to listen to your podcast my listening skill changed completely. Now I’m able to understand movies series and so on. You are a great teacher keep going and dont sell yourself sort. k
hugs.

Marcos Reis 08/12/2011

Olá Ana,

realmente seu site é sensacional, comecei recentemente a buscar material de aprendizagem em inglês pela internet e encontrei este portal… simplesmente é excepcional, parabéns

God bless you!

    Ana 08/12/2011

    Legal Marcos! Obrigada. Espero que seja muito útil.

Claudia 08/12/2011

God bless you in double for everything you’ve been done for all English students.

bernardo 08/12/2011

very good o curso…

Ana 08/12/2011

Hello, you ALL! Obrigada por passarem por aqui e deixar mensagem. You’re very welcome! Aproveitem mesmo os podcasts.

Neemias dos Santos Almeida 08/12/2011

Legal!!!

Mismartes Pereira 08/12/2011

Bom dia Ana.
Muito obrigada por vc ser a pessoa dinâmica que é. Não tenho como lhe agradecer por este trabalho relevante direcionado aos internautas que precisam do inglês. Deus lhe dê em dobro o que precisar.
Mismartes

Nelson 08/12/2011

Oi Ana Luiza!

Tem apenas um mês que descobri este seu blog. Vc é uma excelente professora! Parabéns pelo capricho e pela didática. Tem me ajudado bem. Obrigado!

fabricio 08/12/2011

Parabens por dispor do seu tempo para ensinar , pois isso não é facil. Pensar no vai colocar no site, é um trabalho duro e voce oferece tudo isso gratuitamente, muito obrigado de coração que Deus te ajude e te ilumine cada vez mais.
Cada podcast é uma expressão diferente e um aprendizado novo.
Congratulation.

André Alexandre 07/12/2011

Thanks so much for this class. You are the better! o/

Luiz Geolás Neto 07/12/2011

Você é a melhor professora de inglês do MUNDO.
GOD bless you. Always.
Parabéns
Luiz

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