Hey, everybody. O episódio de hoje fala sobre duas expressões em inglês relacionadas a falar poucas e boas a alguém; dar aquela bronca mesmo.
Transcrição
Hello, everyone. Today we have a new episode of the inglesonline podcast. Please subscribe to this podcast using the Podcasts app for iPhone or iPad, or listen to the episodes using the Inglesonline Android app. To download or just listen to other episodes and download transcripts, go to inglesonline.com.br and click Podcast Inglesonline.
So let’s get started today with a very, very popular term: give someone a piece of my mind. This is how someone would usually say it: I’m gonna give them a piece of my mind! Notice that I’m using the word “piece”, p-i-e-c-e, the same word we use for a piece of cake or… Let me give you a piece of advice!
So, I’m gonna give them a piece of my mind. What does that mean? It means you’re gonna speak very angrily to someone because you think they have done something wrong. I’m gonna give them a piece of my mind. I just read this example on the Internet: “I wanna text her a piece of my mind so bad… but I’m gonna hold off”. So this guy wants to text some woman and give her a piece of his mind. We can assume he’s mad at her. Listen again: I wanna text her a piece of my mind so bad… but I’m gonna hold off”.
There are a couple of other interesting terms in this example: one is “so bad”. That means “very much, really”, in the sense that he really wants to text her. And then he says he’s gonna hold off. Hold off means delaying an action that you were going to take, or something that you have the intention of doing. It came to your mind to do this thing, whatever it is, but some reason, you’re holding off. That means, you’re not doing it now; you’ve decided to wait, maybe. You’re holding off for now.
Here’s another example I came across: “I’ve had enough with Tom. If he ever comes near us again he’s getting a piece of my mind!” This person has had enough with Tom and there will not be a next time. If Tom ever comes near them again, this guy is giving him a piece of his mind. Again, this means this guy is super angry at Tom and will tell him off if he ever sees him again. So, have you ever given someone a piece of your mind? What’s the story?
On the previous example I used the term “tell him off”. To tell someone off has a similar meaning to “give someone a piece of my mind”. If you say “I told her off”, that means you spoke angrily to this person, you reprimanded her, you scolded her. “Give someone a piece of your mind” sounds a bit more colorful than saying “I told him off”. I think in Portuguese we could translate “I gave him a piece of my mind” as “falar um monte para aquela pessoa” or we could say “Ele vai se ver comigo”. Of course, this doesn’t involve any action other than talking, right? You’re speaking angrily but it’s just that – speaking. Saying “I’m gonna give them a piece of my mind” sounds more natural than “I’m gonna tell them off”.
Here’s a common construction with tell off: I got told off by so and so. That means that someone told you off. For example, you’re in a strange country and you don’t really speak the language but you give it a shot and you end up angering a salesperson. You don’t really know what they’re saying, but you can tell they’re angry. So later you can tell your friends that you got told off by a salesperson in that country.
What are your stories? Have you ever been told off by someone? Tell us in the comments, and talk to you next time!
Keywords
give someone (a piece of your mind)
tell (someone) off
Glossary
so and so = fulano de tal
to be mad at someone = estar bravo com alguém
you can tell they’re angry = dá pra ver que ele ou ela está bravo/a
Ana criou um blog de dicas de inglês em 2006, e depois de muito pesquisar o que faz alguém ganhar fluência numa segunda língua, criou seu primeiro curso de inglês em 2009.
Hi, Ana! I really rather holding off some situation then give someone a piece of my mind, this is not pleasure at all.But sometimes…I have no choise.I think that happens with everybody. Kisses!! Thanks !!
when i heard that my girlfriend was out tonight i promise my brother to gave her a piece of my mind.
I told her off after i get know that she is prostitute. That’s correct?
