Basic Idioms and Phrasal Verbs

phrasal verb

go out

salir

Leave home for a social activity, meal, event, or plan. We are going out tonight.

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phrasal verb

hang out

pasar el rato

Spend relaxed time with friends without a formal plan. I am hanging out with my friends at the park.

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phrasal verb

meet up

encontrarse / reunirse

Meet someone at an agreed place or time. We are meeting up at the mall.

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phrasal verb

come over

venir a la casa de alguien

Go to someone's home or current place. Do you want to come over tonight?

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phrasal verb

stay in

quedarse en casa

Not go out; remain at home. It is raining, so we are staying in.

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phrasal verb

warm up

calentar / hacer calentamiento

Prepare the body before sports or exercise. The players are warming up before the game.

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phrasal verb

work out

hacer ejercicio / entrenar

Exercise physically, usually for health or fitness. She works out three times a week.

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phrasal verb

join in

unirse / participar

Start participating in an activity that other people are already doing. Can I join in the soccer game?

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phrasal verb

turn up

aparecer / llegar

Arrive at a place, sometimes unexpectedly or late. He turned up late for the match.

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phrasal verb

call off

cancelar

Cancel a plan, event, match, or activity. They called off the game because of the rain.

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expression

It's pouring.

está lloviendo muy fuerte

Use it for heavy rain. We cannot go out. It's pouring.

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expression

It's freezing.

hace muchísimo frío

Use it for extreme cold. Wear a jacket. It's freezing outside.

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expression

It's boiling.

hace muchísimo calor

Use it for extreme heat. Let's stay inside. It's boiling today.

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idiom

It's raining cats and dogs.

está lloviendo a cántaros

Informal and playful. Use it for very heavy rain, not for formal weather reports. We cannot play outside; it's raining cats and dogs.

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idiom

take a rain check

dejarlo para otra ocasión

Use it to politely postpone a plan. It does not need to be raining. Can we take a rain check and meet tomorrow?

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idiom

come rain or shine

pase lo que pase

Use it when a plan will happen no matter the situation. We are going to practice soccer, come rain or shine.

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idiom

under the weather

sentirse mal / estar indispuesto

This means a person does not feel well. It is not literal. I am not going out because I feel under the weather.

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idiom

every cloud has a silver lining

no hay mal que por bien no venga

Use it when something good can come from a bad situation. The game was canceled, but every cloud has a silver lining.

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idiom

when it rains, it pours

las desgracias no vienen solas

Use it when several problems happen at the same time. First it started raining, then my phone died. When it rains, it pours.

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idiom

rain or shine

sin importar el clima

Use it when something happens no matter the weather. We play soccer every Saturday, rain or shine.

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idiom

a fair-weather friend

amigo solo en los buenos momentos

A person who is present only when things are easy. This is less basic, so it can be treated as extra vocabulary. He is a fair-weather friend.

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expression

get some fresh air

salir a tomar aire

Go outside for a short time to feel better or relax. Let's go for a walk and get some fresh air.

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idiom

hit the road

salir / ponerse en camino

Start leaving or begin a trip. It is late. Let's hit the road.

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idiom

have a blast

divertirse mucho

Have a very good time. We had a blast at the game.

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expression

be on the same team

estar del mismo lado / trabajar juntos

Share the same goal or cooperate. We need to help each other. We are on the same team.

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