Who's hungry? : Food idioms you'll love in English

Ever met anyone who's all gong and no dinner? This is a Northern English phrase meaning all talk and no action. It refers to the practice of banging a small gong to summon the family to dinner and reflects the disappointment felt when someone makes a promise of things to come but fails to deliver on that promise. If you liked that, then here are some more great food idioms to get your teeth into* (pun intended!)

*meaning something interesting but complex which makes you think.

 

 Spill the beans!

¡Suéltalo!

 

Be a fish out of water

Estar más perdido que un pulpo en un garaje 


 

Get egg on your face

Quedar en ridículo

 

Have bigger fish to fry

Tener cosas más importantes que hacer

 

Be as cool as a cucumber

Estar fresco como una lechuga

 

Be in a pickle

Meterse en un lío

 

 Act like a wet lettuce

Portarse como imbécil

 

Bring home the bacon
Ganarse el pan

 

Be cheesy

Ser cutre

 

Have a lot on your plate

Tener muchos asuntos pendientes


 

Put all your eggs in one basket

Poner todos tus huevos en la misma cesta

 

 

 

 

 

 

Don't count your chickens (before they've hatched)!

¡No vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarlo

 

 

 

 

 It's no point crying over spilt milk

Llover sobre mojado

 

 

 

 

 It's not my cup of tea

No es santo de mi devoción

 

 

 

 

 

 

 Take something with a pinch of salt

Coger con pinzas


 

 

 

 

 

Be bread and butter

Ser de primera necesidad

 

Be a tough nut to crack

Ser un hueso difícil de roer

 

 

 

 

 

Be as cheap as chips

Ser una ganga

 

 

 

I bet that's whetted your appetite! Remember that there's no such thing as a free lunch, meaning there's no achievement without hard work. If you want to impress your English-speaking friends, you'll need to learn and practise using these idiomatic expressions.

 

 

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