1. To hell with sb. ----你妹！

( a very rude way to show your disaffection with sb, use it with caution)

2. Bravo on the hot nanny! 这个保姆真给力！ ( “bravo” is the sound you make when applauding, so this sentence can be really useful if you want to praise sb)

3. You are the pain on/in my ass  ------你很烦耶！

 ( a little offensive but can be used between friends to give utterance to your annoyance with sb.)

4. She’s getting a little antsy ——她有点不淡定。

( it’s a very typical phrase meaning that sb is getting exceptionally anxious. The word “antsy” springs from “ant”. When an ant is in a hot pot, it sure will get anxious and frustrated.)

5. You are on fire!

( This is easy to remember and guess out the meaning. “be on fire” means “over-excited”, “be on fire for sth” means “like sth very much)

6.We could get her on board ------我们可以让她入伙。

( the reason I choose this sentence is that it spontaneously incorporates a phrase “welcome aboard”, which, literally, means “ welcome to the plane or ship”, and figuratively, “welcome to join us”. So if you want sb to join you in doing sth, you can just say “ get… on board”. Interestingly though, a similar Chinese oral expression also shares the same meaning: 上了贼船, but the tone is varied in different situations.)

7. I have back-to-back classes.  ------我的课是连堂的。

( It means I have several consecutive classes. You can also paraphrase it in this way: I have several classes in a row. There are a lot of expressions similar to “back to back”, such as “ hat in hand”,  meaning very humble and polite, “neck to neck” describing two parties of the same level of competence, etc)

8. Guess we know who wears the pants in that family.

(wear the pants源自男权社会的习俗。从前在男性占统治地位的社会，女性处于被支配的从属地位。由于男子一般穿裤子，而女子穿裙子，所以“穿裤子”就成为了统治的象征。后来，wear the pants 专用以喻指“女人当家”。又作 wear the trousers . Now this phrase commonly refers to people who take charge of the household)

9,They’ve really spruced that place up.

“spruce up” means to make sth neat, smart or trim, synonymous with “tidy up”)

10. I am stepping in and putting my foot down. -----老虎不发威，当俺是病猫啊！

( the reason why I choose it is that it has two interesting phrases. One is “step in” ,which means “start to interfere with sth, and the other is “put one’s foot down” , which means “ take concrete action”)

11. Don't try to turn this around on me  ------不要把责任推卸到我身上。

( this is a very informal way to ask sb not to shift off responsibilities to you. When  a f inger-pointing situation is going on, you can use this to fend off others’ blame on you)

12 If it helps,you were next in line.you just missed the cut.

 ( miss the cut: a very American way to say that sb misses a certain opportunity by an inch)

13. Come on, quit yanking me.

( there are two interesting words in it. “ quit” is usually used to mean “stop” and sounds more native. “Yank” is an ironic way of calling an American, it’s used as a verb here to mean “making fun of”, but usually it only plays such a role when referring to Americans of course.)

14. I may be way out on a limb here  -----我无助了...

(“out on a limb” depicts a situation where you’re all alone with nobody supporting you. Just imagine you’re drifting in a river with the only help of a limb, how desolate can that be!)

15. I am totally dense about poetry  ------我是诗盲。

( “dense” can mean “stupid and awkward”, so “be dense about” means “ don’t understand sth that much)

16. I am so over you.  ----我早就不在乎你了。

  (it means “I don’t care about you any more” or “I no longer love you”. This sentence is frequently used when two people break up)

17. I think BRIAN's a little out of your league. -----我觉得你拿不下Brian。

(“out of one’s league” literately means “ sb isn’t from the same societal circle as you, but usually it refers to a person who you like but at the same time out of your reach)

18.While she is beautiful in a conventional way,and you are luminous with a kind of delicate grace

( a very useful sentence to compliment the ladies)

19. This blows! ----我擦！

( It’s a very common way to express sth that upsets you , and it’s the same as “This sucks”)

20, You should come clean with Mom ----你还是给妈讲实话吧。

( “come clean” means “ confess”, it’s an common way to replace confession which seems too formal)

21 . Any sign of your brother?

( a typical American way to say “ have you seen your brother”)

22.She is no marriage material -------她不是结婚的料。

( The reason I choose it is that this sentence can be used in various ways by changing the adjective modifying “material”. For example, if you want to say she isn’t qualified to go to Yale, you can say “ She’s no Yale material”. So it’s very flexible)

23. You walked out on me -----你离我而去。

( “walk out on sb” means “ to abandon sb or leave sb”)

24. I got a stage fright.----我怯场了。

( It means “get nervous before performing on stage”. It’s similar to “ get cold-feeted”)

25. I was making headway 

( It’s a very native way of saying “ making progress”)

26 They really hit it off  ----他们挺合拍的。

( If you are just introduced to a person, and you have a lot in common and have a really flowing conversation, then you guys hit it off. “hit if off” is frequently used in Oral English, so worth remembering)

27. Don't take that tone with me ----不要用那种语气跟我讲话

( “tone” is the way you talk to others. If sb is talking to you in a not so nice way, or even snapping at you , you can say “ don’t take that tone with me”, pay attention to the preposition “ with”)

28. The joke's on you ----你才可笑呢！

( This is a terrific sentence to describe sb who is being ridiculous or silly. Mind the preposition “on”)

29. You kind of stole my thunder -----你抢我风头。

( This is very funny and vivid, “ to steal one’s thunder” is to outshine sb)

30. Let's give him a little credit 

( “give sb some credit” is a lousy phrase as I think of it, because I cannot find a relatively standard translation for it and it’s so frequently used by Americans. Basically it means “ have some faith in sb”, but it varies according to different contexts)

31. Let's put aside the fact that...让我们撇开什么不谈

( This is pretty useful if you want to divert sb’s attention from a certain fact. So bear this in mind)

32, Misery really does love company

( It’s synonymous with the aphorism : misfortune never comes alone)

33. I'm calling my shots 

( “ call one’s  shots” has an origin. call one's shots是美国成语，指用手枪或步枪射击时，先宣布要打中靶上哪个地方，现在往往引伸为「事先说出要做什么或怎么做」的意思，例如：He said he would score three A's in the examination, and he did. He called his shots well. （他说会在考试里取得三个A，果然就取得三个A了，真是没有说错。 Please pay attention to “ call the shots”, it means “take charge”）

35 don't count on it 

( “ count on” means “ depend on”, only more often used in daily-chatting)

36. It all boils down to this….

( A very useful structure to make a brief summary. “ boil down” means “ to sum up”)

37. What are you guys woofing about ?

(“ woof” means “whisper”, but more casual. “whisper” is often used plainly, so if you want to try something new, just say “woof”)

38 What’s the deal here?

( We cannot understand it literately, it means “ what’s going on here”, “what’s the deal” can be also used to ask “what’s the matter with somebody”)

39. I wasn’t hopping mad.

(in American English, “mad” usually doesn’t mean “insane”, but means “angry”. “Hop” means “jump” literately, so “hopping mad” means “so angry that you can’t help jumping up and down”, figuratively , “very angry”. )

40. Coffee to go,please.

( When we want to order sth to take away, we always find it a little awkward to say “ ....., please, oh ,it’s a take-away”, How just put a “to go” behind your order, then problem is solved)

41 We also appreciate gentle spanking once in a while,just FYI

( This is an ironic way to suggest. The word “appreciate” brings out sarcasm. FIY is the acronym of “for you information” , which indicates that it’s just sth to know, and you don’t have to respond.)

42. Way to go!

( means “ excellent”)

43. I’m a laundry virgin----我第一次洗衣服

( “ virgin” here is quite interesting, it means beginner. But this pattern is better to be used by ladies)

44. I won’t let her go without a fight!

( “without a fight” serves as a metaphor which suggests that “ without trying”)

45 I just want to give you a heads up 

  (heads-up is a commonly used American expression synonymous with “ reminder”. So if you want to remind sb of sth, you can use this phrase)

46My way or the highway.不听我的就滚蛋！

( I don’t know why it means so or what the origin is, but it’s really a generic American expression.)

47 Take my word for it.

( It’s like “ you have my word” or “ I promise you” . Promise is so frequently said that it has lost its flavor. Now people say promises are made to be broken. So be more careful the next time you say it or you hear it. Pick “take my word” over “promise” is sure to have better results.)

48 You have to pick your moments/timing

( In daily-life, to choose the right time to talk is really important. “picking the moment” sometimes can make a big difference in getting things done)

49 If you want kids, then kids it is! 如果你想要孩子，那就要吧 Art it is/ two it is !!/ a hundred it is （名词加it is 表示一种不耐烦语气）

50 You fall for it every time.

( the reason I pick this sentence is that “fall for” can mean differently in different contexts. “fall for sth” usually refers to that sb gets cheated into sth. “fall for sb”, however, share the same meaning as “fall in love with sb”)