あなたと世界との間にある隔たり、英語を学ぶことで世界へ架け橋を築きませんか。

英語のコーチ ・ 英会話 ・ ビジネス英語 ・ ビジネス会議演習 ・ コンサルタント ・ 校正 ・ 講師派遣 ・ 無料体験レッスン

東京都町田市中町1-7-2 2F ・ 小田急駅北口から徒歩6分 ・ ℡.080-1334-1423 電話やLINEを下さい。

毎週土曜日の午後7時~11時に英語パーティーやります。参加費は無料です。皆さん是非!
交流イベントは他のメンバーと出会い、英語を練習しながら新しい友達を作るチャンスです。

メール london.bridge.english@gmail.com


Wednesday 31 August 2011

お下がり

お下がり = hand-me-down (noun)

Examples:

  • When I was a child, I wanted new clothes but I always got my sister's hand-me-downs.
  • I don't want your old hand-me-downs!
  • That ABBA T-shirt is a hand-me-down from my mother.

Tuesday 23 August 2011

もったいない

もったいない = wasteful

However, this expression is more natural:
  • What a waste!
Examples:
  • Sanae dropped a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne. What a waste!
  • That watermelon is rotten; we can't eat it. What a waste!


This expression is to avoid waste (save and re-use):
  • Waste not want not.
Example:
  • Don't throw away your rice; I will use it for チャーハン tomorrow. Waste not want not.


This expression is to say we don't use an item:
  • It is wasted on him
Examples:
  • Daisuke bought his grandmother a new Blue Ray DVD recorder but it's wasted on her because she can't understand how to use it.
  • Tomoko gave her parents an expensive bottle of wine but it's wasted on them because they don't drink alcohol.
  • Those running shoes are wasted on me because I never do any exercise.
Pattern:
  • item + be + wasted on + person

Wednesday 10 August 2011

面倒臭い

面倒臭い can be translated according to the situation.

If you are tired or do not want to use your energy you can say:

  •  can't be bothered
Miho: "Let's clean up the garden!"
Kou: "I can't be bothered; I wanna watch TV."

If something is complex and requires a lot of effort you can say:

  • too much hassle
Yuki: "Shall we move to a new apartment?"
Hana: "Oh no! It's too much hassle."

If you check your dictionary, you will see the word troublesome but this is not a natural translation of 面倒臭い。

Saturday 6 August 2011

オフ

I'm off has four meanings:

1. I'm leaving now

Example:
  • I'm off; see you! = I'm leaving this place now.

2. I'm going now

Example:
  • I'm off to the pub. = I'm going to the pub now.

3. Absent from work

Example:
  • I'm off tomorrow. = I will be absent from work tomorrow.

4. I'm abstaining
  • I'm off chocolate. = I don't eat chocolate these days.

Pattern:

Subject + be + off (+ extra information)