How to describe feelings in English (English idioms)
A1 A2 B1 B2 C1 C2
happen
US / 'hæpən /
•UK / ˈhæpən /
- verb
- To take place or occur
example
US / ɪgˈzɑ:mpl /
•UK / ɪɡˈzæmpəl /
- noun
- Thing, person which represents a category
right
US / raɪt /
•UK / raɪt /
- adjecitve
- Correct or true
- The south side of you looking at the rising sun
- adverb
- Exactly in a place or time
- Being appropriate for a particular event
- In a straight or direct manner
- noun
- Something you are legally or morally allowed to do
- Ideal of what is just and good
- Political view based on conservatism
- verb
- To fix something previously wrong or unjust
- To make upright, as a boat that has turned over
during
US / ˈdjʊərɪŋ /
•UK / ˈdʊrɪŋ, ˈdjʊr- /
- preposition
- At some point in the course of an event or thing
first
US / fɜ:st /
•UK / fɚst /
- adjecitve
- 1st; Coming before all others in time or place
- noun
- Something that has not happened before
- Position of the winner of a competition
lesson
US / 'lesn /
•UK / ˈlɛsən /
- noun
- Something done to learn or teach something; class
- Wisdom or knowledge received from an experience
mean
US / mi:n /
•UK / min /
- adjecitve
- Being good at
- Nasty; unkind
- Not liking to spend money; cheap; stingy
- noun
- Average of a set of numbers
- verb
- To express a particular idea or thought
- To intend to do something in particular
- To have a particular meaning or value
somebody
US / 'sʌmbədɪ /
•UK / ˈsʌmˌbɑdi, -ˌbʌdi, -bədi /
- noun
- Important well-respected person
- pronoun
- Person who is not known or named
lump
US / lʌmp /
•UK / lʌmp /
- noun
- Small swollen mass in body, e.g. showing disease
- A small hard part of something smooth
- verb
- To combine things together in a group
feeling
US / ˈfi:lɪŋ /
•UK / ˈfilɪŋ /
- noun
- Sensation or emotion you experience
- verb
- To be aware of or experience an emotion, sensation
- To sense through direct contact; touch
phrase
US / freɪz /
•UK / frez /
- noun
- Common expression or saying
- Section of musical notes in a piece of music
- A set of words used together
- verb
- To choose words to say what you mean clearly
good
US / ɡʊd /
•UK / ɡʊd /
- adjecitve
- Proper, appropriate or right
- (Of an amount) enough; plenty
- Excellent; high quality
- Acting well or properly; of moral character
- In a positive or happy emotional state
- noun
- Advantage or benefit
english
US / ˈɪŋglɪʃ /
•UK / ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ /
- adjecitve
- Concerning the culture and people of England
- noun
- Language of the UK, USA, Nigeria and elsewhere
- Person's name
but
US / bət /
•UK / bʌt,bət /
- conjunction
- Used before you say something different, opposite
can
US / kæn /
•UK / kən,kæn /
- noun
- A metal container for storing food
- other
- Able to; have the skill to; have the time to
- verb
- To have permission to
- To be possible to do
- To preserve food by sealing it in a metal container
really
US / ˈri:əli /
•UK / ˈriəˌli, ˈrili /
- adverb
- Used to stress something that is said; definitely
- In a true or accurate manner
- Very
blue
US / blu: /
•UK / blu /
- adjecitve
- Color of the clear sky
- Feeling sad or down
not
US / nɒt /
•UK / nɑt /
- adverb
- Word indicating the negative
- (Used to form the negative of verbs)
see
US / si: /
•UK / si /
- verb
- To go on a date with someone
- To predict whether something is, or will be true
- To understand what someone says
- To use your eyes to look at something
- To visit a place often for sightseeing or pleasure
- To visit or meet with someone
- To find out by waiting or looking
- To watch (a game, movie or TV show)
low
US / ləʊ /
•UK / lo /
- adjecitve
- Having a small quantity, supply, or amount
- Being unhappy or unpleasant in attitude
- Not high; being near the ground, or bottom
- (Of a voice, sound) being soft; quiet
- noun
- Situation of not having a lot of something
jack
US / dʒæk /
•UK / dʒæk /
- noun
- Increase the amount or intensity of something
- Tool for exerting pressure or lifting
- verb
- To increase the amount or intensity of something
- To exert pressure on by lifting
focus
US / 'fəʊkəs /
•UK / ˈfokəs /
- noun
- Main purpose or center of interest or activity
- verb
- To see clearly by adjusting your eyes or a camera
- To keep your attention, concentration on one thing
sad
US / sæd /
•UK / sæd /
- adjecitve
- Unhappy; wishing something hadn't happened
with
US / wɪð /
•UK / wɪð, wɪθ /
- preposition
- As an employee of a certain company
- Against something or someone
- By using something as a means
- Due to; because of
- Including
- Possessing as a feature
- Related to
- (Of the manner/attitude by which you do something)
- Used to express that people or things are together
his
US / hɪz /
•UK / hɪz /
- pronoun
- Something belonging to a male person
sadness
US / ˈsædnəs /
•UK / ˈsædnəs /
- noun
- Unhappy feeling when something bad happened
know
US / nəʊ /
•UK / noʊ /
- verb
- To be familiar with a person or place, thing
- To feel sure or be convinced about something
- To discover or be aware of something
- To be able to distinguish
- To have knowledge of things
matti
US / /
•UK / /
could
US / kəd /
•UK / kʊd /
- other
- Past form of 'can' to mean have ability
- Used to ask for something politely, or to offer
verb
US / və:b /
•UK / vɚb /
- noun
- Word that expresses an action or state
tired
US / ˈtaɪəd /
•UK / ˈtaɪərd /
- adjecitve
- Without energy so you want to rest or fall asleep
- verb
- To lose, cause to lose energy so you want to rest
dude
US / du:d /
•UK / dud, djud /
have
US / həv /
•UK / hæv /
- verb
- To drink, smoke, eat or use something
- To experience the effects of something
- To organize an event, or join in an activity
- To own, possess, or hold something
- To cause to happen or produce a particular effect
time
US / taɪm /
•UK / taɪm /
- noun
- Speed at which music is played; tempo
- Point as shown on a clock, e.g. 3 p.m
- Number of hours, minutes needed to do something
- Occasion when something happens
- Period or occasion that something occurred
- Period in history or the past
- Something measured in minutes, hours, days, etc.
- How long an event takes; duration
- verb
- To check speed at which music is performed
- To choose a specific moment to do something
- To measure how long an event takes, e.g. a race
- To schedule something to occur at a specific moment
for
US / fə(r) /
•UK / fɔr,fə /
- preposition
- Used to show the purpose, or need of something
hello
US / hə'ləʊ /
•UK / hɛˈlo, hə- /
- exclamation
- What you say when you meet someone
throat
US / θrəʊt /
•UK / θroʊt /
- noun
- Part of the neck that is below the chin
talk
US / tɔ:k /
•UK / tɔk /
- noun
- Style of speaking
- Discussion between two countries
- Giving information in front of people; lecture
- Saying things or ideas to someone with words
- verb
- To make a formal speech about something
- To say things or ideas to someone with words
sorry
US / ˈsɒri /
•UK / ˈsɑ:ri /
- exclamation
- What you say to admit you were wrong
- adjecitve
- Causing others to feel pity; poor
- Feeling regret or sympathy about wrong thing
soon
US / su:n /
•UK / sun /
- adverb
- At a time not long from now
cool
US / ku:l /
•UK / kul /
- adjecitve
- Steady and calm when facing difficulties
- Almost cold; not warm or hot
- Smart or stylish in a way (young) people admire
- Unfriendly in an indirect way; distant
- verb
- To make something decrease in temperature
- (Of an emotion, etc.) to become less strongly felt
well
US / wel /
•UK / wɛl /
- adjecitve
- Being in a fortunate, good condition or state
- Healthy and in good condition
- adverb
- In an acceptable, proper, or successful manner
- In a complete, total, or full manner
- A great and considerable degree
- In a successful way, in a good or satisfactory way
- exclamation
- Used to begin or continue a particular statement
- Used to show you want to start saying something
- Used to express that you are waiting for a reply
- You say this to change the topic of a conversation
- Used to indicate you are making a final remark
- noun
- Long deep hole in the ground to get water
- verb
- To cause your eyes to fill with tears
test
US / test /
•UK / test /
- noun
- A medical examination
- Action to establish the truth or nature of
- Examination; questions to measure knowledge
- verb
- To be given a medical examination
- To try to establish the truth or nature of
- To ask a series of questions to measure knowledge
start
US / stɑ:t /
•UK / stɑrt /
- noun
- First time or place that a thing exists; beginning
- First opportunity to achieve something, e.g. a job
- Sudden action or movement because you are scared
- other
- Beginning of something in place or time
- verb
- To do, be or happen for the first time; begin
- To turn something on
express
US / ɪk'spres /
•UK / ɪkˈsprɛs /
- adjecitve
- Sent by a fast mail service
- Traveling at high speed
- noun
- Fast train or bus
- verb
- To send something by fast mail
- To state or show what you think or how you feel
coffee
US / ˈkɒfi /
•UK / ˈkɔ:fi /
- adjecitve
- A brown chocolate color
- noun
- A brown drink made from roasted beans and water
sort
US / sɔ:t /
•UK / sɔrt /
- noun
- Group or class of similar things or people
- verb
- To organize things by putting them into groups
- To deal with things in an organized way
fail
US / feɪl /
•UK / fel /
- noun
- A mark on a test showing you did not pass
- verb
- To be unsuccessful in passing a class or exam
- To not do or provide something that is needed
- To stop working or functioning; to break down
- To not achieve a goal, or to go wrong
will
US / wɪl /
•UK / wɪl /
- noun
- Desire or choice of someone
- Document saying who gets your money when you die
- Strong desire to do something; determination
- Desire to do something; strong wish to do
- other
- Used with verbs to express the future
- verb
- To leave property to someone after your death
- To use mental effort to make something happen
- Am (is, are) likely to do
- To influence someone to do something
- To make something happen by strongly wanting it
describe
US / dɪ'skraɪb /
•UK / dɪˈskraɪb /
- verb
- To tell the appearance, sound, smell of something
ever
US / 'evə(r) /
•UK / ˈɛvɚ /
- adverb
- At any time; at all times in the future
feel
US / fi:l /
•UK / fil /
- verb
- To be aware of or experience an emotion, sensation
- To sense through direct contact; touch
use
US / ju:s /
•UK / ju:s /
- noun
- Ability to employ something
- Need to enable it to work
- Permission to do something with something
- Act of spending money
- Operation of a machine for its function
- verb
- To have; to eat, drink, consume etc.
- To need to operate or work
- To operate a machine, e.g. a computer
- To treat a person badly
- To do something with, for a task or purpose
speak
US / spi:k /
•UK / spik /
- verb
- To be able to use a certain language
- To use words to tell information, express thoughts
here
US / hɪə(r) /
•UK / hɪr /
- adverb
- In this place; at this location, position or time
you
US / jʊ /
•UK / ju /
- pronoun
- Person someone is speaking or writing to
- Person or people in general
simply
US / ˈsɪmpli /
•UK / ˈsɪmpli /
- adverb
- In an easy or clear manner
how
US / haʊ /
•UK / haʊ /
- adjecitve
- To what degree? in what amount?
- adverb
- (Used to explain the way to do something)
- exclamation
- For what purpose or reason?
- (Used to ask someone or something's condition)
also
US / 'ɔ:lsəʊ /
•UK / ˈɔlso /
- adverb
- In addition; too; in a similar way
other
US / 'ʌðə(r) /
•UK / ˈʌðər /
- adjecitve
- A thing different from that mentioned
- determiner
- (Something) else; not the first (one)
- pronoun
- Being the one and only thing of that category
john
US / dʒɔn /
•UK / dʒɑn /
- noun
- A toilet.
- A prostitute's client.
- proper noun
- (1165–1216), son of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine; king of England 1199–1216; known as John Lack
- The name of six kings of Portugal.
this
US / ðɪs /
•UK / ðɪs /
- adjecitve
- Used to indicate something already been discussed
- Used to indicate something happening around now
- adverb
- An indication by a physical motion or gesture
- A specific amount of
- determiner
- Person, thing, or idea near you
- pronoun
- Person, thing that has already been discussed
happy
US / ˈhæpi /
•UK / ˈhæpi /
- adjecitve
- Feeling pleasure or joy; glad
the
US / ðə /
•UK / ðə /
- article
- Used to refer to something already mentioned
- Used to show there is only one of something
- determiner
- Used to describe all of a family
let
US / let /
•UK / lɛt /
- verb
- To allow someone to do something
- Introducing a suggestion to do something together
- To rent a house, etc. to others
bad
US / bæd /
•UK / bæd /
- adjecitve
- Not good; wrong
- Lacking in good morals; evil
- No longer fresh; spoiled
out
US / aʊt /
•UK / aʊt /
- adverb
- No longer stylish (e.g. fashion)
- Away from home, business, or the usual place
- In a direction/movement away from inside or center
- noun
- Act when a batter cannot continue playing
- verb
- To tell people a secret
from
US / frəm /
•UK / frʌm, frɑm,frəm /
- preposition
- Starting at a particular place, time or level
and
US / ənd /
•UK / ənd, ən,ænd /
- conjunction
- Used to refer to two or more things
- Plus; in addition; on top of that
- Used to introduce an action that follows another
something
US / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /
•UK / ˈsʌmθɪŋ /
- adverb
- In some degree or measure
- noun
- a person or thing of some value or consequence
- pronoun
- Thing that is not yet known or named
- Approximately
name
US / neɪm /
•UK / nem /
- noun
- What something or someone is called
- verb
- To state what someone is called, e.g. John
hey
US / heɪ /
•UK / he /
- exclamation
- What you say when you want someone's attention
another
US / əˈnʌðə(r) /
•UK / əˈnʌðɚ /
- adjecitve
- One more, but not this
- determiner
- One more added
- pronoun
- One more (thing)
any
US / 'enɪ /
•UK / ˈɛni /
- adjecitve
- One, or some, no matter which
- pronoun
- One (thing) of many; some
come
US / kʌm /
•UK / kʌm /
- verb
- To arrive at a place
- (Of mail) to be delivered
- To move toward someone; go with someone
- To reach a certain point or state
very
US / 'verɪ /
•UK / ˈvɛri /
- adjecitve
- Concerning a large degree or amount
- adverb
- A lot; much; many
- Used to stress or emphasize a noun
close
US / kləʊz /
•UK / kloʊz /
- adjecitve
- Almost; near
- (Of a friend) well-known; liked by others
- Being near or related
- Similar; nearly the same
- verb
- To come progressively nearer to something
- To end; to bring to an end
- To make something shut; stop from being open
way
US / weɪ /
•UK / we /
- adverb
- Used to emphasize the amount of something
- noun
- Particular aspect of something being thought about
- One of various choices that could be made
- Particular existing condition or state
- (Often long) distance or length of time
- How something is done
- Route to go to a place
- Small street
- Usual behavior, emotions or habits of someone
cup
US / kʌp /
•UK / kʌp /
- noun
- Small round container used for drinking
- Silver trophy teams compete to win
- Unit of measurement for foods or liquids
- verb
- To make the shape of a bowl with your hands
idiom
US / ˈɪdiəm /
•UK / ˈɪdiəm /
- noun
- Phrase with a special, metaphoric meaning
all
US / ɔ:l /
•UK / ɔl /
- adverb
- Completely; totally
- determiner
- Being every one of something
- pronoun
- 100% of something; the complete amount
worry
US / ˈwʌri /
•UK / ˈwɜ:ri /
- noun
- Something that causes trouble or concern
- verb
- To cause concern or trouble over something
nice
US / naɪs /
•UK / naɪs /
- adjecitve
- Being attractive or of high quality or value
- Good or enjoyable
- Being kind or friendly
what
US / wɒt /
•UK / hwɑt, hwʌt, wɔt, wʌt,hwət, wət /
- pronoun
- Thing or things that; the same kind as
- Used to emphasize something you are about to say
- adjecitve
- Used to refer to a particular amount, or number
- Used to place emphasis on a particular quality
- adverb
- To a certain degree
- determiner
- Question words used for asking for information
- exclamation
- Used to express excitement, shock, or surprise
- Used to ask people to repeat something they said
that
US / ðæt /
•UK / ðæt, ðət /
- adjecitve
- The person or thing being talked about
- Used to identify something both the speakers know
- adverb
- Used to reinforce adjectives and adverbs
- To such a degree
- conjunction
- Used to connect a noun clause
- Used to introduce an adverbial clause
- Used to introduce a noun clause
- determiner
- Used as a noun to refer to something
- pronoun
- Referring an object far away
- Used to refer to the relative pronoun ‘which’
like
US / laɪk /
•UK / laɪk /
- adjecitve
- Being equal in status or kind to something else
- Similar; the same
- adverb
- For example
- preposition
- Used as a filler; used to ad emphasis
- In a way similar to the way something is done
- Such as; for example
- verb
- To want to
- To find something pleasing; to prefer something
about
US / ə'baʊt /
•UK / əˈbaʊt /
- adverb
- To be ready to; going to
- Nearly; approximately; roughly
- Near; next to; close to
- In every direction; in the area of
- preposition
- Concerning or of (a topic)
grab
US / ɡræb /
•UK / ɡræb /
- verb
- To take and hold something quickly
catch
US / kætʃ /
•UK / kætʃ, kɛtʃ /
- noun
- Amount of something that has been caught
- Trick or something trying to deceive
- verb
- To stop something flying and hold it
- To stop something and not let it go, e.g. animals
- To get sick or get a disease from someone else
- To find someone to do something, a task
- To get stuck on or in something
- To be trapped so you can’t escape
- To be able to understand what someone is saying