Idioms – Happiness and Sadness

Hey guys!

Everybody knows the importance of learning some idioms and colloquial expressions, especially when you live in a foreign country. We always learn a lot of them by communicating with native speakers or watching movies and series. In this section, you learn some idioms and expressions to communicate in a more natural way when speaking English in a foreign country.

Here are a few Idioms related to the topic happiness & sadness.

* break someone’s heart – to make someone unhappy by ending a relationship with them or making it clear that you do not love them. (quebrar o coração de alguém)

She left him and broke his heart.

* down in the dumps / in the dumps – when you feel depressed. (na fossa, de bode)

As the things were not going well for her at work, she was feeling a bit down in the dumps.

* full of beans – when you are very happy and energetic. (feliz e cheio de energia)

Upon hearing the good news, Mary was definitely full of beans.

* get a kick out of something – when you enjoy something very much. (divertir-se com algo, curtir algo)

My kids really got a kick out of our new trampoline.

* get on top of you – when something makes you feel sad. (te derruba)

She’s had a few financial problems, and I think things have just been getting on top of her.

 * have a whale of a time – when you enjoy it very much. (divertir-se muito)

We had a whale of a time on holiday.

* a long face – when someone looks serious or unhappy. (cara grande)

Why do you have such a long face? – My boyfriend doesn’t want to see me any more.

* look on the bright side – when you try to be cheerful about a bad situation by concentrating on the few good things in it. (olhar pelo lado bom)

Look on the bright side – no one was badly hurt.

* make someone’s day – when someone makes your day very happy. (fazer o dia de alguém)

Seeing those little kids having so much fun just made my day.

* on cloud nine – when you are super happy. (rindo à toa, feliz da vida)

She’s been on cloud nine since she heard the news of her engagement.

* on top of the world – to feel extremely happy. (estar no topo do mundo)

She felt on top of the world when she was promoted.

* over the moon – when you feel very pleased after something has happened to you. (acima das nuvens)

She was over the moon about/with her new bike.

* a shoulder to cry on – when someone is sympathetic to you when you are upset and listens when you talk about your problems. (um ombro amigo)

I wish you’d been here when my mother died and I needed a shoulder to cry on.

I hope you learned some new idioms today, see you next time!