2 Awesome Phrases
I’m always thinking of the best and most interesting stuff to teach you guys. I want to start teaching 2 awesome terms on each blog post (If I can think of good ones) so that you will learn at least 1 (maybe 2) useful things every time you visit this blog.
The first term I want to teach is “Toot your own horn“. I was just listening to another podcast about technology; the guy making the podcast said, “I don’t want to toot my own horn but…” If you “toot your own horn” it means you are bragging or showing off. You are talking about how good or awesome you are. People want to seem modest, so if they want to say something good about themselves, it’s better to start by saying, “I really don’t mean to toot my own horn but…” That means, “I realize this will sound like I’m bragging a little, but I just want to say…”
For example I could say, “I don’t want to toot my own horn, but the VIP room is going really well and people are loving it and writing great emails to Add and I every day”. (It’s true, and it’s also true I don’t want to toot my own horn about it.)
Ok… Maybe you knew that first term. I will be very surprised, and impressed, if you know this second term. It is, “Sadie Hawkins dance“. This is a very interesting cultural thing that happens in the West (Sometimes). Traditionally, if there is a school dance, it is common for a guy to ask (invite) a girl to the dance. This is just how a regular dance works. In every culture I can think of, it’s the guys asking the girls on a date, not the other way around.
A “Sadie Hawkins dance” is a dance where the girls are the ones who invite the guys. I remember we had Sadie Hawkins dances once a year when I went to high school. I totally forgot about this term until last night when I was watching a movie. I stopped the movie and immediately wrote it down because I was excited to teach it to you guys. If I don’t write stuff down, I forget about it. Anyway, I’m glad I wrote it down and I hope this is a new term for you. Love to hear your comments as always guys!
*** BTW, Are you in the mood to take your English to an unbelievable level SUPER FAST? I hope you strongly think about joining the VIP Program NOW. Procrastination never helps anything. I don’t want to “toot my own horn”, but Add and I have been making some unbelievable lessons lately and we know you’ll love them. So… it’s really a perfect time to JOIN THE VIP ROOM! You won’t regret it! That’s a personal guarantee:)
February 7th, 2013 at 4:38 am
Hi, guys!
Very useful and interesting stuff. Thanks.
By the way, in Russia instead “Sadie Hawkins dance” we use the “White dance” in these situations. And white dances are taking place almost at every dance party)))
February 7th, 2013 at 10:25 am
thanks!!
great post!
February 7th, 2013 at 5:26 pm
Hi and thanks.
What a good Idea. I teach English and one of my problems is vocab.
Please go it on, I would be waiting for your new phrases.
February 7th, 2013 at 6:25 pm
Hi there, very interesting and helpful.
Thank you so much.
February 7th, 2013 at 8:15 pm
Hi guys
Thanks a million, for the great terms you have taught us today, it’s so helpful to know the phrases that are really spoken in english..thanks again for for the efforts and the excellent lessons
February 8th, 2013 at 12:32 am
great post thanks!
by the way the other day I went to Vancouver Canada. and I was really shocked that people in town are speaking English sooooo fast! Before I went to Canada I kept listening to your lessons but the speed of taking was much faster in Canada. So I really would like to know how to get used to the fast native English and also I would like to know what I should do in order to speak fast English. I am your VIP member and I am in the mood to take your English to an unbelievable level. I am a big fan of you guys. Thank you.
February 8th, 2013 at 4:25 am
wow thank you guys, these terms are really interesting, I’ve actually never heard them before, but tell you what, whenever I learn something from you, I start to hear them a lot, in the movies or real daily conversations, it sounds like I couldn’t just recognize them before. your lessons have been amazingly helping me to improve my English, in the funniest and easiest way.
thank you thank you thank you…
February 8th, 2013 at 4:44 am
Thank buddy , It was very nice.
I have a question,how can say ‘ to tidy and neat a room/ house’ in spoken English?
Are there are common terms for them?????
February 8th, 2013 at 9:25 am
Thank you guys.
Such a nice website and useful lessons.
February 8th, 2013 at 2:45 pm
The best stuff I have ever seen!!!!!!! Guys you’re incredible! Thanks a lot!
February 8th, 2013 at 6:30 pm
thats good
February 8th, 2013 at 7:42 pm
i love u guys ! u R perfect ! so perfect u know what im talking aboat ?! tnx alot !
February 8th, 2013 at 7:43 pm
Great phrases guys!!!
I would be appreciate if you put some lesson about shopping and particularly bargaining on your website.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:38 pm
Hey guys another two great phrases again, go on pleaase ¡¡¡¡
there is nothing wrong speak well about ourselves but I always would follow your good advice that recommends to avoid you are bagging or showing off. However if I had to apply for a job intervieww, university interview, or wanted to get a job with a great company I would not forget any figures I had achieved, and of course I am glad to toot your horn because I want everybody to enjoy how fan you are.
Hey guys, hurry up to send me a one ticket for the next Sadie Hawkins or at least where is it going to be located at?. I honestly will be there, I promise, but not only me because all of my friends will go as well. I cant imagine how amazing this kind of dance it will be,and wether a boy reject a beautiful girl to dance.
Good stuff guys. Thanks a lot.
February 9th, 2013 at 4:15 am
Hey guys,
thank you for the great terms you teach us.
about the first term :“Toot your own horn“ i wanted to say that i know another term which i think is quite the same as the one you have mentioned. it is “blow your own trumpet”. someone who is blowing their own trumpet, is showing off his achievements or abilities in front of others. and if you want to say something nice about yourself and you don’t want to look proud, you can say “at the risk of blowing my own trumpet i have to say that…”
i would be very happy to hear your comment about this term.
Best wishes,
February 11th, 2013 at 7:03 am
I’m from Russia and I did an exchange program when I was in high-school and went to high school in IN, USA. There we had the annual girls-ask-guys dances that was called Turnabout. Interesting how terms differ depending on the area you’re living in. Thank you very much, guys!
February 13th, 2013 at 3:40 am
awesom… i’ve watched a lot of american commedies and what confuses me is things like these
thanks guys, now i understand thetter. keep it up!
February 13th, 2013 at 3:42 am
that was mess
February 17th, 2013 at 1:42 pm
Really it’s new for me come across such words
Me like it.
U guys deserve a lot of thanks
March 3rd, 2013 at 12:55 pm
really it’s a good phrases specially The phrases 2 “Sadie Hawkins dance”
thank you
April 24th, 2013 at 1:41 pm
This is really effective for me dude!