American English Idioms about Talking With Sample Sentences

Posted On: July 11, 2013

What do these American English idioms mean?

1. 1. To shoot the breeze.
  2. Are we speaking the same language?
  3. He’s talking a mile a minute.
  4. Spill the beans!
  5. Can I talk you into it?
  6. I’ll be able to talk you out of it!

Watch this below video to understand their common threads, as well as their subtle differences. Follow the videos for example sentences of how these idioms may be used in work related conversations with US Americans.

See the video from EngVid on YouTube

Example Sentences with American English Idioms:

To shoot the breeze.

Boss to team: Don’t waste time shooting the breeze. We have work to do!

American English Idioms about Talking With Sample Sentences

Are we speaking the same language?

Client speaking to development team: I don’t really understand what you are trying to explain as I don’t understand all those techie terms. Can we all speak in the same language?

He’s talking a mile a minute.
See a video tutorial on YouTube.

I understand English, but when my client talks, he talks a mile a minute.. it’s way too fast, and so I miss half of what he’s trying to say. How can I ask him to slow down or repeat?

Spill the beans!

At the water cooler: “I heard you went to India to meet the new development team. How are they? What do you think about out teams working together? Spill the beans!

Can I talk you into it?

Manager in India to a US client who wants to try Indian meals: I know this really good place to get Kerala meals. Can I talk you into trying it out? (Once the client says yes, the manager can then explain about what kind of foods are available there.)

[Image above is of a board in Malayalam that directs lunch goers to Kerala meals. The board reads Hotel Searock (with yellow behind it, the name of the restaurant), ela (banana leaf meal), unna (food), kappa meen curry (tapioca fish curry). Photo by Jennifer Kumar.

Jennifer Kumar is a corporate communication coach facilitating clearer communication and understanding between Indians and their US counterparts. See the Authentic Journeys website or contact her today.

Related posts:
What does the idiom A Walk in the Park mean? (Podcast)
Meaning of the phrase “in the loop”
Expressing time and disagreement
Photo: Christina Morillo at Pexels

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