イギリス英会話ブログ

Some idioms loosely related to the topic of studying, presented in a conversation between two students.

• Jo : Hi Alice. Why the long face?
• Alice : Oh, hi Jo. It’s the exams next week. I just can’t get down to studying.
• Jo : Yes, well. You’re not the only one. Fancy going for a coffee? It might take your mind off things for a while.
• Alice : Sure. That would be nice.

1. long face - 悲しい顔・陰気な表情 - the opposite of a smiling, cheerful face.
2. get down to - （何かに）集中し始める - Alice is saying she can’t concentrate on her studying.
3. You’re not the only one - 君だけじゃないよ - an expression used to express sympathy by reminding someone that many other people are experiencing the same problem.
4. Fancy going - 行きたい？・行く気がする？ - ‘fancy +ing’ is very similar to ‘do you want to’, but sounds more casual.
5. take your mind off things - 心配ごとを考えるのをやめさせる - good friends help us do this when we are stressed.

• Alice : Well, thanks for the coffee, Jo. I better get back to my books though.
• Jo : Yeah, me too. By the way, do you think you could help me with my Japanese?
• Alice : Well, Japanese isn’t really my strong point, but I’ll try.
• Jo : Oh really? I heard you had a bit of a gift for languages.
• Alice : Me? No way! I can get by in French, but I can’t for the life of me understand Japanese.

1. my strong point - （私の）強み - we also say ‘not my forte’ (from the Italian).
2. a gift for - 特別な才能 - eg., ‘a gift for music’, ’she has a gift for languages’.
3. No way - まさか！ - means ‘definitely not’. You can also say ‘You must be joking’.
4. get by in - 簡単なコミュニケーションが出来る - eg., ‘Do you speak French?’ - ‘I can get by’.
5. can’t for the life of me - どうしても～出来ない