ENGSPRESSO – Episode 38

Transcript of my podcast episode (38)

Hello again! Here is ENGSPRESSO episode no. 38. We’ve been literally snowed under lately, haven’t we? Normally, we use the idiom 'to be snowed under’ when we want to say that we’re very busy. We can say, for example, that 'we’re snowed under with paperwork’. But what I mean is: we’ve been snowed under with snow all over Poland.

Last Saturday I was at the seaside, and it was biting cold. In other words, it was absolutely freezing! At that time, I was thinking to myself that winter is probably not the best season to be on the beach. I wouldn’t say that I regretted going there because I still enjoyed looking at the sea, but trust me, it was rather difficult to focus on the view when the snow kept hitting my face. And when I saw a seagull paddling calmly in that freezing water, I got even colder! So you can imagine that the first thing I did after the walk was to find a cosy place for lunch and then another cosy spot where I could enjoy some winter tea that warmed me up.
And getting back to the 'snowy situation’ in Poland, when I was on my way back home, I struggled with my suitcase as I couldn’t pull it because of the snow – instead of rolling on its wheels, it was sliding on sleet (a mixture of rain and snow). And in the town where I live, the snow hadn’t been removed from the pavements, so I ended up walking on the road. Anyway, don’t think that I’m saying all that to complain to you. I’m just telling you a bit about my last weekend so that you can revise some vocabulary or perhaps analyse the structure of my sentences. Don’t forget to be a 'grammar detective’ from time to time – that’s just a friendly reminder.
I wonder what snow experiences you’ve had this winter (that officially hasn’t even started yet). Are you keen on this season or, on the contrary, you’d rather escape Poland right away? I would definitely go for the second option!

Ok, I guess I’ve said enough about the snow and winter for now, so let me teach you another two expressions!

The first one is TO BE A NO-BRAINER. If something, usually a decision, is a no-brainer, it’s very easy and obvious, and you don’t have to think much about it.

For instance: Accepting a job offer from such a prestigious company is a no-brainer for many graduates. Now, repeat after me.
The translation is: Przyjęcie oferty pracy od tak prestiżowej firmy jest oczywistym wyborem dla wielu absolwentów.

Another example: She got such a great deal on the car that buying it was a no-brainer for her.
Dostała tak świetną ofertę na ten samochód, że jego zakup był dla niej oczywistością.

The second expression is IN A FLASH. If something happens in a flash, it happens quickly or suddenly.

For instance: After my friend invited me to her house in Spain, I packed my suitcase in a flash.
Po tym, jak znajoma zaprosiła mnie do swojego domu w Hiszpanii, spakowałam walizkę w mgnieniu oka.

Another example: If he hadn’t distracted her, she would have solved the puzzle in a flash.
Gdyby jej nie rozproszył, rozwiązałaby tę zagadkę błyskawicznie.

And now it’s time for your ENGSPRESSO to go!

Our context for the phrases is:

Going on such an exclusive holiday was a no-brainer, so they made their decision in a flash.
Wyjazd na tak eksluzywne wakacje był oczywistością, więc podjęli decyzję błyskawicznie.

Well done! This time, the expressions I’ve just taught you are quite easy to combine, aren’t they? Sometimes I have to think hard before I come up with a good ENGSPRESSO-to-go sentence. Anyway, I hope you find these wrap-up sentences practical. If you learn them by heart, you will automatically remember two useful expressions from every ENGSPRESSO episode. Do you ever try to remember these sentences? If not, how do you usually revise them? If you want to make sure that you will remember them better, join my ENGSPRESSO course online that contains all the English expressions that I’ve taught you in these episodes so far. In order to join the course, visit my virtual shop at angielskidokawy.pl.

And if you’re looking for the transcript of today’s episode, you’ll find a link to it in the description of the episode. You can also go directly to my website where I keep all the transcripts. Remember to say hi to me on Instagram or Facebook, and feel free to leave me a comment about this episode in the Q&A section on Spotify.

Thanks for listening, take care and perhaps talk to you before Christmas!