5 Better ways to say happy! – English idioms
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Level: Intermediate Reading Time: 7 minutes Category: Idioms
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Do you wish that you could express yourself more fluently in English? Are you tired of only knowing one way to say that you are happy?
If you only know one way to tell people you are happy, then you will use the same phrase over and over again. This can mean that you start to sound repetitive and boring.
Idioms are a great way to increase your English fluency. Native speakers use idioms all the time to express ourselves in a lot of different ways. You can learn them just like vocabulary.
In today’s lesson there are 5 really useful idioms that you can use to express happiness in English. Each idiom comes with a meaning, explanation and example sentences.
Read More: The Easiest Way To Learn Vocabulary
Over the moon
This is a very common idiom that we use to say we are feeling happy.
Meaning
This idiom means to be very happy about something. We are usually talking about the result of an action or event that made us feel this way.
This phrase is usually used with the “be” verb when we use it in a sentence.
It is usually used in casual settings because it is quite informal.
This is most commonly used in British English.
Examples:
- She was over the moon about her exam results.
- They were over the moon when they found out about being pregnant.
- I am over the moon with my new car. It’s awesome!
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Chuffed (to bits)
This is a very common idiom in the north of England. It is very similar to the expression “thrilled to bits”
Meaning:
Chuffed is a very casual way of saying happy. Just like “over the moon” it is usually related to an event or action that made you feel this way.
This phrase is rarely heard outside of the UK, so don’t be surprised if people from outside the UK don’t use this expression.
This phrase is very informal so be sure to only use it casual situations.
Examples:
- He was chuffed about his new job.
- I am so chuffed for my friend. He is getting married next week!
- She is chuffed to bits with the photos she took.
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Get a kick out of ~
This expression is really useful for telling people what makes you happy.
Meaning:
This expression is almost the same as saying “I enjoy”. The idea is that we are happy when we do this thing.
If you get a kick out of something, it makes you happy and you enjoy doing it.
Once again, it is not a formal expression, so be careful when you use it.
examples:
- Even as an adult, I get a real kick out of video games.
- She seems to get a kick out of watching TikTok videos.
- What do you get a kick out of these days?
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Make my day
We use this one when we are happy due to an unexpected event.
Meaning:
This idiom means that you are happy, but that you didn’t expect to feel this way.
There is a nuance that you are happy because of an unexpected event. You are pleasantly surprised.
We can also use it to say that somebody did something for us that they were not obligated to do.
You will often hear this line in action movies, where they are daring someone to do something. This is not common in daily life though.
examples:
- I just bumped into my friend. I haven’t seen her for ages. It really made my day.
- My boss gave me a gift card for my birthday. It made my day!
- Julie seems so down today. Let’s go and make her day and cheer her up!
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Walking on air
This phrase, and floating on air, express that you are so happy, you don’t even feel like you are on earth anymore.
Meaning:
This expression means that you are very, VERY happy.
We often use this expression to talk about falling in love or starting a relationship with a new person.
You can also use it to talk about recent events that are life changing.
It is a very strong expression though, so be careful to use it in the correct situation.
examples:
- Ever since I met my new girlfriend, I have been walking on air.
- Since the news about his investment, Steve has been walking on air.
- She has been walking on air since she got married.
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