Real English doesn’t move one word at a time — it flows in ready-made chunks that native speakers grab without thinking. This collection of around 1,200 phrases and expressions covers the everyday combos you’ll hear in casual chats, work emails, and weekend plans. No dusty textbook lists, just the real stuff that helps you sound more natural from day one.
Each entry in the interactive table gives you a clear meaning, a realistic example sentence, and easy-to-read US IPA so you can nail the pronunciation. There’s a play button right next to every phrase — tap it to hear the audio, because your ears need training too. When you’re ready to study offline, a free PDF download button sits below the table.
Words are handy, but phrases are what you actually say out loud. Our free chunk‑based English lessons help you speak in whole expressions — start with Lesson 1 — First Greetings and see how quickly conversations click.
- English Vocabulary hub
- Learn English guide
- Most Common Phrasal Verbs
- Cambridge Dictionary — phrasal verbs & phrases
English Phrases Quiz
Think you’ve already got a handle on common phrases? Try the quick quiz below to see how many you really know.
Common English Phrases and Expressions
| Phrase | Meaning | Example |
|---|---|---|
| I don't want that. | Rejecting a specific thing. | I don't want that one, I want the other. |
| I don't want to bother you. | Not wishing to cause trouble or interruption. | I don't want to bother you, but can you help me? |
| I doubt it | Express skepticism about something. | Do you think it will rain? I doubt it. |
| i feel better now. | Recovered from illness. | I feel better now after taking the medicine. |
| I feel good. | Experiencing a positive physical or emotional state. | I feel good after exercising. |
| i feel happy. | Expressing positive emotion. | I feel happy today because it's sunny. |
| i feel sad. | Expressing sadness. | I feel sad after watching that movie. |
| i forgot my password. | Cannot recall login credentials. | I forgot my password, can you help me reset it? |
| I get off of work at (time). | Use this pattern to say the time your work ends. | I get off of work at 5 PM. |
| I give up. | Admitting defeat or stopping an effort. | I give up trying to solve this puzzle. |
| I got in an accident. | Stating that you were involved in an accident. | I got in an accident on the highway this morning. |
| I guess | Express uncertainty or reluctant agreement. | I guess we can try that restaurant. |
| i had a busy day. | Expressing a day full of activities. | I had a busy day at work, I'm exhausted. |
| I have (number) children. | State the number of children you have. | I have 2 children. |
| I have (number) sisters. | State how many sisters you have. | I have 1 sister. |
| I have a cold. | Stating that you are sick with a cold. | I have a cold, so I'm staying home today. |
| i have a fever. | Body temperature is high. | I have a fever, so I'm resting in bed. |
| I have a headache. | Experiencing pain in the head. | I have a headache, so I need to rest. |
| I have a lot of things to do. | Expressing being busy with many tasks. | I can't go out, I have a lot of things to do. |
| i have a meeting at 10. | Scheduled meeting at 10. | I have a meeting at 10, so I need to prepare. |
| i have a problem. | Stating an issue. | I have a problem with my computer. |
| I have a question I want to ask you./ I want to ask you a question. | Used to politely introduce a question you need to ask. | I have a question I want to ask you: how do I get to the museum? |
| i have a question. | I want to ask something. | Student: "I have a question about the homework." Teacher: "Go ahead." |
| I have a reservation. | Stating that you booked something. | I have a reservation under the name Smith. |
| i have an appointment. | A scheduled meeting. | I have an appointment at 3 PM. |
