These expressions are used to describe learning, speaking, and understanding languages.

Language Expressions

1. Pick up a language
   • Meaning: Learn a language naturally.
   • Example: She picked up Spanish during her travels.
2. Brush up on
   • Meaning: Review or improve skills.
   • Example: He brushed up on his French.
3. Speak fluently
   • Meaning: Speak a language smoothly and easily.
   • Example: She speaks German fluently.
4. Get the hang of
   • Meaning: Understand and master something.
   • Example: He finally got the hang of Russian.
5. Break down
   • Meaning: Simplify a complex concept.
   • Example: She broke down grammar rules for beginners.
6. Translate into
   • Meaning: Convert from one language to another.
   • Example: Please translate this document into French.
7. Talk the talk
   • Meaning: Speak confidently using specific jargon.
   • Example: She talks the talk when discussing linguistics.
8. Come across
   • Meaning: Be understood or perceived in a certain way.
   • Example: His accent comes across clearly.
9. Switch languages
   • Meaning: Change from one language to another.
   • Example: They switch languages effortlessly in conversation.
10. Master a language
    • Meaning: Learn and use a language perfectly.
    • Example: He’s mastered Japanese in five years.
11. Get by in
    • Meaning: Have basic skills to communicate.
    • Example: I can get by in Italian.
12. Converse in
    • Meaning: Hold conversations using a particular language.
    • Example: She can converse in Spanish fluently.
13. Talk over someone’s head
    • Meaning: Use language too complex to understand.
    • Example: His technical jargon goes over my head.
14. Pick out
    • Meaning: Identify or recognize specific words.
    • Example: She can pick out familiar vocabulary.
15. Make out
    • Meaning: Understand with difficulty.
    • Example: I could barely make out their accent.
16. Phrase in
    • Meaning: Express something using specific words.
    • Example: Please phrase your question in English.
17. Put across
    • Meaning: Convey ideas or meanings clearly.
    • Example: She puts her point across effectively.
18. Hit the nail on the head
    • Meaning: Say something accurately or precisely.
    • Example: His translation hit the nail on the head.
19. Chew over
    • Meaning: Discuss or think deeply about.
    • Example: Let’s chew over the meaning of this idiom.
20. Spell out
    • Meaning: Make something very clear.
    • Example: He spelled out the language rules.