Is "I got his machine and I left a message." commonly used?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

Good question! The expression "to get someone's machine" refers to getting someone's answering machine. This was once common to use, however, it is no longer very common to say this because most people no longer have an answering machine, but instead, have a voicemail box in their phone. So nowadays, it is more common to say "I got someone's voicemail box" or "it went to voicemail". However, it is still common to use the phrase "leave a message". Ex: I tried calling her but it went straight to voicemail. I will leave a message.

How do native speakers use this expression?

Share this post

Popular Q&As

09/28

1
What does “walk right in” mean?
Good question! "Walk right in" means to walk directly into a room, place, or situation. Here, "right" means "directly," "straight," or "abruptly." Ex: I walked right into my manager's office and asked for a vacation. Ex: She walked right into my life and changed everything. Ex: He walked right in without knocking.

2
What's "do over" mean? Is this a common phrase?
"Do over" can be understood quite literally - it means to do something again, to try or attempt something again. Ex: I want a do over of the test. I didn't do very well. Ex: Can we have a do over? I promise to behave better next time.

3
Is there any difference in meaning between "should go" and "should get going"?
Yes, there is a difference in meaning between "should go" and "should get going". To "get going" means to start going or get ready to go, especially when there has been a delay or when someone is already late. Ex: We should get going, it's going to take awhile to get out of here. Ex: We got going around 7 but we didn't actually leave until 8.

4
Why is "They go" translated as "They say"?
"They go" is translated as "They say" because in this context, it means that these individuals are saying these particular things about her. It is also an artistic choice. The musician may have thought that "They go" sounds better than "They say" in this particular song. When in doubt on which one to use, stick with "They say."

5
Can you tell me how to use the word "gotta"?
Sure! "Gotta" is another way of saying "got to" or "have to." You can use "gotta" when you are telling someone that they are required to do something. Ex: You gotta tell him how you feel. Ex: We gotta go to the grocery store. Ex: He's gotta paper to write. He can't hang out with his friends.

Complete the expression with a quiz!