I'm confused about the order. Why's "you go" at the end of the sentence?" What's it mean?

Native speaker’s answer

Rebecca

"Back/off you go" is an expression used when you want to someone to go back to doing something, or to go back to where they came from. When used with other verbs/phrases, it's usually placed at the end of a sentence as it's a kind of suggestion, request, or command that ends a conversation. Ex: Bedtime for you! Off you go! Ex: Back to work I go! My lunch break is over.

How do native speakers use this expression?

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Popular Q&As

03/12

1
What's the main difference between being "small" and "compact?"
In this context, to be "compact" means to take up little space (compared to other things) or to be neatly arranged in a small space. It's usually used in a positive way to express the utility and convenience of something that is small. In comparison, "small" is an adjective used to describe size only. Ex: This backpack is too small to fit all my books. Ex: The company is trying to develop a smaller-sized battery. Ex: My portable battery is compact and convenient to carry around. Ex: For people living in highly-populated cities, a compact car is a better choice than SUVs or larger car models.

2
Can I say "go meet him" instead of "go to meet him" here?
Yes, you can say "go meet him" here instead of "go to meet him". There is no real difference between these two expressions except that the preposition "to" emphasizes the action of going somewhere in "go to meet him". However, both are correct in this case. Ex: I always go meet her for coffee every Friday. Ex: Lets go to meet them on Christmas.

3
What does "Any minute now" mean?
"Any minute now" means that something will happen very soon; in a short amount of time. Gru is telling Agnes that the fairy princess will be arriving to her birthday party very soon. Ex: A: Are we there yet? B: Any minute now! A: Thank goodness! We have been in the car for hours. Ex: A: When will grandma and grandpa get here? B: I just got off the phone with them, they will be here any minute now. A: Yay! Can't wait to see them! Ex: The pilot will be landing the plane at the airport any minute now.

4
Since they have similar meaning, can I simply use "see" instead of "look at"?
Yes, in this context they can both be used. However, it's a bit redundant to use the same verb twice in such a short sentence, so the speaker has used both "look" and "see" here for variety. Ex: Look at that ship over there! Ex: Do you see the ship over there?

5
What does "little mean" mean?
"Mean" means to act evil or wicked to someone. Normally, you be mean to people you don't like, or a naughty kid might be mean to his/her parents. "Little mean" means to be slightly mean. Ex: Don't be mean to her. She is just a little kid. Ex: The waiter was so mean to me that I didn't want to tip him.

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