What does "from time to time" mean?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
"From time to time" simply means "occasionally" or "sometimes". Ex: I call my grandma from time to time. Ex: From time to time, I listen to jazz music.
Rebecca
"From time to time" simply means "occasionally" or "sometimes". Ex: I call my grandma from time to time. Ex: From time to time, I listen to jazz music.
03/28
1
Is "on your mark" a common expression?
Yes. I believe it is a common expression in the United States. It is used as a command to start a race, especially for children. In Great Britain, they typically say, "Ready, steady, go!" Even though these expressions sound different, both mean the same thing. Here are some examples of both being used: Ex: Okay, so we race down the hill and whoever is first wins. On your mark. Get set. Go! = Okay, so we race down the hill and whoever is first wins. Ready, steady, go! Ex: I'm going to win. On your mark, get set, go! = I'm going to win. Ready, steady, go! Either one of these expressions are totally fine to use. Thanks for your question!
2
What does "magic calm" mean? Wouldn't it be more natural to say "magical" instead?
その通りです。「magic calm」よりも「magical」と言ったほうがより自然ですね。でも私が理解したのでは、贅沢の約束や身近な人のもたらす「calmness」が不思議なことだと言っているのです。それでその感じを「magic」と言っているのです。 例: When we went camping, there was a magic calm at sunrise. (キャンプに行った時、日の出の時に不思議な静けさがあった。) 例: The sunrise feels magical! (日の出は神秘的な感じがする。)
3
What does "you’ve got" mean here?
In casual conversation, "you've got" is used as an informal grammar pattern that means something similar to "there is/are." Thus, we can understand "you've got so many people packed in so closely" to mean "there are so many people packed in so closely." Sometimes, "you've got" is meant in the literal sense (to indicate possession of something), so you have to pay careful attention to sentence context in order to determine if it is meant in the literal sense, or used to explain how a situation is. In this video, there is no reference to the possession of something, so we can assume that "you've got" means "there are." Ex: You've got a global pandemic and politicians who don't even care about it. (There is a global pandemic and politicians who don't even care about it.) (Non-literal) Ex: You've got two siblings? (You have two siblings?) (Literal)
4
Why would the speaker say "technically" in this video?
So, typically, a baking contest consists of sweet foods or pastries. Here, Tom "baked" a meatloaf - which is savoury and has no pastry. He's saying since he used the method of "baking" in an oven, it "technically" or factually still applies to the competition, even though it is not what is expected or considered normal for a baking contest. So, according to the "technical" side of baking, it's correct. Ex: A digital artwork can, technically, still be considered a painting. Ex: Technically, I did cook this dish. Even though I bought it frozen, I still put it in the oven.
5
When can I use the expression "I'm screwed"?
"Being screwed" is a colloquial expression that is used when someone has made a mistake or wants to express hopelessness or disappointment about the outcome of a situation. Similar to this expression is "to screw up," which is used when one has made a mistake, or "to ruin/be ruined." Ex: You really screwed up there. (You really made a big mistake.) Ex: I ruined my shoes when I stepped in mud.
Complete the expression with a quiz!