Idioms, collocations, and verbal periphrases
More than thirty high-value combinations, literal structure, figurative meaning, and register.
Fluency lives in combinations, not isolated dictionary meanings
A collocation is a conventional pairing such as prendre una decisió; an idiom has a meaning not fully predictable from its words, such as fer el cor fort. Verbal periphrases add aspect, intention, or completion. Learn the whole phrase together with its register and a sentence.
Verbal periphrases and aspect
| Expression | Literal structure | Actual use |
|---|---|---|
| anar + gerundi | go + gerund | gradual development: va millorant |
| venir + gerundi | come + gerund | development continuing from earlier |
| estar per + infinitiu | be for + infinitive | be about to / still have pending: està per veure |
| estar a punt de | be at the point of | be about to |
| tenir + participi | have + participle | result already secured: tinc llegit el llibre |
| deixar de + infinitiu | leave off | stop doing |
| deixar + infinitiu | let + infinitive | allow someone/something to do |
| acabar de + infinitiu | finish of | have just done |
| tornar a + infinitiu | return to | do again |
| soler + infinitiu | be accustomed to | usually do |
High-frequency fer collocations
| Expression | Literal idea | Idiomatic meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fer cas | make heed | pay attention / listen to advice |
| fer front a | make front to | face / deal with |
| fer falta | make lack | be needed / be missing |
| fer il·lusió | make excitement | make someone happy/excited |
| fer ràbia | make anger | annoy / make angry |
| fer por | make fear | frighten / be scary |
| fer mandra | make laziness | feel like too much effort |
| fer gràcia | make amusement | be funny / appeal |
| fer un cop de mà | make a hand blow | lend a hand |
| fer-se càrrec de | make oneself responsible | take charge of / realize |
| fer veure | make see | pretend |
| fer el cor fort | make the heart strong | steel oneself |
Thirty-plus everyday idioms and collocations
| Expression | Meaning | Register/note |
|---|---|---|
| anar de bòlit | be rushed/off one’s feet | colloquial |
| anar per feina | get down to business | neutral-colloquial |
| anar amb compte | be careful | neutral |
| anar a la seva | do one’s own thing | colloquial |
| tenir raó | be right | neutral |
| tenir pressa | be in a hurry | neutral |
| tenir ganes de | feel like / look forward to | neutral |
| tenir-ne prou | have had enough | neutral |
| tenir la mà trencada | be highly practiced/skilled | colloquial |
| tenir el cap a la lluna | be absent-minded | colloquial |
| prendre una decisió | make a decision | standard collocation |
| prendre part en | take part in | formal-neutral |
| treure’n l’entrellat | figure it out | colloquial-neutral |
| treure de polleguera | drive someone mad | colloquial |
| posar fil a l’agulla | get started | idiomatic |
| posar-se les piles | get one’s act together | colloquial |
| posar en dubte | call into question | formal-neutral |
| posar de manifest | make evident | formal |
| donar un cop d’ull | take a look | neutral |
| donar per fet | take for granted | neutral |
| donar l’abast | manage/keep up with workload | usually negative/question |
| donar peu a | give rise/open the way to | formal-neutral |
| estar-ne tip / tipa | be fed up with it | colloquial |
| estar fet pols | be exhausted / in bad shape | colloquial |
| ser bufar i fer ampolles | be very easy | idiomatic |
| ser de pa sucat amb oli | be amateurish/insignificant | colloquial idiom |
| costar un ull de la cara | cost an arm and a leg | colloquial |
| ploure a bots i barrals | rain cats and dogs | colloquial idiom |
| tocar el dos | clear off / leave | colloquial |
| ficar la pota | put one’s foot in it | colloquial |
| quedar-se de pedra | be stunned | colloquial |
| no tenir ni cap ni peus | make no sense | idiomatic |
| a poc a poc i bona lletra | slowly and carefully | proverbial |
| qui dia passa, any empeny | get through one day at a time | proverbial |
| de mica en mica | little by little | neutral |
| si fa no fa | more or less | colloquial-neutral |
Examples in context
Anem per feina, que només tenim mitja hora.
Let’s get down to business; we only have half an hour.
Amb tanta feina vaig de bòlit tota la setmana.
With so much work I’m rushed off my feet all week.
Em pots fer un cop de mà amb aquestes caixes?
Can you give me a hand with these boxes?
Haurem de fer front a una situació complicada.
We will have to face a complicated situation.
No li facis cas; avui està de mal humor.
Don’t pay attention to him; he’s in a bad mood today.
Ja en tinc prou de discutir sempre pel mateix.
I’ve had enough of always arguing about the same thing.
Posem fil a l’agulla i acabem l’informe.
Let’s get started and finish the report.
Quan vaig sentir la notícia, em vaig quedar de pedra.
When I heard the news, I was stunned.
Aquest raonament no té ni cap ni peus.
This reasoning makes no sense.
La situació va millorant de mica en mica.
The situation is gradually improving little by little.
Acabo de veure la Marta al mercat.
I’ve just seen Marta at the market.
El resultat encara està per veure.
The outcome remains to be seen.
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