Is it confusing that you need to learn different ways to talk about talking in English? Maybe, but these idioms about talking are all commonly used by native English speakers.
It’s hard to understand idioms by looking at the words alone, so here we have provided definitions of these ‘talk’ idioms, as well as examples to show you how to use them. Hopefully they will help you improve your spoken and written communication.
Idioms about talking
Make small talk
This is a very common idiom about talking. To make small talk means to make polite conversation with someone you don’t know very well, often just to fill time.
“The thing I don’t like about these conferences is having to make small talk with everyone.”
If you’re doing business in English, you’ll find this a very useful skill to master! But knowing how to make small talk is also helpful for job interviews, dates, making friends, and more.
Cut to the chase
To cut to the chase means to focus on the most important matter straight away.
“We don’t have long so I’m going to cut to the chase.”
You may also hear get straight to the point used in the same way.
Get hold of
To get hold of someone is to communicate with them (after making an effort to contact them).
“I haven’t been able to get hold of Claire all day because she’s been in a meeting.”
“I finally got hold of her at 4:45, just before the deadline.”
A variation on this speaking idiom is get a hold of. Find this and more telephone phrasal verbs in our separate article.
Get your wires crossed
If you get your wires crossed with someone, you have a misunderstanding. Get your lines crossed is an alternative version.
“I don’t know how we’ve ended up with 10 copies instead of 100; we must have got our wires crossed with the printer.”
This speaking idiom refers to telephone lines being connected incorrectly, although this doesn’t happen so much these days!
Gift of the gab
Someone who has the gift of the gab is naturally eloquent and able to persuade people easily.
“It really helps if you have the gift of the gab in this profession.”
Pep talk
A pep talk is a short speech you might give to someone (or a group) if you want to encourage them. You might want to include some motivational idioms in this!
“Billy has been acting up a lot recently. Could you give him a pep talk?”
Under your breath
When you say something under your breath, you say it softly or in a whisper.
“Julie muttered something under her breath about the price of the food but she ordered anyway.”
Give someone a piece of your mind
To give someone a piece of your mind is to tell them honestly and frankly what you think, usually when angry.
“If my neighbour doesn’t stop his dog from barking I’m going to go over there and give him a piece of my mind!”
You can discover more anger idioms in our separate article.
Keep someone posted
To keep someone posted is to keep them informed about news or progress on a particular situation.
“Please keep me posted on any new applications we receive for this vacancy.”
Talk shop
Do you ever find yourself discussing work or business with people, even when you’re not at work? You can describe this with a shop idiom: talk shop.
“I can’t believe we ended up talking shop all night; it was supposed to be a fun break from work.”
This often happens in social settings when other topics of conversation run dry.
Goes without saying
If something goes without saying then it is so obvious that it doesn’t need to be said (but often this phrase is used before saying the thing anyway!).
“It goes without saying that we all need to keep Kim’s surprise party a secret.”
Keep/stay in touch
This idiom about talking is helpful when you know you won’t see someone for a while, but you want to keep in contact with them. To stay in touch or keep in touch means to remain in regular communication.
“It’s been great chatting with you. Let’s keep in touch and try to meet up again soon.”
“I know you’re moving away but don’t forget to stay in touch!”
You could use this in relation to a friendship or a business contact.
Have a word
When you have a word with someone, you discuss something with them, usually in private.
“When are you going to have a word with Leon about his punctuality?”
“Elizabeth, could we have a word please?”
Walk the talk
In this idiom about talking, the ‘walk’ refers to action and the ‘talk’ refers to words.
When someone tells you to walk the talk, they mean that you should put your words into action and do as you say.
“Our new boss sounds impressive, but I wonder if he can walk the talk.”
Discover some more fun walk idioms here.
Have the last word
To have the last word means to say the last statement in a discussion or argument or to have the final decision.
“Glenda always has to have the last word in meetings.”
Spill the beans
If you spill the beans, you reveal information that you were previously keeping secret.
“Come on, spill the beans! Are you having a girl or a boy?”
This one also appears on our list of idioms with food.
Spit it out
You might tell someone to spit it out if they are clearly hesitant to say something (this is usually used in the imperative).
“So what really happened last night? Spit it out!”
Hear something on/through the grapevine
If you hear something on/through the grapevine, you hear news from someone who heard it from someone else; through gossiping.
“I heard on the grapevine that the company is discussing a million-dollar merger.”
Has the cat got your tongue?
If somebody is not answering your question, or if they were talking a lot but have now gone quiet, you might ask them ‘Has the cat got your tongue?‘.
“You were so chatty a moment ago, what happened? Has the cat got your tongue?”
This idiom about talking is just one of many cat idioms you may like to learn.
Word of mouth
Word of mouth is spoken communication. This idiom refers to the way in which news travels from one person to another.
“I heard about this job through word of mouth.”
This idiom about talking doesn’t suggest gossip or secrecy in the same way as through the grapevine.
Windbag
Do you know anyone who likes to talk a lot but doesn’t say anything particularly interesting or meaningful? This is the type of person you could describe as a windbag.
“My date last night was awful; that guy turned out to be a complete windbag.”
The phrase bag of wind means the same thing. It’s surprising how many idioms about bags describe people’s negative qualities.
Like talking to a brick wall
We say that it’s like talking to a brick wall when we are talking to someone but getting no response.
“Trying to have a discussion with my husband when he’s on the PlayStation is like talking to a brick wall.”
Talk at cross-purposes
If two people talk at cross-purposes with each other, they don’t understand each other because they have different aims or views but don’t realize.
“Please can you outline everything in an email so I can be sure we’re not talking at cross-purposes?”
See also: Purposely vs purposefully
Put your foot in your mouth
If you put your foot in your mouth, you say something inappropriate that causes embarrassment to yourself or others.
“Giles really put his foot in his mouth last night with his comment about politics!”
We can also say put your foot in it.
“I think I put my foot in it at that job interview.”
Blow smoke
It’s surprising how many smoke idioms are about deception and lies, and this is one of them.
To blow smoke means to lie or intentionally mislead someone. It’s as if their words mean nothing and immediately lose their value, just like a cloud of smoke dissipating as it is blown out.
“Jim has no problem with blowing smoke to make a sale, so be careful about trusting him.”
We have lots more idioms about lying and telling the truth in another article.
My lips are sealed
If you tell someone that your lips are sealed, it means that you will keep something secret.
“I know this is a sensitive matter but don’t worry; my lips are sealed.”
Would you like to learn some more idioms with parts of the body or different facial features?
Speak out of turn
To speak out of turn is to say something that you should not have said, or that you didn’t have the authority to say.
“I hope I didn’t speak out of turn when I gave my opinion in the meeting.”
Touch base
This is a baseball-related idiom that now means to speak to someone quickly about something or catch up on how they are.
“Do you have time to touch base tomorrow morning?”
Speak your mind
When you speak your mind, you say exactly what you are thinking and are honest or blunt about your opinions.
“Jasmine always speaks her mind but that’s not always a good thing.”
Talk the hind leg(s) off a donkey
We say that someone could talk the hind leg (or legs) off a donkey if they talk excessively. We generally use this talking idiom with the verb can/could.
“Janine could talk the hind legs off a donkey. You don’t want to get stuck next to her at a wedding!”
This is just one of many animal idioms you can use in English.
Talk your way out of something
To talk your way out of something means to escape a situation or avoid something through verbal persuasion.
“Don’t try to talk your way out of hosting the next meeting at your house; it’s your turn!”
That’s a good list of idioms about talking, but we’re not done yet! There are also a lot of phrasal verbs using ‘talk’ and ‘speak’. And just like idioms, if you don’t know the meaning of these, it’s almost impossible to guess.
Get wind of
When you get wind of something, you find out a piece of information or gossip that was supposed to be secret.
“Make sure nobody gets wind of this news before we can announce it officially.”
You may also hear catch wind of something – both wind expressions mean the same thing.
Phrasal verbs using ‘talk’ and ‘speak’
Talk someone into / out of something
You can talk someone into doing something and also talk someone out of doing something. These mean to persuade someone to do and to dissuade someone from doing something, respectively.
“It seems there’s no way we can talk Hamish out of going on a round-the-world backpacking trip.”
“Do you think you can talk Amy into helping out at the fundraising event?”
Talk through/over
To talk through/over something or talk something through/over means to discuss something.
“Do you have some free time next week to talk through our plans for Christmas promotions?”
“You should talk this over with your husband before you commit to it.”
Note that you can add the object in the middle of this phrasal verb or after it.
Talk someone through something
If you talk someone through something, you give them step-by-step instructions to guide them through a process.
“I’m so glad Ken was able to talk me through how to fix the problem with my computer.”
We could also say take someone through something; it means the same thing.
Talk something up
If you talk something (or someone) up, you talk favorably, showing support for it (or them).
“This restaurant had better be good after you’ve been talking it up for so long!”
Speak out
When you speak out about or against something, you make your opinion known loudly or publicly.
“They’re going to go ahead with the building demolition if nobody speaks out.”
“Is anybody going to join me speaking out against this new policy?”
Speak up
If someone asks you to speak up, they can’t hear you clearly and they want you to talk louder. This phrasal verb can also mean the same as speak out.
“You’ll have to speak up; it’s very loud in here.”
“Someone needs to speak up about the discrimination we are facing.”
If you have trouble understanding what someone is saying, some clarifying questions may come in handy.
Talk back
To talk back to someone is to respond rudely or inappropriately to someone in a position of authority (a parent, teacher, superior, etc.).
“Lily’s in trouble for talking back to her teachers again.”
Talk down to
To talk down to someone is to patronize someone; to talk to them in a way that suggests they are too young or stupid to understand.
“I hate the way she talks down to her students.”
This isn’t a complete list of idioms about talking, speaking, and communicating, but it should certainly give you a good start. You may also want to check out some phone conversation ideas if you spend a lot of time on the phone.
If you have any questions about these or want to try using them for yourself then you can leave a comment below. Perhaps you know some other ‘talk’ idioms or phrasal verbs that we could add to this list?
