Everyone has days when the burden of problems becomes unbearable and it seems that difficult times will never end. At such a moment, it is important to give people confidence in their own abilities, to motivate them to act so that they cope with all the turmoil. In this article, we have collected 20 phrases in English that will help you cheer up a despondent friend and instill in him or her the hope for better times.
Cheer up/Chin Up
You probably heard these short phrases in English movies and TV shows. Native speakers encourage each other in a difficult situation this way.
Lighten Up
This is a rather informal phrase that you can tell a close friend. It will be especially appropriate when a person takes the problems too seriously, takes everything to heart.
Do/Try Your Best
This phrase is very popular with native speakers. They speak it to encourage a person to do everything in his or her power, everything possible to achieve the goal. You can use it for yourself too, to inform someone that you will do your best.
Give Something/It Your Best Shot
The expression is very similar to the previous one. It is used when calling for every effort to do something.
Fortune Favours the Bold/Brave
We think you understand the meaning of this proverb: luck comes to the person who acts boldly.
You Are on the Right Track
You can use this expression, for example, when your friend decided to stop complaining about the fact that he or she does not have time to learn English, and decided to undertake his or her studies. In addition, such a phrase is told to a person who started to guess something, came closer to the truth.
(The) Sky Is the Limit
This English idiom is very popular. Native speakers usually use it when they want to report that there is no limit to something. If your friend dreams about something and believes that this desire will not come true, encourage him or her with this phrase and remind that there are no restrictions for his or her dreams.
When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going
Such a phrase is used to convey to a person the thought: when things go wrong and it seems that everything is collapsing, strong people do not give up, but get down to business and change the circumstances for the better.
Where There Is a Will There Is a Way
Your friend says that he or she wants to communicate freely in English, but does not know how to achieve this goal? Be sure to tell him or her about this wonderful proverb.
There Is Light at the End of the Tunnel
The expression "to see light at the end of the tunnel" is also popular in English. Use this phrase to cheer your dejected friend.
You Have Got Nothing to Lose
This expression seems not too motivating at first glance, but you need to learn how to use it correctly. For example, your friends do not succeed in something, but you convince them to take another attempt and say that they will not lose anything, even if the attempt is unsuccessful.
If at First You Do Not Succeed... (Try and Try Again)
Your friends did not manage to understand the conditional sentences and they decided that foreign languages are not for them? Then remind them of the good old English proverb. It calls not to give up on the first setbacks, to fight against obstacles and continue your way to the goal.
Every Dog Has Its/His Day
Such an expression is used to say that even the most seemingly unsuccessful people have successful days and periods in their life. Despite the wording, the phrase carries a positive message: with its help, you tell the person that happy days will come, you just need to wait for a little.
(To Keep One's) Fingers Crossed
This expression is used when you want to express the hope that someone's desire will come true, that someone will succeed. The phrase can be used as a separate sentence and can be part of the sentence.
You Cannot Make an Omelette Without Breaking Eggs
Sometimes you have to sacrifice something to achieve what you want. In this case, your support is especially important to a person, and the English have an excellent proverb for this.
It Is Not the End of the World
Did your friends fail and fall into depression? Then use this phrase to inform them that all that has happened is just a minor mess, life goes on and they will have many opportunities to realize their dreams.
Worse Things Happen at Sea
One more phrase will help you cheer up a friend who is in a hopeless position, as it seems to him or her.
Look on the Bright Side
This phrase is very popular with native speakers. Use it when some unpleasant situation has occurred with the person, and you want to encourage him or her and draw the attention to the positive side of the situation. For example, your friends did not go on holiday this summer. Tell them that they saved money and can buy something useful now.
There Is No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk
Such a phrase does not sound as soft as the previous ones. But it will help you bring to the person the thought that what is done cannot be undone, do not sit and worry about it, you have to go further.
Every Cloud Has a Silver Lining
The phrase is similar to the previous one and is also often used by native speakers. Use it when you want to tell a friend that even a problem sometimes has its positive sides and everything is not as bad as it seems.
Of course, from the first reading, remembering all the phrases is not easy, so we recommend that you collect all the expressions in a file and save it. Periodically re-read it, try to memorize new phrases, and soon you will be able to use them in your speech.
Now your vocabulary is replenished with 20 new expressions of encouragement. Try to learn them while we will be preparing another useful article for you. Do your best!
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