120.- Big deal ( profesor)

120.-big deal

Summary

Rob’s very excited about a discount he got on some packets of biscuits but Feifei’s not impressed. She reckons it’s a big deal – but can a big deal not be impressive? Find out the different meanings of this phrase in this episode of The English We Speak.

Transcript

Feifei
Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Feifei…

Rob
And hello, I’m Rob!

Feifei
You’re looking pleased with yourself today, Rob.

Rob
I am. Look – biscuits!

Feifei
Hmm, are biscuits really that exciting?

Rob
Well, it’s not actually the biscuits, it’s the price. I got five pence off the packet – a great discount, hey?

Feifei
Five pence! Big deal!

Rob
Well, yes it is a big deal, Feifei – a big, big deal. By my calculations it’s a five per cent discount. So every bite tastes better because it’s cheaper! Oh hold on – you’re being sarcastic, aren’t you?

Feifei
I am. It’s a sarcastic phrase. When we say ‘big deal’ to someone, we’re telling them that we don’t think what they’ve told us is very special or impressive. So sorry, Rob – I’m not impressed!

Rob
It takes a lot to impress you, Feifei. How about some impressive examples?

Examples
A: Have you heard? We’re getting a one per cent pay rise!
B: Big deal!

My brother said he completed the marathon in four hours. Big deal – I did it in three!

Feifei
This is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we’re talking about the expression ‘big deal’, which can be said to someone to show you’re not impressed by what they’ve told you. You can also say something is ‘no big deal’ to mean it’s not a serious problem, like this…

Example
Failing your driving test is no big deal – it happens to people all the time. You can try again next month.

Rob
So that’s ‘no big deal’, but I think saving five pence off a packet of biscuits is a great deal. You know what people say – every penny counts.

Feifei
Rob, you’re making a big deal about this – that’s another use of ‘big deal’. When you make a big deal about something, it means you make a big fuss.

Rob
A big fuss? I bought 100 packets, Feifei, saving five pounds – that’s quite a deal don’t you think?

Feifei
100 packets! That’s a bit extreme – you must really love biscuits. What sort are they?

Rob
They are chocolate digestives.

Feifei
Oh chocolate digestives! My favourite – OK then, Rob, open them up and let’s start munching.

Rob
Ha! I can see you are impressed with my ‘big deal’. Bye.

Feifei
Bye.

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