Lindsay McMahon
"The English Adventurer"

Have you heard people use the phrase “getting old” in English conversations?

Is this one of those phrases that you really want to master in English?

You can probably figure out the literal meaning to this, but you can also take it a step further in practice.

Today we are going to talk about the phrase “getting old” and even the opposite of it.

You’re going to learn how to use it in conversation when you want to say that something is not working for you anymore.

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What Does This Phrase Mean and How Would You Use It?

So the phrase is “getting old,” but what does that really mean?

Of course, you can use it to talk about age in English, which is where we tend to think of it the most.

You might say something like “Wow I’m getting old, I never go out past 10 pm anymore!”

It can also be used to describe freshness or something expiring, such as saying “This peach is getting old and you should probably throw it out.”

Today we focus on how to use it when you want to say that something is getting boring, tiring, or even frustrating.

It’s like saying that you’re getting sick of something, perhaps something that is repeated all the time.

It’s a phrase used often, and it can tend to have a rather negative tone associated with it.

Using This Phrase In Conversation

This phrase is a great catch all phrase because it can mean many things.

You just have to be able to read the speaker to know what they mean with their usage of the phrase.

You can usually tell if there’s a bit of a negative tone associated and therefore it may come off as frustration or even boredom.

Examples:

  • “Eh, I think it’s time for them to just end this TV series anyway. It’s getting old and I don’t know anyone who watches it.”
  • “You’re always in a bad mood. It’s getting old and it’s hard to be around you lately.
  • “I know you love eating mac and cheese, but isn’t it getting old already? You’re not tired of it?”

Any of these phrases can signify that something is getting tiresome, routine, or even bordering on annoying.

The Other Side To This

Then there’s the complete opposite to this phrase.

When you say that something is “getting old” it tends to be negative and boring or mundane.

If you were to say that something “never gets old” then you are talking about something in a really positive way.

You are saying that something is refreshing, fun, happy, or positive in nature.

You feel good about this and enjoy it, and therefore you never want it to stop.

Examples:

  • “I love getting lunch with you every week! It never gets old. We always have a great time!”
  • “I’m so into these books. There are like a hundred but they never get old. Each one is amazing.”
  • “Our trips to the beach never get old. I hope the weather gets better soon.”

These all work to convey something positive in nature that you don’t want to end, and they work quite well in this capacity.

These Work Well In Conversation

These phrases are so great because they express a lot of emotion in one small phrase in English.

Instead of using, words like frustrating, great, fresh, irritating, or annoying, this phrase is very colorful.

It’s a simple phrase that gives you a certain feeling or sense, and yet it doesn’t say EXACTLY how the person feels.

It’s a little bit more nuanced and interesting to say and it happens to be a phrase that is perfect for the level that you are likely at.

You can pick up the subtlety of emotion in such a phrase, which shows progress.

You can start to use these phrases as you progress with your learning and practice new phrases that help you to move along even more.

Just one of these phrases says a lot in conversation, and so it’s a great one to try to add.

Takeaway

These phrases are very dynamic, and therefore great to practice.

They are perfect for your level and can express so many emotions.

It helps to try them out and to practice each one to see how it feels in the course of conversation.

These phrases make for a great way to connect and talk to others in a fun way.

If you have any questions, please leave them below in the comments section.

We’ll get back to you as soon as we can.

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