Lindsay McMahon
"The English Adventurer"

Do you consider yourself a patient person or do you struggle with it?

Do you ever feel frustrated with a situation but feel unsure of how to express it in English?

Patience is an important part of interactions, and you may feel unsure of how to improve this in your life.

We’re going to help you to see how you can be more patient, and what sorts of phrases you can use in these situations.

 

Some Things Are Very Exaggerated

Have you heard somebody say that something “takes forever”?

Have you wondered what that meant?

This is definitely an exaggeration because obviously nothing really takes that long.

You might hear somebody say something like “Wow my package finally arrived! Man, that took forever!”

A phrase like this expresses time, but with a general feeling of impatience.

You have to consider a phrase such as this when it’s used, and then decide if it’s an exaggeration or not.

 

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Some Phrases Get The Point Across Well

A phrase like “takes forever” obviously is an exaggeration and you can recognize it as such.

There are some phrases that can express a significant length of time, but without being an exaggeration.

It’s perfectly fine to express that something took awhile or that you waited a long time for something.

Phrases that are just fine in conversation and are acceptable to use include the following.

  • It takes time: This is by far the nicest phrase to use to express that something is taking a long time. It is direct but it’s kind and so it can be a good choice for conversations. You get your point across but in a nicer way.
  • It takes awhile: This may have some frustration associated with it more than the previous phrase. It means that something is taking longer than you expected. It indicates that you had to wait and you are likely not happy with that. It’s better to use in conversation than other phrases, but it does show some frustration.
  • Keeps dragging on: This is definitely more direct, and even a bit harsh. This indicates that you are tired of waiting and you want to express that discontent to anybody who will listen. If you want to use it but don’t want to express ill intention, then just be careful of the tone of voice you use with it. .
  • It feels like it’s never gonna end: This is not a positive in any way, and therefore it won’t be received as such. You feel like you have been stuck in a holding pattern for a long time and it’s hard to be patient.

These phrases all express impatience in very different ways.

 

Always Be Aware of Your Tone of Voice

When showing impatience, you may seem rude.

It’s good to express yourself, including with these phrases, because you can connect with others.

Be careful who you say these things to or in front of.

Always consider the person and the situation that you are in.

The tone of voice that you use is very important when it comes to delivering this message.

Be aware of how you say it, just as much as what you actually say.

 

Takeaway

Patience is a virtue–that’s a phrase to remember.

If you are getting frustrated with a situation, try to breathe and be patient.

Patience is something that many of us need to work at, and it’s a positive attribute when you possess it.

You can use these phrases to connect with others!

 

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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