Tecla SAP Dicas de inglês

Jack Scholes

Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans.

John Lennon

To happen
To take place, to occur especially without being planned.

• Serious accidents like this always happen at the weekend.

You do not say that a planned event ‘happens.’ You say that it ‘takes place’.

• The meeting between the two presidents took place in February.

You can also use ‘happen’ to indicate that something happens unexpectedly, is the case by chance, or is surprising.

• If you happen to see him, tell him I need to speak to him. (= unexpectedly, by chance)
• As it happens, I am free on Monday. (= by chance, although it was not planned)
• He happens to like cooking. (= although this is surprising)

Cf. Gramática: ACCIDENTS HAPPEN (Acidentes acontecem)
Cf. Vocabulário: BEAUTIFUL?

Shit happens
A very informal expression used when you want to tell someone that bad or unpleasant things often happen without any special reason, and that these things happen to everybody and not just to them.

• A: “My laptop broke down in the middle of my presentation. I was so pissed!” B: “Hey, man, shit happens.”

Referência: “Gems of Wisdom – Inspirational Messages to Enhance the Quality of Your Life and Improve Your English” de Jack Scholes – Disal Editora, 2007. Leia a resenha. Adquira seu exemplar na Disal ou no Submarino.

Observação deste blog: Longe de querer fazer apologia ao uso de palavras de baixo calão, a intenção é esclarecer mostrando como e onde usar e, principalmente, onde não usar essas expressões. O conhecimento sempre foi e continua sendo a melhor alternativa à ignorância. Não pense, portanto, que por escutar estes termos com frequência em filmes, letras de música etc. fica “engraçadinho” usá-las no idioma inglês em qualquer situação. Se necessário, use-as com cautela.