How To Talk About Feelings And Emotions In English

Introduction

Talking about feelings and emotions can be somewhat challenging for English learners.

In this guide, I want to show some really useful phrases to use. This can help you how to talk about feelings and emotions in English more clearly.

Let’s dive right in and take a look!

General Feelings that People Have

First, let’s look at the general feelings that people have in life.

These feelings and emotions could be…

• Happiness
• Sadness
• Anger
• Fear
• Surprise
• Disgust
• Enjoyment

What Are These Feelings?

How to describe these feelings? And why do people have these feelings?

Happiness

This is a positive, good feeling. Most people want to have this feeling every day.

Happiness is the quality or state of being happy.

How do people express being happy?

They are smiling, their eyes are shining and their head is usually raised and up. They are facing the world and they respond to people positively.

Sadness

People generally avoid this feeling. Often something has happened to cause this feeling.

It is the quality or state of being sad.

How do people express being sad?

They are the opposite of being happy.

They are not smiling, their expression is closed and they often do not wish to talk to people.

In extreme cases, they may be crying.

Anger

This is another negative feeling. This feeling is caused by a recent event in a person’s life.

But some people can be naturally angry…

It is the quality or state of being angry.

How do people express being angry?

They are short-tempered and may shout or speak loudly at others. Their face could be red.

They may also use their hands to gesture wildly. Or use bad language.

In extreme cases, they may hit or strike another person.

Fear

A negative emotion or feeling that people always want to avoid.

It is the state of quality of being afraid.

How do people express being afraid?

Common signs of showing fear are feeling cold and shortness of breath.

Their face could be white or lose colour. Their eyes and mouth may be open. They might also wrap their arms around their body.

The person feeling afraid may also be trembling or shaking. There could be a tightening of the muscles.

In extreme cases, the person may vomit or cry out.

Surprise

This is a positive feeling that people often feel when they receive or hear good news.

It is the emotion of feeling surprised.

How do people express being surprised?

The person’s face may look very similar to when they feel afraid.

But their face is more relaxed. They are often smiling and their eyes are shining.

Being surprised is usually a happy feeling.

Disgust

This is a feeling of experiencing something that the person wants to reject.

It could be something they taste, smell, or see.

It is the feeling of being disgusted.

How do people express being disgusted?

The person often wants to distance themselves from the very thing that is causing disgust. They may back up or leave the area.

They also may hold their palm up to try to stop the thing causing disgust from getting near them.

Their eyebrows are lowered in the same way when people are angry. Their mouth and lips may be sneering.

Common things that cause disgust are food, waste expelled from the body, something rotten or dying, death or extreme violence.

Enjoyment

This is the feeling or emotion of feeling or doing something that gives you pleasure.

It could be from music, physical touch, taste or a hobby or past-time that you like to do, like reading.

It is the feeling of doing something you enjoy.

How do people express enjoyment?

The person’s face shows an expression of contentment.

This is a relaxed and passive facial expression. The person may be smiling and have their eyes closed.

They might make a sound like ‘Mmmm’ or ‘Ahhhh’ to express that they enjoy the thing they are doing or eating or listening to.

Check out these other great guides to help you…

English Collocations with GO — the Ultimate Guide

How to Talk About Anything in English Using BECAUSE, BUT, AND and SO

29 Ways to Say Goodbye in English

Questions to Ask about Feeling or Emotions

Usually, in English, when we ask the question, How are you? We are just asking to be polite.

We don’t really want to know all the feelings the other person is experiencing at that moment.

But sometimes, we may ask questions about the person’s feelings because we know they are experiencing feeling happy, sad or angry, for example.

Questions To Ask If We Know The Other Person Is Happy

• So, how are you feeling?

• So, what do you think?
• Tell me all about it.

• You must be feeling great, right?

Questions To Ask If We Think Or Guess The Other Person Is Happy

• You look very happy. What happened?
• What are you looking so happy about?
• Someone’s in a good mood.
• Did you get some good news?
• What happened?

Questions To Ask If We Know The Other Person Is Angry Or Sad

If we know the other person is angry or sad, we have to approach them more gently.

We cannot ask very direct questions.

So, we might ask:

• Do you want to tell me about it?
• Do you want to talk about it?

We do not ask them:

• How do you feel?

Because it should be obvious how they feel.

Questions To Ask If We Think The Other Person Is Angry Or Sad

Again, there should be clear visible signs the person is angry or sad, so you approach them very carefully.

We might say:

• Are you feeling alright?
• Are you feeling ok?
• Is everything alright?
• Is everything ok?
• What happened?
• Did something happen?
• What’s wrong?
• What’s the matter?
• Are you ok?
• Are you alright?
• You look upset. Is anything wrong?
• You seem a bit low today. Is anything the matter?

Then the person may wish to respond to you.

But sometimes, when people are angry or sad, they are in no mood to talk to anyone.

How To Respond To These Questions

Quite often, English learners use simple phrases to talk about feelings and emotions.

Maybe you use some of the phrases below…

• I am happy/sad/angry
• I feel happy/sad/angry

But there are other ways to talk about these feelings.

Let’s go through the responses for each feeling or emotion.

How to Say You Feel Happy In English

The most common way that English learners express being happy is to say

• I am happy
• I feel happy

But there are other ways that native speakers prefer to use.

Take a look at the examples below…

I Feel Great

You can use this phrase to show that you feel very happy. If someone asks you — How are you? — you can reply with this phrase to express that you are really happy in life.

• Work is going really well! I feel great!

• I’ve done all my exams… I feel great!

• I’ve been going to the gym recently. I feel great!

This phrase and all the phrases following can be used in the present tense. When people are happy or feel good, they often want to express this to the world.

I’m Good

This means that life is going well and you feel happy. Maybe not extremely happy — but you feel generally happy about life.

• Yeah, I’m good. Things are going ok.

• I just finished a busy week. I’m good.

• Got all my homework assignments done. I’m good!

Things Are Great/Very Good

You can use this phrase to show that you feel a little happier than saying I’m good.

• Yes, things are good!

• Yeah, things are very good!

• I got a raise at work… Things are very good!

• We moved into our new house… Things are great!

I’m Ecstatic

If you say you are ecstatic, this means that you feel extremely happy!

Use this if you feel very very happy…

• I got the job! I’m ecstatic!

• My girlfriend said yes! We are getting married! I’m ecstatic!

I’m Delighted

And you can also use this phrase to show that you are very happy about something in your life.

• My son graduated from university. I’m delighted!

• I got an A+ on my English test! I’m delighted!

I’m Elated

And you can use this to reveal to others that you are very happy.

• I passed my driving test at last! I’m elated!

• I got a place at Cambridge University! I’m elated!

Idioms To Express Being Happy

There are also many idioms that you can use to show how happy you are. These are very common in English.

Take a look at the phrases below…

Over The Moon

You can use this to express that you are so happy that you flew up into the sky and went over the moon!

I heard that you passed all your exams…

Yes, I did! I’m over the moon!

Did you get that job you were after?

I did! I’m over the moon!

On Top Of The World

This phrase is very similar to Over The Moon. It means that you are so happy that you are at the highest point in the world.

Hey, I heard you got a raise at work…

Yes, I did! I’m on top of the world!

How did the English test go?

I got an A+! I’m on top of the world!

On Cloud Nine

And another phrase very similar to the first two idioms. You can use this to reveal to the world that you are very, very happy about something in your life.

• I passed my driving test… Finally! I’m on cloud nine!

• I’m going to New York City. It’s my dream trip… I’m on cloud nine!

Happy As Larry

This is a very common phrase you can use. It just means you are very happy.

• I’ve got a new girlfriend! I’m happy as Larry!

• I’ve finally learned how to cook… I’m happy as Larry!

To Jump For Joy

You can use this phrase to show that you are so happy that you are jumping up and down. It means you are really happy!

• I passed the final exam! I’m jumping for joy!

• I got a new pair of Nike shoes for my birthday! I’m jumping for joy!

Like A Dog With Two Tails

If a dog had two tails, he would wag both of them with great happiness.

You can use this idiom to tell people that you are extremely happy!

• I got a new bike for Christmas! I feel like a dog with two tails!

Tickled Pink

This is an old-fashioned English phrase, but people still use it. Use this to show people how happy you are feeling.

• I booked my ticket to Spain next month. I’m tickled pink!

• I’ve lost two kilos in weight! I’m tickled pink!

To Walk On Air

And another phrase to show that you are ‘high’ because you feel so happy.

• I passed my driving test, so I am walking on air right now!

• My mum and dad are walking on air because I passed my English test!

Thrilled To Bits

This is a funny-sounding idiom, but it can help you tell people that you are very happy.

Thrilled means very excited or very happy.

And bits means small pieces.

It’s like you are saying you are so happy that you have broken into small pieces!

• My best friend is coming over to stay this weekend, so I am thrilled to bits!

• I’m getting a new computer for my birthday! I’m thrilled to bits!

Glad

Using the word Glad to express being happy.

Glad means to feel happy or joyful. But you have to say why you feel this way.

• I’m glad I passed my driving test

• John was glad when his girlfriend said she would go to Paris with him.

• Liz is so glad that she’s finished all her exams

How To Say You Feel Sad In English

Most English learners say this:

• I am sad

• I feel sad

But native speakers seldom use these phrases. We might say the following things:

• I feel terrible/awful
• I’m really down
• I feel so down
• I can’t bear it/this
• Things have been very difficult lately
• I don’t know what to do
• This is terrible/awful
• I feel hopeless/helpless
• Things are hopeless
• I feel crushed

I’m + Feeling + Down

This is a common phrasal verb you can use to express feeling sad.

• I’m feeling down about work recently

• I’m feeling down about my studies these days

I’m + Upset + About

And this is another well-known phrase you can use to talk about being sad.

• She’s upset about her grandmother

• I’m upset about what happened at work today

Idioms To Express Sadness

There are a few idioms you can use to talk about being sad in English.

In The Dumps

• I’m really in the dumps with this weather we’ve been having. When will it stop raining?

• He’s so in the dumps right now. His girlfriend has finished with him.

Out Of Sorts

This means to not feel one’s best, to not feel right.

• John’s out of sorts right now. Leave him alone.

Got The Blues/Feeling Blue

• She’s got the blues because her father is in hospital

• I’m feeling blue. There are a lot of problems at work right now.

Under The Weather

• My uncle is feeling under the weather these days. He lost his job last week.

To Show Concern or Sympathy

When someone tells you they are sad about something, you should react accordingly — with concern or sympathy.

Here are some very common English expressions to show concern or sympathy.

• “I’m sorry.” / “I’m sorry to hear that.”

• “That’s terrible.”

• “Is there anything I can do to help?”

• “That sucks.” (Very informal)

How To Talk About Being Angry In English

And many English learners use these expressions:

• I am angry

• I feel angry

Nothing really wrong with saying that to express being angry.

But there are better phrases to use.

Let’s have a look…

Angry With

This is a very common phrase that you can use to show that you are angry. By adding the word WITH it shows whom you are directing your anger.

For example

• I am angry with you about what you said yesterday.

• I am very angry with John for being late every day this week.

• I am angry with my daughter — she didn’t do her homework for maths.

• I am so angry with my dad. He said he would come to basketball practice with me but didn’t.

Annoyed With

This is a more gentle version of Angry With. Being annoyed with someone is not as strong as being angry with someone.

Here are some things you can say…

• I’m annoyed with the delivery guy. He left that big heavy box by the gate.

• I’m kind of annoyed with my friend Mike right now. That’s the second time he’s let me down.

• I’m annoyed with my teacher. He said he would look at my writing homework, but he didn’t.

Furious With/Furious At

We use furious with for a person.

We use furious at for an event or a person.

Furious is stronger than saying I am angry. Use this word or phrase if you are extremely angry!

Also, people usually use this word in the past tense — I was furious — not in the present tense. This is because when people are very angry, they often don’t express that they are angry.

They are too busy being angry!

Here are some sentences you can use…

• I was furious with Steve. He was supposed to host the sales meeting, but he didn’t turn up.

• He was so furious with her. Why promise to do something and not do it?

• I was furious at all the traffic this morning… It made me one hour late.

• She was furious at her boss — he humiliated her in the meeting.

Infuriated

People usually use this word alone — and in the past tense.

• I was infuriated!

It shows that you were very angry at someone or a situation.

You can say infuriated with someone or by a situation.

• I was infuriated with my friend Karl. He borrowed my skateboard and broke it.

• I was infuriated by all the rain we had yesterday… I wanted to go outside but I couldn’t.

Mad/Mad At

Mad is American English. People in America use this word to express being angry.

You can say the following things…

• I’m so mad right now!

• I’m really mad at my brother…

• I’m mad at my neighbour. He always parks his car in front of our house.

Ticked Off

This phrase is a little old-fashioned, but you might hear it on occasion.

It means that you are angry — but not very angry. Maybe similar to saying I am annoyed.

You can use it in the present or past tense.

Here are some ways to use this phrase…

• I’m a bit ticked off with Bill right now.

• Shirley was ticked off with her team last Friday. None of them had met their quota.

Fuming

This word is usually used to express how angry you were at a situation or person. We usually use this word in the past tense.

• I was fuming!

Fuming means being very angry. Fuming comes from the verb to fume — meaning that you were so angry that fumes or smoke were coming off your head or body!

• I couldn’t believe what the teacher said to me yesterday. I was fuming!

• I was fuming this morning. My sister hid my school bag as a joke and I couldn’t find it.

Livid

This is another word that means extremely angry. And again, we usually use it in the past tense.

• I was livid!

The real meaning of livid is for the skin to be black and blue from bruises. Livid in slang means that you were so angry your skin became black and blue.

• I was livid this morning. I couldn’t find my car keys anywhere.

• I missed the bus to work this morning and had to walk. I was livid by the time I got to the office.

Pissed Off/Pissed Off With

This is a very casual expression. Piss is a minor swear word in English — but this phrase is very common.

• I’m so pissed off with this rain!

• I’m really pissed off with John right now…

• I’m kind of pissed off with you, to be honest.

• I’m pissed off with work at the moment.

You can use this phrase to express being angry in the present tense or the past tense. Both are acceptable.

Blew Up With

To blow up means to explode. So if you use this phrase, it means that you were so angry that you exploded!

Usually, we direct this expression at someone. And it is usually used in the past tense.

• I blew up with Mike at the meeting yesterday.

• My teacher blew up at me because I didn’t finish the assignment.

• I blew up with my sister as she had borrowed my computer without asking.

Other Idioms To Express Being Angry

In English, there are many other idioms and phrases we can use to talk about being angry.

All of these idioms and phrases are usually used in the past tense. We might use them when telling someone about being angry in the past.

Here are some of the most popular and common ways.

To Jump Down Someone’s Throat

This means that you were so angry that you got very close to someone and shouted at them. It comes from an ancient Greek myth in which Hercules jumped into the throat of a sea monster to kill it.

To jump down someone’s throat is to react unfairly to what someone said or did.

Here are some examples for you to use…

• Peter spoke to me this morning about the sales figures and I jumped down his throat.

• I asked my friend if he could help me with the project, but he jumped down my throat.

• My mum jumped down my throat when she saw that I had not made my bed.

To Hit The Roof

This phrase means that you were so angry that your head hit the roof of the house! It is used to express being very angry.

• When I saw the state of the kitchen, I hit the roof!

• I got in really late last Friday and my dad hit the roof…

• I didn’t do any of the assignments for school and my teacher hit the roof.

To Lose Your Rag

You can use this idiom to express being very angry.

• This guy banged into the back of my car, and I lost my rag.

• I lost my rag when I saw what they had done to the house.

• When my son told me that he had lost his new phone, I lost my rag.

To Go Ballistic

Ballistic means to suddenly become very angry.

• I was late for the meeting and my boss went ballistic.

Driving Me Mad/Crazy/Nuts/Bananas

This phrase means that someone or something is making you very angry. You can use this in the present tense too.

• All the traffic this morning is driving me mad.

• Can you stop complaining about work? You are driving me crazy.

• My wife is driving me nuts about buying a new car.

• All the overtime I have to do this week is driving me bananas.

To See Red

In this idiom, you are describing being so angry that your eyes become red — and that is the only colour you can see!

• When my colleague told me the news, I saw red.

• My teacher saw red when I was late for class.

To Fly Off The Handle

This idiom means that you are very angry and lose your temper.

• I missed my flight yesterday, and I flew off the handle.

• I broke my classmate’s computer, and he flew off the handle.

Things You Can Say To Try To Calm An Angry Person Down

When someone is angry in front of you, it is probably best to allow them to speak first. Let them express why they are angry.

But after some time, you might want to say something to try to help the person relax.

Here are some things you can say…

• Just relax

• Take it easy

• Calm down

• Let’s calm down a bit/a little bit/a little

• Don’t let him/her/it get to you

• Don’t worry about him/her/it

How To Talk About Being Afraid In English

Usually, English learners might say things like…

• I am afraid

• I am scared

• I feel scared

And these are all perfectly acceptable.

But let’s look at some other ways to express being afraid in English…

I’m Afraid Of

With this phrase, you can show what thing you are afraid of. This is more clear to the listener.

• I’m afraid of spiders.

• I’m afraid of heights.

• I’m a little afraid of the dark.

I Don’t Like/I Really Don’t Like

And with this phrase, you can say what thing you don’t like.

If you use this in the right context, the listener will understand this to mean that you are afraid of this thing.

• I don’t like spiders.

• I really don’t like dogs.

• I don’t like flying.

• I really don’t like bats.

I’m Scared Of

And again, with this phrase, you can reveal what things or animals you are afraid of.

Scared means afraid in English.

• I’m scared of that old house.

• I’m scared of the dark.

• I’m scared of spiders.

Freak Me Out

To freak out means to become very excited or alarmed about something. It’s a common phrase you can use to show that you are afraid of something.

• Spiders freak me out.

• That old man next door freaks me out.

• Big dogs freak me out.

Idioms You Can Use To Express Being Afraid

It is more common to use idioms when talking about being afraid. There are many idioms for expressing fear in English.

Let’s take a look at them below…

To Scare The Daylights/Living Daylights Out Of Me

You can use this idiom to show that you are very frightened of something or someone.

For example, if someone suddenly appears before you and you are very surprised, you can say…

• You scared the daylights out of me!

Or maybe someone is trying to play a trick on you and jumps in front of you and makes a loud noise.

You can say…

• You scared the living daylights out of me!

To scare the daylights is a very old English phrase that means to scare the life out of someone. That is, to scare them to death!

To Shake Like A Leaf

It literally means that you are so scared you are physically trembling. Just like a leaf on a tree.

Maybe a big dog runs towards you and barks very loudly.

• Did you see that dog? I’m shaking like a leaf!

Or you can use it when telling a story. You use the phrase in the past tense.

• Then the door slammed shut with a loud bang! I was shaking like a leaf!

To Jump Out Of My Skin

You can use this phrase to tell people that you are very frightened. It means that you are so scared that your body moves very quickly and out of your own skin!

• I saw a huge spider in the bathroom this morning! I jumped out of my skin!

• My brother played a trick on me yesterday and scared me. He made me jump out of my skin.

To Shake In Someone’s Boots

This idiom is usually used to describe another person being afraid. It is seldom used to describe yourself in fear of something.

It means that someone is very afraid of something or someone.

• You should have seen Colin’s face… He was shaking in his boots!

• The boss shouted at John in the office. He was shaking in his boots!

To Give The Heebie-Jeebies

The heebie-jeebies is a feeling of anxiety, stress, fear, or general discomfort. You can use this expression to tell people you are afraid of something.

• I don’t like mice. They give me the heebie-jeebies!

• I can’t stand the sight of spiders. They give me the heebie-jeebies!

To Be Scared Shitless

This is a vulgar expression — but it is very common in English.

It means that you were so scared by something that all the poo in your body ran out!

• I car swerved in front of me on the highway… I was scared shitless!

• When I saw the dog running towards me, I was scared shitless!

To Scare The (Living) Shit Out Of Somebody

Another vulgar expression to express fear. (Shit is often used to talk about being frightened in English.)

• When I came through the door, I gave John a big surprise. I think I scared the shit out of him.

• I looked down from the bridge… It was so high! It scared the living shit out of me!

To Shit Oneself

And one last vulgar phrase to talk about being afraid…

• When I saw the huge rat in the kitchen, I shit myself!

• He shit himself when he heard the news from the lawyer!

How To Talk About Being Surprised In English

If you want to express being surprised, you need to use the right phrases.

If you just say — I am surprised — it is not enough.

When we are surprised, it is a positive, happy feeling. You might be walking down the street and suddenly meet an old friend that you have not seen in a long time.

Or maybe you receive a phone call from someone from your past.

Your friends might throw a surprise party for you on your birthday.

Or it could be a family gathering.

Whatever the situation, you can use the following phrases to express that you are surprised.

What A Surprise

The main way is to use this phrase and all the variations of it.

• What a surprise!

• What a pleasant surprise!

• What a total surprise!

• What a nice surprise!

Expressing Disbelief

Another common way to express surprise is to say how you can’t believe who or what you are seeing.

You can use the following ways to show that you cannot believe what you see.

• I can’t believe it!

• That’s unbelievable!

• Really?

• No way!

• Are you serious?

• You’re joking!

• That can’t be true!

• You’re kidding!

Other Ways To Express Surprise

And there are some miscellaneous ways to show that you are surprised.

• Wow!

• Amazing!

• Incredible!

• What??

• What a shock!

• Of all the things!

• Is that really you?

• Oh my God!

How To Talk About Feeling Disgusted In English

So how to express disgust in English?

Let’s take a look…

Sounds to Express Disgust

There are often universal sounds that people make when they feel disgusted by something.

These sounds include the following…

• Ewwww!

• Ugh!

• Yukkk!

• Errrrr!

That’s…

And you can often express disgust by using the word That’s followed by an adjective.

Take a look below…

• That’s disgusting!

• That’s awful!

• That’s really bad!

• That is so bad!

• That’s revolting!

• That is terrible!

Disgust with Food

You might encounter a situation where you see or smell food that you really don’t like.

You can show your opinion of this by using the following phrases…

• I can’t eat that!

• I can’t go near that!

• I don’t want any of that!

• Get that away from me!

• No thanks!

Of course, you have to be careful when using these phrases.

If you have been invited out to dinner by some people and you use one of the phrases above, it is extremely impolite!

How To Talk About Enjoying Something In English

And if you enjoy something, you might use very simple expressions, such as…

• I like it

• I like this

• This is good

But there are some better ways to express your feeling.

Let’s take a look at some examples…

Sounds to Express Enjoyment

The most common sound that people use is…

• Mmmm…

A kind of humming sound with the lips closed. This is used to show that you are enjoying what you are eating, listening to, looking at, or touching.

Enjoyment can include eating delicious food, listening to good music, looking at a beautiful painting or being with that one person you have a special feeling for.

Using the sound Mmmmm can be used for all situations of enjoyment.

Phrases to Express Enjoyment

But there are things that people say to show that they are enjoying what they are eating, listening to or looking at.

You might want to use one of the following phrases…

• That’s nice

• That’s very nice

• That’s lovely

• That is beautiful

• That’s wonderful

Using Happiness Phrases and Idioms to Express Enjoyment

If you are enjoying something, then you will very likely use the same kind of phrases you use to express being happy.

But let’s take a look at some specific situations…

Enjoyment When Eating Something

If you are eating something and you love what you are eating, here are some phrases you can use…

• This is delicious!

• This is fantastic!

• This is great/amazing/excellent!

• This is really good!

• This is lovely!

Or you might just make a humming noise.

• Mmmmm….

This sound is often used to show that you are enjoying something.

Enjoyment When Listening To Music

If we are listening to music that we really like, we often speak out loud about how much we like it.

These can be the same phrases as the above for eating.

But you can also say…

• Oh fantastic!

• Wow!

• I love this!

• I love this song!

• I love this singer/band!

• This tune is great!

• Turn it up… I love this!

(This means to increase the volume — because you want to hear the song clearly.)

Conclusion

I hope this guide is useful to you.

It would be impossible to learn all of these phrases in one day. I encourage you to go over them regularly.

And try to use them in your daily life. The more you use the phrases in your everyday life, the easier it is to remember them.

Many thanks — and don’t forget to leave a comment below!

If you liked this article and found it useful, why not join my mailing list? I can send you more guides like this as and when they are published.

Just click the link below…

ManWrites Mailing List