Learn English With Issam

Mr. Issam Boukhibar in action:

Have you ever started talking about one thing and ended up discussing something completely different? 🤔 That's what it means to get far afield from the topic. Watch the video for examples! 👇

Do you tend to stay on topic, or do you usually jump all over the map? Tell me in the comments! 👇

1. Get far afield from the topic

Arabic: يبتعد كثيرًا عن الموضوع / يخرج عن صلب الموضوع
French: s'éloigner du sujet / sortir du cadre du sujet

2. Jump all over the map

Arabic: يقفز من موضوع إلى آخر
French: passer constamment d'un sujet à un autre

3. Go over the monthly budget

Arabic: يراجع الميزانية الشهرية
French: passer en r***e le budget mensuel

4. Set aside some savings

Arabic: يدخر بعض المال
French: mettre de l'argent de côté

5. Steer the conversation towards

Arabic: يوجّه الحديث نحو
French: orienter la conversation vers

Mr. Issam Boukhibar in action: to be/get bogged down in red tape — to become stuck in complicated rules, paperwork, and administrative procedures

Arabic equivalent:
يغرق / يتخبط في الروتين الإداري
or
الوقوع في متاهة الإجراءات الإدارية

French equivalent:

Être enlisé dans la bureaucratie
or
Se perdre dans les démarches administratives

💬 Question:
Have you ever dealt with so much paperwork that you felt completely bogged down in red tape?

Phrase Equivalents

1. Get something off the ground

Meaning: start something successfully

Arabic:
إطلاق مشروع
جعل المشروع ينطلق
French:
Lancer quelque chose
Faire décoller un projet

2. Paperwork

Arabic:
الأعمال الورقية
الإجراءات الإدارية

French:
Paperasse
Documents administratifs

3. Bounce someone from one department to another

Arabic:
تمرير شخص من مصلحة إلى أخرى
إرسال شخص من مكتب إلى آخر

French:
Faire passer quelqu’un d’un service à un autre
Balader quelqu’un d’un bureau à un autre

4. Everything is sorted out

Arabic:
تم حلّ كل شيء
كل شيء أصبح مرتبًا

French:
Tout est réglé
Tout est en ordre

5. Back to square one

Arabic:
العودة إلى نقطة الصفر

French:
Retour à la case départ

6. Shady practices

Arabic:
ممارسات مشبوهة
أساليب غير قانونية / غير نزيهة

French:
Pratiques douteuses
Méthodes peu honnêtes

7. Cut through the red tape

Arabic:
التخلّص من الروتين الإداري
تجاوز التعقيدات الإدارية

French:
Réduire la bureaucratie
Contourner les lourdeurs administratives

Mr. Issam Boukhibar in action: Have you ever worked harder than everyone else and still felt completely overlooked ? 👀

In this video, you'll learn this very natural English expression through a realistic workplace story full of useful advanced phrases native speakers actually use.

📌 Catch phrase: have your nose out of joint

French equivalent: se sentir vexé / froissé

Arabic equivalent: يشعر بالإهانة أو الانزعاج لأنّه لم يُقدَّر أو تم تجاهله

🔹 Climb / move up the career ladder

to gradually get better positions, more responsibility, and higher status in your job or career over time.

🔹 Hard work pays off

= putting in a lot of effort eventually brings good results or success

🔹 the first one in and the last one out

someone who arrives before everyone else and leaves after everyone else because they work very hard

🔹 make oneself visible

to make sure people notice your efforts, presence, or abilities

🔹 fresh out of college

having recently graduated from college or university

🔹 land a job

to successfully get a job

🔹 get passed over for a promotion

not be chosen for a higher position while someone else is chosen instead

🔹 smooth things over

to reduce tension or fix a disagreement or awkward situation

🔹 make up for it

to compensate for something bad or disappointing by doing something positive later

Mr. Issam Boukhibar in action:

“To go up one side of someone and down the other” 😳

👉 Meaning: to angrily scold or severely reprimand someone after they’ve done something wrong.

“To go out for a joyride”

👉 Meaning: to go driving around just for fun, excitement, or pleasure — often fast or recklessly.

“To weave in and out of traffic”

👉 Meaning: to move dangerously or quickly between cars in traffic by constantly changing lanes.

“To get into a fender bender”

👉 Meaning: to be involved in a small or minor car accident, usually with little damage and no serious injuries.

“To pay through the nose”

👉 Meaning: to pay an extremely high price for something — much more than it’s really worth.

When was the last time you went up one side of someone and down the other? 😅

Mr Issam Boukhibar in action: 🎯 “To chomp at the bit”

If you’re super eager, impatient, and ready to jump into action… you’re chomping at the bit! 🐎💨

👉 Arabic: متحمّس جدًا / لا يستطيع الانتظار
👉 French: être impatient de / avoir hâte de

💬 Question:
What’s something you’re chomping at the bit to do right now?

Mr Issam Boukhibar : 🚀 Can you really succeed with nothing?

🎯 Phrase: Pull yourself up by your bootstraps

👉 Definition:
To improve your life by your own efforts, especially when you start with little or no help.
📌 In Arabic:
يشق طريقه بنفسه رغم الصعوبات
or
ينهض بنفسه اعتمادًا على جهده الشخصي
French equivalents:
Se faire tout seul(e)

Mr Issam Boukhibar in action: Use the following phrase when someone just can’t stop being in the spotlight !

👉 In English, we say: “to hog the limelight.”

💡 Meaning:
To take all the attention and not let others shine.

Arabic:
يسيطر على الأضواء / يحب لفت الانتباه بشدة

French:
attirer toute l’attention / voler la vedette

Mr Issam Boukhibar in action: If you keep doing something difficult, stressful, or even painful… even though you know it’s not easy — this phrase is for you!

👉 Watch till the end and start using it confidently!

Arabic: be a glutton for punishment= شخص يعشق المعاناة
French: be a glutton for punishment= Masochiste

Mr Issam Boukhibar in action: Have you ever felt stuck between two choices? 🤔

In this video, you’ll learn a natural English phrase natives use every day.

👉 Watch till the end and start using it confidently!

I'm in two minds= أفعل أم لا أفعل؟ 🤯

Is it better to decide quickly or take your time?”

Do you follow your heart or your mind when making decisions?

Mr Issam Boukhibar in action - In this video, I explain the phrase: “to lean whichever way the wind blows.”

📌 Meaning: to change your opinions or decisions easily depending on other people or the situation, instead of sticking to your principles.

Arabic: يميل مع كل ريح دون ثبات على مبدأ
French: aller dans le sens du vent

❓ How do you deal with someone who leans whichever way the wind blows?