This is an All Ears English podcast episode 1199.
What gives?
How to express frustration and confusion at the same time.
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When your computer crashes or you pay too much for a plane ticket and you feel frustrated, what can you say in English?
Find out a few insider native phrases today.
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Hey, Lindsay.
How's it going?
Yeah.
What a start, guys.
I know.
What a solid start.
Solid start.
No, things are good.
Actually, my birthday's coming up August 3rd, so I'm excited for that.
I guess I'll be on the road when I turn 38, because we're taking a road trip this summer, so that's exciting.
Yeah.
That is exciting.
Yeah, things are good.
How are you, Michelle?
I'm good.
My computer has been so weird.
It just starts randomly turning off.
I need a new one.
Oh, man.
Seriously?
What gives?
I know.
It's 2019, right?
Yeah.
I know.
That's so crazy.
I mean, it should not be... Your computer should be working all the time.
It should be a steady presence for you.
I know.
I know.
Exactly.
What gives, right?
Oh my gosh. what gives okay um so yeah actually that is the my computer is not turning off randomly yet but um it's it's uh it's uh shutting down it's uh so it's like crashing is it crashing is that what's happening a little bit a little bit it's just it's just having some trouble and it's definitely because it's old the old girl needs to needs to get a tune-up or get just get be replaced so how long have you had your computer i was just talking about this with my husband yesterday well he thinks since like 2013 or 2014 it's been a while you should replace it for sure yeah i know i know it's time it's time So guys, we're going to get into this short little phrase, what gives in a second.
But before that, guys, we want to thank everyone who reviewed us.
Right, Lindsay?
Yeah, definitely.
So I want to say a special thank you to our reviewers.
So let's see.
Let's see.
Thank you to Donya Falaki from the U.S. on June 7th.
Chris Dev Webb from June 7th from France.
Rafa Lorozo from Brazil.
Someone in Russia on June 10th.
And Golnaz Golzar from the U.S. on June 15th.
Guys, thank you for writing these great reviews.
They are four and five stars, Michelle.
This is awesome.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
Yeah, we appreciate it.
Yeah, for sure.
Great.
So let's get into this question we have from a listener about this phrase, what gives?
Yes.
The listener has two questions, actually.
We'll read the beginning and the second part as we will answer the second question.
Okay.
All right.
So I'll go ahead and read the first part.
Michelle, do you want me to do that?
Yes.
All right.
So I'm Alyssa.
This is from Mashid from Iran.
I'm a listener of yours since the fall.
And when I stumbled on your podcast, I was preparing for my IELTS exam which, by the way, went amazing.
Thanks to you and Jessica on your wonderful material and methods.
I got an overall eight.
Hey, that's good.
Yeah, that's great news.
If you guys are preparing for IELTS, go over, subscribe to IELTS Energy Podcast and we have the best tips and tricks for you guys over there.
And Mashid says, I'm still tuning into your podcast not to lose the grip.
I have two questions I could use some help with.
The second question.
I have is from an article I was reading on barking up the wrong tree.
It went like this.
So my question is, when and how is this phrase, what gives, used in conversations or in writing?
Apologies for the length of the email.
Length of the email and thanks for putting the time in to read and many more if you choose to talk about it in an episode.
Love, Mashid from Iran.
Oh, wow.
This is great.
Good question.
So, Masheed, maybe we'll try and get to your first question another time.
Yeah, I love that Masheed asked about what gives, because he's really diving into real English right.
I mean, this is not really found in textbooks so much.
Yeah, absolutely not.
I think it's such a natural little phrase.
Do you say what gives, Lindsay?
I mean, I personally don't say it a ton, but I know that people do.
And I know you can.
So it's good to teach today.
Yeah, for sure.
I might say it like I don't think I use it too much either.
But like if I'm frustrated about something.
I mean, I think it's one of those phrases that expresses frustration.
Um, but it also asks the question why whatever happened happened.
Like um.
For example, when I was talking about my computer and we discussed technology, I asked what gives at the end.
So I was I asking you like to answer my question?
No, it's a way it's a really native way, by the way to express frustration and to kind of express that you just don't get it.
Yeah.
Right, right, right.
So I'm not asking you to really answer that question.
What gives?
It's more saying like, oh, I don't understand.
It's 2019.
We're so advanced, but there's still problems, right?
Yeah, exactly.
Exactly.
I mean, there's a lot of other things that people might say nowadays.
People might curse.
You know what I mean?
Yeah, that's true.
Yeah.
But this is a good one.
You know, this is definitely a cultural phrase, for sure.
For sure.
Yeah.
So I think it expresses that frustration and also that you just don't understand right why whatever is happening is happening.
So, I mean, it can be used to talk to someone, right?
So, for example, let's do a little role play here, Lindsay.
Okay.
Lindsay, this is the second time you've forgotten your key.
What gives, I don't know.
Michelle, I need to put it in my bag as soon as I get home every day, so I know it's always there.
I could totally see that happening.
I forget everything.
These days, I feel like I have to write notes for everything.
It's awful.
I forget so much.
It's so bad.
Oh, no.
I'm just imagining little yellow sticky notes all around your apartment.
No, it's true.
They're everywhere.
That's amazing.
That's amazing.
Yeah.
So I think you know.
So, like with the technology example you know you're talking about just like general right, but here i'm actually talking to you, um.
So again, i'm not asking you to answer what gives.
I mean, in a way, i guess i am, but i mean it's more like i'm saying like what's going on, why is this happening?
Right, but you don't need to answer it like directly.
What do you think, lindsay?
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Yeah, so I see what you're saying.
So you feel like it might be a little bit confrontational, because you're directly saying why are you forgetting your keys?
Right, right.
So I'm more, you know, you don't even need to answer it at all.
It's not like I'm saying what gives and I'm saying you must answer me, but it's just conversational.
So you're kind of choosing to give me an explanation here.
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah, it's fine.
I mean, it's just it's this does not have a confrontational nature to it.
The phrase what what gives it's not rude.
It's really just questioning why something is happening.
You know, what's up?
Right.
What's happening?
Why is this happening?
Yeah.
Right, right, right.
Exactly.
Yeah.
So, I mean, I think if you say it in a certain way, you know, it could sound a little bit offensive.
But I think, you know, if it's lighthearted, like, what gives, Lindsay?
You know, that's different.
Yeah, that's so cool.
Okay, do we have more examples then?
Do we have a few more?
We sure do.
Yeah.
Good.
Here we go.
So here's another one.
Oh, no.
I got a D on the exam.
What gives?
I studied so hard.
Okay.
Yeah.
So that's good.
So you're asking yourself there, right?
You're saying, oh, why did this happen?
What gives?
Like why?
It's interesting, the construction of this word, what gives?
Like, why are we using the verb to give?
It's really, it's curious.
I don't know.
Yeah.
Right, right, right.
Right.
Yeah, it is interesting.
Lindsay, what's another one?
Oh, this dress is too big.
I thought I ordered the right size.
What gives?
What gives?
It's not natural for me, but it's very cultural.
I mean, you hear it in movies all the time.
It's out there in our culture, for sure.
Yeah, for sure.
So, yeah.
So again, you know, you can talk to a person using this phrase and you can talk about something right?
So like the size of the dress or technology or something, anything that's bothering you, or just a person's actions, like you know, Lindsay forgetting her keys or whatever.
Yeah.
Yeah.
So let's talk about just a couple ways to say this.
Another way.
So what's the first one, Lindsay?
Well, you could say, what's that about?
Right.
So this is yeah, this is probably something I'd be more likely to say, honestly, for some reason.
Like, for example, Michelle, you didn't RSVP for my party.
What's that about?
That also feels a little more confrontational to me.
Right.
That's true.
That is kind of confrontational sounding.
Yeah.
Yeah.
But I think it's a good one.
I think it's a good one to have, you know, in your toolbox.
And then the next one is, I don't get it.
Right, Lindsay?
What do you think about that?
Do you say something like, would you say that?
Oh, definitely all the time.
This is this I would also be more likely to say than what gives.
Like all the time.
I kind of yeah, when my, my computer also started breaking down last in the spring and I just don't get why it always crashes, and the most important moments, right.
I don't get it.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Yeah, exactly.
Or I could say something like, oh my gosh, this is the worst day.
My shoe got wet in a puddle and now my bag is soaking.
I don't get it.
Right, right, right.
Yeah.
Yeah.
It kind of has like a connotation, like a victim mentality a little bit.
Right.
Kind of.
Yeah.
Oh, yeah.
I think so.
I think so.
Yeah.
Yeah.
All right, cool.
So these are good ones.
So we have, what'd you say?
These are good ones, I said.
Oh, yeah.
Thanks, Lindsay.
Yeah.
So here you have three total phrases from this episode to express some kind of frustration and lack of understanding.
So let's put it all together, Lindsay.
Okay.
Lindsay, we are checking into our hotel room.
Okay.
We just checked in and we're getting to our room.
Okay.
Okay.
And I love, you like staying in fancy hotels.
I know.
I like hotels.
They're fun.
All right.
So here we go.
So, oh, this key isn't working.
Mine either.
Oh, what gives?
Here, let me try one more time.
Okay, got it.
Oh, this is nice.
Oh, gosh, I hate it.
It's really not that bad, Michelle.
Yes, it is, Lindsay.
Michelle, you've been in a bad mood all day.
What's that about?
Sorry, Lindsay.
I'm just still upset that I spent so much money on the plane ticket when there was a fare that was 400 less.
I thought I looked everywhere for the best price.
I don't get it.
Well, don't be too upset.
I mean, it happens.
All right.
Oh, geez.
Yeah.
Imagine like if you paid.
Have you ever like asked someone sitting next to you on a flight how much they paid for their ticket?
I haven't.
I haven't.
Have you?
No, but I always wonder.
The last time when I flew to Japan, I wondered.
I was thinking like, I wonder how much everyone else is paying for this flight.
It's never going to be the same as what I paid, right?
Yeah, no.
That's funny.
Yeah, yeah, you do wonder.
That's a good question.
Yeah, for sure.
Okay.
So what did we use here?
So we said, what gives?
You said, what gives?
You said, oh, I said, the key isn't working.
Mine either.
Oh, what gives?
Right?
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
And then you said that I've been in a bad mood all day.
And you said, what's that about?
Yeah, so I'm kind of calling you out here, right?
Yeah.
I'm saying, hey, what's going on?
Let's talk about it because, yeah.
And then you said, I'm sorry, I'm still upset that I spent so much money on the plane ticket, right?
I thought I looked everywhere for the best price.
I don't get it.
Or you might add, I just don't get it.
Oh, yeah, yeah.
You can say that too, for sure.
Yeah, for sure.
For sure.
Yeah, these are good phrases.
Yeah, yeah, this is this is a fun one.
Yeah, I think the takeaway is just that, you know, these phrases express multiple emotions right, which is so necessary at times.
Right, because it's showing not only that you're frustrated, but that you don't understand.
You're like trying to understand something, in a way.
Yeah.
But I think you know it's important to be careful that you use them in the right way, because sometimes it could sound confrontational, depending on your tone of voice or depending who you're talking to.
And it does reveal that you're frustrated.
So make sure that that's what you want to show.
Right, right.
I mean, we don't want to be that person that's frustrated all the time, right?
Because that would be hard to build relationships that way.
So some of these things we have to keep inside sometimes.
Yeah.
But yeah, but it's important to have some words in English, in our second language, to voice how we feel, too right guys?
I mean you want to have – you want to go to that next level and be able to say what you are experiencing, and this will help you do it.
Right, right, right.
Yeah.
So I love this question.
So thank you for asking it.
And guys, thank you for listening.
Yeah, guys.
And remember, as our listener asked earlier, we talked about the IELTS Energy podcast.
If you're taking IELTS, make sure you go over there, hit subscribe.
We publish three days a week.
And you know, my co host over there, Jessica.
She was an examiner for 14 years, so she has the best insight into the test right now.
All right, guys.
All right.
Very cool.
Michelle, I'll talk to you soon.
Have a good one.
All right.
Bye, Lindsay.
Bye.
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