[00:02.92]Hi Helen. I thought I would pop round to talk to you about today's Authentic Real English, but err, it looks like you're busy.
[00:10.14]What are all these police cars doing here?
[00:12.64]Quick, come in, shut the door, now this is very serious. There has been a murder.
[00:19.31]What?
[00:20.13]A murder. I know it's not very nice, but to be honest the police can't find any blood or a body. It's like a murder mystery.
[00:31.66]Hmm,a murder mystery,well we need to do our own investigation. So what exactly happened?
[00:38.20]Well, my friend came to see me this morning.
[00:41.10]I see.
[00:42.35]And we were having a nice chat when she said I could murder a coffee and then she disappeared and I haven't heard from her since.
[00:53.27]Right. Well Helen, I think you can relax, I think she's still alive and everything is ok.
[01:00.30]There's no murder?
[01:02.26]No murder. When people say they could murder something it's an informal way of saying they are starving or thirsty and are desperate to have something to eat or drink.
[01:12.28]But murder is a strong word.
[01:14.00]Yes. It stresses how desperate someone is for something. A direct translation would mean you are so desperate for something you would kill it.
[01:22.49]But in reality, we don't go that far.
[01:24.80]Thank goodness.
[01:26.50]Here are some more examples.
[01:28.74]It's been a really tough day at work, I could murder a beer or two, anyone want to join me at the pub?
[01:36.10]I'm starving, I could murder a curry.
[01:40.85]the English we speak
[01:44.25]It's amazing what people will commit murder for. But in reality when we would murder for something, we just have a desperate need for something.
[01:53.80]People also describe a situation or a feeling as murder, but again there is no killing involved. They are just trying to explain that something is bad or uncomfortable.
[02:04.12]So the word murder is also used to emphasise a bad situation or uncomfortable feeling. Such as Rob?
[02:11.98]Such as in these examples.
[02:14.35]Running a marathon is murder on my knees.
[02:18.70]I've been decorating all day and my back is murder.
[02:23.61]Don't go on the London underground during the rush hour, it's murder.
[02:28.57]the English we speak
[02:31.23]So by saying "it's murder" he means it's awful. It's terrible. Anyway Helen, now we know there's not been a real murder, I think we should tell these policemen to go home now.
[02:42.93]Good idea. Excuse me, there's been a terrible misunderstanding. There's not been a murder so you can all go home.
[02:52.33]Oh right. So we've been wasting our time then? But hold on, I think there might be another murder soon.
[03:00.10]Oh, why's that?
[03:02.37]Well, I could murder a cup of tea.
[03:05.42]Of course.
[03:08.45]I'll put the kettle on. Bye.
[03:10.60]Bye.
[03:12.30]Policeman: Milk, two sugars please!