How to Talk About Feeling Happy in English

Earlier this year, we taught you how to talk about feeling sad in English to help you express yourselves while feeling the January Blues.

Well, now it is time to snap out of your sad mo0d and end January on a high! Get ready to smile and feel positive as we look at how to talk about feeling happy in English.

You might remember that a lot sadness idioms feature the word ‘down’, or very similar meanings. Well guess what! Their happy equivalents are similarly related to ‘up’. So expect to see plenty of examples of jumping and floating...

Over the Moon – This is one of the most extreme examples of happiness, over the moon means to be extremely delighted… in fact so delighted that you could jump over the moon.

The phrase originally comes from 'Hey Diddle Diddle', a famous children’s nursery rhyme from the 18th century.

I’m over the moon about my exam results.

Walking on air – To feel elated and so happy that you could float.

She was walking on air when she got the job.

On Top of the World – Not only does this talk about happiness, but it can also specifically talk about the happiness we get from being successful.

He was on top of the world after winning first prize

Jump for Joy – To be very happy

I jumped for joy once I found out I had been chosen to be in the team

Look on the bright side – To find positivity in a negative matter. If you’re an optimistic person then you’ll be able to do this easily.

Look on the bright side. At least you won't have to wake up early to go to work now.

Things are looking up – Ah, our good old friend ‘up’ again! When things have not been going well for you, but then begin to improve then we can talk about things looking up.

Business got a lot worse after the financial crisis but things are looking up for us now.

End on a high note –We can use this in two slightly different ways:

We can use it to talk about something that has not gone well but finishes strongly – Even after a bad school year, he finished on a high note by passing all of his exams.

We can also use it to talk about something that has been going well, so we plan to end it before it has the chance to go badly.

He decided to end his term as president on a high note before the election next year.

And on that note, let’s end on a high! Be sure to check out more happiness idioms in our fantastic Happiness Illustration.

Your year will have lots of ups and downs, but hopefully our happy words will feature strongly for you in 2014. Enjoy!

Glossary

snap out of (v.) - to change suddenly from a bad mood to a good mood