FeifeiWelcome to The English We Speak with me, Feifei…
Rob… and me, Rob. Feifei, could we hurry up, please?
Feifei HURRY UP? Do you need to be somewhere, Rob?
Rob Yeah, I need to get to the shops to buy something in the sales.
Feifei So you want to snap up a bargain?
Rob Err, well I don’t want to snap anything, just grab a bargain.
Feifei That’s what I mean! When you ‘snap up’ something, it means you get something quickly and with enthusiasm. So, Rob, you want to snap up a bargain at the shops, but you could also snap up tickets for a concert, or snap up the offer of an amazing job.
Rob Well, today I want to snap up a new smartphone that’s on sale for half price!
Feifei Well, don’t go yet. We have some examples to listen to…
Examples Good news! The company snapped me up as soon as they read my CV.
I managed to snap up these half-price shoes in the sales. Do you like them?
I couldn’t get a ticket to the gig because they were all snapped up as soon as they went on sale.
Feifei You’re listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we’re talking about the expression ‘snap up’. If you snap up something, you get it quickly or immediately and usually with enthusiasm. So, Rob, is the smartphone you want to snap up any good?
Rob Yes! Long battery life, great image and sound quality, and it’s a great colour.
Feifei A bit like this one?
Rob Yes! Just like that one. Where did you get it from?
Feifei I snapped it up in the sales on the way to the office. Sorry, Rob, I think it was the last one.
Rob Oh Feifei, that’s not fair!
Feifei If you want something quickly, Rob, you have to snap to it – that means do something immediately or quickly.
Rob Oh well, the phone wasn’t that good anyway – and now I’ve saved my money I can go and snap up something else in the sales.
Feifei Good. So now we’re both happy! Bye.
Rob Bye bye.