Jiaying Hello and welcome to The English We Speak. I’m Jiaying…
Neil …and hello, it’s me, Neil.
Jiaying Neil! You’re wearing a dressing gown – to work! You look ready to go to bed – no cap!
Neil Thanks Jiaying. I’m trying to look really relaxed today! So I put a dressing gown over my suit! And of course I’m not wearing a cap! It would look strange with a dressing gown! Why would you say that?
Jiaying No, Neil! I said ‘no cap’! We say ‘no cap’ when we want to reinforce that what we are saying is the absolute truth.
Neil Ahh – so you think I look relaxed then in my dressing gown?
Jiaying Well, I actually said you look like you’re heading to bed – but you do look very relaxed. I’m not sure it’s the best thing to wear at work. No cap!
Neil Oh dear – perhaps I should take it off and just stick to the suit. I think I might look a bit too relaxed.
Jiaying Good idea! – You can do that while we listen to these examples. No cap - they’re amazing!
Examples That new song is the best thing I’ve ever heard! No cap!
No cap! You’re the funniest person I know! You always make me laugh!
I don’t like those mushrooms. No cap, they taste awful.
Jiaying You’re listening to The English We Speak from BBC Learning English, and we’re talking about the expression ‘no cap’. We use ‘no cap’ to mean ‘no lie’ and to say something is the truth!
Neil Yes! We can also say capping to mean lying! By the way, did I tell you that I won the lottery!
Jiaying Stop capping, Neil! You didn’t win the lottery.
Neil I’m not capping. I won the lottery! No cap!
Jiaying So, if you won a million pounds, why are you still working? Wouldn’t you rather be on holiday?
Neil Well, first off, I love my job, no cap. I’d do it even if I won the lottery. And secondly, I didn’t say I’d won a million pounds!
Jiaying True! How much did you win?
Neil £2! I used it to buy that dressing gown from a charity shop! No cap!
Jiaying Ahhh, well congratulations on your big win! Bye Neil!
Neil Bye!