毎日通える英会話教室‐English Garden の英会話ブログ

This week's topic was fears.

As you know, I really hate cockroaches!
So, in English I can say:

1. scary/scared: 怖い、怖がってる
a) I'm scared of cockroaches!
b) Cockroaches are scary.

2. freak out: パニックする、ビビる
a) I freak out when I see cockroaches
b) Cockroaches freak me out.

But, snakes are not so bad.
So I can say:

3. bother: 気にする
Snakes don't bother me.

4. mind: 気にする
I don't mind snakes.

I can't kill cockroaches. Some women think that is kind of pathetic (情けない）

People are often scared of these things too:
- heights
- public speaking
- the dark
- small spaces
- roller coasters
- cicadas
- yakuzas


There are two very useful expressions in english, that use the same two words "used to"
However, depending on how you use it, it means very different things.

1. I used to (昔...だった)

I used to be a music composer.
I used to be scared of the dark.
English Garden used to be a cafe.

＊他の動詞もOK
I used to love video games.
I used to catch cicadas

2. I'm used to (慣れている）

- I'm used to public speaking.
- I'm not used to cockroaches.

* you can also use "get used to", if you want to say 慣れる、慣れない、慣れてきた）
- You'll get used to it.
- I can't get used to cockroaches.
- I'm getting used to hot weather.

"I used to" and "I'm used to" almost sound the same. But if you look carefully, they are different!

If you are scared of something, you can always overcome (乗り越える）your fear of that thing! For example, I want to overcome my fear of cockroaches and deep water.