#49- 26 Phrasal Verbs, Slang Words & Idioms to Talk about the Future

Welcome to episode #49 of The Real Life English with Gabby Podcast! This episode will teach you 26 phrasal verbs, slang words and idioms for talking about the future. In a society like the U.S.A., we're all about planning for and talking about our future. Talking about the future is a HUGE part of our culture, especially when we're talking about our hopes, dreams and career goals. In American culture and most cultures around the world, it’s very important to know how to talk the future and the new things you're planning to do. After listening to this episode and using this Study Guide, you’ll be able to confidently about the future and be one step closer to speaking English like a native speaker.

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Transcript

[00:00:00]
 On this episode of The Real Life English with Gabby podcast, I'll be teaching you 26 phrasal verbs, slang words, and idioms for talking about the future. You'll be learning vocabulary like a pipe dream, gear up for, on the come-up, on the horizon, and more. Let's get to it.
Hey there. Welcome to the Real Life English with Gabby podcast. I'm your host, Gabby, your fun and friendly English teacher from the one and only New York City. My goal is to teach you phrasal verbs, idioms, and slang that will help you speak English confidently and understand real American conversations.
Are you ready to improve your English skills? Let's jump right in.

Hey, hey, hey. Welcome to episode number 49. Greetings from the one and only New York City. I can happily say that the weather here is
 [00:01:00]
 finally warming up after months of consecutive cold weather. Over the past month, there have been quite a few holidays here in the United States that are celebrated all around the world. So I just wanna say happy Passover, happy Eid, and happy Easter or Pasqua to all of you listening who celebrate any of these holidays.

It has been very busy here in the United States since we have many people who are Muslim, Jewish, and Christian celebrating these three holidays. But now we're finally getting out of the holiday season, and we have no more big holidays or school breaks until the end of May, which is Memorial Day—our unofficial kickoff of summer.

Last episode, episode 48, we talked all about how to express yourself when talking about the past.
 [00:02:00]
 That was a really great episode, and so this episode, we're focusing on the future. I've mentioned this before, but the USA has a very future-oriented culture. We're always thinking ahead about our future plans. Almost every American grows up knowing that we need a five-year plan, a ten-year plan, a bucket list, backup plans—everything.

If you don't know, a bucket list is a list of things you want to accomplish before you die—before you kick the bucket, which is an idiom that we have that talks about dying. Even things like planning vacations come one to two years ahead. For example, we are currently planning our big vacation for May 2026—we're already doing that.
[00:03:00]
And we just found out that a huge Star Wars fan celebration is happening in April 2027, and we're planning for that as well. In case you don't know, my family and I are huge nerds. We love superheroes, Harry Potter, Star Wars—you name it. So anyways, yes, we plan ahead here. People who don't plan ahead for the future in the United States are often seen as being unmotivated, going nowhere.

For example, if you are in high school, and you see your guidance counselor, and your guidance counselor says, "Okay, tell me your five-year plan. Tell me about your future. What do you want this to look like?"

And if you don't have an answer, people become concerned. "Oh my goodness. They're not ambitious, they're not motivated. I'm worried about
 [00:04:00]
 their future." This is kind of the invisible pressure that many Americans experience growing up.

Now, for me, I'm a huge planner. I love it. When I go on vacation, I have a Google Sheet, I have everything planned.
 My husband is not as much of a planner, so it's a little bit more difficult to be an American like him. But there are lots of different types of personalities here in the USA. I know that many of you come from cultures that are similar—where you love being motivated for the future—but I also know many cultures that are not.

I think that there are pros and cons to both types of approaches to life. The negative aspects of this kind of culture are that people work too hard for the future and they often miss out on
 [00:05:00]
 enjoying the present. Also, people have very high expectations of themselves and get easily disappointed, and see themselves as failures if they don't meet all of their future goals and dreams.

The USA, unfortunately—one of the side effects of our type of culture—is that we have a very high suicide rate, and this is one of the main reasons why I think that many Americans are currently trying to find the middle ground, where they're motivated for the future but not too hard on themselves, and also more present right now.

Well, there's a lot of vocabulary to get through in this episode, so let's not waste any time and get right to it. I know that 26 words is
 [00:06:00]
 a lot for one episode, but I couldn't cut down this list any more than I already did. So here's the vocabulary that you are going to learn in this episode:

A pipe dream,
 Over time, Map out, Gear up for, Work toward, On the come-up, Shoot for the stars, The sky’s the limit, In the long run, A bright future, Up in the air, What the future holds, Follow through (with), In the years to come, A long way off, On the horizon, Just around the corner, Sooner or later, Time will tell, The best is yet to come, Crystal ball, At some point, In due time, When the dust settles,
 [00:07:00]
 Somewhere along the line, and Further down the road/line.

Before I get into the story, I just wanna remind you all that there's a study guide waiting for you. The study guide has everything you need to help you practice all of the vocabulary that you hear in this episode. It has the words in the context of the story, definitions, examples, practice activities, and the transcript. To get the study guide, just click the link in the episode description.

Alright, so let's get to the story. Listen as I use all of the vocabulary in context in the story. Try and see how much you can understand just from the context. Let's get started.

Nia had always dreamed of opening her own art studio. It started as a pipe dream—
 [00:08:00]
 something she talked about, but didn't really believe could happen. But over time, things began to change. She started to map out her plan. She knew it wouldn't be easy, but she was ready to gear up for the challenge. She picked up part-time jobs to save money and enrolled in a business class.

Slowly, she began to work toward her goal. Her friends noticed the change.

"You're really on the come-up," her friend Danny said one day. "Look at you, you're really going for it."

Nia smiled. "I'm trying to shoot for the stars. Who knows? Maybe I'll make it big. After all, the sky's the limit."

Some people still had doubts though.

"Do you really think this is going to work out in the long run?" her brother asked.

"I do,"
 [00:09:00]
 Nia said. "It might take years, but I'm in it for the long haul. If I keep pushing forward, I think I'll have a bright future."

It might take years, but I'm not going to quit. And if I keep pushing forward, I think I'll have a bright future.

Not everything was so clear. Her business location was still up in the air, and she had no idea what the future held for her, but she kept moving.

"I just need to follow through with my plan," she told herself.

She believed that, in the years to come,
 her studio could become something special—maybe even a community space for everyone. But that was still a long way off.

Still though, she could feel a change coming on the horizon.

Her first art show was just around the corner,
 [00:10:00]
 and a local newspaper had called her for an interview. She felt like something big was coming.

Maybe not today, but sooner or later, time will tell, Danny said.
 "But you’re doing all the right things."
 "Yeah," Nia agreed. "The best is yet to come."

She didn’t have a crystal ball, and she couldn’t see the future clearly, but she believed that at some point, things would fall into place. Maybe not tomorrow, but in due time, she’d get there. And if things didn’t go as planned, she would adjust.
 "I’ll figure it out when the dust settles," she said. "I’ve come too far to quit now."

She believed that somewhere along the line, her dream would come true. Maybe not exactly how she imagined it, but she’d be right where she was meant to be. And she would eventually [00:11:00] achieve all of her dreams.
 The end.

Okay, let’s get to these definitions and examples.

Firstly, we have Nia talking about having a dream, and it started as a pipe dream—something she really didn’t think could happen. And that’s what a pipe dream is. It’s a hope or a plan that’s impossible—or at least very unlikely—to happen.

For example:
 Winning the lottery and retiring at 30 is just a pipe dream for most people.

Most people who eventually become president or become famous celebrities, they always say that it started with a pipe dream and that many people told them it was impossible. But they kept going, kept dreaming. And so, [00:12:00] that’s the nice thing about pipe dreams: sometimes, they actually do come true.

So at first, Nia believed it was a pipe dream and that it couldn’t really happen. But then, over time, things began to change.

Now, you may have heard overtime in the context of work—that’s one word: overtime. That’s when you work more than the necessary hours at your job. Here in the United States, anything over 40 hours is overtime.

This is over time, so it’s two separate words.

Now, you may have heard overtime in the context of work—that’s one word: overtime. That’s when you work more than the necessary hours at your job. Here in the United States, anything more than 40 hours a week is overtime for most jobs.

This word in the [00:13:00] story is over (with a space in between) and then time. So, over time means gradually, as time passes.

We can choose to say gradually, or we can choose to say over time.
Her confidence grew over time as she kept practicing public speaking.
After a while—gradually, as time passed—her confidence grew.

Next up, we have the phrasal verb map out.

It says she started to map out her plans.
Map out means to make a detailed plan for something.

It’s kind of like you are deciding which route to go while looking at a map. You’re showing on the map where exactly to go. And so this is the same—you’re [00:14:00] making a very detailed plan for something.

For example:
 They mapped out their travel route before leaving for their road trip.

Next up, we have the three-word phrasal verb gear up for.

In the story, she says she knew it wouldn’t be easy, but she was ready to gear up for the challenge.
Gear up for means to prepare for something that’s going to happen—typically something big, something challenging that you need to prepare for.

You can’t go into it randomly. You have to have a plan. You have to be prepared.

For example:
 The team is gearing up for the big game this weekend.

The word gear is equipment. So when you go to play a [00:15:00] game—let’s say you want to play baseball, soccer, football—you need gear. You need your football gear. You need the ball, you need cleats (the shoes), maybe some shin guards to protect your legs.

There are quite a few things that you need. This is gear. So gearing up for is symbolically putting on the gear, the equipment that you’re going to need to prepare for something.

Next, we have another phrasal verb: to work toward something (or toward).

In the story, it says:
 Slowly, she began to work toward her goal.

To work toward something is to make an effort to achieve a goal. So you’re working to accomplish something specific. You’re not just working, but you’re working with your eyes on a target.

For example:
 He’s working toward [00:16:00] becoming a professional musician, so he’s practicing every day.

You’re working not just to work. You have a specific goal in mind that you’re trying to achieve.

Next up, we have the expression on the come up.

The come up is slang. In the story, it says:
"You are really on the come up."

This is what her friend said to her.

To be on the come up means that you are becoming more and more successful. You are gaining more and more popularity. You are on your way up. You are rising.

For example:
 That new singer on American Idol is really on the come up.

Next, we have a very popular idiom: shoot for the stars.

To shoot for the stars is to aim for something very ambitious, very high. [00:17:00] We also say reach for the stars, but it’s more commonly heard as shoot for the stars.

You’re aiming very high.

So maybe you’re not just aiming to go into government or politics—you are aiming to become the president of your country, for example.

She’s shooting for the stars by applying to the top universities in the country.

Next, we have the expression the sky’s the limit.

This means that there’s no limit to what someone can achieve. In the story, Nia says:
 "Maybe I’ll make it big. After all, the sky’s the limit."

This is a very positive and encouraging thing for someone to say—very empowering—because it shows you:
 Hey, there’s no limit to what you can achieve, so keep reaching higher. Keep shooting for the stars.

The sky’s the [00:18:00] limit is a very popular quote in English because it’s a famous song from Notorious B.I.G. (or Biggie Smalls), who many of you will know. But he has a song called "Sky’s the Limit".

And ever since then, it’s been a very popular quote for people who want to have very high goals.

For example:
 With your talent and determination, the sky’s the limit.

Next, we have the expression in the long run.

This means eventually, after a long period of time.

For example:
 Eating healthy might be hard now, but it’ll pay off in the long run.

Next up, we have the expression a bright future.

In the story, Nia says:
 "If I keep working hard, I’ll have a bright future."

We also hear people say:
 "You have a bright future ahead of [00:19:00] you."

The word bright has two meanings. Firstly, it means full of light—it’s very positive. It can also mean smart and extremely intelligent.

A bright future is a future that looks successful, positive—a lot of good things are going to happen.

It is a very good thing to tell people when they’re young:
 "You have a bright future ahead of you."

Next up, we have an idiom: up in the air.

Up in the air means uncertain or undecided.

In the story, she says the business location was still up in the air.

Up in the air we use for a lot of different things. We use it for the future, but we use it specifically also for plans—even if the plans are for tonight.

So if my friend calls me and says,
 "Hey, do you wanna catch a movie tonight?"

I might say,
 "Well, my plans [00:20:00] right now are up in the air, so I’ll get back to you."

So we can use it for immediate future or far future.
 "Our plans for next year are up in the air, so I’ll let you know what we decide."

For example:
 Our summer vacation plans are still up in the air.

Next up, we have what the future holds.

This means what will happen in the future. In the story, you heard it used in the negative way.

She’s not sure what the future holds.

And this is often used in the negative form:
 "I don’t know what the future holds."
"I’m not sure what the future holds."

For example:
 No one knows what the future holds, so enjoy the moment.

Next we have a three-word phrasal verb: follow through with. We can say follow through, but we can also say follow through with. This is to complete something that you started to do or you promised to [00:21:00] do. So you might say to someone, "You always make me promises, but you never follow through." Or follow through with or follow through on them, meaning that you don't complete what you say you're going to complete. In the story, she says, "I just need to follow through with my plan. I need to complete it." For example, "He said he'd start the project, but he never followed through with it."

Next up, we have the expression in the years to come. This means in the future—years in the future. She believed that in the years to come, her studio could be something special. So I know that a lot of these expressions mean in the future. The reason why we have so many different expressions that mean in the future is simply because we wanna add some variety and some beauty to English.
Imagine if in the story I [00:22:00] repeated in the future 20 times. "So she had no idea what was gonna happen in the future. She believed that in the future, she could feel a change coming in the future." So it would be very repetitive and very boring, which is why topics like this are for high-level learners when you really think about it. Because when you're an A1 or A2, you can say in the future, in the future, in the future. But once you get to level B2, C1, C2, you really wanna start adding some variety into your language. Because that's what really is going to set you apart and level up your English. So that's why there are so many different expressions that mean in the future.

Next up, we have a long way off. A long way off means not happening soon. So it's in the future, but it's far in the future. [00:23:00] A long way off—think 10, 20 years from now.
So in the story, she says she wants her studio to become something special. Maybe it can even become a community space. That's a long way off. She's not really even considering the idea now. It's an idea maybe in a five- or ten-year plan, but it's not something that she can do now.

Next up, we have on the horizon. The horizon is where the sky meets the land.
I want you to imagine that you are looking in the distance, and there's a point where the water meets the sky. The sky meets the land. That's what we call the horizon. "Oh, the sun is coming up on the horizon." "Oh, there's clouds on the horizon," which is another idiom, which means there's trouble coming in the future.
On the horizon is something that is coming soon. It's expected to happen [00:24:00] in the near future. In the story, she says she could feel a change on the horizon. This means that she knows it's coming soon. She doesn't know when, but it's coming soon. She might be able to see it soon. Think of when you see the sun rising. You're waiting, looking at the horizon. You know it's coming, and then all of a sudden you see the sun come up.
For example, "A big promotion might be on the horizon for her."

Next up, we have the expression just around the corner. Now, this can be a literal expression: "Hey, where's the store?" "Oh, it's just around the corner." So you just have to walk around the corner—literally. This means something's very close in distance. But we also use just around the corner metaphorically, [00:25:00] symbolically, for time. Just around the corner means it's very close. It's going to happen soon.
In the sentence, she says her first art show was just around the corner. It was coming soon—maybe next week, maybe two weeks, maybe next month.
Another example would be: "I have to study hard because final exams are just around the corner."

Next up, we have the expression sooner or later. This is a great one. We use this all the time. Sooner or later just means eventually it'll happen. Not sure when, but we definitely use it for eventually. So when we use the word eventually, sometimes it can be used when we wanna commit to something, but we don't really wanna commit.
So somebody wants us to agree to something, but we don't wanna commit and give a time. And so we say, "Oh, well, we'll do it sooner or [00:26:00] later." It just means eventually it will get done. But I'm not giving a specific time. In the story, she says something big was coming—maybe not today, but sooner or later, eventually it was gonna happen.
Another example would be: "Sooner or later, you need to face the truth and have a conversation with your family."

Next, we have a really great expression that we use all the time: time will tell. Time will tell is a very unique expression because it means that the future will show us the result or the answer. So right now, we can't see exactly what's gonna happen, but the future will tell us. And so she says, "Time will tell." This is a classic response, like, "Ugh, I wish I could see what [00:27:00] was gonna happen at work."
"Time will tell." It's kind of like saying, be patient. We're not gonna know the answer until time passes.
For example: "Time will tell whether or not their new business will succeed."

Next, we have a very positive and encouraging expression: the best is yet to come. This means better things are still coming in the future, and this is an expression we use to tell people, be patient, don’t worry, don’t quit. The best is yet to come—very motivational, very encouraging.
Nia tells it to herself: "The best is yet to come."
An example would be: "Don't worry, your life is only beginning, and the best is yet to come. Don't quit."

Next up, we have a crystal ball. Now, you've probably seen [00:28:00] this in movies where someone like a fortune teller, a psychic, is looking into a ball that looks like it's made of glass. We call that a crystal ball. And so you see a crystal ball, and someone says that they can tell you your future. So in English, we use crystal ball as a metaphor for being able to see the future.
So you might say, "I don't know what's gonna happen. I don't have a crystal ball." In the story, it says she didn't have a crystal ball and she couldn't see the future clearly, but she believed that at some point, things would fall into place.
So this is saying she didn't have a crystal ball—she couldn't predict the future.
An example would be: "I wish I had a crystal ball to know how this job interview was going to go."

Next up, we have at some point, which you just heard in my example with crystal ball. At some point is [00:29:00] similar to sooner or later. It means at an unknown or unspecified time in the future. I am not going to specify any details, but it will happen at some point.
You may use this again to not fully commit to something.
Or if your manager tells you to do something, you'll say, "Okay, I'll get it done at some point today." I don't have a specific time, but it will get done.
For example: "At some point, we all have to make big life decisions."

Next, we have in due time. In due time means at the right time or expected time—right when we need it to happen. In the story, it says at some point, things will fall into place in her life. Maybe not tomorrow, but in due time, she'd get [00:30:00] there.
At some point, at the right time, at the expected time.
In the future, it's going to happen.
"You'll get better at this in due time."

Next, we have another really cool expression: when the dust settles. It's very, very interesting. This means when a situation becomes clear or becomes calm after chaos or confusion.
I want you to imagine that there's an earthquake or that there's a fire. Lots of chaos happening. When everything is calm, when the chaos is done, it's like there's a layer of dust on top of everything—that's either ash from the fire or dust from buildings—and things just seem to get very calm.
This is actually what we're referring to when the dust settles. When [00:31:00] all of the chaos has calmed down, then we will see what's happening.
For example: "We'll make a decision when the dust settles after the business merger."

Next up, we have somewhere along the line. Somewhere along the line means at some time during a specific process or timeline. So this is also very vague—not specific—but it's happening within a process.
So she says somewhere along the line, her dream would come true. She's talking about a specific time period, but that it would happen at some time during that process.
"Somewhere along the line, they stopped talking to each other and there was chaos."

And lastly, we have further down the road, further down the line. This means later in the [00:32:00] future. We are not there yet, but a little bit later, a little bit further, a little bit longer.
In the story, she says further down the line, she would be right where she was supposed to be. So she's not there yet, but it's coming.
"They plan to expand their business further down the line."

Okay, that is the end of the definitions for the new words. As I say at the end of every episode, for homework, I want you to make it your goal to try to use five to ten of the vocabulary words and expressions that you heard in this episode.
 You can talk to a friend who wants to learn English or maybe a friend who's practicing English.
 You can write it down in a vocabulary journal. You can write it in an email. You can even say it to yourself and record yourself saying these [00:33:00] words and using them in sentences.
 The most important thing is that you practice what you learn so that you can truly remember them. Don't forget to pick up the study guide because it'll help you do just that.

Well, that's a wrap for today's episode of the Real Life English with Gabby podcast. Be sure to download today’s study guide so that you can learn how to use this vocabulary confidently.
If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to subscribe for more weekly adventures in English learning.
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Thanks so much for tuning in.