While traveling in the car, our kids often complain about being __(confinados / “presos”)__ in the car for hours. Do you know how to say that in English?
Well, you could say that they are “confined” in the car, but that sounds too formal and it is not what we would usually say in this situation. It’s best to use a common phrasal verb to say that.
Listen to this short dialogue from the program “Faith Crossing” (which airs on BBN Radio). In this program you will hear a girl complaining about being __(confinada)__ in a van.
[audio:https://domineingles.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/cooped-up.mp3|titles=cooped-up][note class=”idea”]DICA: Clique no primeiro botão “Imprima com PrintFriendly” no final deste texto onde diz “Share the Knowledge” para gerar uma formatação mais simples para impressão.
A Long Car Trip – Fill In the Blanks (Preencha as Lacunas)
See answers and explanations below. (Veja as respostas e explicações abaixo.)
Victoria: Errrr! This _____ is never going to end! I can’t stand being _______ _____ (for) forever in this stuffy old van. I love Uncle Luby and all, but isn’t it his turn to visit us?
Brother: Tori, come on! You do this every time!
Victoria: I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can be silent no ________ . It’s (like) insufferably long and totally _______ . Frankly, I don’t think I can _______ it.
Sister: Tori, come on!
Victoria: I can’t ______ it.
Sister: Can’t ______ what?
Victoria: I think I’ve ______ some claustrofobia.
Sister: Tori, please! You can’t _______ claustrofobia.
Brother: I think she’s a carrier, though. I’m going to ____ _______ in this van listening to much more of this.
Victoria: Look! Look! A bead of ________! Hey! Kelly Pierce was talking the other day, and she was like: “Hey, if you ________ a lot in small places you’ve probably got claustrofobia.” Yeah, I’ve definitely caught claustrofobia.
Sister: Tori! Just try to think about something else.
Victoria: But we’re in the van! How can I not think about it?!
Father: Victoria, please! Before any of us totally panic, could we… yeah, I don’t know, like… get out of the _________ .
Victoria: Oh, sure, Dad. Sorry. I guess I (kind of) got ________ _____ in the moment.
A Long Car Trip – Script, Translations, and Explanations
Victoria: Errrr! This trip is never going to end! I can’t stand being cooped up (for) forever in this stuffy old van. I love Uncle Luby and all, but isn’t it his turn to visit us?
- trip = viagem
- cooped up = ver definição abaixo
- stuffy = abafada
Brother: Tori, come on! You do this every time!
Victoria: I’m sorry, but I’m afraid I can be silent no longer. It’s (like) insufferably long and totally boring. Frankly, I don’t think I can make it.
- I can be silent no longer = não consigo mais ficar quieta
- insufferably long = longo (de uma maneira insuportável)
- boring = entediante
- I don’t think I can make it. = Acho que não vou conseguir (suportar).
Sister: Tori, come on!
Victoria: I can’t help it.
- não posso fazer nada (não é minha culpa)
Sister: Can’t help what?
Victoria: I think I’ve caught some claustrofobia.
- caught = “peguei”, contraí
Sister: Tori, please! You can’t catch claustrofobia.
Brother: I think she’s a carrier, though. I’m going to go crazy in this van listening to much more of this.
- carrier = portadora (de uma doença)
- go crazy = ficar louco/maluco
Victoria: Look! Look! A bead of sweat! Hey! Kelly Pierce was talking the other day, and she was like: “Hey, if you sweat a lot in small places you’ve probably got claustrofobia.” Yeah, I’ve definitely caught claustrofobia.
bead of sweat = gota de sour
- “She was like…” [informal] = “Ela disse…”
Sister: Tori! Just try to think about something else.
Victoria: But we’re in the van! How can I not think about it?!
Father: Victoria, please! Before any of us totally panic, could we… yeah, I don’t know, like… get out of the driveway.
- like [gíria] = “tipo”
- get out of the driveway = sair da garagem – [driveway = entrada da garage]
Victoria: Oh, sure, Dad. Sorry. I guess I (kind of) got caught up in the moment.
- get caught up in the moment [expressão] = ficar tão “absorvido” no que está acontecendo naquele momento que você não pensa no que está dizendo ou fazendo
[blocknote class=”red” title=”O que significa o phrasal verb ‘copped up'”] Como se diz “cooped up” em português? Qual é a tradução de “cooped up”? What does “cooped up” mean? What is the meaning of “cooped up”?
- be cooped up = estar/ficar “preso”/”confinado” em uma área pequena e desconfortável.
[/blocknote]
Other Examples:
I can’t stand being cooped up in the office all day.
I’ve been cooped up in my room for the past two weeks preparing for this exam.
My kids complained about being cooped up in the car for hours during the long trip.
Who wants to be cooped up indoors when the sun is still out?
The kids have been cooped up all winter, studying and playing indoors.
After a long snowy winter, are you tired of being cooped up inside?
Our poor dog is cooped up in our small apartment all day. She loves it when I come home and take her out for a walk.
[blocknote class=”green” title=”Let’s practice the phrasal verb ‘cooped up'”] How about you? Do you like being cooped up in the office or in your home all day? Please write about it below.
[/blocknote]
awesome! I love this " vacational" tip! Thanks!
Yep, we’re often cooped up in the car during vacation. 🙂
It was hard to understand the dialogue. Shame on me!
No shame in that, Magda! Just keep o practicing!
Amazing explanation! It's easier to keep the phrasal verb in my mind when it's explained like that. Thank you! ^_^
So glad you learned it, Mirela!
Oh, Tim! You're always helping us to improve our English!
Every single day I learn something new from you.
Thanks a bunch for all!
And, by the way, I'm here cooped up in my room preparing my classes. Next week, I come back to work.
Live and learn! This is the taste of life!
See you…
Good luck going back to work, Cris! It’s not easy being a teacher sometimes! 🙂
Thanks, for your help. God Bless you!
Sure, Maria! Glad you like the tip.
Depending on the situation, I think it can be good to stay home all day … What makes me feel really bad is being cooped up on the bus or in the subway with lots of people , even by a few minutes…
Me, too. I’m a little claustrophobic at times.
I'm a kind of person who likes to go out specially in summer, when sun is out, (me and my dog Lolly), one thing that flew me off the handles is when I'm travelling by plane, it cooped me up, besides I'm afraid of flying, so I usually chew gum the whole trip. I'm a claustrophobic person, even indoors I can't stand windows closed and tunnels, subways too.
I feel the same in planes.
Thanks for dialogue!Good vacation and I hope you enjoy!
Hugs
Thanks, Lu!
I don't have problem in being cooped up , for other side many people feel this mainly in a elevator.thanks for this explanation timm!
You’re welcome, Vera! Glad you’re not claustrofobic!
Terrific!!! i love it.
Thanks, Sandra.
I don’t appreciate the idea of being cooped up in an airplane or even at home when the sun is shining outside. I’d rather feel free!
Same here, Cris. It’s no fun being cooped up when it’s such a beautiful day outside.
Hi Tim, I looked up “coop” on the dictionary and this helped me a lot to create a mnemonic association in my mind. To me works better when I figure out how the expression or phrasal verb came out, then when I put on my flashcards app the notes are there. Keep up the good work!
Good method, Sérgio! Keep up the good work!