Shift gears Meaning in English
expression
ˈʃɪft/ /ˈɡɪɹz
SHIFT GEERZ
ʃˈɪft/ /ɡˈiəz
sh-IFT gee-UHZ
Definition
To physically change the gear in a vehicle, or to quickly change what you are doing or how you are thinking.
Usage & Nuances
Can be literal (driving) or figurative (changing topic/speed/approach). In conversation, often means to change focus, plans, or mood. Common in business and casual speech. Used as 'let's shift gears' to suggest a new direction.
Spanish: cambiar de marcha - cambiar de enfoquePortuguese (BR): mudar de marcha - mudar de focoPortuguese (PT): mudar de mudança - mudar de focoChinese (Simplified): 换挡 - 转变方式Chinese (Traditional): 換檔 - 轉變方式Hindi: गियर बदलना - दृष्टिकोण बदलनाArabic: تغيير التروس - تغيير النهجBengali: গিয়ার পরিবর্তন করা - নতুন দিকে মনোযোগ দেওয়াRussian: переключить передачу - сменить подходJapanese: ギアを変える - 気持ち・話題を切り替えるVietnamese: chuyển số - chuyển hướngKorean: 기어를 바꾸다 - 방식을 바꾸다Turkish: vites değiştirmek - konu değiştirmekUrdu: گیئر تبدیل کرنا - رخ بدلناIndonesian: ganti gigi - mengubah arah
Example Sentences
You need to shift gears when the car goes uphill.
basic
Let’s shift gears and talk about your plans.
basic
He had to shift gears quickly during the meeting.
basic
Things weren’t working out, so we decided to shift gears and try a new approach.
natural
Okay, let’s shift gears—what’s next on the agenda?
natural
After finishing the project, it was time to shift gears and focus on family.
natural