Be on about Meaning in English
expression
ˈbi/, /bi/ /ˈɑn/, /ˈɔn/ /əˈbaʊt
BEE-awn-uh-BOWT
bˈiː/ /ˈɒn/ /ɐbˈaʊt
BEE-on-uh-BOWT
Definition
A British informal expression meaning to talk a lot or repeatedly about something, often when people are bored, confused, or annoyed by it.
Usage & Nuances
Mainly used in the UK; informal and slightly annoyed. Typical with 'What are you on about?' when confused or with 'He's always on about...' for repetitive talk. Rare in US English.
Spanish: estar hablando de - estar diciendo (repetitivo/pesado)Portuguese (BR): ficar falando sobre - ficar insistindo emPortuguese (PT): estar a falar de - insistir emChinese (Simplified): 一直在说（唠叨的语气）- 在说什么Chinese (Traditional): 一直在說（嘮叨的語氣）- 在說什麼Hindi: इसके बारे में बार-बार बोलनाArabic: يستمر في الحديث عن - يلح في الكلام عنBengali: বলছে - কথা বলছেRussian: говорить (о чём-то) - твердить (о чём-то)Japanese: 話している (はなしている) - ぐちぐち言うVietnamese: nói về - than phiền vềKorean: 얘기하다 - 떠들다Turkish: bahsetmek - durmadan konuşmakUrdu: بات کرنا - بار بار ذکر کرناIndonesian: nói về - nói mãi về
Example Sentences
What are you on about? I don't understand.
basic
He was on about his new car again.
basic
She keeps on about her diet all the time.
basic
I have no idea what you're on about. Can you explain?
natural
They're always on about saving money, but never actually do it.
natural
Listen, if you know what he's on about, please tell me.
natural