English idioms to express happiness

When was the last time you were really happy? How did you show that happiness? In English, there are loads of different ways to express happiness. Many of these are interesting English idioms or expressions. So, if you want to sow people how happy you are in English, read on.

Metaphors

A metaphor is a type of idiom where we replace what we are talking about with another for dramatic emphasis. To show you are really happy with a metaphor, you could say something like ‘I’m on cloud nine‘ or ‘I’m over the moon!‘ Even if, like most of us, you haven’t been to the moon, you can still use that idiom.

Similes

In a simile we compare one thing to another using the words ‘like’ or ‘as’ to make our language more expressive. So, if you’re really happy, you could say something like ‘I’m as happy as a pig in mud‘ or ‘I’m as happy as Larry‘. I’m not sure who Larry is, the name is just part of the idiom, now. I guess he must have been a pretty happy guy, though.

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Action idioms

Other ways to describe happiness in English are more general idioms related to the actions a person might take when happy. For example, when a big smile comes onto your face, you might say you are ‘grinning from ear to ear‘ or if you are very excited, you might be ‘jumping up and down with excitement‘.

So we’ve found out three ways of showing happiness using the English language, how about in other languages? Share any other fun ways you know to express happiness through language in the comments section below.