Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • Feifei: Hello, I'm Feifei and this is The English We Speak.

  • Rob: ...and hello, it's Rob here. Err, Feifei, I hope

  • you don't mind me saying but you look a bit

  • hot and sweaty.

  • Feifei: That's because I've been training

  • for this 'thing' that Dan's having for his birthday.

  • Rob: A 'thing' - what sort of thing?

  • Feifei: Well according to his party invitation,

  • he's having a knees-up to celebrate his birthday.

  • I'm not sure what it is but I wanted to be prepared

  • by getting fit. Look I can get my knee up to my chin!

  • Rob: That's impressive but completely unnecessary.

  • A knees-up is an informal way of saying

  • a lively party where there's usually dancing.

  • So he's having a party!

  • Feifei: Oh right. So I've been invited to Dan's birthday

  • party! Well, if there's dancing I still need to get fit.

  • Rob: That's true. Let's hear some more examples

  • of people having a knees-up...

  • Examples: Sorry I'm a bit sleepy today, we

  • had a big knees-up last night. It was great!

  • We're planning a knees-up for Dad's 70th birthday,

  • I hope you can come.

  • Now our exams have finished, let's have a

  • knees-up at my house tonight!

  • Feifei: So a knees-up is a lively party or gathering

  • to celebrate something. This is going to be fun!

  • Rob: Yes, there'll be dancing... Feifei: Good.

  • Rob: Eating and drinking... Feifei: Perfect.

  • Rob: And lots of celebrating. But this knees-up

  • will be missing one thing.

  • Feifei: Oh yes, what's that?

  • Rob: Me. I won't be coming - I haven't got time -

  • I'm up to my knees in paperwork.

  • Feifei: 'Up to your knees' in paperwork!

  • You mean you've got too much work to do

  • - come on Rob, be honest, you haven't been invited!

  • Rob: Well... yes. I can't dance anyway,

  • I've got a bad knee.

  • Feifei: Excuses. I'll let you know how it goes. Bye!

  • Rob: Bye!

Feifei: Hello, I'm Feifei and this is The English We Speak.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it