Turn over a new leaf

https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the-english-we-speak_2024/ep-241230

Introduction

Many of us hope to turn over a new leaf when a new year starts. It means to start again and move on from the past. Learn how to use this phrase in this programme.

Transcript

Feifei

Hello, and welcome to The English We Speak, where we explain phrases used by fluent English speakers so that you can use them too. I’m Feifei, and I’m with Phil.

Phil

Hi, any plans for 2025, Feifei?

Feifei

It’s a new year so I think it’s time to turn over a new leaf.

Phil

Turn over a new leaf? I’m not sure it’s the right time of year to be doing gardening, Feifei.

Feifei

It’s not that kind of leaf, and it’s just an expression. It means to make a change and make a new start. You stop doing something negative. ‘Turn over a new leaf’ is the expression we’re learning in this programme.

Phil

So, it’s a bit like making a new year’s resolution?

Feifei

Yes. The ‘leaf’ in this expression is a leaf of paper, like a sheet of paper, so to ‘turn over a new leaf’ means to turn the page and start a new chapter of your story. You’re trying to move on from something negative. For example, I’ve been feeling very inactive. I’ve never managed to get into going to the gym, but in 2025 I’m going to turn over a new leaf and get fit. Phil, what about you? Do you think you should turn over a new leaf?

Phil

Turn over a new leaf for 2025? Hmm, maybe I should start eating more healthily. I love cooking, but nothing I cook is that healthy, and I love to give myself huge portions. That’s probably something negative that I should change. Yes, that’s how I’m going to turn over a new leaf. Now let’s hear how some of our colleagues are going to turn over a new leaf.

Examples

I’ve got this terrible habit of biting my nails, but I’ve decided I need to turn over a new leaf, so in the new year I’m stopping that. That’s my new year’s resolution.

I was a bit naughty in primary school sometimes, but my teacher told me to turn over a new leaf, and I did. I was very well-behaved from then on.

So, these days I always look at my phone instead of trying to remember things that I probably know, and so I’m going to turn over a new leaf in the new year and use my brain instead and try to remember things.

Feifei

Of course, it’s not just about new year’s resolutions. Any time you want to put something negative behind you and make a change, you can try to turn over a new leaf.

Phil

A similar expression that people use is ‘turn the page’. We can use it metaphorically to talk about starting a new chapter in our lives.

Feifei

Yes, people often see starting a new job as a way of turning the page on their careers.

Phil

We’ll finish here, but if you feel like you don’t know enough expressions and idioms in English and you want to turn over a new leaf, come back for the next episode, see you then!

Feifei

Bye!

La entrada 228.- Turn over a new leaf. Profesor se publicó primero en Madrid Berlin Idiomas.