今天要和大家分享的口语表达是:It's a long story。这个口语表达的字面的意思是“这是一个很长的故事”,就是“说来话长,一言难尽”。当某人问你发生了什么事,可你因为起因和经过很长,很难说清楚,或者你根本不想向他解释,你就可以使用这个表达。
- - How did you know him?
- 你怎么认识他的啊?
- It's really a long story.
- 真是一言难尽啊。 - - Where were you yesterday?
- 昨天你去哪儿了?
- It's a long story.
- 说来话长啊。
当然,有人还会抱根究底的说:
- Then try to make long story short. I am eager to know.
那就长话短说吧,我很想知道。
“长话短说”,还有常用口语表达,to put it in a nutshell。
下面我们再来看两个有关例句:
- - Why was he wandering around the streets at 2 o'clock in the morning?
- 为什么他凌晨两点还在街上闲逛?
- It's a long story.
- 说来话长。 - It's a long story, but to put it in a nutshell, we broke up.
这事说来话长,不过简言之,我们分手了。