“Butterflies in my Stomach”

This week’s English phrase is “butterflies in my stomach.”

Have you ever felt so nervous about something that it made your insides feel strange? Like taking a final exam, or going to a job interview, or hosting an event? Have you ever felt so excited about something you looked forward to that you could barely sleep at night? Like a vacation trip, or a huge party, or a special reunion? The feeling one might have from anxiety or excitement is described by having “butterflies,” because this “fluttery” sensation can be associated with the image of the fluttering of a butterfly inside the stomach.

So, the formal definition of this idiom would be: To have a “fluttering” or tickling sensation in the abdomen due to feeling anxious or excited about something.

Here are a few example sentences for this phrase:

I had butterflies in my stomach the morning before my class presentation, so I listened to some music on my way to class to calm myself down.

When I start thinking about the beach trip with friends this weekend, I start to get butterflies from the excitement and it keeps me from falling asleep.

When he looks in my eyes, I get butterflies in my stomach, and I can’t help but turn my head away.

It has also been said that this feeling of having “butterflies” can be associated with love, as some people feel a nervous feeling in their stomach around someone they like or someone they find attractive.

Next time you feel this sensation of anxiety or excitement, try using this phrase!