Idioms for Talking About Mistakes in English

We all mess up sometimes — it’s part of being human.

Over the past week, I’ve had some lovely, honest chats with students about failure, making mistakes, and learning the hard way — sometimes with humour, sometimes with frustration, and often with a sigh and a shrug.

We’ve been talking about the little (and not-so-little) moments when things go wrong — a decision you regret, something you said that didn’t land well, or just one of those days where everything feels like a bit of a disaster.

Here are some of the idioms we explored — they’re natural, expressive, and very useful for talking about the messy, imperfect bits of life in English.

To put your foot in your mouth

Meaning: To accidentally say something embarrassing, rude, or inappropriate.
Example: I really put my foot in my mouth when I asked if they were still together — turns out they’d just broken up.

It’s one of those classic social blunders. You mean well, but… oh dear.

To fall flat on your face

Meaning: To fail completely, especially in a public or humiliating way.
Example: I tried to sound confident during the meeting, but I fell flat on my face.

This one works beautifully when you want to talk about something going wrong in a way that’s a bit dramatic — and sometimes funny, once the moment has passed.

To burn your bridges

Meaning: To destroy your chances of going back to a situation, often by ending a relationship or opportunity permanently.
Example: He really burned his bridges by quitting without notice.

This idiom often suggests a moment of no return — and it’s not always a bad thing, but it can be!

To learn something the hard way

Meaning: To learn through difficulty, failure, or an unpleasant experience.
Example: I ignored all the advice about saving money — and I learned the hard way when I had to move back in with my parents.

Sometimes, the hard lessons are the ones that stick the most.

To bark up the wrong tree

Meaning: To pursue a mistaken or misguided course of action; to blame the wrong person or focus on the wrong thing.
Example: If you think I’m the one who reported you, you’re barking up the wrong tree.

It’s a polite-ish way of telling someone they’re totally wrong — without sounding too aggressive.

To drop the ball

Meaning: To make a mistake, especially by forgetting or failing to do something.
Example: I totally dropped the ball — I forgot to send the file before the deadline.

We’ve all dropped the ball at some point. It happens.

To get the wrong end of the stick

Meaning: To completely misunderstand a situation or what someone has said.
Example: I thought she was angry with me, but I’d got the wrong end of the stick — she was just stressed about work.

This is one of those wonderfully British expressions that feels friendly and forgiving, even when there's been a bit of a mix-up.

To shoot yourself in the foot

Meaning: To do something that unintentionally causes problems for yourself.
Example: She shot herself in the foot by criticising the manager in front of everyone.

It’s that moment when you realise you’ve made things harder for yourself… by your own hand.

Making mistakes is how we grow — in life, in language, and everywhere in between. These idioms don’t just help you describe those moments more naturally in English — they also remind us that messing up is totally normal. In fact, it’s often the beginning of learning something new.

So if you’ve had a bit of a disaster lately… you’re in good company. We’ve all been there.