Have you ever wondered what somebody meant when they said to you, “I must be losing my mind?” You probably thought that is impossible because while a brain is a real thing, a mind is not. This is one of those rich idioms that adds flavor and color to the English language.

As Gabby and Rob explain in this English episode, the expression is normally used after someone seems to have forgotten something they had just done or seen. Most commonly it is heard when someone can’t find their keys, as they’re trying to run out the door. They will say, “I must be losing my mind, I was just holding my keys and only put them down for a second. Where did I put them?” Gabby and Rob explain that it is a similar phrase to “I must be going crazy.”

If you want to sound more native-like and fluent in English, be sure to add colorful phrases like this to your conversation, but make sure you are using them correctly. More tips and advice like this can be found at gonaturalenglish.com where your American English teacher, Gabby Wallace is always ready to help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cPV5n5PGIXo

Episode Transcript below:

Hello! Welcome to Go Natural English.

I am so excited to be here with my friend, Rob.

Rob, how are you doing?

All is well, Gabby Wallace, I’m excited to be here with you and all of your audience.

So, Rob is an English teacher and his students have asked him some interesting questions.

One of those questions – was about - what was it- my mind – I’m losing ...

Yes ...?

... something?.. I don’t know – what was it?

Yes, the question was, “what does ‘losing my mind’ mean?”

Oh, that’s a great idiom.

Yeah.

So, it’s pretty common, right ...

Yeah ...

... to use “losing my mind?”

... Yeah.

She lost her mind or ...

You must have lost your ever-loving mind.

That’s a good twist on it.

Yeah, the question was, “What does losing my mind mean?”

Maybe – you’re a little bit better at this than I am ...

Oh, Please.

... but my explanation was, “basically, OK, if you forgot something or you can’t focus on whatever you’re trying to focus on, or if you’re trying to do some work, or you’re trying to find something like, “I just had my keys – I just saw my keys – what am I doing? I must be losing my mind. My keys were just right here “ and I don’t know where they are now but they’re in your pocket the whole time.

I have to be losing my mind but you have so much on your mind, you can’t focus.

So ...

Is it similar do you think to the idiom, “I must be going crazy”?

Yeah.

I might use it at the same time like, “I lost my keys. I can’t find them anywhere. I must be going crazy.”

It’s in the same neighborhood.

Mmmm.

Cool.

That’s great.

It’s in the same neighborhood.

Yeah, I must be going crazy.

Another idiom, “It’s in the same neighborhood.”

It’s very similar.

Uh huh ...

Exactly.

... awesome.

Well, thanks for sharing that idiom with us.

Oh, well, thank you.

Super helpful.

It’s great.

So, if you’d like to learn more idioms, more natural American English, then come visit me at gonaturalenglish.com.

You can come get a free eBook and you can check out the premium course.

Indeed.

Alright.

Thanks guys for watching.

Take care.

See you there.

Photo Credit: ClkerFreeVectorImages

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