Wang Fei: Hello and welcome to The English We Speak, I'm Wang Fei.
William: And I'm William. Welcome to the programme. You look very smart today, Wang Fei.
Wang Fei: (false modesty) Mm, really? Do you think so?
William: Oh, yeah - very smart. Look at your bow tie! And your evening jacket!
Wang Fei: Well, this is just a little something I get out every now and then. I'm sure George and Jack and Tom will be will be wearing something similar.
William: Who? George, Jack and...?
Wang Fei: (off-hand) Oh yeah, you know. George Clooney, Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise.
William: What? You're going to see George Clooney and Jack Nicholson and Tom Cruise tonight?!
Wang Fei: Yep. Cannes Film Festival opens tomorrow so I'm going to a little party tonight.
William: Wow! That's incredible! How did you get a ticket?
Wang Fei: Erm... well, I don't have a ticket as such. I'm just going to show up. I'm sure if I'm dressed like this they'll let me in.
William: Right... so basically you're going to gatecrash a celebrity party.
Wang Fei: Gatecrash? What’s that?
William: To gatecrash a party. It means to go to a party even though you haven't been invited. Let's hear some more examples.
Examples
Woman A: What was the party like last night?
Woman B: Oh it was awful! All these kids crashed it and drank all the beer.
Man A: How are the preparations going for the party tonight?
Man B: Yeah, not bad.
Man A: Aren't you worried it might get gatecrashed?
Man B: Yeah, we’re going to pay a guy to be on the door to stop people coming in.
Wang Fei: In the first example, the speaker described a party that was ruined because kids crashed the party. So, to crash a party means to gatecrash a party?
William: Yeah. And in that second example, the speaker said that he was going to pay a guy to be on the door.
Wang Fei: 'To be on the door' – so this man will check that everyone who comes in has an invitation. Hmm… do you think that there might be someone on the door at this party tonight?
William: The one that you’re going to?
Wang Fei: Yes.
William: The celebrity one in Cannes with George and Jack and Tom?
Wang Fei: Yeah.
William: Yeah, I think, Wang Fei, there might be.
Wang Fei: (crestfallen) Ah!
William: Well, I tell you what, Wang Fei, my friend's having a birthday party in the pub down the road. Why don't you come to that instead? You'll be a little bit overdressed but I'm sure it will be fun.
Wang Fei: I was just looking forward to a bit of glamour for a change, with George, Jack and…
William: … and Tom, yeah I know. One day, Wang Fei, if you keep making great programmes with BBC Learning English then I’m sure that one day you’ll be mixing it with George and Jack and Tom.
Wang Fei: But for now, I’ll have to be happy with the pub. Again. Bye.
William: Bye