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Welcome to the English we speak with me, Jane.

Me, Neil.

Are you okay, Neil? You look really tired.

I am, but my best friend is living with me and he's a nightmare. He never does the washing up, he plays his

guitar all day, which he's rubbish at.

I'm just so stressed, I can't relax.

Sounds like his living rent-free in your head.

What?

No, Jayang, rent is important, and he pays that. He's just annoying to live with.

Why do you think he doesn't pay rent? No, Neil, I said, live rent-free in your head.

We use this expression to say we can't stop thinking about something or someone.

It can be used to talk about things or people you love or that annoy you.

It commonly relates to thinking about something or someone to the point of becoming obsessed.

Ah, that makes sense. I thought you were saying I have a big head and someone could live in it. I didn't think that comment through.

Well now you know. We can talk more about it after these examples.

Juan loves Kika so much. She lives rent free in his head.

The moment we lost the football final lives rent free in my head.

I can't stop thinking about what could have been.

You need to stop thinking about your argument with him. He's living rent free in your head. You're listening to the English we speak from BBC Learning English

and we're talking about the expression,

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