to be bummed (out)

Context #1:

Steve: What’s wrong? You look like you are really bummed.
Alex: Yeah…my girlfiend told me that she wants to break up.
Steve: Oh man! Sorry to hear that.
Alex: That’s alright. There’s nothing I can do about it.

Context #2:

Lisa: Did you get the tickets for the Lady Gaga concert?
Jennifer: No! The tickets were all sold out!
Lisa: No way! Sara is going to be bummed when she finds out. She loves Lady Gaga and she has been looking forward to this concert for so long.

Meaning: be bummed (adjective) means to feel sad, disappointed, or depressed. You can also use this adjective as the phrasal verb “bummed out.” If you add “out” it does not change the meaning. Like other adjectives in English, the common verbs to use with “bummed” are “be” “get” and “feel.”

This idiom comes from the LSI Textbook Speaking Transitions, which is used to teach Level 4 Speaking at LSI schools. For more information please visit www.languagesystems.com