ə ˈpeni fɔr jɔr θɔts
- Literally:
- Offering one cent in exchange for hearing someone's thoughts
What does "a penny for your thoughts" mean?
- A way of asking what someone is thinking about
- An invitation to share one's thoughts, usually when they seem lost in thought
Examples
- You've been staring out the window for an hour. A penny for your thoughts?
- She looked so lost in thought—a penny for your thoughts, I asked.
- A penny for your thoughts? You seem worried about something.
Origin
First recorded in John Heywood's 'A dialogue conteinyng the nomber in effect of all the prouerbes in the Englishe tongue' (1546). The penny was a small sum even then, but the phrase is a gentle, polite way to ask someone what's on their mind.
How to use it
A friendly, informal way to ask someone about their thoughts. Often used when someone appears distracted or pensive. Can sound slightly old-fashioned but is still widely understood.
Similar expressions
Related idioms
- pay an arm and a leg
To pay an extremely high price
- make ends meet
To earn just enough money to cover basic expenses
- cost an arm and a leg
To be very expensive
- money doesn't grow on trees
Money is not easily acquired; it must be earned
- break the bank
To cost too much money
- hit the jackpot
To achieve great success or win something valuable
Use it in a practice answer
Try "a penny for your thoughts" in a CELPIP-style Speaking or Writing task. The AI feedback tells you whether your word choice worked.