Welcome to English for Everyone, where we practice real-life American English.

Today we're going to learn a great idiom, so let's get started.

Today we're learning this idiom, make do.

Well, I know make and I know do, but together?

Make do.

It's an idiom.

And what does it mean?

It means to use what is available when what you have available is not enough.

You make do with what you have.

We use the preposition with.

Sometimes you have to make do with what you have.

And we say this when what you have is not really enough.

Or I can use without.

Example, if I don't have my car.

Imagine my car is in the shop.

So I don't have my car right now.

I have to make do without a car.

I take the bus.

I call an Uber.

I have to do something.

I have to make do without a car.

So remember, make do with or make do without.

Or I can just say make do.

I don't have a car.

I just have to make do.

You don't have to use with or without.

You can just say make do.

I'll have to use what is available when what I have available is not enough.

That's to make do.

Let's hear some examples.

We make do with what we got.

You hope for the best, then make do with what you get.

Because trying to make do with only one?

Even harder than it sounds.

We'll make do with what we have, won't we?

You know, eight years I've been at Mott Alton.

I've just been trying to make do with what little money they give us.

Sorry, there's no meat.

We gotta make do with what we have.

So you tighten up and make do with what you got.

Example, the party is about to start.

But we don't have any napkins.

Well, we can't go to the store now, so we'll just have to make do.

We'll have to make do without any napkins.

We'll have to make do without them.

Let's practice.

They don't have any napkins, but the party is about to start in five minutes.

What are they going to do?

Are they going to make do?

They're going to have to make do.

Are they going to have to make do without them?

That's right, they're going to have to make do without them.

Example, he doesn't have enough money for a new car.

So what is he going to do?

He's going to buy an old car.

He's going to have to make do with an old car.

Let's practice.

He doesn't have enough money for a new car.

So what is he going to do?

Is he going to have to make do with an old car?

That's right, he's going to have to make do with an old car.

So remember the idiom, make do.

It means to manage with limited resources.

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