Example 1:

Jane: Wow, Sarah and Todd are inseparable!

Steve: I know…. I never hang out with Todd anymore. And when I do see him, he always talks about Sarah.

Jane: They must be head over heels! Sarah’s constantly talking about Todd as well.

Steve: That’s awesome. They’re very happy together. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Example 2:

Teacher: Have you seen Mike?

Student: No, but I heard he‘s head over heels in love…!

Teacher: Uh-oh… I hope he remembers his priorities. He’s very young to get into a serious relationship….

Student: Yes, I am worried about him. He shouldn’t be missing school because of his girlfriend.

Meaning: The expression “to be head over heels” has been used for hundreds of years and is still very popular today. It means to “be crazy in love” or to “be so excited that you want to turn cartwheels.” This idiom is usually used when a relationship is new and two people have just fallen deeply in love. They can’t think of anything or anyone else but each other! Therefore, this expression can be either positive or negative.

Example 1 is positive. Two people have found each other and want to spend all their time together. Maybe they don’t have time for their old friends now, but that’s normal when you fall in love. Who knows? Maybe they’ll become engaged and get married.

Example 2 is negative. This young man is losing himself in a relationship that he’s probably not ready for. He is not attending school and seems to have lost his focus. He is probably too young to understand what love really is.

Usage notes: be + head over heels (in love) should not be confused with the adverb “head over heels” which means to fall or tumble upside down. Example: When I tried snowboarding, I fell head over heels down the mountain!

The idiom “be head over heels” was taken from Unit 8 (Relationships) in LSI’s textbook Speaking Savvy for Level 5 Listening/Speaking classes.

Happy Valentine’s Day!!