# be on about

CEFR B2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/be-on-about
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to talk about something for a long time, often in a way that is confusing or annoying.

For teachers: to speak at length about a particular topic; frequently used in interrogative or negative constructions to express confusion or impatience regarding the speaker's intended meaning.

## Examples

- I have no idea what you are on about.
- He was on about his new car again for the entire lunch break.
- The lecturer was on about some obscure 18th-century poet, but the students struggled to follow his train of thought.

## Pitfalls

- Not "What do you on about?" but "What are you on about?" — this phrase requires the auxiliary verb 'be' because it functions as a continuous state of talking.

## Usage notes

- highly informal and most common in British, Australian, and New Zealand English.
- Teaching tip: this is almost always used in the continuous form ('be on about') and is a great way to teach learners how to express mild frustration with a speaker's lack of clarity.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.