B1 Collocation Neutre 3 min de lecture

deserve credit

Merit recognition

Use this phrase to ensure the right person gets praised for a job well done.

En 15 secondes

  • Used to acknowledge someone's hard work or success.
  • Common in both professional meetings and casual friendships.
  • Means someone earned praise and should be thanked.

Signification

When someone does something good, they should be praised or thanked for it. It means they earned the right to have people say 'good job'.

Exemples clés

3 sur 6
1

In a work meeting

Sarah deserves credit for finishing the report ahead of schedule.

Sarah merits recognition for finishing the report early.

💼
2

Talking to a friend about their diet

You really deserve credit for sticking to your gym routine!

You deserve praise for keeping up with your gym schedule.

🤝
3

Texting a sibling

I deserve credit for not eating your leftovers last night.

I should be praised for not eating your food.

😄
🌍

Contexte culturel

The phrase stems from the financial world, where 'credit' represents trust and value. In a social sense, it became popular as a way to track 'moral debt'—acknowledging that you owe someone a debt of gratitude for their efforts. It reflects a Western cultural emphasis on individual achievement and public recognition.

💡

The 'Some' Softener

If you want to be polite but not overly dramatic, add 'some'. Say, 'You deserve some credit for that.' It sounds very natural and humble.

⚠️

Don't be a Credit-Hog

In English cultures, saying 'I deserve all the credit' can make you sound arrogant. It's almost always better to say 'We deserve credit' or 'They deserve credit'.

En 15 secondes

  • Used to acknowledge someone's hard work or success.
  • Common in both professional meetings and casual friendships.
  • Means someone earned praise and should be thanked.

What It Means

Deserve credit is all about fairness. Imagine your friend plans a whole surprise party. They worked hard. They spent money. If everyone has fun, your friend is the reason. They deserve credit for that success. It means they earned the right to be recognized. It is not about money or bank accounts. It is about social points and respect.

How To Use It

You usually use this phrase when someone is being too humble. Or, use it when someone else is trying to steal the spotlight. You can say 'You deserve credit for this.' It acts like a verbal trophy. You can also use it for yourself if you are feeling bold. Just try not to sound like a diva! Use it with the word some or a lot of to change the intensity.

When To Use It

Use it in a meeting when a colleague has a genius idea. Use it at home when your partner finally fixes that leaky sink. It is perfect for those 'pat on the back' moments. If a project succeeds, tell the team they deserve credit. It builds bridges and makes you look like a supportive person. Even small wins count. Did your dog finally learn to sit? He deserves credit too.

When NOT To Use It

Do not use this for basic requirements. If your friend shows up to dinner on time, they do not really deserve credit. That is just being a functional adult. Avoid using it for accidents. If you trip and accidentally discover a $20 bill, you do not deserve credit. That is just luck. Also, do not use it if the outcome was bad. You do not deserve credit for burning the toast.

Cultural Background

In English-speaking cultures, especially in the US and UK, giving credit is a big deal. It is tied to the idea of 'meritocracy'. People love the idea that hard work should be rewarded. There is a common saying: 'Give credit where credit is due.' This means being honest about who actually did the work. It is considered very rude to take credit for someone else's labor.

Common Variations

You will often hear get credit or take credit. If you get credit, you are receiving the praise. If you take credit, you are claiming the win for yourself. Sometimes people say give credit. For example, 'I have to give credit to my mom for this recipe.' It all centers around the idea of praise as a currency.

Notes d'usage

This is a very safe, neutral phrase. It works in 90% of situations. Just remember that 'credit' is uncountable, so never say 'a credit' or 'credits' in this context.

💡

The 'Some' Softener

If you want to be polite but not overly dramatic, add 'some'. Say, 'You deserve some credit for that.' It sounds very natural and humble.

⚠️

Don't be a Credit-Hog

In English cultures, saying 'I deserve all the credit' can make you sound arrogant. It's almost always better to say 'We deserve credit' or 'They deserve credit'.

💬

The 'Due' Rule

There is an old idiom: 'Give credit where credit is due.' Use this when you are forced to admit that someone you don't like actually did a good job.

Exemples

6
#1 In a work meeting
💼

Sarah deserves credit for finishing the report ahead of schedule.

Sarah merits recognition for finishing the report early.

Used to publicly praise a colleague's efficiency.

#2 Talking to a friend about their diet
🤝

You really deserve credit for sticking to your gym routine!

You deserve praise for keeping up with your gym schedule.

Encouraging a friend on a personal achievement.

#3 Texting a sibling
😄

I deserve credit for not eating your leftovers last night.

I should be praised for not eating your food.

A playful way to show you did something difficult.

#4 A parent talking to a child
💭

You deserve credit for trying your best, even if you didn't win.

You merit recognition for your effort.

Focuses on the effort rather than the result.

#5 Discussing a movie director
😊

The director deserves credit for the amazing visual effects.

The director should be recognized for the visuals.

Attributing success to a specific person.

#6 Formal award ceremony
👔

Our volunteers deserve credit for their tireless dedication to the cause.

Our volunteers merit recognition for their hard work.

High-level formal praise.

Teste-toi

Choose the best word to complete the sentence.

Even though we lost the game, our coach ___ credit for his great strategy.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : deserves

We use 'deserves' because the coach earned the praise, even if the result wasn't a win.

Complete the phrase.

I don't want to ___ all the credit; the whole team worked hard.

✓ Correct ! ✗ Pas tout à fait. Rponse correcte : take

'Take credit' is used when someone accepts the praise for a success.

🎉 Score : /2

Aides visuelles

Formality of 'Deserve Credit'

Informal

Used with friends for small favors.

I deserve credit for waking up early!

Neutral

Standard use in most daily situations.

They deserve credit for the party setup.

Formal

Used in business or official speeches.

The committee deserves credit for the policy change.

When to say 'Deserve Credit'

Deserve Credit
💼

Workplace

Praising a coworker's presentation.

🌱

Personal Growth

Acknowledging a friend's hard work.

🎨

Creative Arts

Complimenting a musician's skill.

🏆

Sports

Recognizing a player's effort.

Questions fréquentes

10 questions

No, in this context, credit means praise or recognition. It is like saying someone has 'points' in their reputation bank.

Yes, but be careful. Saying I deserve credit can sound a bit boastful unless you are joking with friends.

It is better for speaking. On a resume, use more formal verbs like recognized for or commended for.

You deserve credit if you did the work, but you might not actually get credit if your boss is mean and ignores you!

Usually, no. We use it for positive achievements. For negative things, we use deserve blame.

Yes, it is very common in both American and British English. It is a standard collocation.

You always use for followed by the action. Example: 'You deserve credit for staying calm.'

It is grammatically okay, but sounds very stiff. Deserve credit is the most natural way to say it.

Absolutely! Adding a lot of or full credit emphasizes how impressed you are.

Just add 'not'. For example: 'He doesn't deserve any credit because he didn't help at all.'

Expressions liées

Give credit where credit is due

To acknowledge someone's contribution, even if you don't like them.

Take the credit

To accept praise for something (sometimes unfairly).

Pat on the back

A physical or verbal gesture of praise.

Kudos

An informal way to give someone credit or praise.

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