Understanding British Expressions: 8 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow (2024)

Discover this article

Author information

Last updated: November 15, 2023Facts checked

Example of British terms

Download article

1. 1

   Please note that certain foods are known by different names:^[1]

   • Chipsare thick fries, andFrench friesare the thin fries.
     • INchippy(ofchippy) is a shop that sells food such as fish and chips.
   • Chipshe chips.
   • INbiscuitis a cookie. A Brit would call chocolate biscuits just onecookie.
   • A sconeis a baked product made from firm dough. They are neither soft like bread nor crunchy like a cookie or biscuit, but somewhere in between, a bit like the shortcake in strawberry shortcake or American cookies, except sweet. They are eaten with a topping, or cut in half and filled with butter and/or cream and jam. May or may not contain raisins or sultanas.
   • Yellowis a gelatin dessert (Jello), the type given in the hospital with ice cream; fruit preservesjamor actually preserves.
   • Minced meatis ground beef, butground beefis a mixture of dried fruit, fat (suet) and alcohol used to fill mince pies at Christmas. Traditionally it contained meat, but that now happens very rarely.
   • Cornmealis corn starch used to thicken sauces. It is not a flour that can be used as an alternative to wheat flour.
   • Spring onionsare green onions.
   • Fresh coriander is known ascilantro. The herb coriander is the same in both countries.
2. 2

   Learn the different terms for parts of a building:

   • Ofground flooris the same as the American first floor.^[2]
     • In an elevator (elevator), the button for the ground floor has a large oneGon that.
   • Offirst flooris above and other figures follow as normal.
   • INliftis an elevator.
   • INshallowis the general term for an apartment.
   • INbed spaceis a one-room apartment (efficiency apartment) that serves as a bedroom and living room.

   Advertisem*nt

3. See Also

   British desserts, explained for Americans confused by the Great British Baking Show9 British Slang Words You Need to Know ‹ GO Blog | EC US15 foods the US and England will never agree onEli Rallo: About South African food

   3

   Learn these terms along the way:

   • Ofbootis the trunk of the car. In Great Britain, a suitcase is a kind of old-fashioned large suitcase.
   • Ofawesomeis the car's screen.
   • Ofkapis the hood of the car.
   • Ofwindscreenis the windshield that covers the windshield wipers.
   • But onetrunk prop, is a long distance (at atribal line) phone calls, but the term is not associated with cars at all, as one would like to believe.Trunk callnot used in modern British English.
   • INRoundaboutis a roundabout or carousel, it is also a turning device in playgrounds.
   • The colors of traffic lights are called red,rav(not yellow) and green. Amber glows during both sequences; red through green and green through red.
   • INtruckis a truck (noFour wheel drive). They are the larger type that carry goods, up to the size of a semi.
   • The sidewalk is calledporchof die enefootpath(unpaved walkway).
   • Petrolis gasoline (e.g. "Can we stop at the gas station?"). Thatgas stationmay also be known asgaragealthough it does not repair or store cars.
4. 4

   Avoid the shame of not understanding these differences:^[3]

   • INwandereris a derrière/posterior/bottom and not a homeless person. The word used for a homeless person wondering about the land is:wanderer(Not at all the same as a gypsy). Furthermore, they are known for being homeless.
   • Spelling and pronunciationdonkeyasdonkeytaking into account the fact that adonkeycan also be a lizard or even a more pejorative synonym for a bipedtwit.
   • Doingdoesn'tcall youwandererVANfannie. In Great Britain there is onefannieis a word that means the female external genitalia (vulva)! Thereforefanny packno fanny packs!
   • INflashis a cigarette. (The British are well aware of the American significance.)
   • While thanks to American culturebassoonconsidered a derogatory term for hom*osexuals (avoided in polite company), an archaic British usage forflicker / flickercan mean "a cigarette, a bundle of firewood, or "a bundle of anything", although this is an obscure and outdated usage. fa*gots is a traditional dish of meatballs made from minced meat.^[4]
   • Oftoilet,he can,lavvyor justtoiletis American English 'bathroom' (e.g. 'Where's the bathroom?'), but if you say you're going to the toilet, people will get the idea.Toiletfor the flush toilet and 'public facilities' are terms that only appear on signs for public toilets, such as in a rest area.^[5]
   • INgummiis an eraser, not a condom, although the latter is still called a condom in Britaingummi Johnny. For some reason.
   • "I am stuffed" means "I am full". The wordstuffedcan also be interpreted in a negative or insulting way depending on the context (e.g. 'Get stuff' is slightly more polite than 'F**k off', with roughly the same meaning).
5. 5

   When you throw something away, remember:^[6]

   • Nonsenseis waste or waste and goes into itbinif it is inside, or onewaste" orbinif you mean the large outside container.
     • Nonsensecan also refer to meaningless conversations or ideas.
   • A garbage bag is called atrash bagofzat vol.
6. 6

   Use these expressions when talking about clothes:^[7]

   • Sneakersthere sneakers,
   • Wellington's(rubber boots, rubber boots, rubber boots, boots) are waterproof rubber (or plastic) mid-calf boots for rainy weather and have nothing to do with beef. They are named after the Duke of Wellington.
   • Pair of trousersin England it is worn under yourspair of trousersor jeans, like American underwear. Although the British may understand what you mean, due to the influence of American film and television culture, they will probably find the mental image this conjures up funny and call you that, i.e.:panties(for ladies).
   • panty,his tights with two legs,stockingsis the term for tights, which are two separate garments, just like socks.
   • INvestis a sleeveless undergarment worn on the upper half.
7. 7

   Research the terms that can cause confusion:^[8]

   • The sentences"takes the mickey", "extraction of Michael"In"takes the piss"meanlaugh at,mockinglyofplagues.
   • The condition "on your knees' means to show respect, to beg or even to beg (rarely used except as a joke; very old-fashioned)
   • Nastycall upis to make the phone ring (e.g. "I'll call you later").
   • A "pram" etcstrolleris a stroller/pram. You don't see a "barnevogen" (original stroller) much anymore - a small bed with a folding canopy, on large wheels for very small babies who cannot sit upright.
   • INdareis a shopping cart used for shopping in large stores such as supermarkets.
   • INdummy(short for "dummy pacifier") is a pacifier.
   • INlollyis a contraction ofPopsicle sticks, a popsicle stick. It can also refer to a lollipop.
   • INmobileofmobile phoneis a mobile phone.
   • INmessenger jobofwrong jobas in "you really screwed up" is a sloppy job (or repair) that almost works, or fails.
   • INbrollyis short for an umbrella.
   • Goholidaysgo on holiday.
   • INtorchis a flashlight.
   • Mathematicsis the shortened mass noun for mathematics, the same as American "math".
   • Dishwashing liquidis dishwasher safe (hand wash, not dishwasher).
   • Aantennais a TV or radio antenna.
   • Counter clockwiseis counterclockwise.
   • The telephone or the toilet arein servicemeans that the telephone line or the toilet is busy.
   • PuntIn the UK, refers to a flat-bottomed boat with a square bow, designed for use in small rivers or other shallow waters. Punting refers to sailing in a punt. In America, especially American football, a punt is the act of passing the ball across the field. It was the joke David Letterman used on Emma Watson ("Here we do that on 4th and long"). The English equivalent is a drop kick, but the mechanics are different. A punt in rugby is a kick that hits the ball BEFORE it hits the ground. It is also, much less commonly, slang for 'a bet' or a wager, as in "I made a punt because it didn't rain tonight", "I had a punt at a horse race".
   • Footballis football. The American game is called American football and is seen as a second-rate version of rugby.
8. 8

   Hockeyis hockey. “Ice hockey” is the other, American hockey.

   • Passused as attractive/sexy, among young people, but also means healthy or in shape. "She's in great shape!"
   • Spirituallyalways said that something or someone is unusual/something different/crazy, but not necessarily in a negative context, for example: "The girl I met last night was completely mental".
   • vol,"I will be completely paralyzed tonight." "He has been considered." "You're out of the picture." "the sh*t face"(not polite)Gerold Certainlymeans full. According to stand-up comedian Michael McIntyre, "You can take any word in the English language and use it to mean drunk. As in, 'Did you have anything to drink last night?' / 'Are you kidding me? I was totally a garden shed!''
   • A little dumbofpettyis a bit crowded.
   • Annoyed would be described asCertainly.
   • "Get out' is another term for 'to leave'
   • "OK?"/"Me right?"In"Hallo" is used as "hello".
   • Maatis an informal expression used as "friend", as "buddy/dy".
   • F**kused in a wide variety of expressions. Doingdoesn'tuse it if you want to make a good impression, unless a lot of people say it - and it seems like it's accepted there. Even then, you should limit the rude/rude words, especially when among strangers.

Advertisem*nt

Community Q&A

Ask a question

Thank you for submitting a tip for review!

Warnings

251 votes - 87%