25 British Phrases That Are So Utterly Confusing to Americans
Do you want to be well-received upon arriving in the United Kingdom? If so, don’t share this fact with your new Londoner friends: American English is older than British English.
The reason? Original British settlers arrived in America speaking their native tongue. Not too long after, upper-class citizens in England decided they wanted to change how they sounded from everyone else. They started including a soft “r” in their speech. People from lower classes jumped on the posh-sounding bandwagon, and this new British accent continues to dominate southern English speech.
A different-sounding accent is just one part of the British English equation, though. Americans planning a trip to the UK would be wise to study these phrases we don’t use in the United States. They were lifesavers for me during my many trips to England.
1: Have a Chinwag
The word “chinwag” has nothing to do with your chin or a dog wagging its tail. Instead, it’s a phrase the British use to mean “have a chat.”
Chinwag is an informal way of speaking, so use this word with your friends. Just keep in mind that while it encompasses a chat of any kind, it can often imply a gossipy kind of conversation.
2: She’s So Gobby
The word “rude” sounds so harsh in American English. Brits prefer using “gobby” when they talk about a rude person. I dare you to say it without laughing.
Gobby can also mean a person who talks too much.
3: The Bee’s Knees
Aside from being fun to say, “the bee’s knees” is a British phrase when referring to something one is fond of.
There are several ways to incorporate “the bee’s knees” in a sentence. Examples include, “I think he’s the bee’s knees” and “Those shoes are the bee’s knees.”
4: A Few Quid
Americans have dollars and bucks; Britons have pounds and quid. However, I don’t recommend throwing around the word quid when paying for a 5-star meal.
That said, among friends, “quid” is a harmless informal way to talk about money.
5: It’s All Gone Pear-Shaped
Trust me — you don’t want to hear the word “pear” in this context. Replace “pear-shaped” with “wrong,” and you’ve got yourself a sentence Americans understand.
You may hear people use this phrase on a rainy summer day: “We wanted to go to the beach, but it’s all gone pear-shaped.”
6: Ta-Ta
Ta-ta might not be a foreign word for Americans to hear, but it’s definitely a weird one for us to speak for the first time. It stands for “Talk to you later.”
You may also hear Brits say, “Ta-ta for now.” Just don’t tell your new boss “ta-ta” after your first day at the office; it’s too informal of a phrase.
7: Curtain Twitcher
It’s easy to see where “curtain twitcher” came from. The phrase refers to a nosy person.
According to Readable, the phrase curtain twitcher was dubbed in the 1940s to describe, yes, people who constantly watch their neighbors through their windows.
8: For Yonks
If someone tells you they’ve been living in London for yonks, they didn’t misspeak. Yonks means a really long time.
Knowing this phrase will come in handy if you travel to Australia, too, for they use it there. You may also hear people say “in yonks” instead of “for yonks,” as in, “I haven’t been here in yonks.”
9: I’m Knackered
You’ll be knackered when you get off your red-eye flight at Heathrow Airport. That’s British slang for “tired.”
Knacker can also mean to break something, so keep an eye out if you hear people having a chinwag about something you knackered.
10: That’s Rubbish
“That’s rubbish” is a phrase I quickly became familiar with during my time in Europe. In this context, it means “That’s nonsense.”
Rubbish is also a common word Brits use for garbage. So, you might hear people direct you to put the rubbish in a bin. Here’s a bonus learning opportunity for you: “Bin” is a word Britons use for trash cans.
11: Sort of Bloke
I don’t know about you, but when I hear the word “bloke,” it has a rough, unflattering sound to it. But in the UK, it’s a compliment to be called a bloke, which is informal for “guy.”
Hearing phrases like “He’s a lovely sort of bloke” or just plain old “He’s a lovely bloke” are common in England.
12: Blimey
Blimey is a single word and a phrase all wrapped into one. Brits use it when they’re excited and surprised about something. Think of it like saying, “Wow.”
Here’s an example for you: “My American friend is traveling to Europe for the first time to see me. Blimey! I can’t believe it!”
13: That’s Smashing
“Smashing” is another word that appears to have a negative connotation but doesn’t. A person can look smashing in their new outfit, and a view of London Bridge can also be smashing.
Once you start using this word in the UK, it’s hard to let it go upon returning to America.
14: All Go To Pot
You don’t want your UK travel plans to all go to pot. That means they didn’t go as planned, and no alternative could make up for it.
Whenever something fails miserably, it’s common to hear Brits talk about it having all gone to pot.
15: Use a Brolly
Statistically, England is the driest country in the UK. But that doesn’t mean you won’t need a brolly; in 2023, there were 171.5 days with 1 millimeter or more of rainfall.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, brolly translates to “umbrella” in American English.
16: Brass Monkey
Brass monkey is a phrase that might start rolling off your tongue upon your arrival to the UK, especially if you’re from a warmer state. It means extremely cold weather.
Although snowfall isn’t overly common in England, cold, damp winters make for brass monkey weather.
17: Sod Off
Be careful about using sod off until you get a feel for how Brits use it; the gentler version means “go away,” and the rougher version involves a word that starts with “f.”
Some Britons use “bugger off” instead of sod off.
18: Mind the Gap
If you’re like me, mind the gap is a phrase that’ll get stuck in your head after a few times taking the underground (subway).
An announcement frequently comes over the public transportation system warning people to take care of the gap between the boarding station and train.
19: And Bob’s Your Uncle
Britain’s Uncle Bob is way better than America’s Uncle Sam. After sharing simple instructions with someone, a Brit sometimes ends it with, “And Bob’s your Uncle!”
Why they don’t say “Voilà” like Americans do, given that French has influenced British English so much, is beyond me. But “And Bob’s your Uncle” is sure fun to say.
20: Posh Nosh
Here’s another fun British phrase to say: Posh nosh. The pastries you eat at an upscale afternoon tea restaurant could be described as posh nosh.
High-quality items, including fancy food, are grounds for using this fun phrase.
21: She’s Lush
Anyone can be lush, for it’s in the eye of the beholder. Whereas Americans use the word “lush” to describe the foliage in their backyard, Britons use it as slang for “attractive.”
22: Rent a Flat
If you’ll be spending an extended time in England, you might need to go looking for a flat. That’s what Brits call an apartment.
Sure, the British will understand you if you say apartment. But “flat” is catchy and so widespread that you’ll likely find yourself using it before long.
23: Tea and Crumpets
Crumpet is a common food served at tea time. It’s a griddle bread with small holes in it, perfect for soaking up the butter and jam you can smear on top.
You may also hear Brits talking about eating biscuits with their tea. However, these aren’t the traditional buttery biscuits Americans from the south picture; they’re cookies.
24: Fish and Chips
Chips are another misleading British term, and you’ll most often hear it accompanied by the words “fish and chips.”
Unlike the thin, crispy potato chips Americans think of when they hear “chip” in a food context, Brits refer to thick french fries as chips.
25: Going on a Holiday
In American culture, holidays mark a specific day of the year that’s widely recognized by all. But in the UK, Brits use “holiday” to refer to personal vacations.
So, the next time you hear a Brit say, “I’m going on a holiday to Spain,” you know they (probably) won’t be celebrating a Spanish holiday while there.
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