Although English is the main language spoken in England, the British say lots of words and phrases that are different from common terms we use in the United States. When I go grocery shopping, participate in class discussions with my British tutors or talk to other students who live in Bath, I'll hear these fun phrases! To help study abroad students communicate more easily, my program gave students a helpful list of British phrases that we may come across during our semester! I hear most of these words almost every day. If you ever travel to England, you may hear these phrases too!
Here are some highlights: (British terms on the left; American terms on the right)
Chips: French Fries
Brilliant: Wonderful
Trolley: Shopping cart
Diary: Agenda
Loo: Bathroom
Wicked: Cool
Blimey: Surprise or anger
Wonky: Not right
Rubbish: Garbage
Posh: High-class
Two of my favorites are "it's monkeys outside," which means that it is very cold, and the "bee's knees," which means something is awesome. I asked some friends from my program about their favorite British phrases. Click on the images to learn more about what they said!
(definitions from www.loveenglish.com)
