When you arrive in the UK or speak with British friends you might be surprised by some of the vocabulary and phrases that you hear. British English is full of unique phrases and unless you grew up in the UK they might be pretty confusing.
Today I’m breaking down 20 quintessentially British vocabulary and expressions that you might have heard but didn’t quite understand. These expressions will not only give you an insight into what the British mean (yep, I translated them for you!) but show how the language and phrases we use express our culture.
I share when it is appropriate to ask how are you doing? vs how are you?, common responses to greetings, how the British show emotions, some common stereotypes, how we compliment someone or something, phrases to disagree and so much more!
Times to check out:
- (2:59) How are you vs How are you doing?
- (7:57) How Brits show emotions
- (12:42) Tuts and disagreeing!
- (14:10) Giving compliments
- (18:50) Feeling peckish – have a jammy dodger!
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WHO AM I: I’m Gemma Keeling, Founder and CEO at Fluent Speakers. With a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics and Second Language Acquisition from The University of Oxford, and an undergraduate degree in Spanish and Teaching English as a Second Language, I have extensive training and expertise in education. I have travelled extensively and worked in many different societies and cultures. I coach digital design and tech professionals to improve their communication skills in English.
? GET IN TOUCH: If you are interested in finding out how we can work together in 2022 then send an email to [email protected] or send me a message on Facebook, LinkedIn or Instagram with the word ‘2022’ and I will send the information on how we can do it.
