Share ThisMinding Your Teas and Queues
Part of the London For Dummies Cheat Sheet
British English differs a bit from the English spoken in the New World. You may encounter the following “foreign” words and phrases, which are listed with their American English translations:
| British English | American English |
|---|---|
| Bonnet | Hood of a car |
| Boot | Trunk of a car |
| Brilliant | All-purpose, enthusiastic superlative |
| Brolly | Umbrella |
| Cheers | Goodbye (or said when raising a glass in a toast) |
| Cinema | Movie (“Theatre” refers only to live theater) |
| Coach | A long-distance bus |
| Concessions | Special discounts for students, seniors, and the disabled |
| Cooker | Stove (sometimes called an Aga, a brand name) |
| First floor | Second floor (and so on) |
| Flat | Apartment |
| Fortnight | Two weeks |
| Ground floor | First floor |
| Jumper | Sweater |
| Knackered | Tired |
| Knickers | Underwear (“Don’t get your knickers in a twist.”) |
| Lift | Elevator |
| Loo | Toilet/restroom (“I need to use the loo.”) |
| Lorry | Truck |
| Mac (macintosh) | Raincoat |
| Mate | Male friend |
| Nappy | Diaper |
| Peckish | Hungry |
| Petrol | Gasoline |
| Queue | To line up (The Brits are excellent queuers.) |
| Quid | One pound sterling |
| Return ticket | Round-trip ticket |
| Ring | Call on the phone (“Ring me in the morning.”) |
| Rubber | Eraser |
| Serviette | Napkin |
| Single ticket | One-way ticket |
| Subway | Underpass |
| Ta | Thanks |
| Teatime | Period between 3:30 and 6 p.m. |
| Tights | Pantyhose |
| Torch | Flashlight |
| Underground/Tube | Subway |
