English to English translator

13

Replies

  • Kirsty_UK
    Kirsty_UK Posts: 964 Member
    I'm northern UK and I've never ever called trousers "pants", nor have I heard anyone say that... :S
    Also call a bread roll a bread cake....
    Also, a bun is a small cupcake... not bread!!!

    The pants is the american version.

    I'm from yorkshire/derbyshire. And we call a cupcake type thing a bun like you (usually an iced bun), if it's bread, we'd call it a roll. Bread buns tend to be the ones you stick burgers in.
  • sunshine79
    sunshine79 Posts: 758 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    I think they call it a pocket book? I think....????
  • other differances

    check= bill
    blinkers= indicators
    A brew= cup of tea
    Buggy= pushchair or pram
    money= yoyo's, dough, dosh
    fall= autum
    pavement=footpath
  • britachu
    britachu Posts: 157
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    A wallet.
  • TheGoktor
    TheGoktor Posts: 1,138 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    A wallet.

    Is that for men and women? In the UK, men use wallets and women use purses to keep their money in. Or, in my partner's case, pockets! :laugh:

    Those cats in your av are gorgeous!
  • LimeyTart
    LimeyTart Posts: 303 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    A wallet.

    Is that for men and women? In the UK, men use wallets and women use purses to keep their money in. Or, in my partner's case, pockets! :laugh:

    Those cats in your av are gorgeous!


    Yep, many women use it as well.
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
    I'm northern UK and I've never ever called trousers "pants", nor have I heard anyone say that... :S
    Also call a bread roll a bread cake....
    Also, a bun is a small cupcake... not bread!!!

    The pants is the american version.

    I'm from yorkshire/derbyshire. And we call a cupcake type thing a bun like you (usually an iced bun), if it's bread, we'd call it a roll. Bread buns tend to be the ones you stick burgers in.

    Wait, so a cupcake is a bun, and a roll is cake?! My head just exploded
  • maria1993
    maria1993 Posts: 112

    any dessert food = pudding or pud

    That explains why toward the end of Pink Floyd Another Brick In the Wall the teacher says "If you don't eat yer meat, you can't have any pudding.How can you have any pudding if you don't eat yer meat?"

    I was always like, pudding?.. Whats so special about pudding? But if its any dessert, I understand it
  • girlface68
    girlface68 Posts: 11 Member
    I love that Loot in the boot, I think I may borrow that....:happy:
  • marber
    marber Posts: 118 Member
    In Yorkshire so we have buns and breadcakes in this house as well.

    another one for the mums - dummy = pacifier

    and for the sporty hockey here involves grass, a ball and a short curved stick that can only be right handed and you cannot do a backhand. We have to say Ice Hockey not just hockey.
  • Jorra
    Jorra Posts: 3,338 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    A wallet.

    Is that for men and women? In the UK, men use wallets and women use purses to keep their money in. Or, in my partner's case, pockets! :laugh:

    Those cats in your av are gorgeous!

    Women put wallets in their purses.
    Or you could say women put their purses in their handbags...which just sounds weird to me.
  • healthyjen342
    healthyjen342 Posts: 1,435 Member
    This is interesting! Thanks for posting!
  • Fesse
    Fesse Posts: 611
    being a canadian who is both dating an englishman & having lived in the UK (and moving back soon!)....i've got a little list!

    north america (gotta include canada :P) ---> UK

    nap = kip

    5-6pm meal (supper, dinner, etc.) = tea (yes, tea can refer to actual tea and dinnertime...utterly confusing!)

    elevator = lift

    ciggarette = *kitten* (or just ciggarette, but *kitten* is also used alot)

    bathroom, washroom = toilet, loo or WC "bathroom or washroom" rarely/never used.

    toilet paper = toilet roll or loo roll

    paper towel = kitchen roll

    sleeping in = lie in

    oat cake/oat bar = flapjack

    cookie = biscuit (actually, my boyfriend insists that cookies and biscuits are 2 different things)

    generally idiotic type of person (jerk, moron, *kitten*, etc) = tosser, wanker, etc

    f**k off = bugger off

    *kitten* that! = bugger that!

    picking up ladies = out on the pull/pulling

    making fun of/ mocking = taking the piss, taking the mickey,

    a joke = pisstake

    are you kidding me?! = are you having a laugh?

    informal hello "hey", "hi" = you alright?

    something really great = lush, gorgeous, looooovely, etc

    coffee with milk = flat white (actually more of aussie thing, but it's catching on in the UK). also, generally people order a latte or a cappucino and not a coffee anyways....

    underwear = knickers or pants (yes, pants)

    pants = trousers

    aw, isn't that adorable, cute, endearing = awwww blesss!

    big weekend breakfast = full english

    sneakers = trainers

    coffee maker = "um, we use a cafetiere!" (french press)

    the boys = the lads

    hiking = "um....do you mean....walking..in ...a forest?"

    car = a contraption half the size of 99% of north american cars. cramming and squishing will occur.

    gasoline/gas = petrol

    diaper = nappy

    yard sale/ estate sale = car boot sale

    trunk (of a car) = the boot

    cilantro = coriander

    zucchini = courgette

    any dessert food = pudding or pud

    mixed greens = salad (if it's an actual type of salad, you refer to it as such..."nicoise salad", etc

    bacon sandwich = bacon sarnie, bacon butty, bacon bap. generally, breakfast sandwiches can be called "butty" or "bap"

    french fries between two pieces of bread (yes, a french fry sandwich) = chip butty

    beer = lager, ale, beer

    movie theater/theatre = cinema

    highway = motorway





    .....and, that's all I can think of off the top of my head!

    Thanks for mentioning Canada!! Some of these we use in the Maritimes!! Cheers
  • BettyMargaret
    BettyMargaret Posts: 407 Member
    boot = trunk (of a car)

    So what's the equivalent of junk in the trunk?

    Loot in the boot?
    ROFLMAO!!!!!!!!!
  • BettyMargaret
    BettyMargaret Posts: 407 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    A wallet.

    Is that for men and women? In the UK, men use wallets and women use purses to keep their money in. Or, in my partner's case, pockets! :laugh:

    Those cats in your av are gorgeous!

    Women put wallets in their purses.
    Or you could say women put their purses in their handbags...which just sounds weird to me.
    lol... unless it's just for coins, then it's called a change purse!
  • BettyMargaret
    BettyMargaret Posts: 407 Member
    I have never laughed so hard at a post! STILL laughing @ loot in the boot!
  • zojo78
    zojo78 Posts: 29 Member
    Aubergine = eggplant
    Fringe = bangs
  • milaxx
    milaxx Posts: 1,122 Member
    arugula = rocket
    sweater = jumper
  • zojo78
    zojo78 Posts: 29 Member
    i always wondered what broil meant. I assumed it was close to boiling something

    Me too! When Bob and Jill suggested broiling chicken I just thought that sounds disgusting!!! Finally I know what they're on about!! Lol
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
    Oh also, doesn't bangers = sausage?

    Also, could someone please tell me what the heck spotted d*ck is?!
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    spotted **** is a steamed pudding. I think its got raisins in it, and you have it with custard
  • kerriknox
    kerriknox Posts: 276 Member
    I have no doubt that many an international incident has been caused by our British neighbors asking their unwary American friends if they could bum a *kitten*.

    LOL!!!!!
  • Becca_007
    Becca_007 Posts: 596 Member
    if a handbag is a purse, what do americans call actual purses that you keep money in?

    I think they call it a pocket book? I think....????
    Some of us refer to it as a 'billfold'. A billfold in the US holds bills and change. :happy:
    ETA! Lovin this thread!!:love: My Mum was from England so it's wonderful to hear all these words again. :heart:
  • sue26
    sue26 Posts: 412
    Canadian UK

    truck = lorry
    stroller = pushchair
    garbage = rubbish
    soother = dummy
    child = kid
  • RoadDog
    RoadDog Posts: 2,946 Member
    Bladdered = Drunk

    Throw a Wobbly = Have a Tantrum

    Pavement Pizza = Vomit

    Cheeky = Flippant
  • suzycreamcheese
    suzycreamcheese Posts: 1,766 Member
    Bladdered = Drunk

    Throw a Wobbly = Have a Tantrum

    Pavement Pizza = Vomit

    Cheeky = Flippant

    bladdered/pissed/blotto/steaming/wrecked

    throw a wobbly, have a paddy

    vomit/upchuck
  • lauz45
    lauz45 Posts: 243
    This is fun :) I could do this all day!

    There's a few for getting drunk - getting pissed, getting slaughtered, getting gazebo'd (for the michael mcintyre fans!), but I just saw on Geordie Shore (lol) that they say 'getting mortal' in Newcastle. That's weird.

    Roundabout - circle in the middle of the road that people drive around to go left and right, non-existant in the US I believe!
    Intersection - junction
    Biscuit - bread roll (as far as i'm aware, that's what they look like to me!)
    Bell pepper - pepper
    Barette - hair slide/clip
    Candy - sweets
    Cell Phone - mobile phone (normally shortened to 'mobile')
    Drugstore - pharmacy
    Dumpster - Skip
    Fanny pack - bum bag
    Gasoline - Petrol
    Heavy cream - double cream
    Mail - post
    Parking lot - car park
    Saran wrap - cling film
    Shredded cheese - grated cheese
    Ground beef - mince beef
    Blush - blusher
    That's garbage - that's rubbish!
    Cash register - till
    Pantyhose - tights (I think? That's what i've thought since Pretty Woman anyway)
    Dish soap - washing up liquid
    Vacuum Cleaner - hoover (brand name but everyone says it)
    Movie - film
    Sneakers - trainers
    Hey, how are you? - Alright mate?


    I'll stop now! I've been a bit obsessed with the US since..forever. One day i'll go, and i'll have to walk around the supermarkets (grocery stores!) looking at all the weird flavours :)


    Not really the same thing but I like it when Rachel from Friends accidentally makes english trifle with beef!
  • ilsie99
    ilsie99 Posts: 259
    "alright mate?" sounds way cooler than "how's it going?"

    Our (the US's) biscuits are closer to a scone, which I have no idea what that is in the UK. Possibly just a scone. Either that or a "nibbly bun" or something.

    My favorite is when Jim Carrey in Dumb and Dumber says he's having tea and strumpets.
  • hcollett
    hcollett Posts: 4 Member
    I have no doubt that many an international incident has been caused by our British neighbors asking their unwary American friends if they could bum a *kitten*.

    Ha ha brilliant! actually sat here laughing at my computer
  • kimmerroze
    kimmerroze Posts: 1,330 Member
    This is fun :) I could do this all day!

    There's a few for getting drunk - getting pissed, getting slaughtered, getting gazebo'd (for the michael mcintyre fans!), but I just saw on Geordie Shore (lol) that they say 'getting mortal' in Newcastle. That's weird.

    Roundabout - circle in the middle of the road that people drive around to go left and right, non-existant in the US I believe!
    Intersection - junction
    Biscuit - bread roll (as far as i'm aware, that's what they look like to me!)
    Bell pepper - pepper
    Barette - hair slide/clip
    Candy - sweets
    Cell Phone - mobile phone (normally shortened to 'mobile')
    Drugstore - pharmacy
    Dumpster - Skip
    Fanny pack - bum bag
    Gasoline - Petrol
    Heavy cream - double cream
    Mail - post
    Parking lot - car park
    Saran wrap - cling film
    Shredded cheese - grated cheese
    Ground beef - mince beef
    Blush - blusher
    That's garbage - that's rubbish!
    Cash register - till
    Pantyhose - tights (I think? That's what i've thought since Pretty Woman anyway)
    Dish soap - washing up liquid
    Vacuum Cleaner - hoover (brand name but everyone says it)
    Movie - film
    Sneakers - trainers
    Hey, how are you? - Alright mate?


    I'll stop now! I've been a bit obsessed with the US since..forever. One day i'll go, and i'll have to walk around the supermarkets (grocery stores!) looking at all the weird flavours :)


    Not really the same thing but I like it when Rachel from Friends accidentally makes english trifle with beef!

    we have round abouts.. you just don't see them very often, and usually we have to go around them once or twice before we get it. or we go backwards on them lol. They are usually on one lane.

    Pantyhose are really thin tights where as tights are really thick... both names are used in the US another name for panty hose is nylons.
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