20 subtleties of living English, which are not told in school

No matter how well you know English, there are still certain subtleties that can be grasped only after a few years of living in an English-speaking country.

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Their list was collected edition “Life hacker".

1. Gastronomic abbreviations

Americans are fans of abbreviations. You can’t just say “a peanut butter and jam jam” - PBJ (Peanut butter jam) is a must. “Buter with lettuce, tomato and bacon” - BLT (Bacon lettuce tomato). But BJ is not bacon with jam.

2. Abbreviations

The words “ok” and “lol” are not in English. Abbreviations are most often spelled: "Okey," "Eloel." But there are exceptions: “yolo”, “asap”.

3. Welcome / no problem

“Thank you” is most often answered not with “Welcome”. “Velkam” can be heard in the store or when you have a service. On a simple household "Thank you"When it is more logical to answer" There is nothing ", and they say:" No problem ".

4. I know!

When they say something to you, and you say: “Wow!” Is not “Oh, yeah!”, But “I know!”. The expression means precisely consent, but not irritable "Yes, I Know."

5. I'm good

If you are offered something, but you do not want, instead of “No” you can say: “I'm good”. It is soft and polite failure such as "I already have norms," ​​and not "I am too good for what you offer me."

6. Good for you

“Good for you” means “well done”. Without the subtext, “Well, you're even better off” or “Good for you.”

- I got a top five!
- Well done. Good for you.

7. Shopping

Shopping - this is not only to try on labutans in boutiques, but also to go to the “Pyaterochku” for potatoes. Just any purchases - shopping. If you need to clarify what is not labuthenes, - grocery shopping.

8. Morning, afternoon, evening, night

Afternoon is the "day." Literally - "after noon." The Russian "after dinner" begins later, somewhere in 15: 00-16: 00.

Night does not begin when everyone went to bed, but in the evening. “We went to the concert last night” - this is the last night.

At work, everyone leaves at five o'clock, and my colleagues say: “Have a good night!”. At first it was strange, what a night, I did not stay in 5 yet. But it's like a good evening.

Evening is a very early night.

As you understand, morning is also not how people start, but immediately after midnight: “Yesterday I went to bed at one in the morning.”

9. Blue / gay

Blue is not only "blue", but also "sad." And this word has nothing to do with gays. And Gay means not only “gay”, but also “funny”. Such is the paradox.

10. Toilet

Restroom in each country is called in its own way. In America - the restroom, in Canada - the washroom. "Toylet" do not speak.

11. Number one, number two

How do you culturally say that you do not just rinse your hands in the dressing room? Use the expressions "number one" and "number two". “Number one” and “number two” are like our “in a small way” and “in a big way”.

12. Do you need a lift?

This is not “Do you need a lift?”, But “Do you need a lift?”. Probably, foreigners are also surprised when they are going to “toss”.

13. How are you?

“How are YOU?” Means “How are you?”, And “How ARE you?” Is “Are you okay?”. The meaning depends on stress. The first question is asked, when do not care how you are doing. It is necessary to answer: "Good, thanks." The second is when something happens to you and people are worried. Then we answer: “I'm fine” (“Nothing, I'm fine”).

14. What's up?

The variant of the standard phrase “How are you?” In English will sound like “What's up?” Or “Sup?” (For the very lazy). The typical answer to this is “Not much” or “Nothing.” The difference from the expression “How are you?” Is that it is about your condition, and “What's up?” Is about what is happening.

15. Loveseat / couch

The sofa for three will be couch, and for two - loveseat!

16. Reception

How to ask if the phone catches? “Do you have a reception?”. Reception is not only a reception desk in a hotel, but also reception of anything, anywhere - even with the queen, even with the telephone.

17. Get out!

It means not only “Get out!”, But also “Yes, go on!” (In the sense of “It cannot be!”).

- Remember my cousin Claire from Montreal? She is dating Elon Musk. (Do you remember my cousin Claire from Montreal? She meets with Ilon Mask).
- Get out! (Yes you go!).

18. Fuck shit

“Fak” and “sew” in a decent society do not speak, although such an impression can occur due to movies. Oaths are replaced with softer counterparts, such as "pancake" and "horseradish" with us:

• shit - shoot;
• fucking - freaking.

19. Alcohol

Alcohol is alcohol. The booze as a whole is booze. Spirits - liquor. Already poured portion - drink. A cup that is drunk in one gulp (one shot) is a shot.

20. Subtleties of pronunciation

The suite, in the sense of a “hotel room”, is pronounced “suite” and not “suite”. Sew (sew) - “Sow,” not “Sue.” But hell itself is a “choir.” Choir - Quire!

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