What does "I was bloody brilliant" mean?
Blighty is a small island in the North Atlantic that is known for its great comedy and rich tapestry of accents.Down-to-earth and full of character is what British English is like.The kooky phrases which can be heard all across the land show off the country's character.
To give you a taste of how Brits speak, I have collected some British phrases that visitors to our shores should first learn in order to understand the locals.These phrases are useful for holding a conversation, but they will also give you an insight into how the Brits are.
Everyone knows that Brits love tea, but there is nothing you can do to prepare them for their addiction.Tea is more than a beverage.It is a way of life.If a British person is around, it won't take long for you to be asked the question: "Fancy a cuppa?"
The act of drinking tea brings British people together, and they like nothing more than to pop the kettle on and enjoy a cup of tea while putting the world to rights or sharing some juicy gossip.Brits think tea can help solve problems.Any situation can be conquered with a cup of tea.
Shakespeare was British, but modern-day Brits are less wordy.We used to greet each other on the street with a formal "How do you do, Sir?" while tipping our hats and waving our handkerchiefs in the air.Nowadays, your average Brit under the age of 40 is more likely to greet their friends with a curt "Alright?"
Don't get your knickers in a twist.The greeter is not asking for an in-depth explanation of your well-being.An authentic "Alright?" can only be achieved if the greeter gives a nod of the head, and the word itself is to be voiced as a short groan.
When you are catching your breath after a lot of physical activity, this is a great one to break out from.Running for the bus while holding multiple bags of shopping in your hands isquintessentially British.After you make it aboard, sit down next to the little old Granny in the front row and say, "I'm knackered!"
Brits are famous for their sense of humor, and we like to take life less seriously than other nations.We use the word "cheeky" to describe small, fun, frivolous activities that make us happy.
As Brits are always trying to inject our upbeat outlook on everything we do, you will often hear people described as having a "cheeky smile" that suggests they are up to the task.
This is the perfect phrase to use when describing a great deal of pleasure or pride in one's own work.If you are about to eat a delicious full English breakfast, you could say that you're feeling "chuffed to bits."It was boom!You could say that you are overwhelmed to bits with yourself.
If you want to sound quintessentially British while emphasizing a certain characteristic or quality of an object, location or person, then you have to use the word bloody.Have you ever had the misfortune of seeing a terrible performance of Hamlet?You will have to say, "Well that was bloody awful, wasn't it?" to your fellow theatre enthusiast.
The chocolate bar was bequeathed to the world by Britain in the past.Modern-day Brits have an impressive standard to live up to when it comes to inventions and mechanics.We take pride in giving the repair job a go ourselves because most Brits are embarrassed by the thought of hiring an expensive expert to mend an item in need of repair.If the repair job is low-quality and doesn't get the job done, what should we do?That is what we call it.
The clumsy and futile attempt to mend a broken item is perfectly described by this sentence.If the tape has come off the handlebars on your bike, don't go to a professional bike repair shop and pay through the nose for the application of expensive "bike tape" by a man who knows what he's doing.You can affix the cheap sellotape to your handlebars yourself.Who cares if the end bits flap in the wind?Right now, it is more important that you have mastered the British art ofbodging it.
It is confusing for non-native English speakers and trips up Americans as well.To be angry about something is what American English means.The phrase "having a few too many lagers down the pub" is used in British English to describe the feeling of having a hard time walking in a straight line.
If you spend more than five minutes around a British woman over the age of 40, you will most likely hear the word "lovely." This popular word conveys a feeling of affection or approval on behalf of the speaker towards an object or person.The following exchange is happening on the streets of Oxford.
British people are notoriously over-polite, and the innate fear of being rude is so ingrained in our national psyche that most Brits are terribly afraid to register their dislike at anything.If we want to keep up appearances and not offend the company we are with, then rather than expressing our disappointment or disgust at something, we will say, "Oh it's lovely!"You have to master the art of hiding your disappointment if you want to blend in and do as the British do.