A collection of useful phrases in British English, a variety of English spoken in the UK, recorded by Simon Ager, the author of this site. half an hour before seven, or half past seven)? Don’t be a … English slang words beginning with A. Then rest your zonked peepers on these 71 simple British phrases (compiled from slang dictionaries). Funny Greetings. With the Ultimate Guide to British slang from A to Zed, you now have an easy reference so you can translate your British friends into an English language you know. I've heard the British term "half seven" (or "half nine," "half five", etc) used to tell time. A- Z British to American: British and American Spellings © pa (kŭp′ə) n. Chiefly British. British and American Vocabulary. This extensive slang dictionary, first published in 1996, presents slang & informal expressions currently in use in the UK. Find more similar words at wordhippo.com! These slang terms can be a bit confusing at first. Gretchen Wieners once advocated that everyone start saying “fetch,” but don’t stop there. I can't remember though if it means 6:30 or 7:30 (i.e. Although I grew up in Lancashire in the northwest of England, my accent is closer to RP (Received Pronunciation), with some regional influences. Being able to understand and make jokes is often even seen as a sign of fluency. Feel free to download A Gentleman’s Guide to British Slang for when you need a handy guide while you travel. Reference ... there are some common UK expressions that are uniquely British. A cup of tea. Observance of the custom originated amongst the wealthy social classes in England in the 1840s, as the time of dinner moved later. Anna Maria, Duchess of Bedford, is widely credited with inventing afternoon tea in England as a late-afternoon meal whilst visiting Belvoir Castle in Leicestershire. Normally cuppa implies 'a' and 'tea' that means ' a cup of tea'. Looking for information on common UK expressions and slang? Clothes: Parts of a Car: At School: In and around the House: On the Road: People: Buildings / Shops: Sport: Let's Eat! But in use “cuppa” is seen as “cup of”. It is very difficult to be funny in a new language (or difficult to be funny on purpose, at least!). Read on to enjoy a list of expressions that will gear you up for your time in the UK! That means,used with 'a' and ‘drink’ as: Of course they use hello, hi, hey, good morning, good afternoon and good evening. Usually, if you hear them once, you’ll remember them the next time. Useful phrases in British English. Hungry for some more British slang? Afternoon tea is a light meal typically eaten between 3:30 pm and 5 pm. In 1909, writing under the pseudonym James Redding Ware, British writer Andrew Forrester published Passing English of the Victorian era, a dictionary of heterodox English, slang … It is a thought that it came from Irish. British slang is the collection of words and phrases spoken in Great Britain―mostly in England. Some are common, some are out of use, but all of them you will want to start using immediately. Check out our guide to the 40 most memorable British slang words for ESL learners. Among all the forms of English seen around the world, British slang has fallen behind a … I'm American and have never heard another American use the phrase, but apparently it's very common in the UK. Synonyms for afternoon include p.m., afterlife, age, autumn, evening, aft, arvo, mid-afternoon, P.M. and siesta. Don’t be worried about the greetings too much though; you can probably guess when someone's saying hello even if it’s in an unusual way.