If you're a tourist, especially an American visiting Britain, you may want to brush up on some local slang ahead of time so you don’t get too confused. Here are some commonly used words, phrases, and expressions to know before you go!
A&E accident and emergency hospital
All right? hi / how are you
Aubergine eggplant
Bangers and Mash sausages and mashed potatoes
Barrister lawyer
Bin trash can
Bits and Bobs things to do or buy
Bobby police officer
Bog toilet
Bog roll toilet paper
Bollocks nonsense
Bonnet hood of a car
Boot trunk of a car
Brilliant well done
Buggy stroller
Car Park parking lot
Cheers thanks
Chips french fries
Chiropodist podiatrist
Coach long distance bus
Coriander cilantro
Courgette zucchini
Crisps potato chips
Cuppa a cup of tea
Daft foolish
Drink Driving drunk driving
Electric Fire space heater
Fag cigarette
Fair Enough ok / alright
Fairy Lights string lights
Fancy to like / love something or someone
Fiz champagne
Fizzy a carbonated beverage
Flannel washcloth
Flat apartment
Fringe bangs
Footpath sidewalk
Gherkin pickle
Git moron
Grit Bin roadside box full of salt / grit to spread on icy roads
Gobsmacked shocked
Gutted devastated
Hamper picnic / gift basket
Hen Night bachelorette party
Hire to rent something
Hob stovetop
Hoover to vacuum
Jab vaccination
Jacket baked potato with skin
Jumper sweater
Kitchen Roll paper towels
Knock Up to wake someone up
Larder storage pantry in a kitchen
Let to rent / lease
Lift elevator
Loo toilet
Loo Roll toilet paper
Lorry a large motortruck
Lurgy a cold / flu
Mange Tout snow or snap peas
Mash mashed potatoes or other root vegetables
Mobile cell phone
Mod well-dressed person
Moggy cat
Mushy Peas mashed peas
Nappies diapers
Offer sale
Pants underwear
Paracetamol acetaminophen
Peckish hungry
Petrol gasoline
Petrol Station gas station
Pissed drunk
Plaster bandaid
Post mail
Pram stroller
Pud dessert
Queue a line or a wait
Quid one pound / currency
Rashers bacon
Ring to call someone on the phone
Rocket arugula
Rubbish garbage
Rucksack backpack
Sack a bag to carry groceries
Sat Nav satellite navigation / GPS
Singleton a single person
Skip dumpster
Slip Road entrance / exit ramp on or off a road
Solicitor lawyer
Sorted to plan / organize
Spotted Dick a pudding
Stag Do bachelor party
Stile a fence / stair combo that people climb over but animals can’t
Surgery doctor's office
Swede rutabaga
Swimming Costume bathing suit
Taking the Piss joking around
Tea Towel dishtowel
Torch flashlight
Trainers sneakers
Trolly shopping cart
Trousers pants
Veg vegetables
Voucher coupon
Washing up liquid dish soap
Wellies Wellington rain boots
Whilst while
Zebra crossing crosswalk
Zed the letter z
These essential phrases will help you get by a bit easier when visiting Britain. If heading to the UK via the tunnel from France, you might also want to learn how to sound French to complete your journey. You will blend in easier by learning some local lingo!
