Everyday Essentials
- Awesome / Amazing / Cool — "great" (used constantly)
- No worries / No problem — "it is fine"
- For sure — yes, agreed
- How's it going? — hello, not an actual question
- What's up? — hi, casual
- Gotcha — I understand
- My bad — my fault, sorry
- Hang on / hold on — wait a moment
- Totally — completely, agreed
- Y'all — you all (Southern but nationwide)
At Restaurants
- Check, please — the bill
- To-go / Takeout — takeaway
- For here or to-go? — eat in or takeaway
- Entrée — main course (NOT starter, unlike French)
- Appetizer — starter
- Soda / pop / coke — fizzy drink (varies by region)
- Regular coffee — filter coffee, not espresso
- Eggs over easy — fried with runny yolk, lightly cooked
- How would you like that cooked? — for steak: rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, well-done
- Doggy bag — container for leftovers (always acceptable)
On the Street
- Restroom / bathroom — toilet
- Sidewalk — pavement
- Elevator — lift
- Line — queue ("stand in line" not "stand in queue")
- Apartment — flat
- Subway — underground metro
- Cab — taxi
- Block — city unit between two cross streets
- Downtown — city center
- Uptown / midtown / downtown — NYC-specific north/mid/south
Money Slang
- Bucks — dollars ($20 = 20 bucks)
- A grand — $1,000
- A dime — 10 cents
- A quarter — 25 cents
- A Benjamin — $100 bill (from Ben Franklin)
- Check — cheque (British spelling not used)
- Tab — bar bill
- Split the check — divide the bill
Regional Differences
| Thing | Northeast | South | Midwest | West |
|---|
| Fizzy drink | Soda | Coke (all types) | Pop | Soda |
| Sandwich | Hero/grinder | Po' boy | Sub | Sub |
| Shopping cart | Cart | Buggy | Cart | Cart |
| Highway | Interstate | Interstate | Highway | Freeway |
Phrases to Avoid
- "Fag" (British: cigarette) — offensive slur in America. Say "cigarette" or "smoke."
- "Fanny" (British: bum) — means front private parts in US. "Fanny pack" = bum bag (the only acceptable usage).
- "Spotted dick" — a British pudding unknown in America. Americans will not get it.
- Talking politics with strangers — Americans are politically polarized. Skip the small talk.
- "I'm stuffed" — technically fine but sounds dated. "I'm full" is more common.
- "Cheers" as a greeting/thanks — only used when drinking. Say "thanks."
British vs American
| British | American |
|---|
| Biscuit | Cookie |
| Chips | Fries |
| Crisps | Chips |
| Lorry | Truck |
| Lift | Elevator |
| Petrol | Gas / Gasoline |
| Queue | Line |
| Rubbish | Trash / Garbage |
| Trousers | Pants |
| Pants | Underwear |
| Trainers | Sneakers |
| Holiday | Vacation |
| Autumn | Fall |
| Flat | Apartment |
Americans will understand you whichever version you use, but using American terms reduces confusion in fast-paced interactions.
Everyday Essentials
- Awesome / Amazing / Cool — "great" (used constantly)
- No worries / No problem — "it is fine"
- For sure — yes, agreed
- How's it going? — hello, not an actual question
- What's up? — hi, casual
- Gotcha — I understand
- My bad — my fault, sorry
- Hang on / hold on — wait a moment
- Totally — completely, agreed
- Y'all — you all (Southern but nationwide)
At Restaurants
- Check, please — the bill
- To-go / Takeout — takeaway
- For here or to-go? — eat in or takeaway
- Entrée — main course (NOT starter, unlike French)
- Appetizer — starter
- Soda / pop / coke — fizzy drink (varies by region)
- Regular coffee — filter coffee, not espresso
- Eggs over easy — fried with runny yolk, lightly cooked
- How would you like that cooked? — for steak: rare, medium-rare, medium, medium-well, well-done
- Doggy bag — container for leftovers (always acceptable)
On the Street
- Restroom / bathroom — toilet
- Sidewalk — pavement
- Elevator — lift
- Line — queue ("stand in line" not "stand in queue")
- Apartment — flat
- Subway — underground metro
- Cab — taxi
- Block — city unit between two cross streets
- Downtown — city center
- Uptown / midtown / downtown — NYC-specific north/mid/south
Money Slang
- Bucks — dollars ($20 = 20 bucks)
- A grand — $1,000
- A dime — 10 cents
- A quarter — 25 cents
- A Benjamin — $100 bill (from Ben Franklin)
- Check — cheque (British spelling not used)
- Tab — bar bill
- Split the check — divide the bill
Regional Differences
| Thing | Northeast | South | Midwest | West |
|---|
| Fizzy drink | Soda | Coke (all types) | Pop | Soda |
| Sandwich | Hero/grinder | Po' boy | Sub | Sub |
| Shopping cart | Cart | Buggy | Cart | Cart |
| Highway | Interstate | Interstate | Highway | Freeway |
Phrases to Avoid
- "Fag" (British: cigarette) — offensive slur in America. Say "cigarette" or "smoke."
- "Fanny" (British: bum) — means front private parts in US. "Fanny pack" = bum bag (the only acceptable usage).
- "Spotted dick" — a British pudding unknown in America. Americans will not get it.
- Talking politics with strangers — Americans are politically polarized. Skip the small talk.
- "I'm stuffed" — technically fine but sounds dated. "I'm full" is more common.
- "Cheers" as a greeting/thanks — only used when drinking. Say "thanks."
British vs American
| British | American |
|---|
| Biscuit | Cookie |
| Chips | Fries |
| Crisps | Chips |
| Lorry | Truck |
| Lift | Elevator |
| Petrol | Gas / Gasoline |
| Queue | Line |
| Rubbish | Trash / Garbage |
| Trousers | Pants |
| Pants | Underwear |
| Trainers | Sneakers |
| Holiday | Vacation |
| Autumn | Fall |
| Flat | Apartment |
Americans will understand you whichever version you use, but using American terms reduces confusion in fast-paced interactions.