| British |
American |
Category |
| bagsy / bagsied |
dibs / called dibs |
actions |
| whinging |
whining |
actions |
| taking the piss |
teasing, mocking |
actions |
| shagging |
fucking, screwing |
actions |
| having a domestic |
fighting, arguing (only law enforcement or legal professional would say 'domestic disturbance') |
actions |
| fancy |
want, like |
actions |
| pinch / nick |
steal |
actions |
| dodgy (suspicious) |
shady |
adjectives |
| skint |
broke |
adjectives |
| stroppy, cross |
angry, irritated, pissed off |
adjectives |
| peckish |
hungry |
adjectives |
| gagging for |
desperate for |
adjectives |
| pissed |
drunk |
adjectives |
| working-class |
working class, blue collar |
adjectives |
| middle-class |
middle class, white collar |
adjectives |
| posh |
high class, rich, fancy/elegant |
adjectives |
| lorry |
truck |
automotive |
| bonnet (of car) |
hood (of car) |
automotive |
| boot (of car) |
trunk (of car) |
automotive |
| windscreen |
windshield |
automotive |
| indicator (of car) |
turn signal / blinker |
automotive |
| estate car |
station wagon |
automotive |
| caravan |
camper / r.v. |
automotive |
| petrol |
gasoline |
automotive |
| dummy (for baby) |
pacifier |
baby |
| pram, buggy |
stroller |
baby |
| jumper / pullover / jersey |
sweater |
clothing |
| trousers |
pants |
clothing |
| pants |
underwear (or more specific,e.g. boxers, briefs) |
clothing |
| button-up |
dress shirt, button-down |
clothing |
| vest |
tank top, sleeveless t-shirt (some say wife beater but that's kind of offensive) |
clothing |
| waistcoat |
vest |
clothing |
| trainers (shoes) |
sneakers, tennis shoes |
clothing |
| flies (of trousers) |
fly (of pants) |
clothing |
| braces |
suspenders |
clothing |
| high street |
main street |
clothing |
| rucksack |
backpack |
clothing |
| track pants |
sweatpants |
clothing |
| tights |
pantyhose, nylons, tights (exclusively for opaque stockings) |
clothing |
| combat trousers / combats |
cargo pants |
clothing |
| high heels, heels |
high heels, pumps |
clothing |
| nappy |
diaper |
clothing, baby |
| flatmate |
roommate (less frequently: housemate or apartment mate) |
community |
| (television) programme |
t.v. show |
community |
| queue |
line |
community |
| skip |
dumpster |
community |
| chip and PIN machine |
grocery self check-out |
community |
| cash machine |
ATM |
community |
| Inland Revenue |
the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) |
community |
| junction |
intersection |
community |
| zebra crossing |
crosswalk |
community |
| Hen Night |
bachelorette party |
community |
| stag do |
bachelor party |
community |
| maths |
math |
community |
| marks |
grades |
community |
| primary school, secondary school |
elementary / grade school, middle / junior high school, high school |
community |
| class, form |
grade (as in group of kids in the same grade) |
community |
| Shite! Bollocks! Bugger! |
Shit! Fuck! Goddammit! |
exclamations |
| Oi! |
Hey! (exclamation of offense) Hey you! (to get someone's attention) |
exclamations |
| sweets |
candy |
food |
| biscuit |
cookie |
food |
| crisps |
potato chips |
food |
| chips |
french fries, fries |
food |
| ice lolly |
popsicle |
food |
| courgette |
zucchini |
food |
| jacket potato |
baked potato |
food |
| aubergine |
eggplant |
food |
| candy floss |
cotton candy |
food |
| treacle |
molasses |
food |
| takeaway (food) |
takeout (food) |
food |
| tin (of food) |
can (of food) |
food |
| jam / jam doughnuts |
jelly / jelly doughnuts |
food |
| coriander (leaves) |
cilantro |
food |
| soft drink |
soft drink, soda, pop |
food |
| jelly |
Jell-O |
food |
| pudding |
dessert (general) |
food |
| bill (e.g., from a restaurant) |
check |
food |
| telly |
t.v., television |
furniture |
| bedside cabinet |
side table |
furniture |
| wardrobe |
closet (built-in), dresser (folded clothes), armoire (hanging clothes, rarer) |
furniture |
| work top |
kitchen counter |
furniture |
| fringe |
bangs |
hair |
| hair slide, hair clip |
hair clip, barrette |
hair |
| serviettes |
napkins |
household |
| kitchen roll |
paper towels |
household |
| toilet roll, bog roll |
toilet paper, toilet tissue |
household |
| torch |
flashlight |
household |
| timetable |
schedule |
household |
| tap |
faucet |
household |
| rubber |
eraser |
household |
| post |
mail |
household |
| mobile |
cell phone |
household |
| rubber |
eraser |
household |
| plaster |
band-aid |
household |
| hob |
stove |
household |
| a tip |
a dump (messy place) / a dumpster (metal box you throw trash in) |
household |
| rubbish |
garbage, trash |
household |
| bin |
garbage can, trash can |
household |
| holiday |
vacation |
other |
| row |
fight, argument, disagreement |
other |
| postal code / postcode |
zip code / zip |
other |
| newsreader |
newscaster / anchorman / anchorwoman |
other |
| mum |
mom, mother (mommy for little kids) |
people |
| bloke |
guy |
people |
| wanker, clot, berk |
jerk, douchebag, asshole |
people |
| prick |
dick |
people |
| knob, muppet, berk, clotpole, pillock, prat |
idiot, dork, moron, dumbass |
people |
| bum, backside, arse |
butt, ass (crude), bottom (twee), booty (facetious) |
people |
| council estate, housing estate |
public housing, housing project |
places |
| University (Uni) |
college |
places |
| pavement, footpath |
sidewalk |
places |
| motorway |
highway / freeway |
places |
| film |
movie |
places |
| cinema |
movie theater (or "to the movies") |
places |
| storey (of a building) |
floor |
places |
| garden |
yard/backyard (garden is only for an actual flower garden) |
places |
| ground floor (at street level) |
first floor (at street level) |
places |
| flat |
apartment (or condo, townhouse if owned by the tenant) |
places |
| car park |
parking lot / parking garage |
places |
| lift |
elevator |
places |
| loo |
bathroom / toilet |
places |
| underground |
subway |
places |
| chemist's |
drugstore |
places |
| block of flats |
apartment building |
places |
| canteen |
cafeteria |
places |
| going back to yours |
going back to your place |
places |
| off-license / carryout |
liquor store |
places |
| corner shop |
bodega store, mom-and-pop store, convenience store, 7-Eleven (brand-specific) |
places |
| A&E, Casualty |
the ER (layman), the ED (for Emergency Department, preferred terminology within healthcare) |
places |
| in hospital, to hospital |
in the hospital, to the hospital |
places |
| public school |
private school |
places |
| canteen |
cafeteria (canteen is only for military) |
places |
| aluminium |
aluminum |
science |
| football |
soccer |
sports |
| pay rise |
raise |
work |
| sacked (from a job) |
fired |
work |
| |
|
|
| SPELLING DIFFERENCES |
|
|
| fantasise, emphasise, realise, etc. |
fantasize, emphasize, realize, etc. |
|
| cheque |
check |
|
| kerb |
curb |
|
| colour |
color |
|
| theatre, centre, fibre, etc. |
theater, center, fiber, etc. |
|
| programme |
program |
|
| tyre |
tire |
|
| tonne |
ton |
|
| odour, behaviour, neighbour, parlour, etc. |
odor, behavior, neighbor, parlor, etc. |
|
| pyjamas |
pajamas |
|