英国人教你地道的表达：11个超英式的词组②

If it's your dream to enjoy a cream tea with the Queen, or treat yourself to a pint down the pub, you'll need to master these essential British phrases!

meaning: to mend, or repair something clumsily

In the past, Britain bequeathed onto the world the steam train, the telephone and, most importantly, the chocolate bar. So it’s fair to say that modern-day Brits have got a pretty impressive standard to live up to when it comes to the world of inventions and mechanics. Most Brits are therefore mortified by the thought of hiring an expensive expert to mend an item in need of repair, and we take pride in giving the repair job a go ourselves. But what if this repair job is of a low-quality, and doesn’t really get the job done? That’s what we call "to bodge something”.

This verb perfectly describes the clumsy and invariably futile attempt to mend a broken item. For example, 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 — perish the thought! Instead, grab some cheap sellotape from the newsagent’s and affix it to your handlebars yourself! Who cares if the end bits continue to flap in the wind? You’ve just perfected the British art of "bodging it", and that’s far more important right now. Isambard Kingdom Brunel would be proud of your inventiveness.

meaning: "I’m drunk.”

This one isn’t just confusing for non-native English speakers — it regularly trips up Americans too! In American English "to be pissed" means to be extremely angry about something. In British English, the phrase is used to describe the feeling of having had a few too many lagers down the pub, and the resulting struggle to walk in a straight line.

meaning: beautiful; attractive

Spend more than five minutes around any British woman over the age of forty, and you are very likely to hear the word "lovely". This extremely popular word conveys a feeling of affection or approval on behalf of the speaker towards an object or person, and it’s perhaps best summed up in the phrase, "that’s a lovely cup of tea." However, the word is more popular amongst older generations, and even more so amongst older women. For instance, the following exchange isdefinitely happening right now on the streets of Oxford:

meaning: friend

Yes, you could use the word "friend" to describe someone you’re close to, but the British word "mate" suggests a more nuanced relationship shaped by trust, loyalty and lots of laughs.

Brits are far more likely to describe friends as "mates" because the word "friend" seems… a bit naff (tacky). A "mate" will share a pint with you down the pub, help you move flats, tell you if your bum’s too big for that pair of jeans and definitely give you an earful when you make the silly decision go back to your old ex for what must be the sixth time already. Seriously mate, stop doing this to yourself!

meaning: "I don’t believe you!”

"Rubbish" is the British word for "garbage," so if you want to point out that an idea or suggestion has no quality or is blatantly false, this is the British phrase you’ll need. You’ve just heard someone describe Oasis as "the greatest band who ever walked this Earth"? There’s only one recourse for you: Stop them dead in their tracks by exclaiming, "That’s rubbish!”

Inspired to brush up on your English? Or maybe you've got the urge to learn a new language? Either way, we've got you covered!