What Brits say vs what they mean
Decode the polite phrases that really mean no, wrong or now.
All 15 phrases
Hidden bad news7
- It's quite goodSaid flatly, 'quite' makes it weaker: OK, a bit meh.
- I'll bear it in mindUsually: I won't do anything about it.
- That's a brave decisionI think that's a bad idea.
- That's... interestingI don't like it, or I think it's odd.
- Not idealThis is a real problem, possibly a disaster.
- We must have you round sometimeFriendly, but usually not a real invitation until someone suggests a date.
- It's a bit muchIt's way too much, over the top.
Polite disagreement3
Polite orders2
Everyday replies3
Check yourself15 questions
Question 1 of 15
Said flatly, 'It's quite good' usually means...
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About this pack
- Price
- Free
- Account
- Not needed, saved on this device
- Reviews
- 1, 3, 7, 14 and 30 days later
- Moments
- 9 of 15 phrases have a clip
- Sources
Picked by Talk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Phrases
- Picked by Talk.
- How Talk picked them
- Part of Talk's themed British life packs. Talk wrote each phrase with what it really means, when to say it, what not to say instead and one quiz question. A phrase gets a moment only if Talk's spoken videos say it with the same meaning. One review picked each moment, and a second tried to reject it. This pack holds 15 phrases.
- Licence
- Talk shares this list under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Meanings and examples
- Written by Talk in plain English.
- Dictionary details
- From Wiktionary contributors (CC BY-SA 4.0) and Princeton WordNet, used under the WordNet licence. WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
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