We accidentally stumbled on this post by Ellen Modin at Late Night London who creatively exposed the untold meanings of the most common Londoners expressions and we thought it was brilliant so decide to reshare it. If you haven’t seen it yet – enjoy!
Londoners say: Sorry.
Londoners mean: Please get out of my way.
Londoners say: Excuse me.
Londoners mean: Get the f*** out of my way.
Londoners say: There’s loads of room.
Londoners mean: I can almost breathe.
Londoners say: The rent is reasonable.
Londoners mean: I know the rent is absolutely outrageous but I can afford it, therefore it’s reasonable.
Londoners say: The rent is cheap.
Londoners mean: The standard of living is so below par you could never live there.
Londoners say: Shopping on Oxford Street this Saturday? That’s brave.
Londoners mean: Shopping on Oxford Street this Saturday? You’re insane and I’d rather do crack.
Londoners say: This train carriage is not full.
Londoners mean: I can see there’s not physical space, but that is not how this works at 8:30am.
Londoners say: There are a lot of tourists there.
Londoners mean: I’m not going there.
Londoners say: I have a studio.
Londoners mean: I basically have a bed in a cupboard in which I can sit.
Londoners say: Outside Zone 3?
Londoners mean: I am confused. That’s irrationally far and I can’t and will not be bothered.
Londoners say: It’s a good pub.
Londoners mean: It’s not a tourist trap and they serve normal beer.
Londoners say: I’m on my way.
Londoners mean: I’m not on the Tube yet.
Londoners say: I’m on time.
Londoners mean: Theoretically, I could be. But TFL may have other plans.
Londoners say: Tube.
Londoners mean: This is why I am an hour late.
Londoners say: How much is it?
Londoners mean: I may be able to afford it but I don’t think that is a reasonable price to pay, at all, for anything, ever.
Londoners say: Hipster.
Londoners mean: He wears tight trousers and has a beard.
Londoners say: Pop Up.
Londoners mean: New must try thing that will undoubtedly involve queueing and potentially only aggravating people will be going.
Londoners say: Gourmet.
Londoners mean: Overpriced.
Londoners say: There’s no tube stop there.
Londoners mean: That’s not London.
Londoners say: Let’s go for breakfast.
Londoners mean: Starbucks coffee to go.
Londoners say: Let’s go for lunch.
Londoners mean: Pret sandwich to go.
Londoners say: Let’s go for dinner.
Londoners mean: Don’t make any other plans because this will be a 6 hour session involving heaps and heaps of wine.
Londoners say: I don’t go out in East London.
Londoners mean: Visiting the grey city makes me sad in my soul and as a Londoner I’m already quite sad enough in my soul – I hate East London.
Londoners say: I only go out in East London.
Londoners mean: I’m from East London and I’m too cool for anywhere else, especially West London – I hate West London.
Londoners say: Quickly.
Londoners mean: Right now.
Londoners say: Not bad.
Londoners mean: That’s awesome.
Londoners say: A quiet night.
Londoners mean: Two bottles of wine.
Londoners say: That place is over.
Londoners mean: The only people that visit are the ones who want to Instagram their food and I would rather stab myself in the eyeball than go there again.
Londoners say: A little busy.
Londoners mean: Absolutely packed with a ridiculous queue.
Londoners say: Not the right vibe.
Londoners mean: Nowhere to sit.
Londoners say: Oh, you aren’t from London.
Londoners mean: You don’t understand anything I say.
Londoners say: I hate everyone.
Londoners mean: I love London.
Londoners say: That’s London.
Londoners mean: Stop complaining.
