As illustrated in our previous blog, American vs British Words Part 1 , you will often find that the same English word you use in Britain will mean something else entirely in the US. This usually makes for fun and confusing conversations. If before we talked about food and clothes, here are some examples of words related to sports and day to day activities:

Talking about sports

Football vs Soccer
This is the one that can get some people quite angry. In the UK (and the rest of the world), football means soccer, the most popular sport in the world. A British person would always say: “Do you want to play football?” Never, “Do you want to play soccer?” In the US, football means American football, the game that more closely resembles rugby. If an American is talking about teams like Arsenal and Barcelona, they would call it soccer.

Day to day activities

Pavement vs sidewalk
If you’re walking along the side of the road in the UK, you’re using the pavement. In the United States they call it the sidewalk, which is very literal but makes sense.

Boot vs trunk and bonnet vs hood
There are a couple of differences when it comes to talking about cars. In Britain, the compartment at the back of the car where you can store your luggage is called the boot. But if you’re in America, you’ll be storing your luggage in the trunk. The front of the car has different names too: in British English it’s called the bonnet, whereas in American English it’s called the hood.

Lift vs elevator
If you’re visiting the UK from America and you’re looking for an elevator, you won’t find one. In Britain it’s called a lift, but they’re both the same thing.

Read more about differences between American and British English. (Link to Part 1)

photo credit: Friends with benefits? via photopin (license)