First, when the British refer to flats it’s really synonymous with our use of the term ‘apartments‘ – groups of multi-family housing units within a larger building. The only difference is the word flat is commonly used in British English and the word apartment is more popular in American English.
What is the British word of apartment?
apartment Definitions and Synonyms
mainly Americana set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a large building. The usual British word is flat.
Why do Brits call it a flat?
Flat, as as a dwelling, is derived from a Scottish word “flet” meaning a floor or storey of a house or building. It also has a secondary derivation because the rooms of an apartment are usually all on the same level, so an apartment is flat.
Do British people say flat?
Flat is used in British English, and apartment is used in North American English. The exact meaning of the word apartment depends on where you live.
What do Brits call their house?
‘ The main room in an American home, the room where people usually sit and do things together like watch television and entertain visitors, is called a living room. The British name for this room, sitting room, sounds rather quaint and old-fashioned to American ears.
| American | British |
|---|---|
| row house | terraced house |
What do UK people call houses?
Houses, most are just called houses. Unless they are in the countryside and have a thatched roof, then they are called cottages.
Do British say flat or apartment?
flat
In British English, a flat is a set of rooms for living in, usually on one floor of a large building. She lived in a tiny furnished flat near Sloane Square. In American English, a set of rooms like this is usually called an apartment.
What do Brits call the first floor?
the ground floor
In British English the floor at street level is called the ground floor, whereas in American English this is the first floor.
What do British people call the floor?
In British English, the floor of a building which is level with the ground is called the ground floor. The floor above it is called the first floor, the floor above that is the second floor, and so on.
What do Brits call a living room?
In Western architecture, a living room, also called a lounge room (Australian English), lounge (British English), sitting room (British English), or drawing room, is a room for relaxing and socializing in a residential house or apartment.
What is a London flat?
flat: British style. In British usage, a flat is usually a set of rooms on one floor, something without stairs.
What is a flat vs an apartment?
A flat is a single residential unit on a single floor, while an apartment is one where you have several residential units on a single floor. This means, flats have only one residence owned or rented out on a single floor, while an apartment may have a mixed bag of 1BHK, 2BHK, 3BHK etc. residential units.
What is a bedroom called in Britain?
The master bedroom is the biggest / main bedroom. A tiny bedroom may be called a boxroom or nursery. An additional bedroom intended for guests is called a guest room.
What do Brits call garages?
Car park – n – Parking lot or parking garage.
What do the British call a fridge?
Traffic Words, Other Common Words in the US
| American English word | British English equivalent |
|---|---|
| Refrigerator | Fridge |
| Sneakers | Tennis Shoe / Sports Shoe |
| Tortilla | |
| Bubbler | Drinker Water Fountain |
What do the British call a cottage?
A labourer’s or fisherman’s one-roomed house, often attached to a larger property, is a particular type of cottage and is called a penty.
What are London homes called?
In British usage, the term townhouse originally referred to the town or city residence, in practice normally in London, of a member of the nobility or gentry, as opposed to their country seat, generally known as a country house or, colloquially, for the larger ones, stately home.
What do the British call a master bedroom?
Several national newspapers have reported that the term ‘master bedroom’ will no longer be used by ‘dozens of estate agents’ in England due to its allusions to sexism and slavery. Instead they will use the terms ‘primary’ or ‘principal’ bedroom, reported The Times.
What do British people call a basement?
Amongst the estate agents and property professionals in the UK, the term ‘cellar’ is often used to describe residential projects while the term ‘basement’ is used to describe new build and commercial projects alike. A cellar is often a smaller space than a basement.
What does British call elevator?
lift
Everyone knows that for the Brits, an elevator is a “lift,” an apartment is a “flat,” and those chips you’re snacking on are actually called “crisps.”
What do Brits call the second floor?
What Americans call the second floor, the British (and other Europeans) call the first floor. The difference is that American begin with the first floor at ground level, while we have a ground floor at that level, with the first floor above it.