Post by moon125 on Nov 4, 2024 9:19:56 GMT
British and American English | Differences in Vocabulary and Spelling
Like many other languages, English is not a constant language. As we know, throughout human history, languages are transmitted, modified and adapted. As a result, there are differences in vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation and general use of natural languages depending on the country in which they took root.
In the case of English, there are several countries that use their “adapted” version of the language. Therefore, among these variants, we have British and American English as two of our main references for the language.
Thus, we know that in the United States, for example, words and expressions are used that are not common in England, and shopify website design vice versa. These differences are not only found in vocabulary, but in pronunciation and grammatical patterns in each country.
In this article, we will present some of the main known vocabulary and spelling differences between British English and American English .
Vocabulary Differences: American English and British English
Some of the following terms, although shared, are more common in the United States than in England (or vice versa), and others are particular to American or British English only.
Food | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
French fries Chips French fries
Cookie Biscuit Cookie
Candy Sweets Candy
Chips Crisps Snack
Cotton candy Candyfloss Cotton candy
Eggplant Aubergine Eggplant
Zucchini Courgette Zucchini
Clothes | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Pants Trousers Pants
Sneakers Trainers Tennis
Pantyhose Tights Pantyhose
Bathrobe Dressing gown Bathrobe
Vest Waistcoat Vest
Zipper Zip Zipper
Purse Handbag Bag
Sweater Jumper Sweater
Housing | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Apartment Flat Apartment
Elevator Lift Elevator
Trash can Dustbin Trash can
Bathroom Toilet Bathroom
Yard Garden Yard
Mailbox Letterbox Mailbox
Faucet Tap Faucet
First floor Ground floor Ground floor
Second floor First floor First floor
To vacuum To hoover Vacuum (with the vacuum cleaner)
Washcloth Flannel Face towel
Couch Sofa Sofa
City, Transport and Commerce | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Sidewalk Pavement Sidewalk
Mall Shopping center Shopping center
Bill Note Notice
Movie Theater Cinema Cinema
Parking lot Car park Parking
Store Shop Store
Takeout Takeaway Takeaway food
Subway Underground Subway
Cart Trolley Shopping cart
License Plate Number plate License plate
Highway Motorway Highway
Drugstore Chemist Pharmacy
Gas station Petrol station Gas station
Cab Taxi Taxi
Baggage Luggage Baggage
Line Queue Queue
Truck Lorry Truck
Bar Pub Bar
Miscellaneous | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Diaper Nappy Diapers
Cell phone Mobile phone Cell phone
Period Full stop Full stop
Grid Mark Grade (school)
Fall Autumn Fall
Soccer Football Soccer
Flashlight Torch Flashlight
Closet Wardrobe Cabinet
Vacation Holiday Vacation
Ride Lift Ride
Stove Cooker Stove
Zipcode Postcode CEP
Front desk Reception Front desk
Movie Film Film
Crib Cot Cradle
Can Tin Can
Spelling Differences: British English and American English
Certain words with similar spellings vary in the way they are spelled in British and American English. These differences are spelling standards adopted by each country, such as:
ER or RE
American English : center , meter , liter , fiber , theater
British English: cent re, met re, lit re, fib re, theat re
OR or OUR
American English: favor or ite , flav or , lab or , color , honor , behavi or
British English : fav or r ite , flav or r , lab or r , col or r , hon or r , behavior
IZ/YZ or IS/YS
American English: organ iz ation, central iz ation, anal yz e, jeopard iz e
British English: organ is ation, central is ation, anal ys e, jeopard is e
L or LL (most verbs end in -ed or -ing )
American English: cancel l ed, travel l ed, take l ed, signa l ed, quarre l ing
British English: cance ll ed, trave ll ed, leve ll ed, signa ll ed, quarre ll ing
G or GE
American English: jud g ment, a g ing
British English: jud ge ment, a ge ing
There you have it, now you know some of the main spelling and vocabulary differences between British and American English!
Want to know more? In this other article, you will learn about the different formats for entering a date in American English and British English .
Like many other languages, English is not a constant language. As we know, throughout human history, languages are transmitted, modified and adapted. As a result, there are differences in vocabulary, spelling, pronunciation and general use of natural languages depending on the country in which they took root.
In the case of English, there are several countries that use their “adapted” version of the language. Therefore, among these variants, we have British and American English as two of our main references for the language.
Thus, we know that in the United States, for example, words and expressions are used that are not common in England, and shopify website design vice versa. These differences are not only found in vocabulary, but in pronunciation and grammatical patterns in each country.
In this article, we will present some of the main known vocabulary and spelling differences between British English and American English .
Vocabulary Differences: American English and British English
Some of the following terms, although shared, are more common in the United States than in England (or vice versa), and others are particular to American or British English only.
Food | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
French fries Chips French fries
Cookie Biscuit Cookie
Candy Sweets Candy
Chips Crisps Snack
Cotton candy Candyfloss Cotton candy
Eggplant Aubergine Eggplant
Zucchini Courgette Zucchini
Clothes | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Pants Trousers Pants
Sneakers Trainers Tennis
Pantyhose Tights Pantyhose
Bathrobe Dressing gown Bathrobe
Vest Waistcoat Vest
Zipper Zip Zipper
Purse Handbag Bag
Sweater Jumper Sweater
Housing | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Apartment Flat Apartment
Elevator Lift Elevator
Trash can Dustbin Trash can
Bathroom Toilet Bathroom
Yard Garden Yard
Mailbox Letterbox Mailbox
Faucet Tap Faucet
First floor Ground floor Ground floor
Second floor First floor First floor
To vacuum To hoover Vacuum (with the vacuum cleaner)
Washcloth Flannel Face towel
Couch Sofa Sofa
City, Transport and Commerce | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Sidewalk Pavement Sidewalk
Mall Shopping center Shopping center
Bill Note Notice
Movie Theater Cinema Cinema
Parking lot Car park Parking
Store Shop Store
Takeout Takeaway Takeaway food
Subway Underground Subway
Cart Trolley Shopping cart
License Plate Number plate License plate
Highway Motorway Highway
Drugstore Chemist Pharmacy
Gas station Petrol station Gas station
Cab Taxi Taxi
Baggage Luggage Baggage
Line Queue Queue
Truck Lorry Truck
Bar Pub Bar
Miscellaneous | Vocabulary
American English British English Translation (PT)
Diaper Nappy Diapers
Cell phone Mobile phone Cell phone
Period Full stop Full stop
Grid Mark Grade (school)
Fall Autumn Fall
Soccer Football Soccer
Flashlight Torch Flashlight
Closet Wardrobe Cabinet
Vacation Holiday Vacation
Ride Lift Ride
Stove Cooker Stove
Zipcode Postcode CEP
Front desk Reception Front desk
Movie Film Film
Crib Cot Cradle
Can Tin Can
Spelling Differences: British English and American English
Certain words with similar spellings vary in the way they are spelled in British and American English. These differences are spelling standards adopted by each country, such as:
ER or RE
American English : center , meter , liter , fiber , theater
British English: cent re, met re, lit re, fib re, theat re
OR or OUR
American English: favor or ite , flav or , lab or , color , honor , behavi or
British English : fav or r ite , flav or r , lab or r , col or r , hon or r , behavior
IZ/YZ or IS/YS
American English: organ iz ation, central iz ation, anal yz e, jeopard iz e
British English: organ is ation, central is ation, anal ys e, jeopard is e
L or LL (most verbs end in -ed or -ing )
American English: cancel l ed, travel l ed, take l ed, signa l ed, quarre l ing
British English: cance ll ed, trave ll ed, leve ll ed, signa ll ed, quarre ll ing
G or GE
American English: jud g ment, a g ing
British English: jud ge ment, a ge ing
There you have it, now you know some of the main spelling and vocabulary differences between British and American English!
Want to know more? In this other article, you will learn about the different formats for entering a date in American English and British English .