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The UK and the USA may share a language (mostly) in common, but when it comes to a number of cultural customs, the Atlantic Ocean seems like the smallest thing separating them.

Whether it's their unique accent that somehow carries over into their typing, their obsession with tea, or the fact that they put baked beans on their toast, Brits certainly have a way of making those of us on the Western side of the world scratch our heads with confusion. That's not to say that Americans don't have quirks of their own, but here at Bored Panda, we think Great Britain deserves some special recognition this time around.

Check out the top British moments that left Americans completely stumped below, and be sure to vote for the ones that you're still trying to understand as well.

#1

American Vs British

tommowar Report

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Lauren Southwood
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My nan came onto facetime while i was talking to my sister, chatted sortly and then said "I have to go, I can't drink my tea unless its scalding hot" Its July...

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#3

American Vs British

a-thousand-words Report

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didi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually quite useful: "biweekly" is confusing as some may consider that as twice a week or every 2 weeks. "Fortnightly" can only mean once every 2 weeks.

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#5

American Vs British

brigwife Report

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E Menendez
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am from the US and I have thought the same thing ( why do we call it math when it should be maths) and always assumed I was just overthinking. Then I learned that Brits use maths and now I feel less foolish. Also, I love eagle f****r. Laughed out loud on that.

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#7

American Vs British

supremequeenofthenerds Report

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Nicola Morley
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Us British can sneak up on you like a ninja in the night or even an iceberg in open water

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#8

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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loveandbones
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Translation: Friend it's hard to explain, it's just like one day you will be with your friends having a look in a sports shop (called JD) and you might fancy the curry offer that's on at the local pub (called Wetherspoons) but your friend Calum, who is a legend and awesome will be like "Guys let's go to Nando's (a resturant chain in the UK, cheap and good tasting food, hence it feeling a bit cheeky) instead." and you'll think "Great idea. Let's go for it."

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#10

American Vs British

grincham-n-larry Report

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Xmayze
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Someone told me a lot of Americans don't even own a kettle, I'm slightly scared to ask if that's true....?

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#12

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Claire Kidd
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why is that so weird to Americans? You know what I find weird? That Americans make everything sickly sweet and have an unhealthy relationship with Maple Syrup. On bacon? Really people?

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#13

American Vs British

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Steve
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"Pulp" is a band. "Juicy bits" are simply juicy and awesome. I'm ok with this one :D

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#14

American Vs British

keelahtequila Report

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TC
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I suppose people in the USA get a compulsory tip because the don't earn enough from their employers and have to life on their clients charity...?

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#16

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Fire Bird
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If you youtube Anglophenia she explains why there are two taps. They didnt want the hot water being contaminated by the cold water as they had seperate tanks. This was back in the day, they just do it now as nostalgia thing.

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#18

American Vs British

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Nicola Morley
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And you thought us Brits were straight laced and uppity. Mr Blobby is proof, do not mess with the Brits if you don't want the nightmares Freddy Kruger gets when sick.

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#20

American Vs British

flomation Report

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didi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Due to the common market trade agreements, there was something of a campaign a while back for food terminology in Europe: They basically wanted all British chocolate renaming as chocolate candy because it wasn't pure enough by their standards (too much milk fat and sugar, not enough cocoa).

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#23

American Vs British

broderick Report

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Brigitte
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Actually all over Europe it's pretty common to have your washing machine in the kitchen. If the bathroom is too small and there is no extra room, where else would you put it? Also in some apartments the water/drain pipes for washing machines are installed in the kitchen only, so you really have no other choice.

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#24

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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ispeak catanese
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We've been watching Vera, The Loch, Unforgotten, Happy Valley, Scott & Bailey & Shetland and have added so many great new insults and idioms to our speech! It's fun yelling k******d and calling each other cow. I think I have developed a Scottish, Yorkshire, Puerto Rican accent.

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#26

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Ninshi TheImp
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That reminds me of something I read. In germany the waterworks have to perpare for the breaks during important football games.

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#29

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Daria B
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Makes sense, but.... I'm sure U.S.A. doesn't have the same accent in each state, just like the U.K. accents vary by countries and regions. Even in one single city of London you can differentiate between particular accents depending on the part of the city, no? Sorry, I'm an overthinker. *shrug*

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#30

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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#32

American Vs British

megganrenayorf_ Report

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Kikari Grace
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeaaaah my understanding is that while Americans call one's bum one's f***y, in the U.K., a f***y is a female-specific piece of anatomy.

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CelSlade
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm a South African in the UK. When someone throws a tantrum in SA we say they throw a 'f***y flap'. I made the mistake of casually using this expression in at a party the UK. A&E was packed with choking-related injuries that night... XD

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Allana Rose
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I visited Australia, I was with some locals and I was wearing a "f***y pack' and referred to it as such. They nearly lost their minds over it! Then they told me a (whispered here)f***y, was a woman's vagina and that it was a BAD word. *L* sheesh

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Kristina Ry
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because "vagina bag"' aka "f***y packs" doesn't sound great

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TheReader19
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's because a f***y is your Mary! everyone who's anyone knows this

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Andus Mcabu
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In the UK, they're called waist bags or waist packs because they're worn around the waist.

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Sophie Milne
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Thats pretty much what the rest of the world calls it too. We swapped it all at the same time we went to the metric system.

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Naomi Prior
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When they were fashionable like 30 years ago! People in Britain wore them on their bums,we obviously weren't going with f***y pack! Hence...

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Wyndmere
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If your bum is on the back side, but you wear the bag on the front, how can you still call it a bum bag? -- Seems the American name is more accurate for the Brits pictured above.

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James Block
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have never in my life heard them being called "bum bags", this is a load of bollocks.

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Jeanne Brennan
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now we just laugh and point because they are so out of fashion. And those are the most hideous ones I've ever seen! We wouldn't even let you in the San Francisco Bay Pride Parade with those, despite the rainbow theme.

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Cherie
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And a bum in the US is still a hobo, though more commonly denoting a lazy person, whereas a tramp used to be AKA a hobo, not a loose-moraled person of female persuasion... Damn, I'm boring myself...

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CultOfBambi
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They're called moonbags in South Africa and twat-satchels in Scotland. One of those statements is false. Guess which!

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Dani Madden
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

My question is more why is anyone still wearing F***y packs?

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Lainey
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

in South Africa we call them 'moon bags'....well I guess it kinda fits with 'bum bags'

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Mark Penrice
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's cuz you guys are confused about front and back bottoms... I rather prefer "belt pocket" :p

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Martin Forbes
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here n the UK a f***y is a stupid person and also the female genitalia.

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Lisa Williams
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hip sack makes more sense but I've seen these worn more on the front than the back so the UK version of f***y would then make more sense.

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Stephanie de Blaauw
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Hip-bags in the Netherlands, just wear them anywhere around the hips and you're grand

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Mylah Rose
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, calling a bum a f***y is so bloody wrong - it's not what it is!!

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Master Markus
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The problem with either term is that people wear them front and back. Fashionable people just use pockets.

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Danny Jeffery
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, because we weren't dumb enough to try and call them "F***y Packs"... XD

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#33

American Vs British

beyoneeche Report

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Steve
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Because it saves on plug-ware. I save pounds every year on not having to replace plugs for my sink.

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#34

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

seavaynay Report

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Cynthia McDonald
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so... you know those little plastic packs that hot dogs come in have a salty liquid in them, right? They're not vacuum sealed in there all dry.

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#35

American Vs British

CrossRdsCollins Report

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Hans
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

faith sadly did not understand the concept of an egg cup. They are for boiled eggs, which are then eaten with a spoon.

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#36

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

jokebud Report

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Claire Kidd
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, Americans have this weird view of the British. In their TV shows EVERY British person either speaks in a really posh voice or is a cockney. WE DON'T TALK LIKE THAT!

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#38

American Vs British

britishjoe Report

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Steve
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Celebrating the day King James I survived what was essentially a terrorist plot to blow up the House of Lords. Interestingly we celebrate by blowing stuff up whilst freezing our collective backsides off and waving sparklers about.

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#39

American Vs British

brokeymcpoverty Report

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Ines Äffchen
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

when I first moved to the UK and switched on the TV I learned that this is a show about people who have some complaint that's "too embarrassing to show your doctor". But yeah, let's ALL have a look at that on national TV, why not.

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#41

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

obvz Report

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John Doe
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

exactly, that's just what you say!! or may be "past midnight" as well

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#43

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

verityglasses Report

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Neil Adams
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's correctly pronounced 'aitch', without the aspirant. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/aitch

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#44

American Vs British

bathadah Report

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Cynthia McDonald
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is my favorite TV show. I have NO CLUE what 90% of the things they are baking actually are -- never heard of them, never seen them. But the intensity with which they bake them is riveting!

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