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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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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#28

American-british-cultural-differences-confusion

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Kim Chapman
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6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And a legit conversation i witnessed while working on the Railway: "Oi you c**t" "Who are you calling a c**t, you c**t" "You, you c**t" "I'm not a c**t, you're a c**t" "no i'm not, you c**t"... I forget how the rest went, but you get the idea. Also, it has to be mentioned, that the name of one of the guys involved was Ghengis, so you get an idea of the size of the two guys arguing

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

I still think fairy lights is adorable. Way better than plain old Christmas lights

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

What a bunch of bellends...There you go, another step in English language education.

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

They invented the language. That is why it's called ENGLISH. They can say whatever the heck they want. I support they guy who told OP to f**k off.

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

What really got my brain twisted when I first moved to the UK was that some Brits use 'you're alright' to mean 'no' too. As in 'would you like another drink?' 'you're alright mate'. I would just stand there totally confused, going 'erm... was that a yes, no, maybe?'

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

It's short for, "You're alright mate, don't go to any trouble for me. I don't want any." In other words "No thanks"!

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craz435yt avatar
Community Member
6 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I call "fairy lights" lights And jumpers jumpers And sneakers shoes

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

So how do you differentiate between fair lights and lights, or jumpers and sweaters, or sneakers and shoes? Is there less choice where you're from?

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

No no... Christmas lights are the big ones. Fairy lights are the small ones that go on an indoor tree and are too low output to cause a fire. Like little pixies. Tinkerbell, yeah? Plus the angel on top was often called a fairy instead (idk why) It's too cold here to sweat in a jumper, and they're made of wool. Sheep like to jump. (yeah ok i don't really know what the etymology is here, but it's probably something French. However a jumper tends to be looser knit with thicker yarn whilst sweaters are a much tighter weave of thin thread, like a hoodie...) Trainers are training shoes for running or football (vs the spiked pumps or studded boots used for competition), that's what they originally were (or indeed tennis shoes), hence trainers. Maybe says something about American culture that the primary use for such a shoe was considered "sneaking". And what's wrong with trying to focus on the positive? Really when you ask the more general question you're after a good/meh/bad response anyway

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

K**b Jockey is a great term, as it's not actually a curse word... >:)

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

Crank wangler is similar. Just don't confuse a waistcoat and a vest. Bruce Willis wears a vest.

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Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

These are words that would never cross my tongue, swear words display the level of your social standing and the people you mix with. Nothing to do with class or snobbery, just politeness and being respectable

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Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have no idea what sort of people you Americans class as British, seems to me you only know of the lowest of the low, shows what sort of people you are.

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Suzanne Haigh
Community Member
3 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What Americans fail to realise Britain is a much older country than America, we have HISTORY, we do not have to steal other countries either.

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

Kori, would this be a first time for you? Haha! Lol couldn't resist. Brit humor even after living in the US for ages

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

But if you call someone a f*g, you are not being insensitive...you are asking for a smoke...

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

F**k off you cum juggling spunk trumpet Oi c**t face, go f**k you mum Oi c**t stain C**t off you twat Twat off you c**t i'm gonna twat you, you twat f**k me you're a c**t

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

I honestly have to agree that British slang and regional words are sometimes very "cutesy" sounding to my North American ears. (Not "trainers" though. "Sneakers" is a kind of silly name.)

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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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#33

American Vs British

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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

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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

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Hans
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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

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Claire Kidd
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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

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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

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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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