Native speakers don’t really say this! | Native HABITS | British English

[@hawkmoon03111951]

I'm 71 years a native speaker and I use all of those examples to greater, or lesser, extent. Lady / ladies is one that I use quite often much preferring it to women, which makes them sound quite basic.

[@mary-soldelcampo2072]

​@@englishwithkatharine Classy will always be classy.😊

[@Yahya-qg2ne]

I agree with the respectful man who used to say lady instead of woman out of respect and gentleman rather than mate! But let us see English may become french one day !

[@ninnosimoni755]

I'm 69 and I use Lady as you use it, Sir! Greetings from Argentina!🇦🇷

[@englishwithkatharine]

Agreed the thumbnail is way too clickbaitey. I’m going to change it 🤗

[@mary-soldelcampo2072]

@@plunketgreene3646 Hear hear! 👏👏👏

[@cefflello861]

" We don't really use Lady anymore"... Been working at Wimbledon tennis tournament for the past 10 days , same as I do every year. Lots of announcements coming out from the loud speakers literally every five minutes. Every single one of them starts with "Ladies and Gentlemen"... Lady is a timeless beautiful word , please keep using it as much as possible.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I think it’ll stick around for traditional events like Wimbledon. I think you can probably work out that my video is about every-day English in daily life. Not annual tennis events.

[@cefflello861]

@@englishwithkatharine Boarding announcements at the airport or during a flight , always starts with Ladies and Gentlemen, underground announcements, cinemas, weddings, theatres ,concerts... Didn't know that boarding a plane or a trip on the Underground was a traditional event! :-) :-)

[@englishwithkatharine]

I mean in conversation. Referring to women in every day life. Traditions like the ones you mentioned and when people have lady as a title is a separate area of study.

[@jamesbrook16]

@@tatjanajancic5825,wow. ‘luv’ or ‘duck’ etc is local acceptance. My wife is a lady, but I also call her love/duck as the situation fits. Relax!!

[@davidz3879]

Wimbledon is very formal.

[@phildane7411]

I'm a native English speaker, and I can promise you that I, and many others I know, would say 'She's sleeping'. I can't imagine why you would think we don't.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yep. Again - I’m not say it’s wrong. It’s just many non-native speakers don’t know about “asleep” and how often we use it.

[@englishwithkatharine]

You only have to look at online research to find out that “asleep” is WAY more common that “she’s sleeping”

[@YoelMonsalve]

Maybe in American English? 🤔🤔

[@jusufagung]

Well, there's different meaning between she's sleeping and she's asleep. She's sleeping is correct and ALL native speakers saying that in common. When she is still sleeping when we are saying that, it means, she's sleeping. However, when she is falling asleep after staying awake, then we'll say she's asleep. So, she's sleeping is correct. It's common, and all English native speakers are still saying the same. It's the same case with Lady, that there are still many people in England using it.

[@НевсемСвой]

You are probably a group of linguistic strikebreakers?😆

[@RIMJANESSOHMALOOG]

I'll continue to use 'lady' because it sounds respectful to women

[@englishwithkatharine]

Ohhh the irony 😅

[@RIMJANESSOHMALOOG]

@@englishwithkatharine I think it works in certain contexts. What about ‘gentleman’?

[@mRRandak]

@@englishwithkatharine It's ironic? I'm abhorred to learn that lady is considered archaic by some. I suppose in UK lady does not sound that polite anymore, and the diasporas and English learning communities are more conservative, but woman is just very casual. Every time I use the word lady I use it to indicate courtesy, to someone who is deserving of respect. I refer to people as ladies, when indicating to children 'that lady over there' etc to inspire children to be more respectful to other people. What you're saying implies that the old means of courtesy are in Anglo-Saxon cultural sphere seen increasingly as inversely impolite, contrarily to what they were meant to indicate. But regardless of that nonsense of patriarchy, which Anglo-Saxons are incapable of solving, 'lady' has always been a courteous use, as far as I know. Language really evolves from how it is used.

[@fritzwalter1540]

Well, me too... . Strange though, I usually use it more speaking German. Don t know if it were English Rocknroll records. But British accent not rarely quite sexy. Just got me while watching an Emilia Clarke Interview.😂

[@thetirelesscrusader4745]

Finally, a youtube teacher who... is English, speaks native English, has a British accent and has very broad and genuine English smile. NOW I AM YOUR STUDENT FOR LIFE. I just happen to stumble upon this channel.

[@yogajaxx8299]

I'm a native Londoner and often say "I'm fine, thanks" (or more usually, "Fine, thanks") and so do most people I know (I'd go so far as to say almost everyone). I'd say "Fine, thanks" or "OK, thanks". While I agree that lady can sound dated and very odd, there are still times when it's correct - or perhaps more accurately, where woman would sound rude or overly casual. I think that a foreigner referrring to a woman as a lady can sound very odd indeed but I take it that they're trying to be polite and have been taught an old-fashioned/text book-y English.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I think you can probably grasp that this video is about warmer and natural alternatives to the standard text book answers and responses. This helps learners.

[@lyndagould9405]

I use I'm ok thanks if I'm feeling rotton but don't want to moan about feeling ill.

[@dekhrahahoon]

Great video, lots to disagree with! ;-) Native ES here, Brit parents, born in Australia. "She's sleeping": Depends. If someone asks to see her, not suspecting she might be asleep, I'll say "She's asleep." But if she is in hospital and someone wants to know if she is out of the coma yet, I would say "Yes, she's sleeping." "Lady": Never used it much, until the PC crowd tried to rewrite the language with misuse of "gender" instead of "sex" etc. Now I quite deliberately refer to all females as ladies in protest. "Goodbye": To me, it is a final farewell, reserved for that occasion. "Bye" is a bit brief, unless the conversation gives one reason to say something like "okay, bye." I might use "g'bye", "see y' later", but never the one people imagine Aussies using: "g'day". "Eat/drink": Same as "sleeping". "fine": Not sure, depends on context. If some smug so-and-so asked me contemptuously how I was, I think I might say "I'm FINE, thanks!" A friend asks, maybe just "Great!" Really depends. Not sure how to advise learners on this one. English seems easy to us natives, but it actually has lots of non-obvious complexities. Been watching a lot of Hindi videos (don't speak Hindi, just some common words) and it is amazing how much simpler than English it is, maybe the simplest natural language on the planet.

[@alanbudgen2672]

I'm a native speaker and this is all baffling to me. I'd use all of the 'red' words and phrases - and so do all of the people I know. Interesting, but not exactly true.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Ok, that’s great. 😊 I didn’t say they were wrong.

[@alanbudgen2672]

@@englishwithkatharine 🙂That's why English is so rich, colourful and wonderfully baffling - it would be a shame if we stopped using those words or limited the language. Best wishes.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Agreed. I just favour a language steeped in wholesome kindness, because language is thought. Many thanks 🙏

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@englishwithkatharine You didn't say they were wrong. However, you did say they were not used, which is very incorrect, if the comments here and on other videos, were people on YT have watched your video and got the wrong impression from it. I also agree with them, being a Brit who does use all of the words you seem to dislike using.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I think it’s more that YOU have an issue here - and that’s with language change. I am reporting on what is going on. Don’t shoot the messenger

[@jackwarhol2406]

Im a native speaker in my early thirties and i use all of these words a lot!

[@englishwithkatharine]

Glad to hear that. Didn’t say they were wrong. Really need to change the thumbnail 😅😅

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@englishwithkatharine Changing the video title to 'Alternative words I use but many Brits use others more often.' would be more suitable.

[@englishwithkatharine]

No, I think it should be called “language change”

[@englishwithkatharine]

with a side of “don’t shoot the messenger”

[@ChrisInTheNorth]

English is a language rich in possibilities, many of which can be used as alternatives. I suspect there might be generational and regional differences here.. I'm native British English, I'm 50's, I've lived in different part of the Uk, my upbringing was in Kent. All of this is relevant to how i speak. Let's see if agree 1. I use sleeping AND asleep. I couldn't even say when.. It is true people whose first language is from South Asia often use -ing forms where I wouldn't, but I'm not sure about with the verb to sleep. 2. Lady - may be generation but I still use... the nuance is different though. Lady is more respectful somehow, less everyday and of course, will live on as the opposite of 'Gentleman in the address 'L & G' and in public conveniences! 3. Again, the full Goodbye might be more formal. I might not say it to friends. I would use it when leaving, say, a job interview. 4 Are definitely regional. Yorkshire, whee i live now, definitely has different word, but I've lived here 1/2 ,my life and I havn't got it right yet. Non natives are more likely yo give the game away by trying to hard; I'd stick to basic English. And here Katharine is talking about the tense to use..and word order.. 'Lets have a bite to eat' is still using the verb. 5. I say I'm fine thanks, all the time.

[@alicemilne1444]

I think some of your examples may be more generational than anything else. I'm in my mid-60s and I still say "I'm fine, thanks" or just "Fine, thanks" as a neutral polite answer. I wouldn't say "great" or "amazing" ever in that context. It would make me sound as if I was trying to keep up with the younger generation. And even for younger people, it wouldn't always be appropriate in all contexts either. In learning colloquial sayings it's always important to be aware of age-related and formal or informal situations. Also, I personally would not use the euphemism "passed away". I might just possibly say "left us" if I was talking to a group of friends about a person we had all been well acquainted with, but most of the time I just use the straight "he/she has died". When Queen Elizabeth died, the notice on Buckingham Palace gates was just that. The Queen has died. No frills. The difference between "she's asleep" and "she's sleeping" is that the first describes the state of not being awake. However, we don't avoid verbs at all and we can still say "she's sleeping at her friend's house today" or "she's sleeping in the attic room". So rather than say "we don't say this", I think it would probably be more accurate to say, you will often hear "xxx" in this or that context.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes, certainly my observations and video is about new generation of English and English of future. But really I’ve never said “she’s sleeping” instead of “she’s asleep” and neither have any of my older generation family etc. of course my example was not related to “she’s sleeping in that room.” More the state of being asleep. “Left us” is still Softer language which is what my video is talking about. Yes I agree my thumbnail image is clickbaity - this is unfortunately KZbin related. Many thanks.

[@annareid4577]

Agree 👍 Especially with "fine, thanks". I say that virtually every day ! ( 57 yo , native speaker). Younger folks tend to say "good, thanks" as a response to "how are you ?". I also find I'm using this. I'd never reply with "amazing" as I think it sounds like showing off !!

[@Jessikia527]

@@annareid4577 I'm a 28 year old American who's lived in the UK for 6 years and I use fine, alright, and good interchangeably. I also would never say 'amazing' or anything too enthusiastic like that.

[@josetorres3888]

As a non native English speaker I always thought that lady was a polite way to refer to a woman

[@Valeryinblack]

As a native RP speaker in the South of England, I think this is a very subjective video. But I think what she is referring to is giving preference to the more formal/polite "lady" but not doing the same for "men" with whatever social or political implications are perceived by doing so. "Three women and two men" (or "Three ladies and two gentlemen") gives the same level of status and respect to both. I think in casual speech & writing, they can sometimes be used interchangeably without much thought leading to the mixed "three ladies and two men", but I think most native speakers if writing or speaking formally will recognise this as stylistically inconsistent and choose "three women and two men" or "three ladies and two gentlemen" depending on the context.

[@dekhrahahoon]

I think you are sort of correct. I understand that it originated in the days of lords and 'ladies', when only certain women were in fact ladies, just as only certain men were lords. Then it became polite to call every woman a lady, and lastly the PC crowd decided that was too reactionary and tried to train everyone to use their preferred terms for everything.

[@yogajaxx8299]

@@Valeryinblack As a native Londoner (RP mixed with a bit of a south London accent) I fully agree! That this video is very subjective. I use several of the words she says we don't use.

[@phelype211]

but it is... these LBGT and feminist agendas are ridiculous... There's NOTHING wrong with LADY !!

[@SusanaXpeace2u]

It is still used id never refer to an older lady as a "woman". You know the type of lady, who never swears, gets dressed up to go to church. A woman my own age, that's OK.

[@robmoody3827]

Really nice idea for a video! 👍As a native Brit, I'm not sure I could agree with most of the points in the video though. Just to pick out a few phrase, "She's sleeping" and 'I'm fine thanks' are super common phrases I would use regularly, as is the word 'lady'.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yeaaaa Rob but it’s changing ;-)

[@frankgradus9474]

Good on you. You must be a ladies' man.

[@jeanettegant4945]

Goodbye sounds rather formal, sometimes final. "Bye", said in a cheerful way is nice. "' Bye for now" is friendly and means you will see each other soon. We learn something every day, I say By for now to my students at the end of each lesson. Some of them thought it was all one word, byfernow and asked me what it meant.

[@englishwithkatharine]

😊😊

[@johnleake5657]

One point on 'lady', though. The real trouble with the student's phrase and why it grated so much is that 'ladies' doesn't collocate with 'men' - you don't naturally say 'lady' and 'man' together. 'Lady' collocates with 'gentleman'. 'Lady' has _social_ overtones that 'woman' doesn't. And the social overtones are the reason 'lady' is used less and less ('gentleman' has fallen out of use even more!). If the student had said there were _'three ladies and two gentlemen'_ in their office, it wouldn't have grated, but the sentence would have stood out as very formal. BTW, we still formally address a group of people as 'Ladies and Gentlemen' (in a speech or an announcement), and if you wanted to address a group of women, you'd say 'Ladies!', *never ever* 'Women!', so: _'Ladies, could I take this chair?'_ (the same for addressing men: 'Gentlemen!', never 'Men!'.) But we'd be likely to use a less formal phase like 'Guys!' (which has become gender neutral in current British English) unless they're older than us.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I didn’t say lady was not in use… my prediction is it won’t be in around 5 to ten years time. Many thanks for your input. 😊

[@johnleake5657]

Oh, thanks for your reply, Katherine! I thought a bit more explanation might help someone. I've added a bit more to what I wrote too (I'm a terrible reviser). Thanks for the point - I'll remember it for my own students!

[@johnleake5657]

@@englishwithkatharine, another thought: I might be wrong, but I think you may be wrong about a 5-10 year time-frame. I remember we had a guy who joined my office thirty years ago, who came in and addressed my female co-workers as 'ladies'. I remember thinking how out-of-date and tone-deaf it was to use that phrase. His social background was working-class (he'd retired from the army) while we in the office were very middle-class (now I think of it, the formality of Army life gives it especially high use in that context) I think 'lady' had already largely dropped out of use among middle-class speakers, but by no means from British English more widely. I wonder whether 'lady' will still have deep social roots, but with an uneven social distribution. The other question is what word mothers and primary-school teachers use, and there I have no certainly, but 'lady' was deep in the language of young children when I was younger and I suspect it still is. What's your view of the word in children's language?

[@jamworth6125]

@@englishwithkatharine Checking google's Ngram viewer, it looks like usage of "lady" has actually risen considerably since around 2000, I think it'll be sticking around for much longer than ten years

[@spires2850]

@@jamworth6125 Agree with you. I like to use "lady" to refer to someone that I'm talking to without knowing her name , for example I'm telling my daughter to say thank to this lady for being kind. I won't say thank to this woman.

[@torikabbala]

Thank you, Katharine!!🌸🌺🌸

[@anndeecosita3586]

As an American, I find this fascinating. I think in some ways we are moving in the same direction as you guys language wise and some ways not. I think we still use lady, eat and drink. I think we say asleep more than sleeping. For one thing our restrooms are commonly marked either women or ladies. We are typically going to ask for either generically the restroom or the ladies’ room. I don’t hear women’s room. People will call their wives “my old lady” 😂

[@englishwithkatharine]

Haha! Love this comment 😊😊😊

[@newenglandgreenman]

The United States is a huge and diverse country, and I think it depends a lot on the region of the United States and maybe also on the social class and ethnicity of the speaker. Here in urban New England, you rarely hear the word "lady". The one exception might be if you were talking about a somewhat older woman within earshot of her and you wanted to show respect, for example if she were a customer. An employee at an upscale store, for example, might say to another employee, "This lady was looking for a Prada handbag". Or, at a ballet performance, an employee might say to an usher, "Can you show this lady to her seat." It's a way to show great respect toward a woman in an upscale setting. One does hear references to the "ladies' room", but I think "restroom" is a lot more common. In my region, I think it is true as it is in England that we tend to avoid "eat" or "drink" as the main verb of a sentence. Instead, we tend to use "have" as Katharine says they do in England. I've heard the expression "old lady" for someone's wife, but in New England, it doesn't sound good. It might be something said by men over the age of 70 with a working-class background. It isn't what any woman here would want to be called.

[@鬱鬱-e2w]

She's afloat vs She's floating

[@MaximkoKopachevsky]

She's abroad vs She's broading

[@georgianwindow]

asleep or sleeping both okay

[@Lokournan1]

No more goodbye ! In the 70s when I visited England, people would often say "cheerio". I really liked this word which sounded exotic and kind to the people you were talking to.

[@englishwithkatharine]

🤗🤗

[@valeriejackson7659]

I love it too. Cheerio sounds so British. I often use it myself. We should be promoting the perceived out dated British way of speaking after all it's what makes us British. While we are at it let's stop the high fives and get back to the British hand shake or the simple pat on the back.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

@@valeriejackson7659 Giving a high five sounds like I should be playing a game such as football or acting a bit like a teenager. I prefer shaking hands or simple pat on the back, depending on the context.

[@girlfromgermany]

I love the word "Lady" and also the expression "Ladies and Gentlemen". Both sound very elegant and it would be really sad, if that wasn't used at all anymore. 😕

[@luismanuel5618]

That is true Gentlemen.

[@YoelMonsalve]

The same. I'm a Spanish speaker, and in our language we also say Ladies and Gentlemen ("Damas y caballeros") in formal social contexts, like conventions, meetings, etc.

[@girlfromgermany]

@@YoelMonsalve In German it's "Meine Damen und Herren" but tbh I don't like that 😂 It sounds so much better in other languages, although it means the same.

[@hyperhoo1736]

as a native speaker, I always refer to women as ladies, and hence gentlemen for men.

[@girlfromgermany]

@@randomvideos2107 I don't know her in person, but what's wrong with being a feminist? And how do you know that I'm not a feminist? 😄 Maybe there are people from other countries, who love to hear "Meine Damen und Herren" in German. It's very old-fashioned, that's why I don't like it. But others, who are not native German speakers, might even think it sounds elegant. Just like I think that "Ladies and Gentlemen" sounds very elegant. I can imagine that there are English native speakers, who don't like that expression because they think it's old-fashioned, and it is.

[@RogerRamos1993]

Fine is used a lot in cases when someone falls or hurts themselves. Ex. Someone trips and falls. You approach them and say "Are you ok?", they answer "I'm fine, thanks.".

[@englishwithkatharine]

My video is about the response to how are you. 😊

[@RogerRamos1993]

@@englishwithkatharine I realized that, but an intermediate learner of English might hear that and think "I can't say "I'm fine, thanks" anymore. I don't wanna sound ridiculous." Great video, anyway.

[@rosslogan4154]

I'm British and I have to say that, "She's sleeping" is used just as much as, "She's asleep."

[@englishwithkatharine]

It absolutely is not 🤪🤪

[@sandrajenkins6822]

actually we do use lady. In my trendy hairdressers the staff refer to the customers as 'my lady would like a coffee'. 'My lady is ready for the wash' And only yesterday I said to a bunch of fellow riders I didn'tknow and came across in the woods, 'hi, are you ladies from Austins?' I think I usually use it in the plural. I teach EFL and I remember one student getting quite cross telling me lady isn't used anymore. Oh yes it bloody is, but in a modern way. I wouldn't have dreamed of calling the women I met in the woods as 'you women.'

[@englishwithkatharine]

Eeeesh I hate that! It’ll change soon I’m Sure of it.

[@carolineskipper6976]

I'm a native British English speaker, and just stumbled across this video, so watched with interest. So many things one doesn't think about, but so true! I do actually use 'fine' habitually myself....but don't say 'I'm' fine. It's just "Fine, thanks!"

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yay! Interesting isn’t it 😊😊😊

[@gaelsomerville5163]

Me too. And everyone in the office also tend to say, 'fine, thanks' when asked how they are.

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

I usually just automatically say fine thanks, maybe I’m in a rush to think of anything better, but I always say the thanks or thank you afterwards. Meaning thanks for asking about me even if it’s just a habitual greeting. I think it’s nothing wrong to be polite even if it’s just someone in the office or someone in a larger group. If it’s a friend or relative or someone you know better, you could add more information like great thanks for asking I had a really good time yesterday etc.

[@Amira-cc3id]

Love the word Lady … so respectful!

[@svenjahnsen3381]

Why should ladies be treated with special respect??? The word comes from Old English "hlaf - dige", which means "loaf-kneader".

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

@@svenjahnsen3381 Well if that’s true are we going to analyze all the words to see what they come from in old English before we use them?

[@mjradar]

I think the way people speak English depends on what area you are in, as I still say most of the words you say we don't use anymore.

[@bella3636]

I LOVE the song " She's a a lady" by Tom Jones ❤️. I hope beautiful words like lady are going to be used in 10 years time and beyond.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I think they’ll be remembered always just like other archaic words but maybe not very in use. 🙏

[@counterfeit9187]

oh and Lady by Lionel Richie is even more beautiful song

[@kroo07]

I think that if you are a non-native English speaker and you use any of those words or expressions you are doing brilliantly.

[@muhammadazamshahid1837]

Phonetics and the usage of language are crucial for enhancing communication skills.M'am your mode of teaching is extraordinary. May ALLAH protect you from the evil eyes.

[@KevBarnes]

Hi, Katharine. The ladies as opposed to the women’s?! I do say goodbye! Eat and drink - often used doon south. Eat and drink o’clock. Often use “I’m fine, thanks”, especially at work, and mustn’t grumble… The use of language down here in the south is rather subjective and does depend on the demographic.

[@brchtr1]

I have been to the UK a few times and many times have worked with native English speakers from the UK on projects in my own country, and I have personally seen that these small details make a big difference. I wish I had seen your videos earlier. An excellent video for those who want to learn English properly. I congratulate you. You also have a very soothing expression beyond your beauty. I loved you so much.

[@englishwithkatharine]

How kind and lovely 🙏🙏🤗🤗

[@bilahn1198]

Well there are clearly some differences in American English. "She's sleeping," and "she's asleep" are completely interchangeable here in my experience. We might even say, "She is sleeping!" If we were angry at someone for example if they are making noise. "I'm fine". You will hear that from people when they really aren't fine at all and they will say it with a certain tone of voice that's not too convincing. I know i've done this. "Fine" is a very weak word in other contexts as well.

[@SusanaXpeace2u]

Same. Not sure what she's talking about. Passed away is a bit of a euphemism and obviously sometimes you want to avoid being indirect. It depends. Sorry to hear your mother passed away. But, "she died in 1995". You"re not always trying to soften the statement.

[@davemccrudden1999]

We have exactly the same use in the UK, to be honest I think she's overstated the case here.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Guys! Why are you so upset. We absolutely do this, come onnnnn! I didn’t say we ALWAYS use Euphemisms - I said we tend to. We as Brits have some of the softest most indirect English in the world - that is absolute fact! That’s what I’m trying to illustrate in this video.

[@valeriejackson7659]

I always say "I'm fine thankyou or I'm okay thanks". I never say I'm good as I thinks it sounds silly. Please let's never stop calling women "ladies". Woman sounds so off hand, so unBritish unless you are discussing the genders of men and women. And for the love of God stop calling women "guys". To conclude I have to disagree with most of this video.

[@EDP2500]

@@valeriejackson7659 This is a matter of right or wrong, but rather commonly or uncommonly used. She's referring to the majority of native Brits using English that way. The fact is languages change over time, and we should keep ourselves updated in order not to be left behind.

[@МаринаФёдорова-н7з]

Videos on what is not used in modern Englosh are extremly helpful!!!!👍👍👍👍👍 Please keep making them!!!

[@Babsza]

In Britain , when asked " how are you ? " or " are you alright ? " We almost always answer with " Not too bad "

[@englishwithkatharine]

Another great answer!

[@philhodgkinson1460]

As Willy Holloughby would say..... 🤣🤣🤣

[@Anne-22]

I usually say - "I'm alright, thanks for asking" :)

[@DrWhom]

awwight, fanks, and yerself?

[@MdSelim-lj6te]

Thanks

[@ashikihsan1946]

Thank you very much Katherine for your kindness and teaching these English words to soeak like a native speaker in more polite way

[@fabriziodesimone2439]

Useful video! Every language grows up like a baby kid, day by day, and it's impossible for us living in other countries to be in the loop! Thanks a lot, Kat! ❤

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes, you are right 😊😊

[@dsalvantemplajr]

i love it immensely kath when you analyze things and go a bit deeper into what’s behind words and expressions. cheers ❤

[@rafah462]

Brilliant video and already in love with your accent. I have to say though that I live and work in the Uk and I speak with brits every day. It’s more than usual for them to say I’m fine thanks and use the term ‘Lady’ so I don’t know if this is as general as you think. Will follow your videos in any case, there’s no end when it comes to English

[@BillyW72]

thanks a lot. Our family has just arrived at the UK for a month. And it is so good to learn something native!

[@marypiper8161]

Not sure I agree with everything here, I'm a native speaker and I regularly say he/she's sleeping or I'm fine! perhaps this is regional? My husband and a lot of older men I know still use lady or ladies as they think it's more polite.

[@kenhobbs8565]

I hear and use lady all the time, and goodbye and a few of the others. But I love keeping words alive. 😊

[@englishwithkatharine]

I totally agree on keeping the language alive. That’s why I make videos on idioms etc 😍 but the word lady is different. It has a kind of class-based snobbery attached to it. So it’s on the way out!

[@valeriejackson7659]

​@@englishwithkatharinethe class you are referring to is it upper or working class? I hear it all the time being used by all classes. I've worked with people from all classes and I've loved the expression when a posh colleague referred to someone as "not quite a gentleman". Or "she's not very ladylike". Long may these very British sayings remain part of our language.

[@marcelepo]

The videon is very interesting. I've shared it with other not natives speakers including teachers of English. Your pretense, sweet voice and intonation are very pleasant. You are sympathetic, and your speed to talk is natural and clear. Thanks for making us our learning enjoyable. That's a key point to be motivated and get in progress. I'm preparing the IELTS exam but I need to listen clear native speakers like you. ❤

[@englishwithkatharine]

Thank you for your lovely comment! 🤗🤗😊😊

[@syedmasood71]

. Ms.Katherine _ You have got the Real Pronunciation of a Londoner . I 💖' it . I myself is a Senior Educator of English in PATNA, INDIA . BRAVO 🌹❣️

[@jacksonamaral329]

Excellent. Lol. The dog barking right at the time in what you were recording...

[@franksellers7858]

I'm glad you pointed out that this English is "mainly South of England." It's fine to say "She's sleeping" in the US. As far as eat/drink, I don't think the expressions you shared are really new. It would be interesting to learn why English speakers (not just Brits) say "Let's have lunch" instead of "let's eat lunch." (In French they just say "Let's lunch" - Allons déjeuner.) Also, in the US people say "I'm fine" every day, though we also say your alternative phrases. Anything but the truth is, well, fine. Do NOT tell anyone if you're not fine because no one really cares. ("Aw, you're depressed? That's too bad. Well, I gotta run! I'm late for ... something!") Love the accent, btw.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I’m really not sure what your point is with this message?! I literally explain the use of have instead of eat 😅 it’s probably the same for all English speakers not just Brits since this habit likely is derived from Britain. The vid is about “I’m fine thanks” as the answer not just “fine.” Yep agreed with you that if you’re not ok, we don’t usually say so. All about considerate polite behaviour all wrapped up in the culture.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Didn’t say it wasn’t fine to say “I’m sleeping” !! Just saying it’s far more common to hear “she’s asleep!”

[@jeffersonflores6998]

In the same way as everyone your videos... awesome!!! I'm learning a lot from you because you teach in a very natural way, with confirmation from your dog! ❤❤😊

[@englishwithkatharine]

😂😂🤗🤗😊😊

[@JohannGambolputty86]

Well, as a non-native English speaker, I love using archaic and posh language like 'Splendid', or the one you just mentioned, 'lady', and in my opinion, this is the greatest thing about British English. "Top hole", "Jolly good", "Pip pip", "Old bean", "Don't get shirty with me". The best English one can learn is 'Monty Python English'!

[@englishwithkatharine]

😄😄

[@Vincentleigh006]

Great video - practical and different from other "standard" English videos on KZbin which tend to repeat the same textbook points over and over again. Even her intonation and facial expressions are very British. I've also learnt some useful words and phrases such as "howling" and "...is grated on me". Thanks Katharine. Yes, agreed this video is a deeper discussion...

[@englishwithkatharine]

thanks 😊😊

[@naveedshamrozahmad123]

Everything's OK, can't complain. Wow it's a Heart touching words

[@anamarijamarinovic4922]

Gender discussion Is spoiling the language. And "lady" is such a beautiful word. And, obviously, not all women are ladies...

[@englishwithkatharine]

Gender discussion needs to happen.

[@s.r-mariem9233]

Funnily enough, I was speaking with a supervisor recently, and in recounting to this supervisor the two tutors I had had for a particular subject, I used the word “ladies” rather than “women”. It seems I actually felt that “women” sounded too throwaway, and like I needed to accord them some sense of respect by dressing the word up. I think the fact that I had completely forgotten their names largely contributed to this feeling. Not that I find anything wrong with the word “woman” in general, but in the moment I felt a need to show that I didn’t completely disregard them, and my choice of wording seemed to follow as a result

[@davidjackson2580]

Agreed. There is a distinction between woman and lady, just as there is a distinction between man and gentleman. It is true that the meaning of both lady and gentleman has changed over the last century or two. The difference between a lady and gentleman. and a woman and man used to be one of class. Over the last century or so, the difference has become more one of behaviour. However, it is still the case that not all women are ladies and not all men are gentlemen. It is also true that it is not really polite to use "women" or "men", when "ladies" or "gentlemen" sound more appropriate.

[@Steve14ps]

@@davidjackson2580 The term 'Lady' implies a woman of class, not in the meaning of 'Upper or Middle Class' but someone who is well mannered, helpful and cultured, as such Lady is a complement, Gentleman being the male equivalent. There is a derogatory term 'Lady Muck' which is given to someone who is not really ladylike, but pretentious, Lord Muck being the male equivalent.

[@davidjackson2580]

@@Steve14ps Yes agreed. For quite a while now, the terms mean exactly what you describe. but originally, both lady and gentleman did refer to social class. A gentleman was a man who did not need to work for a living, but was below the level of the aristocracy. "Originally, gentleman was the lowest rank of the landed gentry of England, ranking below an esquire and above a yeoman" is one quote on the subject. A lady was a woman of similar status. This use is now archaic and the one you describe is the way the words are used now.

[@victorcastillo-dx9vh]

I just discover this channel and it will help me my English skills, but the most important in these lessons is a beautiful teacher. I like her.

[@anarayaa4399]

Katharine, you are so hypnotic, I couldn't stop myself watching you, on and on) thank you for amazing work

[@paulaswaim8434]

American here. I have used he's sleeping just as often he's asleep. Perhaps it's one of those regional terms that varies between English speaking countries. Greetings from Evergreen, Montana, USA. ❤

[@sheelaghhalstead4549]

These are expressions I've never thought about. I'll listen more carefully in conversations to see if the same applies among native English speakers here in South Africa

[@wahmadh]

Such a gorgeous teacher. Hats off 🎉

[@ptrsrfns]

I am a native English speaker (from Canada) and I say "she's sleeping". She's asleep just doesn't sound natural to me

[@johnridgeway5265]

She's asleep is used more as a retort but still used like sleeping is used as an informative reply

[@stevecribbs9247]

To be fair, she is talking about English people speaking English. (and specifically in received Pronunciation)

[@jamesjamesx1]

Thank you Katherine, love the videos, and it's totally brilliant you engage with the comments! The exchanges are so interesting!

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes I find the conversations very exciting haha! 😊☺️

[@laurajamil8943]

Yes, I really enjoyed it( even the crazy dog 😊).Thank you!🐾🐾🐾🐾

[@englishwithkatharine]

Glad you enjoyed it😊😊

[@hoifeikwok7457]

I also notice that "I am fine, thanks" almost becomes a way to decline or refuse politely. If you offer someone a chocolate and that person may say "I am fine, thanks" and that means "no, thanks.". I also use that now to decline something.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yea! That’s true. My video is more about the response to how are you. Many thanks 🙏

[@lutchbizin6420]

I love your semantic approach to language! I look forward to more videos like this one. Thanks

[@englishwithkatharine]

🤗🤗🤗😊

[@janelarosa5885]

I agree!! It was really interesting!

[@matiasmov1]

I am Chilean, I am fascinated by British English and I am enjoying your way of explaining verbally and physically every aspect, every subtlety of usage and pronunciation.

[@englishwithkatharine]

🙏🙏🤗🤗🤗

[@woodies2009]

One of the hardest parts of learning a language is this. Textbooks never teaches us real English 😂So I do understand how important you have a conversation with native English speakers!

[@englishwithkatharine]

😊😊😊

[@user-RusNick]

small remark to your second sentence: is it not more correct to say textbooks never TEACH us real English?

[@woodies2009]

@@user-RusNick Yes, I didn't notice that slip-up!haha

[@lisejacquelinerigault2575]

Thank you for pointing out the nuances in the English language. Being French I do appreciate it very much. Interesting regarding sleeping and asleep. I'll take note.

[@hasanzahidi5875]

Such a lovely bite-sized video ( hope I used this compound adjective correctly) Thank you Katharine & looking forward to seeing you in the next video about British culture. BTW “Lady in red” is an old popular English song 😄 I’ll catch you soon 😊

[@englishwithkatharine]

Glad you enjoyed it! Yes you used perfect English 🙌

[@user-nx8fn7jg1r]

Yes, short and sweet

[@melekkarahasan2529]

Hello Katherine. I try to learn British English that’s why I have been watching your videos which are so informative. Please share way more daily basic expression from the uk. Your videos make me feel happy. Thanks for your efforts❤

[@englishwithkatharine]

So glad to hear that 😊😊

[@amandachapman4708]

Interesting. I would say that some of these "prohibitions" are not all that cut-and-dried. The response, "fine, thanks," is one I hear routinely, but then perhaps its an age-reated distinction (I'm retired). And "Hello, ladies!" is a slightly humorous way to greet a bunch of women informally. So there are nuances at work too.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Didn’t say they were cut-and-dried 🙂 and yes, I’m sorry to say this IS age related. This is the new generation of English !!!

[@AzzaYCF]

Completely agree with you.

[@uknanuk]

Hello Katharine!! my name is Natalia, I´m from Argentina and to tell you the truth i came across with your channel 2 days ago and I cant stop listening and watching you!! You´re an amazing teacher, thank you for that and for let us learn with you (I´m not sure if I wrote that right.. sorry). I´ll keep on watching and learning. Send you a hug and a kiss from Argentina (we love hugs, sorry about that too) !

[@englishwithkatharine]

Aww thanks so much Natalia! Welcome to my channel 🙏🤗

[@ninnosimoni755]

Greetings from Chaco!🇦🇷

[@1myday]

What's wrong with "lady"? Such a great word, and I'm not a native speaker, but I heard from natives quite often. And I loved it.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Stigma attached due to history of gender stereotypes and all that comes with that.

[@1myday]

Do u really think u can call it a stereotype the ability of defining man as a man and woman as a woman by their obvious(!!) biological differences?)

[@odranobedragoda5067]

​@@1myday Gender stereotypes obviously go beyond biological differences, and 'lady' has a whole set of dated associations. The only times I hear 'lady' used by native speakers is adults talking to children about women they don't know, and of course 'ladies and gentlemen'-type general terms of slightly playful (or semi-ironic) formal address. Otherwise it is one of the more common markers of a non-native speaker, so feel free to stick with it, but be aware it will signify to a lot of native speakers that you're somewhere between quaint and living in a romantic c19th fantasy world of afternoon teas, oblivious or even resentful of how times have changed.

[@englishwithkatharine]

@@odranobedragoda5067 most incredible comment. Wish I could have phrased it as well in my video.

[@englishwithkatharine]

@@odranobedragoda5067 most incredible comment. Wish I could have phrased it as well in my video.

[@garoja2365]

Your channel it’s interesting because the explain about topics is clear and a way to speak a language daily or common. I listen your speech very clear with credibility and inteligente that permit me understand to you. It’s great for me.😊🎉

[@joanescriva7358]

Thank you Kathie for this useful video! ❤ You're so lovely 🥰

[@englishwithkatharine]

Glad it was helpful!😊😊😊

[@janhansen554]

Very good lessons u give. As a norwegian u speak very oxford english. Maybe its wrong, but we have a term how u speak english that way

[@Lousysalsero]

Useful video, though... British people do actually say "I'm fine, thanks", as in: "Do you need anything else?" - "No, I'm fine, thanks".

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes that’s true 😊 my comment is about the response to how are you 🤗

[@cireenasimcox1081]

I'm so glad you brought up the 'Lady/Woman' difference. I, and my children in turn, were educated to use 'woman' to refer to any person of female gender: "See the woman in the red hat over there?" 'Those 3 women were laughing all through the performance.' But we use "Lady" to refer more to the way a woman behaves: if she's polite, caring, speaks softly, is well mannered...then she's a 'lady'. We also use it to refer to women we are with: "This lady has asked me to tell you that her English is very limited." or whom we know: "These ladies and I have not been served yet." It's only children who are too young to asses this difference who are taught it's polite to refer to every adult woman as 'lady'. So it always sounds really strange, and somewhat infantile to hear sentences like "That lady in green & the other lady there were punching each other." or "That lady stole my phone." ! (Obviously this usage had it's origins in the strict Class system which existed in the past, but then most of our language is based on historical usage, isn't it?)

[@englishwithkatharine]

I think due to the history, lady just has some bad connotations and stigma so is probably best phased out. My opinion for future of course. Many thanks for your comment 🤗

[@cireenasimcox1081]

@@englishwithkatharine Indeed. Went to Uni in Australia in 2,000 & it had all but disappeared by then. Was rather strange to hear it used so much in the UK when we first arrived.

[@pareeneyng]

A little surprised because I still hear British people say “lady” quite often in London. By saying this I can think of few situations, one would be in a restaurant where the waitress be described as “the lady” or sometimes I hear “this young lady” when a teenager is mentioned. But I think in most of these situations the speaker is the older generation which might be your key message here ☺️ p.s. if you could share some idea on how you describe a restaurant lady in my first example, I (an English learner) would love to know ❤

[@nic524]

As a native English speaker, we regularly say most of what apparently the video says we don't say 🙄. We absolutely use ' lady/ ladies' , 'goodbye', ' she's sleeping ', ' I'm fine thanks' ' I'm drinking/ eating...'. I think most native speakers will tell you that they use the examples that apparently 'we don't say' quite often.

[@Thurgosh_OG]

@@nic524 Agreed. We do use these and the video hosts opinion is that it's a generational thing, when it's clearly not. It's just a her and perhaps her circle of contacts that prefers the words used that way.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Ok - seriously. This is madness. This video is about language change. Please don’t shoot the messenger. Change is real and happening. I’m sorry to deliver the news.

[@comeconcon569]

English is a very rich language in colloquialisms. idioms, euphemisms and far more. having a full command of the lingo is quite difficult, but we can learn a lot. I've just learned a new phrase in my Oxford English-Spanish dictionary. "To be few and far between". I'm quite sure many native speakers are not familiar with it. for example, "good restaurants are few and far between in my area".

[@englishwithkatharine]

I use that!!! It’s in use!! 😊😊

[@newremote]

It's a fairly common phrase in Australia and New Zealand where I've spent most of my life, and is used just as in your example.

[@panda2me]

And people now tend to say “I’m good” when asked how they are, which to me sounds an inappropriate use of the word “good”. What do others think?

[@enjoyslearningandtravel7957]

I agree with you. To me, saying I’m good sounds like they’re saying I’m good as in behavior as opposed to I’m evil. Any people see it now that I think the people that started saying it didn’t really know. what it meant. To answer someone asking, how are you, you could say a simple’s phrase back like, fine thanks or or you can get a little more elaborate and say fantastic or doing well, etc. but I am good, means I am good meaning, such as I’m a good child, or I am a good adult and I always picture of halo over someone’s head. 😇

[@larrybell1859]

We still use goodbye but also use the warmer phrases as well.

[@Tom_YouTube_stole_my_handle]

Enjoyed the film but to be honest most of these are debatable. A non native speaker would in reality be absolutely fine using any of the expressions featured and would very definitely hear natives using them. I live in London in case anyone is thinking there may be regional variations.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes, didn’t say they weren’t ALL absolutely fine. Just habits of natives. Agreed the thumbnail image is a bit of a clickbait. I might consider changing it. 🤗

[@antoniog.z.4372]

I was fine up to a moment ago. Now I don't know how I am. Let's say I am grateful to your videos, I'm doing well!!

[@brianwilliams001]

I always say she/he has died it is more accurate. It’s twenty years since my son died I would never ever say passed away. Call a spade a spade.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I mix it up. 😊

[@theoldone3485]

We definitely say “she’s sleeping” in the US. There’s a big punch to it if you have a strong Midwest accent. Imagine someone saying “she’s sleepin’!” with a vaguely Norwegian accent and an incredulous tone. Spot on about the word “lady”. It’s almost diminutive, especially when describing a workplace situation. “Lady” in the right context is fine, though. I think the word “whom” will die. I also think “to lie” and “to lay” will eventually both be acceptable when in current prescriptive grammar, they should be used in distinctly different ways. Hardly anyone knows the differences between who/whom and lie/lay are anymore. I love them. As Liz Lemon said on 30 Rock, I believe whom deserves a defender.

[@jackbettridge957]

This is very simplistic. Most of the examples have many more nuances than portrayed here. For instance lady. Yes, if one is referring to a large group of women it is uncommon to say ladies. But it is not unusual to speak of a single female or a few as ladies, especially when they are older or held in high esteem. Furthermore it is a bit rude to address females as women. Never say: “hello, women.” It would also be: “Hello, ladies.”

[@englishwithkatharine]

Hello women will soon be absolutely fine to say. That’s my point.

[@mizuza12]

I think this probably varies around the U.K and even varies in the same town/city/village based on personal preference, generation, where you grew up. I live in the north east highlands and would use lady, woman, lass, lassie, wifie interchangeably. I would use asleep as past tense and sleeping when it was currently happening. I use I'm fine, Im ok, I'm grand, not too bad , fine thanks, good thanks interchangeably. I say goodbye maybe more formally and casually it's bye, cheerio, cheeri ( tioraidh gaelic), see ya. I dont tend to use eat rather what do you want for dinner/lunch. Shall we go out for Lunch /Dinner. I might say what did you eat ? I think any non native speaker using any if these expressions would be understood easily and that is wonderful.

[@Zelenskyy9]

Language is a evolving thing and with billions of people using it on this planet, it is very difficult to "maintain" one unique standard of usage.

[@djkorpora]

In all the explanatory videos that I see of the teacher "Katharine" I am sure of the importance of the way she explains the different words and the way of saying them in British English, I think it is important to mention that I still do not even have a medium level of English, although I try my best, but there's something inside of me that tells me that I'm going to be able to achieve my main objective, which is to speak, write and understand perfectly the universal language, be it British or American English.

[@RunrigFan]

We do say goodbye 😮

[@englishwithkatharine]

😏 come onnnnn. We are more likely to say the options I’ve mentioned - let’s be honest now! 😜

[@RunrigFan]

@@englishwithkatharine it is true. We would say bye, see ya etc but I heard goodbye see you later/see you soon/see ya. Or goodbye (said name)

[@MPH493]

Very informative video 👍Thank you Katharine❤.I love your videos so much 🫶

[@englishwithkatharine]

🙏🙏🤗🤗

[@ahmadmuhialdin.1828]

What a nice lesson from a beautiful teacher .

[@星野和高]

Very interesting as the language is slowly but always updated. In fact, I'm teaching English for junior high students in Japan and sometimes come across the old expressions in textbooks available here.

[@ez8546]

As far as "goodbye," as an American, I use it for finality as in "I never want to see your sorry a** ever again. Goodbye!"

[@dilee1027]

Hi lady As a non native,I found what you said quite amazing and unsettling,as I believe that dog that howled! But I am not quitting your channel;I am still fine! For now,goodbye!!!😅

[@englishwithkatharine]

🤗🤗🤗

[@birgit1586]

Folks still say 'there are three ladies here' if you live a bit further out...

[@englishwithkatharine]

I didn’t say it wasn’t in use, but people are moving away from it. It’s on the way out is my prediction.

[@startupeco2257]

Fair enough! I can see your point. Basic verbs aren't to be used just as barely as that- as well as some nouns. But I think there are situations where things can be different such as in: oh, she is such a lady, or there was an old lady sitting at the far end of the table - both used as a sign of respect. Is my take right, catharine?

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes but my theory is it won’t be in use in a few years time.

[@startupeco3138]

@@englishwithkatharine Yeah! One thing I really love with ypur way of teaching is that you have a sociological approach to it. Are you saying the developments are so fast that such ways of reference are getting to be down right unfamiliar even in formal contexts in a few years time?

[@jerzywlodarczyk1929]

You possess this magical power of verbal enchantment that made me listening to you through your entire lecture.

[@joyyyy777]

Thank you for your detailed information. I got some differences of the words so from now, I can speak more accurate and more like native speakers. Learning a foreign language is an interesting activity.

[@davidivlev1294]

I can speak English like a native speaker and I know all of that. My first language is Russian and I speak like an American, so I don’t have a Russian accent. I found a job as an English teacher and I like it. It is interesting to teach someone and explain to your student about grammar rules. However, I always say no one is perfect and we all make mistakes, so basically, you can’t avoid mistakes even in your language. ☺️

[@englishwithkatharine]

Totally agree! And we must never forget that! 🙌🤗😊

[@phoenixjoe5520]

Aren’t you a bit too full of yourself, David? English natives tend not to correct foreigners, out of politeness..It doesn’t mean your accent isn’t there or your English is anywhere near native. Russians normally use an obvious ‘word -by - word’ translation when they speak. There’s no natural flow to their speech, mainly because they think that ‘fluency’ means ‘speed’..Russian English speakers do stand out..

[@lesleymay8006]

If you speak like an American you don't speak English like a native speaker

[@davidivlev1294]

@@lesleymay8006 Bullshit, it doesn't matter if it's American or British, it's English and if you speak American English, you are a native speaker. What did you mean by that? Those who speak English in the US are native speakers. I only use American words, I am not an American and neither an English man, but I speak English every day and I don't have accent at all.

[@englishwithkatharine]

@@phoenixjoe5520this was a very unkind comment.

[@o_dimitris_eimai]

I love hearing the British accent, and yours is awesome 👌 ❤

[@johncraske]

Eh? I am a 78-year-old Brit,and I certainly say 'She's sleeping' - just as I say 'she's asleep,

[@englishwithkatharine]

Yes, I realise I’ve offended the older generations with my video. I’m sorry 😞

[@johncraske]

@@englishwithkatharine Yes, I'm an old fart, but I have one major advantage over you - I've been speaking English for 50 years before you were born. And I tell you that there is nothing wrong with saying 'She's asleep'

[@englishwithkatharine]

With respect, language changes. It has to. So better to go with the flow sometimes than to waste energy fighting it.

[@johncraske]

@@englishwithkatharine Just out of interest, can you point to any English text book that supports your claim? If not, how did you come up with it?

[@englishwithkatharine]

There are many many many books written on language changing! And social media is the text book of REAL LIFE. You can see the language with your own eyes!

[@uptonsavoie]

As an American, every one of your "don'ts" and "dos" are in current use here at the option of the speaker, and many more. Example: "How are you?" can be answered with just an "OK" followed by "and you?"

[@alexhart4763]

I'm a native and say all these words. Maybe Im old fashioned but it's not true to say nobody says this at all.

[@englishwithkatharine]

I do accept that my thumbnail is a huge clickbait. I am going to change it as soon as I have ten minutes free from my crazy workload!

[@Invertor88]

You are so charming! It's a pleasure to hear pure British pronunciation and accent and especially from a highly educated person.

[@kchodron406]

There's no such thing as "pure British accent'! Not even 'pure English accent'. England alone has many different accents, nevermind Wales & Scotland which form part of Britain & each have numerous different accents of their own.

[@englishwithkatharine]

Unfortunately historically people are most familiar with RP 😌

[@Invertor88]

@@englishwithkatharine I apologize, I'm not that well informed, I'm not even a native English speaker. I can only distinguish UK accents from American and Canadian ones. What does "RP" mean?