Eleven British Slang Words Explained

When you're having trouble understanding your British friend's explanation of losing their rucksack in the car park before finding the flat, you're in need of some slang translation. British slang hasn't changed much in the past twenty years, confusing Americans more often than not with references that can be completely misunderstood. If you can't distinguish jam from jelly, and find yourself completely confused when someone asks where the toilet is, here's a quick primer on eleven British slang words to get you through those difficult moments:

1. Jumper
It's not a short word for a car starter, and you don't need it to get anywhere at all. A jumper is the British word for sweater, commonly found in argyle and cashmere forms in many British closets. You'll need a few of these as you trek out to London on a rainy afternoon.

2. Bonnet
When the mechanic uses this term, he or she hasn't slipped into nursery rhyme mode; they're referring to the hood of your car. The bonnet first came about with the popular Beetle running around London streets, and now it's used to describe any car's hood.

3. Jam and Jelly
Jam refers to the delicious strawberry preserves on your toastâ€"Americans refer to it as jelly. Jelly refers to the gelatin dessert that is often served at children's birthday parties; the British still don't understand why Americans eat so much of it, but it's known by the brand Jell-O in the U.S..

4. Spud
When you're told to eat your spuds, you can enjoy them mashed, baked, or mixed into a classic stew. Spuds are potatoes, and you'll find them as a side of many British dishes in baked form with salt.

5. Row
When you're having a row with someone, you're quarreling and arguing. It's common to use this term to describe sibling rivalries, husband and wife fights, and any situation where someone is involved in some sort of shouting match.

6. Dressing Gown
It's easy to assume you'll be heading out for a fancy affair in a dressing gown, but you're much better off staying at home--your dressing gown is your bathrobe. (Unless it's one of those fancy ones that can serves as some sort of swanky cocktail dress as well)