38 Things Americans Say ALL OF THE TIME That Make Absolutely No Sense To Non-Americans

    Nobody understands us.

    Matt Stopera
    by Matt Stopera

    BuzzFeed Staff

    Hey, hi, hello fellow Americans.

    Four smiling friends holding a US flag together, expressing unity and patriotism
    Liudmila Chernetska / Getty Images

    I've got a list of things that you most likely say that confuse the heck out of non-Americans around the world.

    Buckle up because here we go....

    1. When a television show says it's on at "8/7c."

    Izzi Taylor @izzi_taylor

    WHAT DO AMERICANS MEAN WHEN A SHOW IS ON AT LIKE FUCKIN “8/7c” WHAT IS THAT????

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    2. When someone identifies as a "hockey mom."

    Peter Blenkinsop @ManYanaEd

    What does it mean when Americans say they are a "hockey mom"? Their child plays hockey and they take them to practices?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    3. When real estate listings say the house has "2.5 baths."

    ferbie Kuuji @ferbieKuuji

    What do Americans mean by 2.5 baths?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    4. When someone says they're "transferring to a 4 year school."

    kirsten cohen's chardonnay @joachimtrier

    what do americans mean when they say “transfer to a 4 year school”? i thought all universities there are 4 years

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    5. When Americans say "bite me."

    steve the bus @steve196508

    What do Americans mean when they say "bite me"? Are they vampires?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    6. When someone is "grounded."

    laura🌸🕊️ @angeIic111

    @_Yumekii_ what do americans mean with 'grounded'? 😔

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    7. When Americans say "I do not disagree."

    Ofir Manor @ofirm

    Current status: googling what do Americans mean when they say "I do not disagree"

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    8. The term "dive bar."

    Seán @StretchArmSean

    What do americans mean when they say dive bar? Is our equivalent just a pub?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    9. The term "running errands."

    Toria Marquardt @VelvetyVictoria

    What do Americans mean when they say "running errands"? This has always baffled me.

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    10. When Americans use the phrase "government name."

    Sweet'n'lildoses ☘️☘️ @EwartBraide

    What do Americans mean by "Government name"? I thought your parents named y'all over there

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    11. When Americans say they're going to "freshen up."

    Roosh Mulan @roisnolan

    What do Americans mean in tv/films when they sexily say, "I'm just going to... freshen up 😏" Are they washing their nethers or what?

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    12. The term "corny."

    BasedOnCode @papixvi

    What do Americans mean when they say something is corny ??

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    13. When Americans say they "haven't done __ in a minute."

    gart @_cenu

    "Havent done ________ in a minute" what do americans mean by this :l

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    14. When Americans call someone a "tool."

    Clare O'Brien 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 @ClareOBrien

    What do Americans mean when they say someone is a tool? It seems like an insult, but tools are useful.

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    15. What "tailgating" is.

    Rowena Coxwell @MiggleM

    What do Americans mean when they say ‘tailgate’?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    16. When Americans say "period" after a sentence.

    Alice♡... @alicedanosour

    What do americans mean when they say period after a sentence or something? Is it just like saying full stop? I'm confused :'D

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    17. When Americans say "sidebar" during a conversation.

    GBEMISOLA @BOgunss

    What do Americans mean when they say Sidebar

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    18. When Americans say they have "finals."

    Daniel Fielding @DanielFielding

    What do Americans mean when they say "finals"?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    19. When Americans say someone has been "drinking the Kool Aid."

    Fergus Craig @FergusCraig

    What do americans mean when they say someone's been 'drinking kool aid'?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    20. When Americans say "I'm just sayin'."

    David Pinn @dpinn

    What do Americans mean when they say "I'm just sayin'"? I hear it a lot on podcasts.

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    21. When Americans use "blocks" as a form of measurement.

    Lea 🌸 @LeanneMcIver18

    What does it mean when Americans go 'Its two blocks away' what's a block?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    22. When Americans say "what's the 411 on that."

    Ashley Fearn @AshleyFearnUK

    What does it mean when Americans say "and that's the 411 on that"?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    23. What pudding is.

    Moth @MrMoth

    Just realised I have no idea what Americans mean when they say "pudding".

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    24. When Americans wish someone a "happy belated."

    Dime Piece @deycallmerich

    I never actually knew why ppl say "happy belated"... Lol like what does that really mean and why do americans say it

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    25. When Americans use "football fields" as a form of measurement.

    🇨🇦 ronniecat 🇨🇺 @ronniecat

    Why do Americans measure everything in "football fields" long? What does that mean to anyone else in the world?

    Reply Retweet Favorite

    26. When Americans say they are from the "tri-state area."

    As a European, what do Americans mean when they say "tri-state area"?

    — DJ Smokey (@MAEC360TA) February 9, 2024
    Twitter: @MAEC360TA

    27. When Americans say "eat me."

    Been bugging me for years, but what do Americans mean, when they say 'Eat me!'?

    — andrew woods 🇺🇦 (@andrewjwoods) July 15, 2022
    Twitter: @andrewjwoods

    28. When Americans say they want creamer in their coffee.

    what do americans mean when they put creamer in their coffee. do they have milk?

    — megan mcg (@_mexxan) February 12, 2021
    Twitter: @_mexxan

    29. When Americans talk about "fake cheese."

    what do americans mean when they say “fake cheese”

    — ᵇaddie 𓆩♡𓆪 (@sechanini) June 18, 2023
    Twitter: @sechanini

    30. When Americans talk about the taste of McDonald's Sprite.

    what do americans mean when they say that mcdonald’s sprite tastes different

    — anto123arci 🇮🇹 (@anto123arci) September 26, 2023
    Twitter: @anto123arci

    31. When Americans answer with "I'm good" to basically every question.

    What do Americans mean when they answer ‘I’m good’ to almost every question?

    — Bible Jesus (@mrbiblejesus) January 30, 2024
    Twitter: @mrbiblejesus

    32. When Americans say they just did their taxes.

    What do Americans mean when they say I just did my taxes? What is there to do??

    — Mehreen (@reenythegenie) February 25, 2021
    Twitter: @reenythegenie

    33. When American recipes call for "one stick of butter."

    what do americans mean when they say one stick of butter we use this big ass block of butter

    — n 🍉 (@gIossfms) June 17, 2021
    Twitter: @gIossfms

    34. When Americans say they are getting the "Sunday scaries."

    What do Americans mean by “[insert day] scaries? Is it like bad mood?

    — pen affleck 🫶🏾 (@findingmalo) May 27, 2022
    Twitter: @findingmalo

    35. When Americans refer to the UK as "across the pond."

    Do americans really say "across the pond"??

    — angie (@dwinwediblino) April 4, 2020
    Twitter: @dwinwediblino

    36. When Americans say "holy cow."

    Do Americans really say "Holy cow"
    I need to know.

    — Meursault. (@llleeds69) October 2, 2022
    Twitter: @llleeds69

    37. The amount of times Americans use "like."

    Do Americans really say "like" every 10 seconds, or is it a reality TV show thing ?

    — C.C 🇻🇨🇹🇹 (@DaGirlShellyann) September 25, 2023
    Twitter: @DaGirlShellyann

    38. And lastly, grits. Just, like, what are they?!?!

    What do Americans mean by grits? Cuz I thought it was oats but then wtf is Parmesan cheese grits???

    — Bounty Lime🍻 (@kingneilz1) May 5, 2022
    Twitter: @kingneilz1