Beginner English questions about travel, hotels and clothes

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A1 English listening practice · English · Curated for beginners

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What does “trousers” mean in British English?

trousers
British English word
Trousers is the British word for the clothes you wear on your legs — what Americans call pants.

Trousers is the British word for the long clothes you wear on your legs. Americans say pants for the same thing. Here is a fun and important point: in Britain, the word pants means underwear! So if a British person hears “I need new pants,” they think of underwear, not leg clothes. To stay safe in Britain, say trousers for the clothes on your legs.

In the clip, a person says: “a shirt and trousers, but I don’t need to wear a tie.” This is normal British English. American English and British English use different clothes words. Trousers (British) and pants (American) mean the same thing.

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