Placeholder Image

Subtitles section Play video

  • Hi, I'm Joel. And I'm Lia and today we're talking about British manners and etiquette.

  • So welcome back to another episode in our series of how to be British.

  • Don't forget before we start click subscribe if you haven't already.

  • We post videos every single week.

  • Lovely. So...

  • Today, we're talking about British manners and etiquette.

  • Most of this is just going to be stuff like that we've observed that we thing is important to share...

  • and things that we hold dear as well, like, starting off

  • I can't stand it when people don't queue and it's obviously

  • foreigners, which is fine because they don't know the rules, but British people all know you queue

  • and I know that's my problem.

  • That British people queue too much. But we love the queue.

  • It's so important stand and wait your turn in a queue.

  • If you don't, everyone will hate you.

  • But no one will do anything.

  • Everyone will silently - you'll just feel everyone looking at you at the back of your head, just like "I hate you".

  • Although some people... some bullshit people will speak up and say something. "Oi, there's a line here!"

  • Yeah, just like that.

  • Yeah. It's usually people that accent that say it.

  • They'll pop up and everyone's grateful for them.

  • Yeah, not every culture has queuing. I know in America they don't really...

  • queue as much firstly they say 'line', they don't say 'queue'.

  • But, secondly, they just kind of all...

  • gather in a big throng around wherever they're going and they just remember where they are.

  • That must be infuriating.

  • It just takes pressure off if you just know... if you just stand in line, and you're like "okay I know where I am. I know that I just look at the person in front of me."

  • Yeah. Oh, I can't think of anything worse than being in a clump. I mean, "We got here first". "No, we did."

  • "No, we were here before you." "Oh, no, you were here before them."

  • Yeah.

  • Another thing, uh, to mention with, umm, British manners and etiquette is just the simplicity of saying "please" and "thank you".

  • So if you're going to come to the UK or, you know, if you're trying to just be more British

  • one of the things you should always do is say "please".

  • Constantly. We've encountered when we've done, like, promo work

  • that people that aren't from the UK are more likely to be like "Give me, give me that."

  • and not even kind of have that just like give me that... that... or like being quite rude.

  • But all it is is inserting an extra word, "please".

  • But it is kind of stupid that we have that it's like

  • Why do we have to like tiptoe around and be like "please, could we..."

  • But we just love a 'please'.

  • Love a 'please' and love a 'thank you'.

  • Yeah, so, if in doubt, just say "please" and "thank you" all the time.

  • All the time

  • All the time. You can't say it too many times.

  • Yeah, and 'sorry' is a good one as well.

  • "Sorry". Even when you're not sorry just say "sorry".

  • If someone walks into you say "sorry".

  • Yeah.

  • Someone stands on your foot. "Yeah, sorry."

  • If someone mugs you and takes your phone, say "sorry".

  • If someone starts beating you up on the street just keep saying "sorry".

  • just say "sorry" over and over again. "Sorry", and maybe the occasional "thank you".

  • Thank you.

  • They stop. They stop beating you up for a bit you're like "thanks, thanks".

  • "Thanks, I needed that. Thank you."

  • Saying "thank you". Sending a thank-you card as well.

  • Yeah, people do that all the time.

  • I was always brought up, like... I think most people were, I feel like.

  • Send a thank you card. After birthdays, like, you send everyone a thank-you card. Say "thank you" after everything.

  • Yeah, after Christmas send everyone a thank-you card saying "Thank you for that lovely present."

  • Even if you hated it.

  • That's the point.

  • Yeah.

  • We are so in sync.

  • We are so in sync.

  • Yeah, NSYNC.

  • Oh, they were great, weren't they?

  • So, one that's very London-based is... just to all tourists if you ever come to the UK, or people around the UK that are coming to London.

  • Do not get on the Tube until the people have come off of the tube.

  • Oh my God. It's so annoying. They even announce it.

  • They say "Please let people off the tube before you get on". And like the doors open and everyone's there, and you're like

  • they're all streaming on. You're like "Get out of the way!"

  • You're supposed to wait until everyone's got off before you try to get on and it's always people that aren't from the UK

  • that just like push their way on and you're like "You have to wait."

  • Silly person.

  • I hate it so much. That's a really good one to mention.

  • We're just trying to change the world one viewer at a time.

  • One viewer at a time.

  • If we've even taught one of you to come on holiday to London and not get on the tube until someone's got off...

  • Then we've done our job.

  • So if you're out having a group meal in England...

  • It's normal for you to wait until everybody's food has arrived until you start eating, and I'm sure that's probably very similar everywhere else...

  • Definitely, and another one similar to that I noticed when I went to America

  • that the waitresses come and take away empty plates before everyone's finished eating.

  • If there's empty plates they'll take them. In the UK that's seen as rude like you shouldn't clear the table until everyone's finished eating.

  • And then you take the plates away.

  • And so we were just sat there like... okay, this is rude.

  • I hate it so much. If me and you were eating, and you finish first and your plate is taken...

  • and I'm left there with my plate

  • I don't tip.

  • They are not getting a tip. Because you've made me feel like he's waiting for me, like I'm too slow...

  • and like it's just and all the focus is now on my plate looking at what I've got left.

  • And if you were trying to enjoy your meal and someone was reaching over you to take empty plates and stuff

  • you're like "I'm just trying to have a quiet, nice meal and you're trying to clear off the table. Like, leave me alone."

  • It's so horrible.

  • So guys that's just a few things that we've noticed and we wanted to share.

  • Don't forget to like and subscribe to our channel if you're not already a subscriber.

  • We post lots of videos like this

  • Yeah, definitely. And don't get to leave a comment down below if you're not from the UK

  • to let us know whether these things are the same in your country or what are some things that are good manners in your country.

  • Lovely.

  • Don't eat with your mouth open.

  • Bye children!

  • Be polite. "Please" and "thank you". Bye.

  • "Please" and "thank you", so true.

  • Thank you for watching. Please come back next time. I just spat everywhere.

  • No, really, thank you. No. Thank you so much.

Hi, I'm Joel. And I'm Lia and today we're talking about British manners and etiquette.

Subtitles and vocabulary

Click the word to look it up Click the word to find further inforamtion about it