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Sunday, October 16, 2022

Use Polite Forms of Bad English Words 丁寧な形の悪い英単語

 In a previous post I explained why English students shouldn't use the phrase, "Oh, my God!". Many students are interested in bad words in English, also known as dirty words, swear words, or vulgar words. You hear them all the time in movies and music and your native speaker friends use them all the time.

However, I always advise students not to use them. It can sound strange or offensive to native speakers. In daily conversation, these words are very strong, and native speakers often hesitate to use them in public or around children. But there are more polite versions of these words that sound softer and native speakers often use them. These are safe for students, too.

Do not say                             Safe in public                            Example

God                                         goodness/gosh                           "Oh, my goodness/gosh"

shit                                           shoot                                         "Oh, shoot!"

damn                                        darn/dang                                  "Darn it/Dang it!"

fuck                                           fudge/freak                                "Oh, fudge!"


Keep in mind, these forms are softer, but still a little strong. If you are not sure, don't use them at all.

Good luck.

Jason


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