British people don’t always need to raise their voices to criticise you. Sometimes, we can deliver a hammer blow while smiling and cover it in a beautiful velvet outer casing!

Expressions such as “You’re brave”, “Bless you”, “You do you” and “Someone’s keen!” may sound perfectly friendly. But depending on the speaker’s tone, facial expression and the situation, their real meaning can be very different.

In this video, I explore some apparently polite British expressions that may actually communicate criticism, disagreement, sarcasm or even jealousy. Understanding the words is only half the battle: you also need to recognise what a British person is really trying to tell you.

Have you ever spoken to a British person and only realised afterwards that their seemingly pleasant comment may not have been particularly sincere? Please share your experience in the comments below.

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