Not the sharpest tool in the

shed.
Rude | You must be a bit
thick/stupid to fail that exam
twice.
Polite | He’s a few sandwiches
short of a picnic.
He’s not the sharpest tool in the
shed.
He’s not all there.

To be overweight.

Rude | The doctor has put her

on a diet because she’s fat.
Polite | She’s a bit overweight.
She’s a bit plump.
She’s well-fed.

To be expecting a baby.

Rude | The French teacher is

pregnant.
Polite | She’s expecting a
baby.
She’s expecting.

To be seeing someone.

Rude | I’m sleeping with

someone else. 😱

Polite | I’m seeing someone

else.

To let someone go.

Rude | We had to fire Richard,

he was useless.
Polite | We had to let Richard
go, he didn’t meet our
expectations.

To pass away.
Rude | Oh I didn’t know her cat
was dead.
Polite | Oh I didn’t know her cat
had passed away.
Fun | Oh I didn’t know her cat
had popped his cloggs.
Oh I didn’t know her cat
had kicked the bucket.

To go to the restroom.

¡Mucho cuidado si estás en

EEUU! 🇺🇸
Extremely rude | Excuse me,

where’s the toilet? 🚽🙈

Polite | Excuse me, where’s the

restroom? 👍

En UK es perfectamente
correcto decir ‘toilet’ o
‘bathroom’, en este sentido no
somos tan tiquismiquis. Una
frase muy común en inglés
coloquial para decir que vas un
momento al baño es: «I’m just
gonna pop to the loo.»
To let someone go.

Rude | We had to fire Richard,

he was useless.
Polite | We had to let Richard
go, he didn’t meet the
expectations.

To be merry.

Rude | Your sister was a bit

drunk last night.
Polite | Your sister was a bit
merry last night.
Y si la hermana acaba
montando un espectáculo y se
pone en plan sentimental, para
evitar decir que iba borracha
como una cuba, puedes decir
algo así como:
Oh don’t worry, she was just
tired and a bit emotional.

To be between jobs.

Rude | My wife is currently

unemployed.
Polite | My wife is between jobs
at the moment.
To put to sleep.

Incorrect | My dog was pretty

sick so we had to sacrifice him.
Polite | We had to put him to
sleep.
We had to put him
down.