來英國前必知的 15 件事: 15 things you should know before coming to the UK
前言
英國是一個充滿文化和歷史的國家，每年吸引數百萬遊客前來。如果您計劃前往英國，不論是移民、留學還是打工度假，有一些事情您應該提前了解。
本文將涵蓋您在英國生活和工作所需的 15 項基本信息。從英國的社交禮儀到如何應對英國的天氣，我將為你提供所需的一切，讓你的英國之旅更順利。
1. Some people might assume that you speak English (but most people are kind and understanding!)
1. 有些人可能會認為你會說英語（但大多數人都很善良，善解人意！）
British people are generally used to going to other countries and being able to communicate in English, which is a luxury of having grown up in an English speaking country. Especially within the UK itself, there's usually a general assumption that other people can understand English. In fact, the UK is a very multicultural place, and in London especially, you're sure to find people from all over the world, and some of them might not speak much English, so don't worry if your spoken English isn't that good yet. It's normal and natural to have trouble when you're learning something new. If you find that someone seems to be expecting you to have a higher level of English, you could say "Sorry, I'm still learning English. Please could you say it slower?" and they should be happy to help you.
由於英國是英語系國家，因此英國人習慣在其他國家使用英語溝通。這對於在英語國家成長的人來說是一種優勢，因為他們在學習英語時有更多的機會練習。然而，英國也是一個多元文化的國家，尤其是在倫敦，你會遇到來自世界各地的人，其中有些人可能不太擅長英語。所以，如果你在英國旅行時遇到英語水平不高的人，請不要擔心。在學習新事物時遇到困難是很正常的，也是很自然的。如果你發現有人似乎期望你具有更高的英語水平，你可以禮貌地請求他們幫助你，你可以說：“對不起，我正在學習英語，你能說慢一點嗎？”他們應該很樂意幫助你。
2. People probably won't ask where you're from.
2. 人們可能不會問你來自哪裡。
Similar to the previous point, most people don't mean to be rude or seem disinterested, but they generally prefer not to assume you're from somewhere else without cold hard facts. There's a good chance that you might look or seem like you're from somewhere else, but you were actually born and raised in the UK, so it would be rude in that case to assume you're not British. This makes it hard to find things to talk about, because the basic small talk hasn't been covered. You could help them out by saying "I'm from ______ ", and then you've relieved them of having to ask and potentially get it wrong. Then they should be happy to hear about where you're from and might ask more questions to get to know more about you and your culture.
與前面提到的情況類似，英國人通常不會直接詢問你來自哪裡。這並非他們故意無禮或表現出不感興趣，而是他們認為在沒有確定信息的情況下假設他人出身是不禮貌的。此外，英國是一個多元文化的國家，人們的長相和外表可能具有多樣性。這會讓你很難找到開啟對話的機會，因為英式的閒聊通常會以詢問對方出身等基本問題展開。你可以主動提到 "我來自______" 來幫助他們了解你的出身，這樣可以避免他們的猜測和可能的誤解。他們應該會很高興聽到你來自哪裡，並可能會進一步詢問以了解你和你的文化。
3. People might speak in a roundabout way.
3. 人們可能會以一種委婉的方式說話。
It can be famously hard to understand British people, because they like to say things in a soft and indirect way, even if they have strong feelings about something. It's not very often that they do have strong feelings, but if for example they have a preference about something, they might phrase it in a way that makes it hard for non-native speakers to detect the preference. For example "Maybe we could try Plan A" might mean "I want to do Plan A", but they're leaving it open for discussion. Some people might even become flustered if you try to make their words more concrete and say "So you want to do Plan A?", because they wanted to avoid being direct and to make the decision jointly with you. Many (but not all) British people want to avoid being rude at all costs, so you might need to be patient to figure out what they mean! However, if it seems important, for example in a work situation, it's always worth clarifying and asking what they mean.
英國人以溫和和間接的表達方式著稱，這對於非母語人士來說可能難以理解。他們通常不會表露出強烈的情緒，即使他們對某些事有強烈的感受。例如，他們可能會說 "也許我們可以試試A計劃"，實際上意味著 "我想做A計劃"，但他們保留了討論的空間。如果你試圖更具體地理解他們的話，例如問 "那你希望做A計劃嗎？"，有些人可能會感到不安，因為他們想避免直接表達意見，而是希望共同作出決定。許多（但不是全部）英國人希望避免無禮，因此你可能需要耐心地理解他們的意思。然而，在某些場合，如工作場合，如果這問題很重要，還是值得澄清並詢問他們的意圖。
4. There are all kinds of foods to try.
4. 有各種各樣的食物可以嘗試。
If you go to London especially, you'll find authentic food from all over the world. The UK is a great place to try new cuisines. Some quintessentially 'British' foods that you might like to try are Sunday roast, chicken pie, scotch egg and cream tea (more here), but most locals don't just exist on that. In fact, Indian curry has been voted Brits' favourite food for many years in a row. If you find the classic 'British' food isn't quite to your liking, don't feel the need to restrict yourself to it, because there are usually plenty of other options available! Google Maps is your best friend for finding highly rated places to eat.
特別是如果你去倫敦，倫敦是一個多元文化的城市，匯聚了來自世界各地的美食。英國是一個嘗試各國料理的好地方，因為你可以在這裡找到正宗的各國美食。一些典型的 "英國" 食物，例如周日烤肉、雞肉餡餅、蘇格蘭蛋和下午茶（英國人都吃什麼），可能會引起你的興趣，但英國的美食遠不止這些。事實上，印度咖哩連續多年被評為英國人最喜愛的美食之一，這表明英國人對其他文化的美食也非常接受。如果你發現傳統的 "英國" 食物不符合你的口味，不必將自己局限於這些選擇，因為英國還有許多其他的美食可供選擇。對於尋找優質餐廳，Google 地圖是你最好的幫手。你可以使用 Google 地圖搜索附近的餐廳，閱讀評論，並查看照片，以找到最適合你的餐廳。
5. There's some social etiquette to be aware of.
5. 有一些社交禮儀需要注意。
排隊
One protocol to obey is to queue politely, i.e. don't jump the queue. While British people don't like to queue per se, they will usually respect a queue and not like it if someone jumps in front of them. If you're not sure of your place in the queue, you can let the other person go first, to avoid accidentally ticking them off.
在英國，有一個重要的禮儀是有禮貌地排隊，也就是不插隊。儘管英國人自己可能不太喜歡排隊，但他們通常會尊重排隊，並不喜歡有人插到他們前面。如果你對自己在隊伍中的位置感到不確定，可以讓其他人先行，以避免不小心惹惱了他。這種禮貌的舉止將使你與當地人相處更融洽。
握手和擁抱
Handshakes are often used on first meetings, even with women, and when people know each other a bit better they might hug when they meet each other. Don't be afraid if someone tries to hug you! (Unless you don't know them)
通常在初次見面時，無論對方是男性還是女性，握手是常見的方式。隨著彼此更加熟悉，人們可能在見面時互相擁抱一下。如果有人試圖擁抱你，請不用擔心（當然，前提是你與對方相識）
評論外貌
It's risky territory to comment on someone's appearance, so try to avoid it if you can. Whether they look tanned or pale, have gained weight or lost weight, gotten older or look younger, most people don't want to know, so you can compliment their clothes instead, as that feels less personal.
評論他人的外貌是一個危險的舉動，所以如果可能的話，盡量避免。大多數人不喜歡被評論外貌，無論是膚色、體重、年齡等。相反，你可以讚美他們的衣著，這樣較不會觸及個人隱私。
表達感謝
It's very important to say "thank you" when someone does something for you, no matter how small. Failure to say "thank you" could result in someone feeling offended, especially if it happens many times.
當有人為你做任何事情時，無論多小，說聲「謝謝」是非常重要的。不表達感謝可能會讓對方感到冒犯，特別是當這種情況發生多次時。
使用 "sorry"
The word "sorry" is also used all the time, even if it wasn't the speaker's fault. Any situation where a bit of trouble or confusion has been caused, no matter how small, is a good opportunity to say "sorry", as it's generally believed to ease social tension. This is different to most other countries, where saying "sorry" if it wasn't your fault might seem weird or unnecessary.
即使不是自己的錯誤，「對不起」這個詞也經常使用。當出現任何造成麻煩或混亂的情況，無論多小，說聲「對不起」都是緩解社交緊張的好方法。這點可能會與其他國家不同，在其他國家，如果事情不是自己的錯誤，說「對不起」可能會顯得奇怪或不必要。
6. The cost of living is currently quite high.
6. 目前的生活成本很高。
Locals are frequently shocked at how much food is costing these days. Don't be surprised if you find you have to pay a lot of money for some simple food in a cafe or restaurant! The best supermarkets to shop in for cheap food are Lidl, Aldi and Asda, and if you're really on a budget, you should avoid the small supermarkets like Tesco Extra or Sainsbury's Local, as they tend to put their prices up. Most locals would prefer to drive or travel out to a big supermarket to do their weekly shop, or you could order online via the Tesco, Asda or Sainsbury's websites - at certain times of day the delivery will be free. If you're trying to avoid expensive food, Waitrose and Ocado might not be your favourite options.
即便是當地人也經常對現在的食物價格感到震驚。如果你發現你不得不為咖啡館或餐館的一些簡單的食物付很多錢，請不要太過驚訝! 英國較物美價廉的超市是Lidl、Aldi和Asda，如果你真的預算有限，你應該避免去Tesco Extra或Sainsbury's Local這樣的小超市，因為它們往往價格比較高。大多數當地人更願意開車到大超市進行每週購物，或者你可以通過Tesco、Asda或Sainsbury's網站網路訂購--並預約時間送達，運送費會是免費的。如果你想避免買到昂貴的食物，Waitrose和Ocado可能不是你的最佳選擇。
If you're really in a pickle, there's an app called Too Good To Go, which is designed to reduce food waste by getting restaurants to provide the food they couldn't sell that day at a cheaper price.
如果你真的陷入困境，有一個叫Too Good To Go的應用程序，其目的是通過讓餐廳以更便宜的價格提供當天無法出售的食物來減少食物浪費。
For more money-saving apps, check out my Instagram!
欲了解更多省錢的apps，請看我的IG!
7. The weather is unpredictable.
7. 天氣是不可預測的。
While most Brits don't carry an umbrella around like they used to in the past, people generally take a jacket out with them, especially one with a hood, because there's always the chance of a bit of rain. Rain usually isn't that heavy in the UK, not like monsoon season; the typical rainy day is just cloudy with a bit of drizzle and on-and-off showers. That said, make sure to bring your sunglasses, hat and sun-cream too, because heatwaves have been coming on and off throughout the summer in recent years. Oh, by the way, as most places don't have air-conditioning units installed yet, it can get far too hot, especially at night. You have been warned!! Maybe bring a travel fan.
英國的天氣是不可預測的，經常會下雨。雖然大多數英國人不再像過去那樣隨身攜帶雨傘，但他們通常會帶一件外套出門，尤其是連帽的防水外套。英國的雨通常不大，但可能會持續很長時間。
除了雨天，英國也會有陽光和炎熱的天氣。近年來，英國的夏季出現了熱浪，室內溫度可能會很高。由於大多數地方沒有空調，在炎熱的天氣裡，室內可能會變得非常炎熱。
建議你帶上太陽鏡、帽子、防曬霜和旅行扇，以應對各種天氣情況。
8. Distance, weight, size and time have different measurements.
8. 距離、重量、大小和時間有不同的測量方法。
For distance, the commonly used units are kilograms, metres and kilometres, but we also talk about miles when discussing distance, and feet when discussing people's height. For example, I'm 5ft11. Clothes and shoe sizes differ from the US and Europe. For example, size Small is about a size 8 - 10. Oh, also, time is often written using the 24 hour clock in written form. For example, 11pm would be 23:00. But we wouldn't say that out loud in speaking, we would still say '11pm'. Apologies in advance for our confusing way of doing things!
英國使用不同的測量系統，包括公制和英制。對於距離，英國人通常使用公里、米和公尺，但在某些情況下也會使用英里。對於重量，英國人通常使用公斤，但在某些情況下也會使用磅。對於大小，英國人通常使用公制單位，但在某些情況下也會使用英制單位。
英國的衣服和鞋子的尺寸與美國和歐洲不同。英國人通常使用 24 小時制來表示時間，但在口語中，他們仍會使用 12 小時制。例如，晚上11點是23:00。但我們不會在說話時說出來，我們仍然會說'11pm'。如果這讓你感到混亂我先跟大家說聲抱歉拉! 如果你想學習時間日期念份的英式英文說法可以參考這篇：看完這篇你就懂！ 英式英文時間、日期、年份的正確寫法及唸法！
英國旅遊生活英文課程
9. The healthcare system is free at the point of use.
9. 醫療保健系統在使用時是免費的。
The UK's NHS healthcare system is paid for in taxes, meaning locals don't have to pay anything when they receive most medical care, including doctor's appointments, hospital visits, giving birth and so on. Also anyone, including visitors and illegal immigrants, can get free emergency healthcare, with nothing paid upfront. However, if you're a visitor, unfortunately you'll probably need to pay and get travel insurance for non-emergency healthcare, otherwise you'll pay 150% of the cost upfront. More info here.
英國的NHS醫療系統是由稅收支付的，這意味著當地人在接受大部分醫療服務時，包括醫生預約、醫院就診、分娩等，都不需要支付任何費用。此外，任何人，包括遊客和非法移民，都可以獲得免費的緊急醫療服務，無需預付任何費用。然而，如果你是遊客，不幸的是，你可能需要為非緊急醫療支付併購買旅行保險，否則你將預先支付150%的費用。更多信息在這裡。
If you're here for a longer period of time, usually over 6 months, you'll become eligible for free healthcare. To receive it for the first time, you'll need to prove that you're eligible with some documents, such as proof of residence, tenancy agreements, utility or council tax bill statements, UK bank account statements, payslips or your tax reference number.
如果你在這裡的時間較長，通常超過6個月，你就有資格享受免費醫療。要想第一次接受醫療服務，你需要用一些文件來證明你有資格，例如居住證明、租房協議、水電費或市政稅賬單、英國銀行賬戶賬單、工資單或你的納稅編號。
10. Trains are often late.
10. 火車常常遲到。
The trains in the UK are getting a bit of a reputation, because they're often late or cancelled. Train workers have been going on strike a lot as they've been unhappy with their pay, but as the railways are partly government funded, they haven't been that successful in their endeavour, and the strikes have just continued, causing a lot of chaos. As of March 2023, it has been agreed that rail workers will get a 9% pay increase over 2 years, but we've yet to see that translate into a better train service.
英國的火車聲名遠播，因為經常晚點或突然取消。鐵路關係工作者因為對他們的工資不滿而經常罷工，但由於鐵路部分是由政府資助的，他們的努力並不是很成功，因此這幾年斷斷續續都有罷工，造成了很多混亂。截至2023年3月，勞資已經達成協議，他們將在兩年內獲得9%的加薪，但目前我們還沒有看到這轉化為更好的火車服務。
If your train is late or cancelled, you can get some money back. Most people don't know they're able to do this and are missing out on extra cash!
如果你的火車晚點或被取消，你可以拿回一些錢。大多數人不知道他們能夠做到這一點，而錯過了額外的現金!
As trains can also be very expensive if you're travelling cross-country or into London at peak times, I would recommend looking into other options like Megabus. The journey will be slower, but at least it won't be cancelled! Just make sure to book in advance, especially if there's a planned rail strike, because everyone will have the same idea! To save money on trains you should also book in advance if you're using Trainline, i.e. at least 3 - 4 days early, and not on the day, for the best price.
如果你是跨城市旅行或在高峰期進入倫敦，火車也可能非常昂貴，我建議你考慮其他選擇，如Megabus。旅程會比較慢，但至少不會被取消! 只要確保提前預訂，特別是在有計劃的鐵路罷工時，因為每個人都會有同樣的想法! 為了節省火車費用，如果你使用Trainline，你也應該提前預訂，即至少提前3-4天，而不是在當天，以獲得最佳價格。
11. People sometimes say 'hi' in public.
11. 人們有時會在公共場合說 "嗨"。
It's quite normal to nod a friendly 'hello' to strangers you pass in the countryside or in small towns, but weirdly it's not that normal if you're in a city. So don't be confused if your neighbours don't say 'hi', but the nice lady walking her ldog in the park does! Dog walkers are especially more friendly than most.
在鄉下或小鎮上，對路過的陌生人友好地點頭打招呼是很正常的，但奇怪的是，如果你在城市裡，這就不那麼正常了。所以，如果你的鄰居不打招呼，而在公園裡遛狗的好心女士卻打招呼，你也不要感到困惑！遛狗的人可能比大多數人更友好。
12. People might be more private about their personal life than you're used to.
12. 人們對自己的個人生活可能比你所習慣的更加注重隱私。
It seems to be a feature of many countries where the weather is colder, that people are more insular and tend to stick to their friends and the people they already know. It can be hard to get to know locals, but try practising your small talk with some simple opening questions - the easiest and most commonly used amongst acquaintances are "Get up to much at the weekend?" (for the weekend just passed), or "Up to much this weekend?" (for the coming weekend). You could invite someone to do something with you, like go to an event or have a meal out, to make the first move and show you'd like to befriend them; just don't be disheartened if they're always busy.
在許多天氣較冷的國家，人們好像往往更加封閉，傾向於與親朋好友保持聯繫。在英國，認識當地人可能比較困難。但你可以嘗試用一些簡單的開場白來練習你的閒聊。最簡單也是熟人之間最常用的是 '週末去玩了嗎？' (指剛剛過去的周末)，或 '這個週末有什麼活動嗎？' (針對即將到來的周末)。
你可以邀請對方和你一起做一些事情，比如去參加一個活動或出去吃一頓飯，以做出第一步，表明你想和他們交朋友。如果對方總是很忙，不要感到沮喪。英國人通常比較忙碌，但這並不意味著他們不想和你交朋友。
13. The humour might be different to what you're used to.
13. 幽默感可能與你所習慣的不同。
While boasting and arrogance is one of the most disliked traits in the UK, and people generally avoid saying anything good about themselves for fear of boasting, humour is one time when people might make arrogant jokes, or on the other end of the scale, self-deprecating jokes. You might find this confusing, but you can just laugh along and you might find it funny with time. Sarcastic, dry or dark humour can be harder to detect and takes some getting used to too. You could try watching some British stand-up comedians like Ricky Gervais, James Acaster, Micky Flanagan and Dawn French to get a sense of their humour.
雖然自誇和傲慢是英國人最不喜歡的特質之一，人們一般會避免搓自己的好話，因為害怕自誇，但英式幽默是有些人可能會開你傲慢的玩笑，或者開自嘲的玩笑。你可能會發現這很混亂，但你可以跟著笑，隨著時間的推移，你可能會發現它很有趣。諷刺、乾澀或黑暗的幽默可能更難察覺，也需要一些時間來適應。你可以試著看一些英國單口相聲演員，如Ricky Gervais、James Acaster、Micky Flanagan和Dawn French，以了解他們的幽默感。或是看我的YT影片:英式VS美式！幽默大不同！原來是這個原因讓英國人喜歡黑色笑話!
14. The UK has a diverse cultural scene.
14. 英國有一個多樣化的文化環境。
From theatre performances in the West End to music festivals, art exhibitions, and the royal family and monarchy, there's plenty of interesting culture and art to immerse yourself in. Take advantage of the opportunity to experience something different while you're here. England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own unique culture, history, religions, languages and dialects too, so if you have the chance, it's worth visiting them to experience the traditions there. People in the outer territories especially tend to be really friendly, so you should receive a warm welcome. If you can, don't restrict yourself to London only, as there are many other beautiful places to visit in the UK, whether it's the highlands in Scotland, the Cotswolds, Cornwall or Sussex. And some other great cities are Bristol, Liverpool, Bath and Newcastle.
從西區的戲劇表演到音樂節、藝術展覽，以及王室和君主制，這裡有很多有趣的文化和藝術可以讓你沉浸其中。當你在這裡時，要利用機會體驗不同的東西。英格蘭、蘇格蘭、威爾士和北愛爾蘭也都有自己獨特的文化、歷史、宗教、語言和方言，所以如果你有機會，值得去這些地方體驗那裡的傳統。特別是都市以外地區的人們往往非常友好，所以你應該會受到熱烈歡迎。如果可以的話，不要只局限於倫敦，因為英國還有許多其他美麗的地方可以遊覽，無論是蘇格蘭的高地、科茨沃爾德、康沃爾或蘇塞克斯。而其他一些很棒的城市有布里斯托爾、利物浦、巴斯和紐卡斯爾。參考文章：Where to go in the UK? 英國深度旅遊必去景點｜不只有倫敦喔！
15. The streets might not be as safe as where you're from.
15. 街道可能不像你的家鄉那樣安全。
As a general rule, be careful when you're out on the streets at night by yourself. Depending on which city you're in, and how urban it is, street crime can be a problem, and it's not uncommon to find drunk people being reckless, or pickpockets. Crime doesn't happen very often, but criminals might target people who look lost and naive, like a tourist, so make sure your bag doesn't have a zip opening at the back, don't put valuables in easy-to-access places like your back pocket, and pretend to be on the phone if you're feeling uncomfortable. You can always call 999 if you're in serious trouble, and help will come for free. [Please note 999 is for emergencies only].
一般來說，晚上一個人在街上的時候要小心。根據你所在的城市，以及它的城市化程度，街頭犯罪可能會是一個問題，遇見醉漢魯莽行事或扒手的情況並不少見。雖然並不經常發生，但犯罪分子可能會把目標放在那些看起來很迷茫、很天真的人身上，比如游客，所以要確保後背包最好沒有拉鍊，不要把貴重物品放在容易拿到的地方，比如你褲子的口袋，如果你感到不舒服，就假裝在打電話。如果你遇到嚴重的麻煩，你可以隨時撥打999，可以免費尋求緊急協助。 [請注意，999只適用於緊急情況下]。
結語
I hope these tips help you feel more comfortable when you arrive in the UK, and can help you make the most of your stay here! If you want more useful tips like this, and to make sure your English is in great condition and ready to use when speaking to locals, you can buy my Ultimate UK Travel Crash Course!
我希望這些建議能幫助你在抵達英國時感到更加舒適，並能充分利用在這裡的逗留時間 如果你想獲得更多類似的有用秘訣，並確保你的英語能力良好，在與當地人交談時可以使用，可以購買我的《終極英國旅遊生活速成班》!
《終極英國旅遊生活速成班》
課程內容
第一部分：搭機前往英國 ✈️
1-1 搭飛機實用的英文詞彙
1-2 過海關
第二部分：前往下一個目的地 🚖
2-1 英國旅行基礎101：火車、巴士或其他
2-2 與計程車司機交流會用到的實用英語
2-3 如何尋求路線指引
第三部分：尋找住宿地點 🏠
3-1 尋找旅館
3-2 尋找公寓
3-3 住宿（Bonus課程）
第四部分：與人交談 🗣
4-1 購物英文會話
4-2 購買食物英文會話
4-3 餐廳英文會話 + 餐桌禮儀
4-4 英式Pub文化：如何點酒？+ 茶文化
4-5 如何獲得醫療服務 + 英國的醫療系統
4-6 看醫生
4-7 緊急情況下使用的英語
4-8 英國人最愛的small talk 閒聊技巧
第五部分：提升溝通能力 💬
5-1 如何增強自信心
5-2 在英國必須了解的慣用語（Part 1）
5-3 必須掌握的慣用語（Part 2）
5-4 聽當地人的說話語速和真實對話
5-5 如何確保其他人理解你想表達的意思
5-6 在不理解時該怎麼做
第六部分：英國文化 💂
6-1 帶你了解英式食物
6-2 倫敦的歷史與文化
6-3 英國俚語
6-4 理解不同的口音
6-5 練習最常見的英國口音
6-6 英國旅遊的標誌性地點
6-7 英國的約會文化（Bonus課程）
總結：英國旅行終極實用懶人包 📒
（建議出發前天拿出來快速複習！）
課程不限觀看次數，永久有效。
