Favorite word, phrase or custom

[Anonymous]

For some strange reason, a friend of mine likes to use the word "errand" every chance he gets. It was a new word for him many years ago but he still uses it a lot. To those who came from another country, what are your favorite American word, phrase or custom you learned after coming to the US?

[Anonymous]

i have a very hard time with curse words. I didn't learn them until I came here 2 yrs ago so when I say it it doesn't sound bad to me ( I didn't even know that some bad words are worse than others) but I can tell ppl give me nasty looks when one of them scapes from my mouth.

[Anonymous]

Saying "bless you" when someone sneezes-especially when it's a stranger.

[Anonymous]

My favorite new word is "barf".
Is that a bad word? I love how it sounds

Used it today when telling a friend over the phone:

"There is nothing less conducive to a good night's sleep than a baby barfing all over your bed"

(yes, I co-slept with my sick baby girl and look what happened).
My friend guffawed at the other end.

[Anonymous]

I like Oy and Oy Veh (I know, not "american" phrases), but they convey so aptly what I am feeling at that moment when i have nothing else to say!

[Anonymous]

I've been saying "it is what it is" a lot recently.

[Anonymous]

"this too shall pass"

[Anonymous]

You do what you have to do.

[Anonymous]

Y'all.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Saying "bless you" when someone sneezes-especially when it's a stranger.

This is so interesting to me as an American- it really is ingrained. I'm curious- where are you from?

[Anonymous]

Can I add a non-American phrase?

Se non e vero, e molto ben trovato. It's Italian. And loosely translates as, "If it's not true, then it ought to be." Frequently used when one wants to embellish a story a bit to make it better... how wonderful!

And I love that in Japan, family members (and store owners) frequently yell scripted words to each other on arriving or leaving home (or a business). Seems like a nice custom. Like:

Tadaima! (I'm home!)
whereupon everyone who is already home yells something back, saying "welcome back!"

[Anonymous]

"hot mess". That just brings up such an oozy, messy image.

[Anonymous]

Can't dance, and it's too wet to plow.

[Anonymous]

I love when people say they had a "come to Jesus" moment. I'm Jewish, and my friend that uses it is not Jewish but married to a Jewish guy. I love it.