Speak Better English: Embarrassing Stories #003

Housing / Rent vs. Own / Cultural Differences

“I live in a mansion.” → “I live in an apartment.”

This week in class, we talked about "wasei-eigo" (Japanese-made English). Today, we’ll look at the word “mansion”. In Japan, this means a concrete apartment building. In English, a “mansion” is like a giant luxury house for celebrities and rich people!

Choose your level and enjoy today’s lesson:

Beginner (A2) • Intermediate (B1) • Advanced (C1)

Today's Story:

Level: Beginner (A2)

A student was talking to an American friend about their home. They wanted to say they live in a nice concrete building, not a wooden house.

They said:

“I live in a mansion.”

…Uh oh. The friend was very surprised! They asked, “Wow! Are you famous? Do you have a swimming pool? Can I come over!?”

The student was confused. In English, a “mansion” is a very, very big house for rich people. The student just meant a normal, regular apartment.

Level: Intermediate (B1)

A student was talking to an American friend about their home. They wanted to explain that they live in a modern apartment complex, rather than an older wooden house.

They said:

“I live in a mansion.”

…Uh oh.

The friend looked shocked and said, “No way! That must be expensive!” The friend thought the student lived in a massive luxury estate like a movie star.

The student felt embarrassed because they sounded like they were bragging about being super rich. They just meant a “condominium” (condo) or an "apartment".

Level: Advanced (C1)

A student was describing their residence to an American acquaintance. They intended to specify that they reside in a multi-unit concrete complex, as opposed to a detached single-family home.

They stated:

“I live in a mansion.”

…Uh oh. The acquaintance’s jaw dropped. By using the word “mansion,” the student inadvertently implied they lived in a sprawling, multi-million dollar estate.

It sounded like an absurdly arrogant humble-brag. They quickly had to clarify that they actually live in a “condo” or “apartment” to correct the misunderstanding.

What’s the problem?

In Japan, a "mansion" is just a type of building (concrete vs. wood). In English, a “mansion” is defined by luxury and size. It implies you are incredibly wealthy. If you say this, people will think you are joking or bragging!

How do I say it more naturally?

In English, we describe homes based on ownership (rent vs. own) and the layout (number of rooms).

1. Rent vs. Own vs. Lease?

• “I rent an apartment.” (Standard. You pay a landlord every month).

• “I bought a condo.” (Standard. You own the unit. Remember: "Condo" is short for "condominium").

• “I lease a building.” (Commercial. We usually use "lease" for offices or cars, not casual housing).

2. Describing the Size

• Studio: One room with a kitchen (1R / 1K).

• 1-Bedroom / 2-Bedroom: We count bedrooms, not the "LDK".

3. Cultural Differences (USA vs UK vs AU)

Individual Residence:

USA: Apartment, Condo

UK: Flat, Apartment

Australia: Apartment, Unit, Flat

Building Collection:

USA: Apartment Complex

UK: Block of Flats

Australia: Apartment Block / Block of Flats

(Note: "House" is used in all English-speaking countries for a standalone building!)

Mini-dialogues:

Casual Chat (USA)

A: “Do you rent or own your place?”

B: “I'm renting a small studio downtown right now.”

A: “Oh nice. Is it in a big apartment complex?”

B: “Yeah, it has a gym and a pool, which is great.”

Casual Chat (Australia)

A: “Where are you living these days?”

B: “I bought a little unit near the beach.”

A: “That sounds amazing! Is it a new building?”

B: “Nah, it was built a while ago... Not very big, but it's cozy.”

Describing your home

A: “Is your place big?”

B: “Not really. It's just a one-bedroom studio apartment.”

A: “It looks brand new in the photos though!”

B: “Thanks! I just renovated the kitchen and floors.”

(Note: Use "Renovated" instead of "Reformed"!)

High-rise Living

A: “I heard you moved! Do you live in a house now?”

B: “No, I bought a condo in a high-rise downtown.”

A: “Wow, that sounds a bit fancy. How's the view?”

B: “It's incredible. You can see the whole city.”

Vocabulary & Useful Expressions:

• High-rise:

A very tall apartment building (sounds very luxurious).

• Landlord:

The person you pay rent to (the owner of the residence).

• Renovated:

Updated with new interior (NOT "Reform").

• Utilities:

Gas, water, and electricity bills.

• Residence:

A more general word used to talk about houses, apartments, etc.

• Brag:

When you are too confident and talk about how amazing you are. e.g. "John always brags about his English! He thinks it is so good..."

• Inadvertently :

Accidently or without intention. e.g. "She inadvertantly told me that she didn't like the restaurant by saying 'Let's go somewhere else...'"

• Humble-brag:

Saying something that sounds modest but really? You want to show that you are rich or really good at something. e.g. "My mansion is so hard to clean... It's way too big!"

Challenge Corner

Which expression would you use in each situation? Talk about the following:

Describing a rented room.
Describe your apartment to a coworker. (Don't use 'LDK'!)
You have an office in the city that you don't own but use for your business.
You had a new kitchen and bedroom put in your house (Don't use 'reform'!)

What is a better way of saying this?

“I live in a mansion near the station.”

Why does this sound unnatural?

(Hint: Does it sound like you are a celebrity?)

Rewrite it as:

If you rent the room
If you bought the unit
What might an American person say compared to a British person?

Want feedback on your English?

If you want to practice these in real situations or share your answers, you can book a lesson with me on Cafetalk and work on making your English more natural!

Book a lesson and let's learn natural English together!