Is "What?" Rude in English?

Jan 26
4 min read

Updated: Feb 6

Politeness, tone, and safer alternatives for everyday situations

This post comes from my weekly English with Em newsletter.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you use them, I earn a small commission — it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

Weekly update

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

As regular readers will know, my New Year's resolution is to try something new every week. Last week, it was getting to know the Mac ecosystem. Having always used Windows laptops, it's taking a bit of time, but I'm enjoying the speed of the new device.

One of the reasons I have been slow with content creation recently is that the program I use for my presentations, Canva, is running very slowly. I put this down to my old computer not being powerful enough.

Well, I was wrong! It's only marginally better on the new laptop, and this time I know that power isn't the issue. It still works well for creating static slides, but the moment you try to do any kind of animation or video work, it becomes unusable.

After hours of trying to make it work, I finally gave up and went back to PowerPoint. I hadn't used it for a few years, so it took a bit of practice. Does that count as another new thing I tried last week?!

I also finally got around to taking down my Christmas tree. Superstition dictates that all decorations must be taken down by the 6th of January. Failure to do this results in bad luck throughout the year, so the saying goes. Fortunately, I'm not a superstitious person.

What new thing shall I try this week? I'm pondering getting a hula-hoop!

Vocabulary list

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks (idiom): A saying that suggests people cannot easily change or learn new skills when they are older. (See Idiom of the Week below.)
New Year's resolution (noun): A promise you make to yourself at the start of the year to change or improve something in your life.
Get to know (phrasal verb): To gradually learn more about a person, place, or thing through experience or time.
Laptop (noun): A small, portable computer that you can use on your lap or carry easily.
Put this/that/it down to (phrasal verb): To believe that something is caused by a particular reason.
Marginally (adverb): By a very small amount; slightly.
Static (adjective): Not moving, changing, or involving motion or animation.
Unusable (adjective): Not able to be used effectively.
Give up (phrasal verb): To stop trying to do something, often because it is too difficult or frustrating.
Get (a)round to (phrasal verb): To finally do something that you have been intending to do for some time.
Dictate (verb): To state or decide something firmly, often as a rule or requirement.
Throughout (preposition): During the whole period of time or in every part of something.
Saying (noun): A short, well-known phrase that expresses a common belief or piece of advice.
Ponder (verb): To think about something carefully and for a period of time.

What's new on YouTube?

Long-form

🌟 Impersonal Passive with Reporting Verbs: That Clause vs Infinitive

In this C1 grammar lesson, you’ll learn how to use the impersonal passive with reporting verbs, including the difference between “it is said that” and “is said to be”.

The lesson covers all infinitive forms used in the impersonal passive, including passive, perfect, and continuous infinitives.

Short

🌟 Had better - English grammar

Learn how to use the "had better" to give warnings and talk about consequences.

An English pun for you!

There was once a cross-eyed teacher who couldn’t control his pupils.

Explanation at the end👇

Idiom of the week

You can't teach an old dog new tricks

This idiom means that it's difficult for people to change their habits or learn new skills when they are older.

It's often used humorously or light-heartedly, especially when people are talking about themselves or everyday situations.

👉 My dad refuses to use online banking. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

👉 People keep telling me to go to bed earlier, but I’ve never been a morning person. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

👉 Everyone says I should try cooking new recipes, but I always make the same meals. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

🌟 A note on usage: The traditional idiom uses can't. In the weekly update, I’ve used it playfully with can to suggest the opposite idea: that people can still learn new things, even later in life.

Your questions answered

Is it rude to say "What?" when you don’t understand?

Some people will disagree with me about this, but personally, I do consider it rude. I was brought up not to say it!

That said, I had many school friends who did say it, so I know that in very informal situations, e.g. with friends and close family, saying "What?" is quite common and often not considered rude.

However, in most other everyday contexts, e.g. at work, with people you don't know well, with teachers, clients, or strangers, "What?" should be avoided.

Here are a few polite alternatives that are safe to use in any situation:

👉 Sorry?

👉 Pardon?

👉 Could you say that again?

👉 Sorry, I didn't quite catch that.

👉 Sorry, what was that?

Explanation to the pun

This pun works because pupils has two meanings.

1) students in a class

2) the black circles in your eyes

A cross-eyed teacher has trouble focusing his eyes, so he can't control his pupils (his eyes), but pupils also refers to his students.

I hope you enjoyed this post from my weekly English with Em newsletter. If you'd like to have these tips sent directly to your inbox, you can subscribe here.

Politeness, tone, and safer alternatives for everyday situations

This post comes from my weekly English with Em newsletter.

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. If you use them, I earn a small commission — it doesn’t cost you anything extra.

Weekly update

You CAN teach an old dog new tricks!

As regular readers will know, my New Year's resolution is to try something new every week. Last week, it was getting to know the Mac ecosystem. Having always used Windows laptops, it's taking a bit of time, but I'm enjoying the speed of the new device.

One of the reasons I have been slow with content creation recently is that the program I use for my presentations, Canva, is running very slowly. I put this down to my old computer not being powerful enough.

Well, I was wrong! It's only marginally better on the new laptop, and this time I know that power isn't the issue. It still works well for creating static slides, but the moment you try to do any kind of animation or video work, it becomes unusable.

After hours of trying to make it work, I finally gave up and went back to PowerPoint. I hadn't used it for a few years, so it took a bit of practice. Does that count as another new thing I tried last week?!

I also finally got around to taking down my Christmas tree. Superstition dictates that all decorations must be taken down by the 6th of January. Failure to do this results in bad luck throughout the year, so the saying goes. Fortunately, I'm not a superstitious person.

What new thing shall I try this week? I'm pondering getting a hula-hoop!

Vocabulary list

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks (idiom): A saying that suggests people cannot easily change or learn new skills when they are older. (See Idiom of the Week below.)

New Year's resolution (noun): A promise you make to yourself at the start of the year to change or improve something in your life.

Get to know (phrasal verb): To gradually learn more about a person, place, or thing through experience or time.

Laptop (noun): A small, portable computer that you can use on your lap or carry easily.

Put this/that/it down to (phrasal verb): To believe that something is caused by a particular reason.

Marginally (adverb): By a very small amount; slightly.

Static (adjective): Not moving, changing, or involving motion or animation.

Unusable (adjective): Not able to be used effectively.

Give up (phrasal verb): To stop trying to do something, often because it is too difficult or frustrating.

Get (a)round to (phrasal verb): To finally do something that you have been intending to do for some time.

Dictate (verb): To state or decide something firmly, often as a rule or requirement.

Throughout (preposition): During the whole period of time or in every part of something.

Saying (noun): A short, well-known phrase that expresses a common belief or piece of advice.

Ponder (verb): To think about something carefully and for a period of time.

What's new on YouTube?

Long-form

🌟 Impersonal Passive with Reporting Verbs: That Clause vs Infinitive

In this C1 grammar lesson, you’ll learn how to use the impersonal passive with reporting verbs, including the difference between “it is said that” and “is said to be”.

The lesson covers all infinitive forms used in the impersonal passive, including passive, perfect, and continuous infinitives.

Short

🌟 Had better - English grammar

Learn how to use the "had better" to give warnings and talk about consequences.

An English pun for you!

There was once a cross-eyed teacher who couldn’t control his pupils.

Explanation at the end👇

Idiom of the week

You can't teach an old dog new tricks

This idiom means that it's difficult for people to change their habits or learn new skills when they are older.

It's often used humorously or light-heartedly, especially when people are talking about themselves or everyday situations.

👉 My dad refuses to use online banking. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.

👉 People keep telling me to go to bed earlier, but I’ve never been a morning person. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

👉 Everyone says I should try cooking new recipes, but I always make the same meals. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks!

🌟 A note on usage: The traditional idiom uses can't. In the weekly update, I’ve used it playfully with can to suggest the opposite idea: that people can still learn new things, even later in life.

Your questions answered

Is it rude to say "What?" when you don’t understand?

Some people will disagree with me about this, but personally, I do consider it rude. I was brought up not to say it!

That said, I had many school friends who did say it, so I know that in very informal situations, e.g. with friends and close family, saying "What?" is quite common and often not considered rude.

However, in most other everyday contexts, e.g. at work, with people you don't know well, with teachers, clients, or strangers, "What?" should be avoided.

Here are a few polite alternatives that are safe to use in any situation:

👉 Sorry?

👉 Pardon?

👉 Could you say that again?

👉 Sorry, I didn't quite catch that.

👉 Sorry, what was that?

Explanation to the pun

This pun works because pupils has two meanings.

1) students in a class

2) the black circles in your eyes

A cross-eyed teacher has trouble focusing his eyes, so he can't control his pupils (his eyes), but pupils also refers to his students.

I hope you enjoyed this post from my weekly English with Em newsletter. If you'd like to have these tips sent directly to your inbox, you can subscribe here.

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