Your friend looks out at the rain and says, "Oh, lovely weather for a picnic." You answer, "No, it's raining!" and everyone smiles. Or your host family teases you gently, and you think they are being unkind. Many learners translate words literally, so they miss British irony, which means saying the opposite of what you mean. In this episode: • Friendly teasing • Dry irony: saying the opposite • Self-deprecation and mock complaints • How to spot a joke and how to reply • Scene: a rainy saturday • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: Having a laugh — joking, not serious (casual). Relax, he's just having a laugh. Only joking! — I didn't mean it seriously (casual). Oh, brilliant, it's raining again. — it's bad that it's raining. Great, the bus is late. Perfect start to the day. — this is annoying. Lovely weather for a picnic. — the weather is terrible. Well, that went well. — that went badly. Oh, I love doing the ironing. — I don't enjoy it at all. That's just what I needed. — that's the last thing I needed. I'm not exactly a great cook, as you can see. — the food is a bit burnt. Me and maps don't get on. — I'm bad at finding my way. I'm a morning person, honestly. — said while yawning, it means the opposite. Oh, thanks for leaving me the washing-up! — playful, not angry. Charming! — playful reply when someone is a bit cheeky to you (casual). Cheeky — a little rude in a playful, funny way (casual). You cheeky thing! Tone — a flat, slow voice, or a very bright voice for something bad. Timing — a short pause before or after the line. Real British English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — modern British accent, everyday grammar, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang, he/she/it for things, and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.