There is one big mistake in this list. The word which should not be in the list is <s>'"I fancy". </s> Please delete it!

'Fancy' does not mean 'like' - it is not a synonym of the other phrases. You cannot say, for example, "What are your hobbies?" "I fancy music and fashion". This is completely wrong.

The verb 'fancy' is an informal synonym of 'to desire', especially in modern British English. "I fancy xx" means 'I want xx', in the sense that it is attracting you in some way. We use it in two contexts:

"What do you fancy doing tonight? Fancy a movie?"

"I don't fancy going out this evening. It's too cold".

"Have you looked at the menu? What do you fancy?" "I fancy the smoked salmon. That looks good".

A synonym in many of these cases is 'feel like'.

2. To say whether you "like" a girl or boy in a sexual way.

I have come across this issue with Russian speakers before. Someone, somewhere, decided to put 'fancy' in the list of synonyms for 'like' in a textbook for Russian speakers studying English, and it has been causing problems ever since.

The expression 'keen on' is OK. It mean to be enthusiastic about something, but it's worth pointing out that it's a very British English expression - you're unlikely to meet an American English speaker using it.

The others are fine and all fairly common.

Hi Irina,

To add to and emphasize the answers about <em>fancy</em>: just like <em>keen, </em>it is not a verb expression in American English. In American English <em>fancy </em>is only an adjective for “something that is not ordinary in an upper class way”.

The first time most Americans ever saw it used as a verb was in <em>Harry Potter. </em>It is very, very British. (Along with, as the others say, not being a synonym for <em>like</em>.)

I can't speak for other regions, but in Australia all of those would sound quite natural.

THANKS A LOT TO EVERYONE FOR your comments!

Well, I completely agree with your explanation, we do use it in the same situations which you mentioned. As you noticed I didn't write I fancy green apples) I left space for ideas... We actually do use it when we say I fancy doing sth. As for the books for Russian Students we use Oxford books like Solutions and English File and they are not only for Russians))

Anyway thanks a lot for your precise explanation. That was quick. GREAT JOB!

In British English, "I fancy xx" means 'I want xx', in the sense that it is attracting you in some way.

We use it in two contexts:

"What do you fancy doing tonight? Fancy a movie?"

"I don't fancy going out this evening. It's too cold".

"Have you looked at the menu? What do you fancy?" "I fancy the smoked salmon. That looks good".

A synonym in many of these cases is 'feel like'.

2. To say whether you "like" a girl or boy in a sexual way.

I have come across this issue with Russian speakers before. Someone, somewhere, decided to put 'fancy' in the list of synonyms for 'like' in a textbook for Russian speakers studying English, and it has been causing problems ever since.