My bad: The English We Speak

Feifei: Welcome to The English We Speak.

Hello, I'm Feifei... but where is Rob?

Rob: ... Oh! Hi, Feifei, you're nice and early -

can't wait to get started, hey?

Feifei: I'm not early - you are late!

Rob: Late? No, no, no, no - we said we'd

start at half past ten... didn't we?

Feifei: No - ten o'clock, Rob. Look at this

text message: "Can we start earlier at ten,

please?" and you replied "sure".

Rob: Oh! My bad!

Feifei: Your back? Don't start complaining

about your back just to avoid apologising.

Rob: No, not my back - my bad! I am

apologising - that's what 'my bad' means -

it's an American English phrase that

we use sometimes to mean

we accept responsibility for a mistake.

Feifei: Well, that's good to know. So you're

really saying 'sorry'?

Rob: Well, not exactly. Let's hear some

more examples of using 'my bad'...

My bad! It was me who put my pink socks

in with the white washing - oops!

My friend knocked a glass of red wine

over me and all he could say was 'my bad'

- I don't think he was that bothered!

It was me who lost the car keys - my bad -

I'm sure they'll turn up somewhere.

Feifei: This is The English We Speak from

BBC Learning English, and we're finding

out about the phrase 'my bad' which is

slang for saying my fault, my mistake, I am

to blame - but Rob, just can't bring himself

to say 'sorry'! I'm sensing 'my bad' is a

way of apologising without actually

saying sorry.

Rob: Yes, I suppose so - but I'll say 'sorry'

if that helps. You know I can't be perfect

all the time!

Feifei: That's true.

Rob: Anyway, why are you so keen to start

early today?

Feifei: Oh! My bad - I forgot to tell you

it's Neil's birthday and we're leaving early

to go and celebrate at the pub.

Rob: That is bad - that wasn't a mistake,

you did that on purpose.

Feifei: Why would I do that? Come on,

Rob, I'm sure you can join us - just don't

forget your wallet.

Rob: OK. Bye.

Feifei: Bye.