Meaning of FIRSTHAND and SECONDHAND - A Short English Lesson with Subtitles

So in English when you experience something firsthand

it means that you are seeing it in real life

and not just seeing it on the news

or in the movies or in a video.

Some of you have mentioned before in the comments

that you would love to come to Canada to see snow.

In that situation you could say

that you want to see snow firsthand.

You don't want to just see snow in a video,

you don't just want to see snow in a movie,

you would love to come and experience snow firsthand.

We also use this expression

when talking about things like war.

My experience with war has been to see it on the news

or to see it in movies.

I have never experienced war firsthand.

But if you are someone who is in a part of the world

where there is war, it is possible

that you have experienced war firsthand.

So when you experience something firsthand

it means that you are seeing it in real life.

We have another word, secondhand,

and this means something quite a bit different.

When you experience something firsthand

it means you see it, but when you buy something that is used

you are buying something that is secondhand.

Oftentimes when students go to university

they buy their textbooks secondhand.

In fact, sometimes they buy their textbooks secondhand

at a secondhand bookstore.

Some people buy computers brand new.

Brand new means that it is totally new.

But some people buy computers secondhand,

so they don't mind buying a computer

that someone else has used for a year or two.

Myself, I usually buy my books secondhand if I can

and I usually buy my computers brand new.

Anyways, if you buy something secondhand

it means that you are buying it used.

Bob the Canadian here, hope you're having a good day.