tired/exhausted/knackered/worn out/buggered

English as a Second Language English Vocabulary, Grammar and Idioms
1

Dear Natives,

I often use all of these phrases written above and I have a specific question about the term of using the phrase " buggered"

I have an Australian friend and we usually talk about the English language. She was telling me that, “bugger” is frequently used as describing your body or mental condition instead of saying “I am tired”.

I looked it up on the net and I found other usages of the word.

1. Look at that Jeff, She buggered the TV again! to mess up something.

Usage 2. bugger is a vulgar word of having anal sex with some one.

  1. Bugger off - means to get lost

and usage 4. which is being tired.

My question is,

Won’t I get wrong by American/British/None Native speakers If I use this instead of tired? Won’t they think, it refers to usage 2??

My other question is, do you American people understand me If I say, I’m knackered? I spent 3 years in different parts of the UK mostly in Wales, where it is a commonly used phrase for being tired. Thus I picked it up and I like using it.

All these came to my mind just because I have lack of sleep as I didn’t sleep well last night, so I’m buggered now! :slight_smile:

Many thanks in advance or I could just say TA if I wanted to sound like Australian. :slight_smile: lol

2

Neither ‘knackered’ nor ‘buggered’ are considered polite terms.

3

I was guessing that, but could I use it among friends during an informal chat?

4

If you are using it among friends, then presumably they will not confuse the different meanings.

Usually, when it indicates ‘tires’, ‘buggered’ is combined with ‘up’. This removes any ambiguity:
“I’m feeling buggered up after all that lifting.”

5

Hi TIE,

If you used ‘buggered’ or ‘knackered’ with an American, they would probably ask you what you meant. Those two words are not used in my neck of the woods (in the US). So since those two words most likely would NOT be understood by most Americans, they would not come across as being impolite either.
:slight_smile:

I do hear people use the noun ‘bugger’ here in the US (informally), but it is often used in a positive, friendly way.

Look at this link: bugger

[color=darkblue][size=75]“You can’t trust any bugger further than you can throw him, and there’s nothing you can do about it, so let’s have a drink.” ~ Terry Pratchett[/size]

6

Such innocence!