ADVERTISEMENT

The English language is a mystery to all of us, whether you’ve been speaking it since day one or just started learning it. From its bizarre spelling rules to its free-for-all grammar, it’s a daily struggle just trying to form sentences that make sense. No wonder people are turning to emojis to express their thoughts rather than coping with weird grammar rules that lead to some of the funniest English language jokes.

Unless you live in the Tibetan mountains or belong to an Amazonian tribe, you’ve definitely come across weird English words in use. It’s the most widely-studied language globally, linking countries and continents. Because of the rise of American power and influence, English has spread like wildfire across the globe through movies, music, and literature. That doesn't mean it’s a walk in the park.

Take a look at some of the most frustrating moments with this language, which will make you realize why English is so hard to learn. You don't have to look long for funny English language jokes, as they’re all there in our everyday vocabulary. Don’t forget to check out our similar posts about French and German language jokes; they might be even better than these jokes about the English language.

#1

The Many Meanings Of 'Only'

English language joke about word "only"

shadowwraiths Report

You May Also Like:
#2

Weird English Language Tongue Twister

English language joke about through tough thorough thought, though

iowahawkblog Report

Add photo comments
POST
Yvonne Bernal
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They should have said “I slit a sheet, a sheet I slit. Upon the slitted sheet I sit"

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#3

The Order Of Adjectives

English language joke about native English speakers

mattandersonbbc Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never thought about it. Awesomely old straight vivid logic.

View more commentsArrow down menu
#4

It’s Just English Man, It’s Just English

It’s Just English Man, It’s Just English

Cr1sOnTop Report

#5

English Language Pronunciation

English language joke about "womb"

just-shower-thoughts Report

#7

Same Word, Opposite Meaning

English language joke about "chuffed"

languagelinguistics Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, isn't this the case with many words? Like terrific, or also awful. an aweful beach, to my understanding is one that you do not want to visit, while you definitely want to hand out on an awefully great beach. An if you hear of a terrific beach, you better ask twice. Any native speakers here to explain? Even though I am afraid this might even be different in AE and BE.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#8

Same Sentence, Different Meanings

English language joke about stressed words

thessalian Report

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
#9

The Meaning Of Goodbye

English language joke about ways of saying goodbye

ikimaru Report

#10

Words That Don't Rhyme

English language joke about words rhyme

gracieness Report

Add photo comments
POST
Yvonne Bernal
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Sometimes we spell it "baloney" - And baloney and money don't rhyme either (sigh)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#11

English Is Weird With Its Silent Letters

English language joke about pronouncing queue

laslanguesromanze Report

Add photo comments
POST
Claudia Machado
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Queue is a queue where Q is the first and the others are waiting in queue for their chance to appear.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#12

Know Your A’s

English language joke about pronouncing "a" in Australia

dismal-dragon Report

Add photo comments
POST
Evelim C
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Just as the word "eleven". Someone please tell Americans to choose one sound? Brasilians have to many words but at least we know how to pronnounce them. .-.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#13

Correct Grammar vs Kinky Pirate

English language grammar joke

englishmajorhumor Report

#14

Why Don’t They Sound Like They’re Spelt?

English language joke about pronunciation

libbylumos Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#17

English Is a Funny Language

English Is a Funny Language

andymientears Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh, if you still are interested in that, just find a German class nearby. The good thing is, the more weird languages you learn, you more you appreciate if you come across languages that lack the irregularities where you expected them from experience.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#18

Practice Your Pronunciation

English language joke about pronunciation

crimsun Report

#20

The Mind Cannot Compute

English language joke about spelling

egberts Report

Add photo comments
POST
Gemma Ereza Ferrie
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is why it's so important to get kids reading books. I read each of these sentences fine, without confusion through context. Close reading is key to communication and the English language.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#21

House-Spouse

English language joke about house-wife and house-husband

pilgrimkitty Report

#22

Tea Tea, Bread Bread, And Many More

English language joke about tea and bread

madlori Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Same with many, many abbreviations. In many, many other languags. Alas.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#26

English Triple Contractions

English language joke about english triple contractions

burnttoastmaster Report

#30

Is English the Easiest Language to Learn? Doubt

English language joke about you're and your

Report

Add photo comments
POST
Intensive Panda
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

always wondering why even native speakers don't know the difference. Also: if you're unsure about "affect" or "effect" just use "impact" :D

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#31

Traditional vs Simplified

Traditional vs Simplified

sahondwich-shahop Report

Add photo comments
POST
Thor Sten
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, linguistically speaking: AE is an older form of English that had less influence from neighboring languages.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#32

Autumn vs Fall

English language joke about autumn vs fall

transcendantalismsm Report

Add photo comments
POST
Yvonne Bernal
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know it works GREAT with "spring ahead and fall back" - in reference to Daylight savings time reminders as to which way to set the clocks (forward or backward)

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
#33

Grammatically Correct Sentences

English language joke about grammatically correct sentences

joyheartsyou Report

Add photo comments
POST
Josh Vietze
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How many Lowe’s would a Rob Lowe rob if a Rob Lowe could rob Lowe’s?

Chris Clark
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This is yet another example where "Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo." could fit...

J. Bailey
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Will Will Smith smith Will Smith's will? Yes. Will Smith will smith Will Smith's will.

Guðmundur Pálmason
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Smith Will will smith is correct too. (the) smith (whose name is Will) will smith. In fact you can also switch the two last words, so Smith Will smith will is also correct!

Dina Lubman
Community Member
2 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm good at english, or at least thought I was untill I saw these posts. What is wrong with these people?

Lindy Mac
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I am relatively proficient with the English language, as a damn Yankee, and I am thinking: "What is wrong with these people."

ksskskkss
Community Member
5 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Will Will Smith smith Will Smith? Yes, Will Smith will smith Will Smith.

Zack Oswalt
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Will Smith will Will Smith to smith Smith's​ will, or will Will?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#34

Goose And Geese

English language joke about goose and geese

linguisticsyall Report

Add photo comments
POST
Hans
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think it is amazing to see how closely many languages are intertwined. Therefore, people talking about "supremacy" of languages will often have no clue. On the other hand, other language families are quite fascinating in comparison, particularly if you consider the "efficiency" of saying something. And then, having isolated non-related languages (like Basque) are truly fascinating.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#36

It Isn’t What It Is

Meme about English language

mrloria Report

Add photo comments
POST
Master Markus
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eggplants were called that because the variety first introduced to the Europeans looked like an egg (you can see them if you look it up, they're white), pineapple was called that because it looks like a pine cone and "apple" was a generic word for "fruit", hamburger is from the "Hamburg steak" which is a kind of ground beef dish. Here are theories about the "guinea pig": http://www.grammarphobia.com/blog/2009/12/how-did-the-guinea-pig-get-its-name.html

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#39

Funny English Where Everything Fits Together

Meme about english language

mambloo Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#41

A Jar

Meme about Jar Jar in the Jar

MyopiaPod Report

Add photo comments
POST
Intensive Panda
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

now enter "ajar jarjar in a jar in an ajar jar" in google translator and click on "pronounce" 🤣😂🤣

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#43

When English Is Not Your Native Language

Meme about non native english speakers

Mlle Karensac Report

#44

Literally

Meme about literal meaning

theoatmeal Report

#46

Pronounce Like You Spell

English language joke about pronunciation

heliager Report

#48

Stop This Madness

English language joke about "polish"

kilihasparasites Report

Add photo comments
POST
Thomas Hobbs
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

You should read "polish" as "polish", but don't read "polish" as "Polish", or "Polish" as "polish"..

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#49

English is Weird

English language joke about "can't"

ernstills Report

Add photo comments
POST
Your Friendly Neighbourhood Panda
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think about this too all the time! I've decided that instead of "Why can't you" being "Why can not you," it means "Why can you not," despite the basic grammar rules being weird. I guess it's just implied?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#51

English Language is Contradictory

English language joke about "monosyllabic" having five syllables

moonmaven Report

#52

Aisle Be There for You

English language joke about "aisle" and "isle"

booklover223 Report

Add photo comments
POST
Jessica Westbrook
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That also depends on accent. I'll isn't pronunced the same as aisle and isle where I'm from on the States.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#53

Brain Hurty

English language joke about "had" and "had had"

funny-text-posts Report

Add photo comments
POST
rai mei
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

it's weird cause in our language had-had means tinea cruris in medical terms. hahaha

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#55

One for All and All for One

English language joke about "say" and "tell"

cassidy-peterson Report

#56

Dedicated Rick Roll

English language joke about Rick Astley music video

memearchives Report

Add photo comments
POST
Alex Matencio
Community Member
4 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Rickrollé in French, which is the basic way in French to appropriate an English word

View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#57

Make It Make Sense

English language joke about word play

Mike Snyder Report

Add photo comments
POST
Collin Cantrell
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Am I the only one who thought 13 had more to do with the usage of "to" vs "too" than pronouncing close?

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#59

Beauty in Language

English language joke about 100 most beautiful words

yahel Report

Add photo comments
POST
Daria B
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Meh, most of these aren't even English words. Yep! I'm petty and snobby.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#60

Weird English Language Nightmare

English language joke about "y'all'd've"

nashscribblings Report

#61

Preposition Problems

English language joke about about prepositions

frosheep53 Report

Add photo comments
POST
May Jeanette Fast
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I could be wrong but here's why I think it makes sense. January is a month, a month is a time period that contains somethings (weeks and days) so for anything that contains anything, we say it's in it. "Oh the dinner is in the fridge" For Wednesday it's a day, and many times people ask when something is happening or "when is it on?" and so you say it's "on Wednesday". The same goes for time except you say "on at" because the use of "at" when it comes to clock time is due to the use of the clock. At is used to describe where the clock hand is at.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#62

Many Words With The Same Meanings

English language joke about "I've not" and "I haven't"

prettylittlesinflower Report

#64

Pretty Odd

English language joke about being pretty

rawrmylollypop Report

Add photo comments
POST
Maeldwyn
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've been told I'm half pretty and half ugly. I guess that makes me pretty ugly.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#67

It’s Confusing, Isn’t It?

English language joke about "It's what it's"

nktjn Report

Add photo comments
POST
Crystal Poe
Community Member
7 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nooo. I say It is what it is all the time. This one messed with me worse than all the others combined.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu

Are Jokes Based on Plays on Words Mostly an English Language Thing?

Although there are many English language fails in this list, it also lends itself to many clever puns. But English isn’t the only language with double entendres or witticisms. Wordplay is quite common in oral cultures, whereas text-based (orthographic) puns are found in languages with or without alphabet-based scripts, such as Mandarin Chinese. In fact, in Sweden, the city of Gothenburg is well-known for its puns.

English is frustrating and often weird, but it lends itself to beautiful wordplay and sentences that just roll off the tongue. Still, we must laugh at its crazy grammar, which can’t be replicated in any other language. Let us know in the comments if you’ve encountered any funny English fails or double meanings. We’d sure love to get a laugh out of it!

ADVERTISEMENT