Learn the United States before you go

10 phrases to learn

In American English. Capital letters show the stressed part. Tap the heart to practise a phrase later.

At the table

• In a sit-down restaurant, a tip of 15 to 20 percent of the bill before tax is normal. The tip is usually not included, so check the bill.
• Many Americans cut their food with the knife in the right hand, then put the knife down and move the fork to the right hand to eat. Keeping the fork in the left hand, the European way, is also perfectly fine.
• Burgers, hot dogs, pizza slices, ribs and fried chicken are usually eaten with your hands at casual meals.
• Portions are often large. It is normal to ask for a 'to-go box' and take what you have not eaten home with you.
• At Thanksgiving and at many family meals, someone may say grace, a short prayer of thanks, before eating. Wait quietly until it is finished.

Local tips

Dishes to try

• Hamburger: A patty of grilled or fried ground beef in a soft round bun, usually with lettuce, tomato, onion, pickles, ketchup and mustard. With a slice of cheese on top it becomes a cheeseburger.
• Texas smoked brisket: A large cut of beef brisket cooked slowly for many hours over wood smoke until it is tender, then sliced and often served on butcher paper with white bread, pickles and onion. In Texas, barbecue usually means beef.
• Carolina pulled pork: Pork shoulder, or sometimes a whole pig, smoked slowly until the meat can be pulled apart by hand, then served in a bun or on a plate with coleslaw. In the Carolinas, barbecue means pork.
• New England clam chowder: A thick, creamy soup of clams, potatoes, onion and salt pork or bacon, made with milk or cream and served with small oyster crackers. Its rival, Manhattan clam chowder, is red, because it uses tomatoes instead of milk.
• Lobster roll: Chunks of cooked lobster meat piled into a toasted, buttered hot dog bun. The warm Connecticut style is dressed with melted butter, while the cold style common in Maine uses a little mayonnaise, sometimes with celery.
• Gumbo: A rich, dark stew made with a roux (flour cooked slowly in fat), the 'holy trinity' of onion, celery and green pepper, and seafood, chicken or sausage. It is thickened with okra or filé powder, made from dried sassafras leaves, and served over rice.
• Chicago deep-dish pizza: A pizza baked in a deep round pan, with a tall crust, a thick layer of cheese and fillings, and chunky tomato sauce on top instead of underneath. It is eaten with a knife and fork.
• Philly cheesesteak: Thin slices of beef, often rib-eye, fried on a griddle with onions and topped with melted cheese, all in a long crusty roll.

Cities to see

• Washington D.C. (capital): The Capitol and the White House, The National Mall and its memorials, The Smithsonian museums.
• New York City: Times Square and Broadway theatres, Central Park, The Statue of Liberty.
• Boston: The Freedom Trail through revolutionary sites, The Boston Tea Party of 1773, Clam chowder.
• Philadelphia: Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, The Philly cheesesteak, The birthplace of American independence.
• Chicago: Skyscrapers such as the Willis Tower, Deep-dish pizza, The start of old Route 66.
• New Orleans: Jazz, Mardi Gras, Gumbo and Creole cooking.

Landmarks and the city map are on the United States trip