NeilHello and welcome to The English We Speak – I’m Neil and this is Feifei. Feifei? Feifei!
FeifeiHuh? Oh sorry, Neil! I had a really late night last night so I’m dead tired today!
NeilYou’re dead tired, Feifei? Are you dying? That’s awful! What have you got? Is it contagious?
FeifeiOh, Neil, don’t be silly! I’m not sick or contagious or dying! I’m just really tired!
NeilThat’s a relief! But, you said you were ‘dead’ tired. But you’re not dying?
FeifeiOh really, Neil – I think you’re more tired than I am! I said ‘dead’ tired because I’m really tired.
NeilSo we can use ‘dead’ to mean ‘really’ or ‘very’?
FeifeiThat’s right – if you want to emphasise an adjective, you can use dead to make it stronger.
NeilWell that’s dead confusing – perhaps we should take a look at some examples.
ExamplesIs it lunch time yet? I’m dead hungry!
The man sat next to me on the train this morning kept falling asleep on my shoulder – it was dead annoying!
I was dead happy when I passed my driving test!
FeifeiThis is The English We Speak from BBC Learning English and we’re talking about a different use of the word ‘dead’. Normally it means the opposite of the adjective ‘alive’ but native English-speakers, particularly people in the north of England, often use it before an adjective to emphasise what they are saying. Could you tell us a time when you were dead happy, Neil?
NeilWell, when I woke up this morning and found I had another hour until my alarm went off! I was dead thrilled!
FeifeiNot quite, Neil! You were dead happy, but not dead thrilled! You can’t use ‘dead’ with extreme adjectives.
NeilOh OK, so you can say ‘dead cold’ but not ‘dead freezing’ Or ‘dead good’ but not ‘dead fantastic’.
FeifeiThat was a dead good explanation, Neil! I see you have woken up a bit now, but I’m still dead tired.
NeilWell how about you make us both a coffee while I finish the programme – it’s your turn to make the coffees!
FeifeiErr, no, Neil – I always make the coffee! I’ll go make a coffee for me, not you, while you finish the programme!
NeilUh oh. I’d best go and make the coffees - she’s dead sensitive when she hasn’t had enough sleep! Well, bye everyone, see you next time!