How to use -ish
Adding -ish to the end of a word makes it more vague, less exact. When we add -ish, we are being informal.
Here are some of the ways we use –ish.
Using -ish with a time
Using –ish with a time makes that time more approximate. So, ‘4ish’ means ‘about four o’clock’.
- I’ll come to your place at 4ish.
- I’ll be there at 2ish.
Adding -ish to numbers
We can also add -ish to numbers. ’40ish’ means ‘about 40’.
- I’m not sure how old she is – 40ish, I would say.
Adding -ish to adjectives
We add –ish to many adjectives, such as colours. When something is ‘kind of green’, we say it’s ‘greenish’.
- My jacket’s the greenish one over there.
Using -ish to describe people
If a person is quite tall, we can say they are ‘tallish’. If they’re quite young, we can say ‘youngish’.
- She’s tallish, with longish dark hair.
Here’s a short video in a tweet from BBC Learning English with some examples of how we use –ish:
Have you heard someone say ‘ish’? Do you know why we use it? Watch a shortish video on how to use vague language in English!
Watch and then use ‘ish’ to tell us about yourself!#quickenglish #English #language #britishenglish #gcseenglish #learnenglish pic.twitter.com/t7lE9V3Mqf
— BBC Learning English (@bbcle) November 2, 2022
