cuppycakesrach wrote:I'm not from britian but I've stayed about a month there and I have friends there. Its not like they just automatically stop what they are doing and say " TEA!"but they call their dinner tea. So i think when they say they are 'having tea' it usually means dinner. But there is a thing, that I think mostly just the higher class people do, afternoon tea. Then they have their tea and desserts and stuff. I only did this once while I was there but its kind of like a brunch in the afternoon ( if that makes sense
I lived in UK for two years, travelled all over, and had lots of visits to relations there (my parents were English).
Tea can mean afternoon tea, which is the equivalent of a coffee break in a workplace, and may be just a hot drink or include light food (sandwiches, small cookies [biscuits], cake etc).
It can also mean a late afternoon lightish meal including something hot or freshly cooked. "High Tea" is a bigger meal but served in the early evening (instead of
dinner, which is the main meal of the day, either in the evening or at midday).
New Zealanders also use the word "Tea" to mean dinner.
I noticed that my English aunt also served "supper" in the middle of the evening, when she might prepare toast, eggs, or some meat as well as a hot drink.
Just when I thought I knew what it was all about, I found out that it varies from place to place and person to person!
