Why English Is So Vague and Why We Say “6-ish” and “Dead Tired”

The other day my sister asked me when I would be free for a chat.🗣️

❓“What time will you call me ?”

And I replied: “Around 6-ish.”

And then I thought… this must be very confusing if you’re learning English.

Because what does “6-ish” actually mean?

6?
6:05?
6:30?

The answer is:

It depends 😅

😅 English Is Not Always Precise

One thing that often surprises learners is this:

English is not always precise. In spite of our reputation about always being punctual; and my friends will tell you that in this aspect I am not very English. ( often late… it’s a family thing 😀)

In fact, sometimes we prefer not to be.

🧩 What Does “-ish” Mean?

“-ish” is a small ending we add to words.

And it basically means:

✔️approximately
✔️more or less
✔️somewhere around

⏰ With time

👉 “6-ish”
= around 6 (a little before or after)

🎂 With age

👉 “She’s 40-ish”
= somewhere around 40

🎨 With adjectives

👉 “It’s greenish”
= slightly green

👉 “I’m tired-ish”
= not completely tired, but getting there

🧠 Why Do We Use It?

Because it makes us sound:

✔ more relaxed
✔ less rigid
✔ more natural

And sometimes… less precise on purpose 😏

⚡ But Then… English Can Also Be Very Intense

At the same time, English has another side.

We sometimes exaggerate.

A lot.

😴 “I’m dead tired”

Does it mean you’re dead?

No 😄

It just means:

🥱 extremely tired

❄️ “It’s freezing”

Is it actually freezing? Probably not.

It just means:

🥶 very cold

😄 “I’m starving”

Are you really starving? No.

😋 You’re just very hungry.

🧠 So English Is Both…

👉 vague
👉 and exaggerated

Sometimes in the same conversation.

😶 Why This Can Be Confusing

In many languages, people prefer:

✔ precision
✔ clear meaning
✔ exact words

But in English, we often:

approximate
exaggerate
soften or stretch meaning

And this can feel:

👉 unclear
👉 inconsistent
👉 slightly strange

🎯 The Key Idea

❌English is not just about accuracy.

✅ It’s about how something sounds and feels.

Sometimes:

🤔 being vague sounds more natural
😵‍💫 exaggerating sounds more expressive

💭 A Final Thought

If you hear things like:

👉 “6-ish”
👉 “dead tired”
👉 “freezing”

…and you wonder what they really mean…it’s great news because you’re noticing how English really works.😉

👉 If you’d like to understand and use this kind of natural, everyday English more confidently, I can help.

I’m Liz Aldam, an English teacher with more than twenty years of experience, having worked with companies like Yamaha, Faurecia and others. I live in the Val-d’Oise region in France and I teach online.

📲 Click the WhatsApp icon below and contact me 😊