Where Are You From And Where Do You Live?

What does “flat” mean in British English?

In British English, a flat is a home on one floor inside a bigger building. People in the United States call it an “apartment.” Both words mean the same thing. A British speaker says, “I live in a flat in Cambridge.” An American speaker says, “I live in an apartment.” The word “flat” is very common in the United Kingdom.

A building with many of these homes is a “block of flats” in Britain and an “apartment building” in America. Be careful: “flat” also means “not bumpy” (a flat road). But when you talk about your home, a flat is the place where you live.