What’s your favourite British way of telling someone to calm down? 19 suggestions you can try out today
The wonderful Very British Problems account is all about the idiosyncrasies of the inhabitants of this messed-up rock, and we reckon it’s those things that really make it great.
The queuing, the tea, the weather chat, sharing crisps by ripping open the bag – the lot.
They posed this question about something that affects us all.
Favourite British way of telling someone to be calm?
Mine is “settle down”
— VeryBritishProblems (@SoVeryBritish) March 25, 2026
Who hasn’t been there when someone’s just lost the plot? It could be at work, at home, in the supermarket queue when someone pushes in – heaven forbid. How do you tell people to calm down – and is it one of these?
1.
Cool ya boots
— Prof Janina Ramirez (@DrJaninaRamirez) March 25, 2026
2.
Wind your neck in
— Holly F. (@Hollyjeeny) March 25, 2026
3.
Worse things happen at sea.
— WFC (@wheatfrom) March 25, 2026
4.
Hold your horses
— The Dutch Doge Guy (@070guy) March 25, 2026
5.
Simmer down – the most patronising and infuriating.
— Lucy R. Fisher (@richmondie) March 25, 2026
6.
Keep your hair on.
— tracy birrell (@nosocksbirrell) March 25, 2026
7.
Easy tiger.
— PtheP (@PtheP) March 25, 2026
8.
Don’t get your knickers in a twist.
— Roobarb (@roobarb76) March 25, 2026
9.
"Calm down, dear, it's just a commercial" pic.twitter.com/IBZkOjc1QS
— Rob Mac (@Deadly_sub) March 25, 2026
10.
I tend to say, "Alright, you'll give yourself an aneurysm."
— John ◣ ◢ (@GrumpyDad3) March 25, 2026