Vocabulary · Everyday life
House and home in English
A1
House and home in English: the rooms, the furniture, kitchen appliances and everyday objects, with the words you need to describe where you live. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Rooms in the house
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| house(n.)“My house has 4 rooms.” | a building where a family lives | /haʊs/ |
| bedroom(n.) | where you sleep at night | /ˈbedruːm/ |
| kitchen(n.) | where you cook food | /ˈkɪtʃɪn/ |
| living room(n.) | where you relax and watch TV | /ˈlɪvɪŋ ruːm/ |
| bathroom(n.) | where you wash and have a shower | /ˈbɑːθruːm/ |
| dining room(n.) | where you eat meals | /ˈdaɪnɪŋ ruːm/ |
| garden(n.) | land with grass and flowers by a house | /ˈɡɑːdən/ |
| garage(n.) | a building where you park the car | /ˈɡærɑːʒ/ |
Furniture
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| bed(n.) | furniture you sleep on | /bed/ |
| table(n.) | furniture with legs and a flat top | /ˈteɪbəl/ |
| chair(n.) | a seat for one person | /tʃeə/ |
| sofa / couch(n.) | a soft seat for two or more | /ˈsəʊfə/ |
| wardrobe(n.) | a tall cupboard for clothes | /ˈwɔːdrəʊb/ |
| desk(n.) | a table for working or studying | /desk/ |
| shelf(n.) | a flat board on a wall for things | /ʃelf/ |
Kitchen and appliances
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| fridge / refrigerator(n.) | a cold box that keeps food fresh | /frɪdʒ/ |
| oven(n.) | a hot box for baking food | /ˈʌvən/ |
| microwave(n.) | a machine that heats food fast | /ˈmaɪkrəweɪv/ |
| dishwasher(n.) | a machine that cleans plates and glasses | /ˈdɪʃwɒʃə/ |
| washing machine(n.) | an appliance that cleans clothes | /ˈwɒʃɪŋ məˈʃiːn/ |
Everyday objects
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| door(n.) | you open it to go in | /dɔː/ |
| window(n.) | glass in a wall to let light in | /ˈwɪndəʊ/ |
| roof(n.) | the top part of a building | /ruːf/ |
| wall(n.) | one side of a room | /wɔːl/ |
| floor(n.) | the ground in a room; a level | /flɔː/ |
| lamp(n.) | an object that gives light | /læmp/ |
| TV(n.) | a screen for watching programmes | /tiː viː/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
Bathroom (US) can mean the toilet
In the US, bathroom can mean a room with a toilet, even with no bath. In the UK, a bathroom is a room with a bath or a shower. For the room with the toilet in the UK, say toilet (or loo, informal).
Floor = the ground AND a level
Floor can mean the surface that you walk on (on the floor) or a level of a building (on the third floor). In the UK, the first floor is one level above the street. In the US, the first floor is at street level!
Practice quiz
Related pages: House and home
Pages on a similar topic or with a similar use, so you can keep exploring.
Going further
The “House and home” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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Practise on PLAYHouse and home: learn these words for good
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For teachers“House and home” vocabulary, ready for your lessons
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Frequently asked questions
How do I describe my house in English?+
Use simple sentences with there is / there are: There is a big kitchen. There are three bedrooms. Say where you live: I live in a house, a flat (UK) or an apartment (US). You can also say My house has four rooms.
Is the first floor the ground floor?+
It depends on the country. In the UK, the ground floor is at street level and the first floor is one level up. In the US, the first floor is at street level and the second floor is one level up. This is a classic trap!
What is the difference between house and home?+
House is the building. Home is the place where you live and feel that you belong: it is more about feelings. I live in a house. I'm going home. (There is no to before home.)
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/house
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.