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Easy: Derby

Easy: Derby

Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

This episode is easy so we’re looking at common football words and phrases. Things you use and need to know to play the game.

Summary

Learn more football vocabulary with Premier Skills English. Each lesson in our Premier Vocabulary section looks at one football word or phrase. This lesson looks at the word derby

You can find more lessons on the side of this page.

Transcript

Rich: Hello my name’s Rich and welcome to Premier Skills English - Premier Vocabulary.

Jack: Hi there! I’m Jack. We’re here to help you with your football English. Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time.

Rich: We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

Jack: This episode is easy so we’re looking at common football words and phrases. Things you use and need to know to play the game.


Rich: The word we are looking at in this episode is derby.

Jack: A derby is a match played between two teams from the same city or region.

Rich: Derby matches are often some of the most exciting matches of the season and are definitely played in front of some of the loudest crowds.

Jack: Managers and players want to win derby matches but I think they are most important for the fans.

Rich: School and work can be the best place in the world on a Monday morning if your team has won the Derby.

Jack: Or it could be the worst place. Best to call in sick in my opinion.


Rich: So, why do we use the word derby about these matches?

Jack: It’s not 100% certain but most people think it comes from horse racing. The Derby was an important horse race and from there the word started to be used in other sports for important races or matches.

Rich: And the match against your local rivals is always one of the most important matches of the season. We often hear the phrase local derby, too.

Jack: Other people think the word derby might not come from horse racing but a region of England called Derbyshire. Back in the 12th century, they used to play a ball game that was similar to but much more violent than today’s football.

Rich: It was played between two local teams and became known as the Derby.

Jack: There’s now a team called Derby County in Derbyshire - they play in the Championship. I’m happy the city only has one club.

Rich: The Derby Derby - yes that would be weird.


Jack: The spelling of the word derby is a bit strange. Because it’s written d e r b y It looks like it should be pronounced derby.

Rich: This is because it’s an old word and in the past, in English, people used to pronounce ‘er’ as ar.

Jack: The only other word I can think of now that has the same e r pronunciation is clerk.

Rich: And in American English, the pronunciation is different. They say derby and clerk.

Jack: But when you’re talking about football, it’s definitely derby.


Jack: So, a derby is a match between two local rivals.

Rich: Is it always based on geography?

Jack: I think so but others disagree. Manchester United and Liverpool is one of the biggest rivalries in England and some people have started to call it the North West Derby. The match between Barcelona and Real Madrid is sometimes called a derby but most call it El Clasico.

Rich: OK, let’s stick with geography and local rivals. We’re going to finish with a quiz. I’m going to name the derby and you’re going to name the clubs involved. Ready?

Rich: The Manchester Derby.

Jack: Manchester United against Manchester City.

Rich: The North London Derby.

Jack: Arsenal versus Tottenham.

Rich: The Merseyside Derby.

Jack: Liverpool v Everton.

Rich: The Tyne-Wear Derby

Jack: More difficult. Rivers. Newcastle against Sunderland.

Rich: Good.

Final whistle

Jack: There is the final whistle!

Rich: We’ll be back soon with more Premier Vocabulary from Premier Skills English.

Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football.

Comment

Discuss

Does your club have a derby?

Which derby match do you think is the best?

Leave a comment

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Comments

PhuCuong
04/03/2024
VN
103
points

Yesterday I watched the derby between MU and MC. It's one of the best derby in the world.


PhuCuong
04/03/2024 13:29
Vietnam
Arsenal
103

Yesterday I watched the derby between MU and MC. It's one of the best derby in the world.

KareemZain
07/08/2023
EG
383
points

Yes, in Egypt we have a derby, it's Zamalek vs Al-Ahly.
I think the best derby match is el clasico, Barcelona vs Real Madrid.


KareemZain
07/08/2023 16:29
Egypt
Manchester City
383

Yes, in Egypt we have a derby, it's Zamalek vs Al-Ahly.
I think the best derby match is el clasico, Barcelona vs Real Madrid.

Michaelsun
16/02/2022
CN
738
points

Our football club has a derby in the same province which name is Shijiazhuang FC.


Michaelsun
16/02/2022 15:05
China
Manchester United
738

Our football club has a derby in the same province which name is Shijiazhuang FC.

Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
28/04/2021
BR
1512
points

Yes, we do! It's against Ponte Preta.
I think that El Classico is the best derby wolrdwide.


Gabriel Amaral's picture
Gabriel Amaral
28/04/2021 18:38
Brazil
Arsenal
1512

Yes, we do! It's against Ponte Preta.
I think that El Classico is the best derby wolrdwide.

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
02/12/2020
UA
6578
points

I think the best derby are Milan - Inter, Liverpool - Everton, and Dynamo Kiev - Shakhtar Donetsk (national one).


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
02/12/2020 13:27
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

I think the best derby are Milan - Inter, Liverpool - Everton, and Dynamo Kiev - Shakhtar Donetsk (national one).

Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
02/12/2020
UA
6578
points

My club Metallist once in the 2000-ths had an interesting derby. There were two Kharkiv teams in the highest league - FC Metallist and FC Kharkiv. There was also a third power - FC Arsenal but in the lower league. Now all the teams are not in the first upper league. :-( The war in the country ruined not only lives and the economy but professional sports as well.


Alex_from_Ukraine's picture
Alex_from_Ukraine
02/12/2020 13:24
Ukraine
Liverpool
6578

My club Metallist once in the 2000-ths had an interesting derby. There were two Kharkiv teams in the highest league - FC Metallist and FC Kharkiv. There was also a third power - FC Arsenal but in the lower league. Now all the teams are not in the first upper league. :-( The war in the country ruined not only lives and the economy but professional sports as well.

hsn's picture
hsn
30/04/2020
TR
5560
points

The biggest city in Turkey is İstanbul. There are essential three teams in super league. FB-GS and my team BJK. All the matches among them always is a derby.


hsn's picture
hsn
30/04/2020 17:22
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5560

The biggest city in Turkey is İstanbul. There are essential three teams in super league. FB-GS and my team BJK. All the matches among them always is a derby.

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1Alex_from_Ukraine6578
2mobeckham6539
3hsn5560
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4779
6Liubomyr4417
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
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1Colombia74679
2Ukraine33892
3Spain29525
4Serbia27426
5Brazil23505
6Albania20578
7Vietnam20460
8Turkey20111
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United146938
2Liverpool111456
3Chelsea90265
4Arsenal86299
5Manchester City58918
6Tottenham Hotspur19506
7Newcastle United10626
8West Ham United7701
9AFC Bournemouth4915
10Crystal Palace4568

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