How do we count the number of floors of a building? - English Grammar - English (2024)

I've been wondering the same thing and am interested to hear the comments of AE and BE posters.

Here in Finland the ground floor is called the first floor if it's inhabited or consists of shops or offices. If it consists of storage rooms, technical rooms, carages and such space it is called ground floor or basem*nt.

Nevertheless all the floors on and above the ground level are counted. So a building with a ground floor and floors 1 to 3 where people are living is a four-storey house. The underground basem*nt is a cellar and not counted as a floor except in the elevator.

JJ's description of how it's done in Finland sounds basically like it is done here in the U.S.

In your example, I would say that the building has three floors.

Edit: After re-reading JJ's post, I see that I missed something the first time around. So really, in the U.S., it's not done the same way as in Finland.

Nevertheless, my answer that Americans would say the building in question has three stories or floors, still stands.

Regardless of what you call the rest of it, if the third floor is the highest or topmost floor of the building, then Americans would call that a 3-story building.

As lxguy said, in the U.S., the first floor is the one that is at ground level, i.e., the ground floor, where the entrance is generally located.

In summary:

Walk in. >> You're on the first floor.
Go up one flight of stairs. >> You're on the second floor.
Go up one more flight of stairs. >> You're on the third floor.

The first floor is sometimes referred to as the ground floor, but that does not change the fact that the next full story up will be called the second floor, etc.

I am ever so slightly confused as you explain the answer in your question but anyway...

In the UK there would be 4 floors

in the US there would be 3

Here in India,we follow what Britishers follow,for they 'ruled' us.
So,according to the UK standard there would be 4 floors.
And i presume,the US don't like to agree with the UK,so for them it would be 3.

Cheerio!

There is no such word as Britishers.

I should be capitalised, you are on an English forum, maintain standards and help others to learn, or bog off to elsewhere xx

Cheerio!

[/quote]

There is no such word as Britishers[/quote]

I understand there is such a word but it is not used by the British. Comment, please.

I have never heard or used "Britishers" it has always been British as far as I am aware.

I hadn't heard "Britishers" before, either, but I imagine Ellenrita's comment stems from the definition of "Britisher" that appears in TFD.

Britisher is informal use for a person from Britain. In British colonies, this use was common which prevails today also. You can hear this word in India and other Asian countries.

Whoa!Whoa!
I think srirr has cleared the fog about the word. It's also defined on this very portal too. So do a little research before asking people to bog off.

Akhil, Ra is not completely wrong. What she said is also correct. "Britisher" is not used in Europe and America. In fact, technically the word is wrong. British means from Britain or of Britain. Adding a suffix -er to this results in superfluousness.

The word 'Britishers' is used in colloquialism in India. People here seldom use 'Brit' or 'Briton', or even 'British'. Under British rule, Indian peasants were resentful to the core about the way they were treated and, thus, they used the word 'Britishers' as a cheeky title to refer to the Englishmen. So this is how the word came into existence.
Hope it helps!

Regards!

Hey srirr, I just wanted Ra to stop being scornful and that's precisely what i said. Sorry if that became too offensive.
My apologies to you and Ra.

Regards!

I very well know the etymology of the word. Still I say that the word is wrong. The wrong practice of a word is not just justified.

I hope you might also have come across the word "Angrez" a lot. Angrez is used to refer to any foreigner (whites) in India. It is derived from Angrezi (means English language). Logically Angrez should mean a person from England. But it is invariably used for any foreigner (white) from Europe or America or Australia. It is also used for the non-English speaking white foreigners.

Being common in use does not justify the word to be correct.

OK, Srirr sir!
As you say.
Thanks again for correcting.

Regards!

My intention was never to be scornful, this IS an English forum, and the intention is to learn, and teach where we can.

I am well aware of the I being uncapitalised elsewhere, not in English though.

If you have read scorn in my comments you are mistaken. The two kisses on the end were sent with love, not animosity.

I for one love being corrected and learning here.

You encourage me to do mistakes.

Akhil, this is a beautiful post.

Careful - you might get the whip instead.

If you only had three floors then you would have four residents and only three floors so one of the residents would have uninvited guests

You can't ask people to 'bog off to elsewhere' and later kiss them twice. It creates confusion and is also against the Law of Kisses(which, i must admit, i have never heard of!).
Anyway, I apologize to you for misconceiving your intention.

Regards!(xx)

I endeavor to give beauty to the world, DD.
I hope your suggestions and advices haven't gone belly up?

Regards!

Srirr, you charmer!

Alas I do believe the 2009 International Law of Kisses is extremely flexible and under section 311b, point 27, greatly encourages kissing specifically at the end of sentences proposing people to bog off.

Apparently it's all about promoting harmony even in discordant situations. xx

By the way, How do we count the number of floors of a building?

It depends where you are and if the building has a basem*nt (in our countries called -1) or not. So it can even be possible that the building in your example has five floors. If a floor has people or rats or nothing living there is not important here to count or not.

Pedro, shame on you, that question was answered days ago!!!

Posted: Friday, July 23, 2010 1:46:50 PM

In the UK there would be 4 floors

in the US there would be 3

Does that mean we can go and count something else now? Let's see how many plants have joined the forum.

Tell me when sweet Rose joins.

I'm keeping my eyes peeled for Blossom Dearie not to mention Primrose Hill