Vocabulary
9 key words for this lesson
BARBER
A person who cuts men's hair.
The barber was friendly and fast.
BARBERSHOP
A place where people, mostly men, get their hair cut.
There is a new barbershop near my house.
QUEUE
A line of people waiting.
There was a long queue on Saturday.
FADE
A haircut that gets shorter from the top to the bottom.
His fade looks really nice.
CLIPPERS
An electric machine for cutting hair very short.
The barber used clippers on the sides.
RAZOR
A tool with a sharp blade for shaving.
He uses a razor for the edges.
SHAVE
To remove hair from your face with a razor.
I shave every morning.
BEARD
Hair that grows on a man's chin and cheeks.
Could you trim my beard too?
SIDES
The parts of your head next to your ears.
Keep the sides short and the top longer.
Phrases
6 phrases and their meanings
I'm here for a haircut.
Say why you are there.
"Hi! I'm here for a haircut. Can you help me?"
Short on the sides, longer on top, please.
A very common way to describe a haircut.
"Short on the sides, longer on top, please."
Don't cut too much off the top.
Ask the barber to keep the top long.
"Please don't cut too much off the top."
Could you touch up my beard too?
Ask for a small tidy-up of your beard.
"Could you touch up my beard too? Just the edges."
Number two on the sides.
Clipper numbers show how short: number 1 is very short, number 4 is longer.
"A number two on the sides, please."
SHAPE UP
To make the shape of hair or beard neat.
The barber shaped up my beard.
In Action
Hear how these phrases sound in real B2B situations
“In many barbershops, people use clipper numbers: "a number one" (very short) up to "a number eight" (longer).”
Register
Understand when and how to use each phrase — formal, neutral, or informal
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Tim
BarberHi! I'm here for a haircut. Is there a queue?
No, you're lucky! Take a seat. What would you like today?
I'd like to try something new. Maybe a fade with clean lines. And please don't cut too much off the top.
Got it. I'll use the clippers on the sides — a number two — and a razor for the edges.
Sounds perfect. Could you touch up my beard too?
Sure. Do you want me to shave your neck as well?
Yes, please. I have a wedding this weekend. I need to look sharp!
No problem. You'll leave this barbershop looking great.
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
I'm here for a— — —.
Sentence 2
Short on the— — —, longer on top, please.
Sentence 3
Please don't cut too much off the— — —.
Sentence 4
Could you touch up my— — —too?
Sentence 5
The barber used— — —on the sides.
Sentence 6
I— — —every morning with a razor.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.What is a "fade"?
2.What does a "number one" usually mean?
3.What tool has a sharp blade?
4.In the dialogue, why does Tim want to look sharp?
5.Which clipper number does the barber use on the sides?