# use the bathroom = piss/shit?



## fdk47

Hi. Is "use the bathroom" = piss/shit, in some contexts?

e.g. "I have to go use the bathroom." = piss/shit?

If so, can it be applied to your pet too?
e.g. "I take my dog for a walk every morning, so he can go use the bathroom (=take a dump)?

Thank you!


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## perpend

Hmmm ... yes, to "use the bathroom" can be either to urinate or to defecate. Sometimes as euphemisms we say #1 = piss/urinate, and #2 = shit/defecate, in American English.

I would not use it for a dog/pet.

I would say: I take my dog for a walk every morning so he can relieve himself/herself. (This can be both #1 and #2 ).


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## Bevj

Note that 'use the bathroom' is very polite while 'piss/shit is vulgar.

A dog does not 'use the bathroom'.


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## Wordsmyth

Note also that "use the bathroom", with that meaning, is American English. Unless it's crept into UK usage recently (though I don't ever hear it), in BrE 'using the bathroom' is about having a bath or shower. 

If you're located in the Philippines, fdk, there's no problem with using the expression the US way, since your local English usage is heavily influenced by AmE, but if you travel to some other English-speaking countries you might get some odd looks if you ask to use the bathroom, especially if the toilet/lavatory/WC isn't in the same room as the bath!

As for using the expression for a dog, I'll have to bow to perpend's and Bev's views, as I don't remember hearing it used in that context myself. But it does remind me of a British humourist's story about visiting friends in the USA. The young daughter of the family was distraught as she told Mommy, "the dog's been to the bathroom in the kitchen". The Brit remarked that he was confused by the strange architecture they seemed to have over there!

So maybe in little kids' vocabulary, dogs do use the bathroom ...? Over to the AmE speakers to confirm or disagree.

Ws


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## Myridon

Wordsmyth said:


> So maybe in little kids' vocabulary, dogs do use the bathroom ...? Over to the AmE speakers to confirm or disagree.


If you feel the need for euphemism, it's quite normal to say "The neighbor's dog has gone to the bathroom in my yard again." even for adults.


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## perpend

Myridon said:


> If you feel the need for euphemism, it's quite normal to say "The neighbor's dog has gone to the bathroom in my yard again." even for adults.



I just can't use "gone to the bathroom" for a dog.

Maybe: _The neighbor's dog did his business in my yard again._


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## bennymix

I agree with Myr:  "use the bathroom" is a genteelism or metaphor that is hardly rare in AE.  A parent to a child at the zoo:  "The monkey is going to the bathroom at the back of his cage."   Rather more common than,  "See the monkey shitting at the back of his cage."   That's considered somewhat vulgar, not to say possibly inappropriate with children (in many parents' opinion).


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## Wordsmyth

Not to overdo the joke, but those bathrooms are springing up everywhere — not only in the kitchen, but in the yard and in the monkey cage! 

But it seems there's one euphemism in common between AmE and BrE: we might well say "The neighbour's dog did its business in my garden again". 
An alternative could be "... messed in my garden again".

Ws


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## bennymix

"do its business" is a genteelism that's almost as irritiating, in my opinion.


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## perpend

I think we should hear back from the OP, fdk47, before this becomes too heavily in the direction of potty humor.


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## fdk47

Thank you everyone for your great answers! Interesting difference between AE and BE as well!


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## zaffy

take a shit  vs. take a dump

Are those two equally vulgar?


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## PaulQ

Yes, more or less.


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## Myridon

zaffy said:


> take a shit  vs. take a dump
> 
> Are those two equally vulgar?


"Shit" is much more vulgar than "dump".


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## zaffy

So you 'take a shower', 'take a bath', 'take a pee', 'take a shit'. All bathroom activities take the 'take' verb.  However, in BE we often say 'have a shower', so will the others work with 'have' too? i.e 'have a shit', 'have a poo', 'have a pee'.


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## Myridon

zaffy said:


> So you 'take a shower', 'take a bath', 'take a pee', 'take a shit'. All bathroom activities take the 'take' verb.


I consider "take/have a bath/shower" as "standard" English, but "take a shit" is slang.  I've never heard "take/have a pee."  If "have a shit" is used, I don't think it's very common.
Trying to make rules and generalizations about colloquial language is seldom going to work.


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## Uncle Jack

zaffy said:


> So you 'take a shower', 'take a bath', 'take a pee', 'take a shit'. All bathroom activities take the 'take' verb.  However, in BE we often say 'have a shower', so will the others work with 'have' too? i.e 'have a shit', 'have a poo', 'have a pee'.


Context is important. "I'm just going to take a shower" and "I had a shower this morning" are common expressions and, while you can certainly say "I'm just going to have a shower" and "I took a shower this morning", they don't sound quite so natural to me, in ordinary circumstances.

In BrE, you usually _have _a piss or a shit ("pee" is less common), but _take _is sometimes used instead. If you are using the verb "go" (as is common), then usually you just use "for" rather than "have" or "take".


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## zaffy

Say someone has defected onto my garden lawn, I notice it and ask angrily:

"Who took that shit in my garden?"   Would it be natural to ask such a question? 

And if I didn't want to use a slang language, what do I ask? e.g "Who took a poo in my garden?"


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## DonnyB

zaffy said:


> Say someone has defected onto my garden lawn, I notice it and ask angrily:
> 
> "Who took that shit in my garden?"   Would it be natural to ask such a question?
> 
> And if I didn't want to use a slang language, what do I ask? e.g "Who took a poo in my garden?"



Well, if you've just noticed it and are presumably standing there looking at it, "Who did *that* on my lawn?", in a suitable tone of annoyance, would work as well as anything.


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## Uncle Jack

zaffy said:


> "Who took that shit in my garden?" Would it be natural to ask such a question?


Not in that form of words. I think the most likely verb would be "do", but you could say "had a shit" or, at a pinch, "took a shit", or you could even use the verb shit itself: "Who shat in my garden". Note that a person would not have had or taken "that" shit; both expressions refer to the act, not the result of it.

If you don't want to use a coarse term ("shit" is not slang, in BrE, it is just a word that is not used in polite society), then you simply omit it, and stress "that": "Who did that in my garden".


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## zaffy

Ok, and if not asking, just narrating, what would I say to a friend?

-Can you imagine that someone took/had a shit in my garden?
-Can you imagine that someone took/had a poo in my garden?
-Can you imagine that someone shat in my garden?


Would those all work?


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## Uncle Jack

"Take" and "poo" never go together but, apart from that, I think they all work, as does "did" instead of "took" or "had". It isn't something I have had much call to say (I don't have a garden  ), so I have no idea which one I might use.


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## jaker93139

At least in the Midwest US, I would probably use the term "take a leak" or if I was drunk I would probably say "take a piss" if I was around friends / adults and especially if was camping or something and was not actually going to a toilet. I would definitely use go to the bathroom if children were around or if I was at work or something like that. And I can definitely say that people will say "I have to take a shit" or "I have to take a dump". Or man I just took the biggest dump. Again, in the Midwest this probably going to men ages 10-25 saying this, or 25+ if they are drunk or find what we literally call "potty humour" funny (myself being one of them).  But we would never say had / have. But what is weird is I would say "I have to poop" Or I really need to pee". I would never say I have to take a poop or take a pee". I don't know really know why, doesn't make sense.

But in terms of narrating I would probably just say "can you imagine someone shit / pooped in my garden"? Or can you imagine someone peed / pissed all over my carpet".

In terms of vulgarity: Shit is a "curse" word in the US so is considered pretty vulgar, dump is again seen as "potty humour" in terms of you are saying it to be funny (at least where I am from) and also this sounds weird but as someone who uses the term I would only use if I know I have to go alot / I have had to hold it and its going to be solid, and poop is the non slang non technical term. Poop is what you would use around children unless you use terminology like number 1 for pee and number 2 for poop.


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## Thomas Tompion

zaffy said:


> Say someone has defected onto my garden lawn [...]


Are Polish people still defecting, Zaffy?

These words are subject to all sorts of socio-educational influences in the UK.  What is fine in some company or region is offensive in another.

Also euphemisms for these activities often take on a life of their own.  I'd not be at all surprised to hear an elderly lady talk of her dog _going to the bathroom_, or someone else using the expression for comic/ironic effect.


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## Thomas Tompion

Uncle Jack said:


> "Take" and "poo" never go together [...]


Dangerous word 'never'.  Why use it?

Here is one of many examples from the web - This is The Best Time of The Day To Take a Poo


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## zaffy

jaker93139 said:


> At least in the Midwest US, I would probably use the term "take a leak" or if I was drunk I would probably say "take a piss"



so does take a piss sound more vulgar than a leak?



Thomas Tompion said:


> Are Polish people still defecting, Zaffy?



I just wanted to describe context not using coarse language, it didn't work?


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## PaulQ

zaffy said:


> -Can you imagine that someone took/had a shit in my garden?
> -Can you imagine that someone took/had a poo in my garden?
> -Can you imagine that someone shat in my garden?


The use of
take + deverbal noun - I will take dinner at eight o'clock
take + a deverbal noun - I will take a walk at eight o'clock
have + deverbal noun - I will have dinner at eight o'clock
have + a deverbal noun - I will have a walk at eight o'clock
go + for deverbal noun - I will go for dinner at eight o'clock
go + for a deverbal noun - I will go for a drink at eight o'clock

are so commonly used to describe all actions that the [verb + noun] forms could be said to have lost all distinctions. But they are distinguished from the verb alone by their encompassing the *entire* action, from leaving to returning. To this extent they are somewhat euphemistic because of the slight circumlocution.
But
*Verb *- I will eat at eight o'clock / I will walk at eight o'clock, describes nothing but that action and this concentrates the listener's mind on the subject performing it.


Thomas Tompion said:


> Also euphemisms for these activities often take on a life of their own.


And they are coined all the time: One that sticks with me as far as defecate is concerned is "to give birth to a family of otters".


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## zaffy

So say there is some outdoor event, no toilet available, a friend turns around starts to walk somewhere. Would such conversations sound natural?

A: Are you leaving, Bob?
B: No, I'm going to the bushes to take a leak/piss.

A: Where are you going, Bob?
B: To the bushes. I need a leak/piss.


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## PaulQ

B: No, I'm going to the bushes to take a leak/piss.

A: Where are you going, Bob?
B: To the bushes: *I'm bursting.*

I think the point here is that there is no standard way; there is no one, universal, or even "normal", solution. Everything depends on context, but being indirect is better/more acceptable than being direct.


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## zaffy

And say mum is talking to her child. Are these natural?

-Do you want to wee? (BrE)  = Do you want to pee (AmE)
-Do you want to poo (BrE)  = Do you want to poop (AmE)?


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## RM1(SS)

zaffy said:


> so does take a piss sound more vulgar than a leak?


Much more vulgar.


zaffy said:


> I just wanted to describe context not using coarse language, it didn't work?


Check your spelling.


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## jaker93139

Piss is definitely more vulgar than leak. If you were a child your mom might yell at you for saying piss in the Midwest US (obviously a generalization, as everything I have said is.)



zaffy said:


> So say there is some outdoor event, no toilet available, a friend turns around starts to walk somewhere. Would such conversations sound natural?
> 
> A: Are you leaving, Bob?
> B: No, I'm going to the bushes to take a leak/piss.
> 
> A: Where are you going, Bob?
> B: To the bushes. I need a leak/piss.



Yes both of these would sound natural to me, although I would say "to the bushes. I need to take a leak/piss".


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## Uncle Jack

zaffy said:


> And say mum is talking to her child. Are these natural?
> 
> -Do you want to wee? (BrE)
> -Do you want to poo (BrE)


They are okay, but I expect "a wee" or "a poo" are more common than using verbs.


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## zaffy

1. 





Uncle Jack said:


> They are okay, but I expect "a wee" or "a poo" are more common than using verbs.



And with nouns, would a mum use 'need' or 'want'? 
"Do you want/need a wee?" 

2. When talking to a doctor, would I say these?
-It hurts when I have a bowel movement.
-It hurts when I do the business.   
-I feel a burning sensation when I urinate.


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## jaker93139

zaffy said:


> And say mum is talking to her child. Are these natural?
> 
> -Do you want to wee? (BrE)  = Do you want to pee (AmE)
> -Do you want to poo (BrE)  = Do you want to poop (AmE)?



Pee and poop would be correct in AmE but I think most adults would say "do you need to pee/poop", mainly because kids don't want to stop what they are doing (playing) but they do need to pee.  But yeah while I am sure people say "take a poopie" or something like that for a little kid, most the time you wouldn't say take a poop. I don't know why  , just my experience.



zaffy said:


> 1.
> 
> And with nouns, would a mum use 'need' or 'want'?
> "Do you want/need a wee?"
> 
> See above answer.
> 
> 2. When talking to a doctor, would I say these?
> -It hurts when I have a bowel movement. - you could or you could say poop
> -It hurts when I do the business. - this would be funny, but I am sure a nervous person has said this before
> -I feel a burning sensation when I urinate. - definitely most likely to be used, you could also say pee.


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## zaffy

And when my 5-year-old daughter and I are about to go out, I always need to remind her to pee so that she wouldn't make me pull over during a ride. I tell her in Polish something like: "Pee before we go out."  Would that work in English?


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## Thomas Tompion

zaffy said:


> And when my 5-year-old daughter and I are about to go out, I always need to remind her to pee so that she wouldn't make me pull over during a ride. I tell her in Polish something like: "Pee before we go out."  Would that work in English?


It would work in that she would understand you.  

However, 5-year-olds are very sensitive to nuance of language; it wouldn't teach her to treat the subject with any delicacy of expression.


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## zaffy

And would such a conversation sound natural? 

A: Are you leaving, Bob?
B: No, just going to relieve myself. I'll be right back.


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## PaulQ

zaffy said:


> B: No, just going to relieve myself.


The only time I have heard that is in West African English. It does exist, but I don't think anyone says it in BE.


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## Thomas Tompion

zaffy said:


> And would such a conversation sound natural?
> 
> A: Are you leaving, Bob?
> B: No, just going to relieve myself. I'll be right back.


It sounds all right to me and the ngrams suggest its quite a usual phrase: ngrams

I know that some of the instances here are not in the sense of micturation but most of them are relevant.


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## prudent260

Thomas Tompion said:


> It would work in that she would understand you.
> 
> However, 5-year-olds are very sensitive to nuance of language; it wouldn't teach her to treat the subject with any delicacy of expression.



Is it better if I said, "We have to go to the bathroom/toilet before we go out?"


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## Thomas Tompion

prudent260 said:


> Is it better if I said, "We have to go to the bathroom/toilet before we go out?"


No.


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## prudent260

Thomas Tompion said:


> No.


How should I say in the situation to 'teach her to treat the subject with delicacy of expression?'


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## Thomas Tompion

prudent260 said:


> How should I say in the situation to 'teach her to treat the subject with delicacy of expression?'


You've had plenty of suggestions in the thread, and the answers have depended a great deal on national, regional, and socio-economic factors.

There is not one 'right' answer.  What sounds right to one person will sound wrong to another.


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## WhatADaftName

prudent260 said:


> Is it better if I said, "We have to go to the bathroom/toilet before we go out?"


In British English _go to the toilet_ can be abbreviated to the simple _go_, so you might hear:

_I have to go¹ before we go²._

¹ go to the toilet
² leave the house


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## zaffy

And coming back to narrating, how would I express the same thing about a poo in my garden to say my boss or to an elderly person, assuming that I wanted to use a very polite language. In other words,  how do I rephrase this sentence?  "Can you imagine that someone took a shit in my garden?"


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## Barque

zaffy said:


> how would I express the same thing about a poo in my garden to say my boss or to an elderly person, assuming that I wanted to use a very polite language. In other words, how do I rephrase this sentence? "Can you imagine that someone took a shit in my garden?"


_Someone defecated in my garden.
Someone used my garden as a toilet. _(This could also mean he urinated in it.)


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## zaffy

1. And if say a marriage is traveling by car, and at some point the husband feels a need to pee/poo, what might he say to the wife, not using coarse language?  Would this work? "We need to pull over because I need to pee/poo."

2.


Barque said:


> _Someone defecated in my garden.
> Someone used my garden as a toilet. _(This could also mean he urinated in it.)




And would ‘Someone did their business in my garden’ work?  Or does that sound humorous?


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## DonnyB

zaffy said:


> 1. And if say a marriage is traveling by car, and at some point the husband feels a need to pee/poo, what might he say to the wife, not using coarse language?  Would this work? "We need to pull over because I need to pee/poo."


This depends entirely on the couple concerned: there are so mary possible variants depending on how they generally talk to each other it's impossible to say.





> And would ‘Someone did their business in my garden’ work?  Or does that sound humorous?


I think it sounds a bit juvenile - and it could even be ambiguous.


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## zaffy

So we say 'take' or 'have a poo' and Cambridge uses 'do a poo', giving this example "Have you *done* a poo, Ellie?" Could we replace 'done' with 'taken/had' in that example? All three verbs interchangeable?


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## zaffy

Can I say "you're finished/done" in the following example so as not to mention taking a pee or poo? 

"Put the seat and the lid down when you are finished/done."


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## Hermione Golightly

Yes. I suppose you are talking to a child.


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## london calling

zaffy said:


> so does take a piss sound more vulgar than a leak?
> 
> 
> 
> I just wanted to describe context not using coarse language, it didn't work?


Defecate, not defect.


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