Hello! This week on
Ask a Teacher
, we will answer a question from Mohammadreza from Iran about the difference between “famous” and “popular.”
Question:
Would you please let us know difference between the words “popular” and “famous,” and how to use them in our day-to-day speech?
Thanks,
Mohammadreza
Answer:
Dear Mohammadreza,
Thanks for writing to us and asking this question.
Famous and popular are both adjectives. The words may seem similar, but their meanings are very different.
Let’s start with famous.
Famous
“Famous” means known or recognized by many people. We often use the word when describing people.
For example, movie actors, singers and professional
athletes
can be described as famous.
For example: Taylor Swift is a famous singer-songwriter.
Some famous people are known to people around the world. Others may be famous in their home country.
Places can be famous, too. For example, the Eiffel Tower in France and the pyramids in Egypt are very famous.
Popular
Now let’s talk about popular. “Popular” means liked or enjoyed by many people.
One way we use “popular” is to talk about trends
like “popular
fashion
” or “popular
styles
.”
