I'm going to take a shower (2025)

I heard on an episode of something on TV last night someone say "I'm going to take a shower".

This sounded really odd to me, should it not be "I'm going to go and have a shower" or something similar? The verb "take" sounds wrong in this context.

Grammar and meaning are separate. The grammar is unassailable.

The meaning is well established. It shouldn't take you by surprise (where did it take you?) that "take" has many meanings (114 verbal meanings in the Random House Unabridged section).

take - WordReference.com Dictionary of English

11 to do, perform, etc.:[~ + object] She took a hot bath.

Click to expand...

19 to have for one's benefit or use: to take a meal; to take a nap; to take a bath.

Click to expand...

Note that you can also "take a shit" (to defecate).

The "it" makes no sense either. A shower isn't an "it". You can't put it in a bag, a box or a suitcase to "take it somewhere".

And it makes no sense to "have" a shower either. I have one -- I got it in 2008, but it's still fresh...

A shower is an experience. It would make sense to say "I am going to experience a shower". Anything else is an idiom, or an extended meaning for a verb (take, have).

George Duncan Mc said:

Although it may be natural to say (I would certainly argue that is not the case)

Click to expand...

You puzzle me. I have been taking showers for some 60 years. Which variety of English do you speak?

I heard on an episode of something on TV last night someone say "I'm going to take a shower".

Click to expand...

What does 'something' mean? We need to know which episode of what, and who was talking. That's called context and source which are both required by forum rules.

...grammatically it makes no sense. Take it where?

Click to expand...

Grammatically there is no problem whatsoever. Grammar doesn't have to make sense.
A literal interpretation of 'take' or anything is frankly worrying. Please look 'take' up and see how many meanings it can have.

I've been 'having' showers for about fifty-five years. I don't mean I 'eat' them or 'have sex with' them: 'have' is used in other contexts with both those meanings.
This is part of what's called 'idiom'. It's a major problem for students of English, or native speakers learning other languages.

'I'm going to have/for/ a shower' is what I say.

jsharm said:

No, it's quite natural to say 'I'm going to take a shower'.

Click to expand...

I'm surprised to hear you say that, jsharm. The natural expression here is "I'm going to

a shower". 'Taking a shower' has always sounded American to me.

JulianStuart said:

The phrase have a shower is more popular in British English than in American English (which is your native language?), but take a shower is more popular than have a shower in both forms of English.

Click to expand...

I've only just got out of bed so my brain hasn't quite kicked in yet, Julian.

Andygc said:

I have been taking showers for some 60 years.

Click to expand...

I thought Brits 'had showers' like Australians (except for jsharm, of course ). Actually, I thought they only had baths, and just once a week, but that's a different story!

jsharm said:

we are subjected to both British and American language influences, and many of us alternate accordingly.

Click to expand...

American film and television. It could also be an age thing. 'Take' may be more popular with young folk.

JulianStuart said:

The phrase have a shower is more popular in British English than in American English (which is your native language?), but take a shower is more popular than have a shower in both forms of English.

Click to expand...

You little ripper! said:

I've only just got out of bed so my brain hasn't quite kicked in yet, Julian.

Click to expand...

Sorry - I was on my iPhone and posting Ngrams is tough.
Here's the data I was basing the statements on (have a shower, take a shower for AE and BE compared. Sorry there's no AusE database)

JulianStuart said:

Sorry - I was on my iPhone and posting Ngrams is tough.
Here's the data I was basing the statements on (have a shower, take a shower for AE and BE compared. Sorry there's no AusE database)

Click to expand...

I couldn't understand how 'having a shower' was more popular in British English than American, but 'taking one' was more popular in both. I'll go and have a coffee now.

Yes, it's correct, but probably less common in speech.

In speech we like to use the noun versions to represent an activity: 'I had a walk/swim/jog this morning' rather than 'I walked/swam/jogged this morning'.

Andygc said:

You puzzle me. I have been taking showers for some 60 years.

Click to expand...

And do you ever say "have a shower" too?

Hermione Golightly said:

I've been 'having' showers for about fifty-five years.

Click to expand...

So you never say 'take a shower' , do you?

zaffy said:

And do you ever say "have a shower" too?

So you never say 'take a shower' , do you?

Click to expand...

I've been eating apples for about fifty-five years, but that doesn't mean I've never eaten anything else. You're reading too much into the statement - assuming things that weren't said.

kentix said:

Do the people who say "have a shower" also say "have a look"? Does it sound weird?

Click to expand...

Do the people who say "have a shower" also say "have a look"?
Yes. Lots of people, myself included, say 'have a bath', 'have a shower' and 'have a look'.

Does it sound weird?
Not to us.

As a general rule, most of the common everyday activities where AmE speakers use 'take', BrE speakers would tend to use either 'have' or 'go for a' . For example 'have a nap' or 'go for a walk'.

The same goes for bodily functions: where Americans 'take a xxxx', Brits either 'have a xxxx' or (slightly more politely) 'go for a ...'.