Commuting · Getting around
packed like sardines
extremely crowded
If people are packed like sardines, they are standing very close together in a crowded space.
This vs that
The bus was packed like sardines.
The next bus was crowded but comfortable.
Hear it in real life
How was the train this morning?
Packed like sardines. I could barely move.
The tube was packed like sardines after the concert.
Which sounds natural?
Psst — which one would you actually say?
The idiom is the natural way to stress how little space people had; the stiff version sounds technical.
The mistake everyone makes
Not: The train was packed as sardines.
Say: The train was packed like sardines.
Use 'like' in this fixed comparison.
Say it together
Whole chunks natives use with it.
be packed like sardines
The train was packed like sardines after the football match.
We were packed like sardines on the bus home.
Phrases to borrow
More for talking about commuting.
on my way to work
I usually listen to podcasts on my way to work.
the train was packed
The train was packed, so I had to stand.
Commuting words
Getting around · Commuting: the words around “packed like sardines”.
More connectionsMore commuting words7
Your turn: say it out loud
It was packed like sardines.
Say it out loud two or three times, until it feels like yours.
packed like sardines
extremely crowded
“The tube was packed like sardines after the concert.”
heytardy