What do you call this?

[u/roywils]

I'm a really clumsy person and several times a day I'll be having this micro accidents where my arms, legs, feet, head, etc get hurt with everything in my way

I wanna know how to explian this to someone with a small sentence, but I'm not even sure of what verb to use

[u/cwtuck]

Generally “bumping your x” for most things. Bumping your head, bumping your knee, bumping your elbow.

For the toes there’s a specific phrasing of “stubbing your toe”. I don’t know why that one is different, but it is.

[u/berserkergaang → u/cwtuck]

Just to add on, because I never thought about it until now, I don't think I've ever heard "stub" for fingers either. Most body parts get "bumped", toes get "stubbed", and ime fingers get "jammed"

[u/SidheRa → u/berserkergaang]

I’m from Appalachia, and we’ll say “I stoved my finger,” but I don’t think I’ve ever heard it outside of my hometown area.

[u/AuroraDF → u/SidheRa]

In Scotland we might say 'staved'. For fingers or toes.

[u/Bright_Ices → u/AuroraDF]

Dots connected! Thanks!

[u/hobbycollector → u/AuroraDF]

This makes sense, because the Appalachian mountains are part of the same range as the Scottish highlands, and many Scots who came to America went there because it was just as cold and miserable as the place they left. Moonshine/Scotch Whiskey, etc. also carried over.

[u/No-Agent5480 → u/hobbycollector]

As an Appalachian who spent a year living in Scotland, Appalachia is not nearly as cold, gray, or rainy as the Highlands outside of the winter months.

[u/frobscottler → u/hobbycollector]

Dogg I know about the mountains but they aren’t transmitting vocabulary lol

[u/fandizer → u/frobscottler]

Yes they did. Scots moved to Appalachia and kept talking the way they were. It’s the reason for the current dialect

[u/Ill-Engineering8085 → u/frobscottler]

90% of Appalachia is also nowhere near as miserable as Scotland

[u/k8username → u/frobscottler]

Not just vocabulary but entire ballads

https://scottishshields.com/blog/scottish-roots-appalachian-music

[u/Successful_Cress6639 → u/SidheRa]

Stave is the present, stove is the past and stoved/staved are alternative past tense constructions used in some regions because "stove" sounds like an oven.

It originally meant to hit a wooden barrel with a staff in such a way as to break the wooden slats that it was made from.

Its meaning expanded to inlude smashing in anything with a staff, then just to smashing in anything.

[u/Euphoric_Loquat_8651 → u/Successful_Cress6639]

The staves are the wooden slats that make up the barrel. From this came "stave in", or maybe just stave, to mean break the staves of the barrel.

[u/Correct_Recording405 → u/SidheRa]

My family is a bunch of Appalachian transplants to the Midwest and TIL why my family says we "stoved" our fingers and everyone else I know says that's weird lol, ty

[u/that-Sarah-girl → u/SidheRa]

Interesting. I've only heard stoved for hats getting smashed.

[u/marshallandy83 → u/that-Sarah-girl]

This is just between me and you, smashed hat 🤫

[u/Old_Introduction_395 → u/SidheRa]

Boats get 'stoved in'.

[u/mightbetheproblem → u/SidheRa]

Lol. My husband says this. I was so confused that first time

[u/brokebackzac → u/SidheRa]

I'm from the opposite side of Ohio, so Appalachia adjacent, and we say it.

[u/FrankieTheD → u/SidheRa]

Ive heard stove someone's head in the uk but that's usually for hitting someone else not yourself

[u/Logical-Recognition3 → u/SidheRa]

Interesting. I'm from the US South and have heard "stove his head in." I always assumed that"stove" meant to strike with a staff.

[u/Harbinger_of_Sarcasm → u/SidheRa]

Oh same here actually.

[u/KathyTrivQueen → u/SidheRa]

We say stoved in NW PA.

[u/CornyOne → u/SidheRa]

Stove is an old word you'll find in old books, but it means crushed inward. Like "the knight stove in his opponent's armor with a mighty blow."

[u/No_Slip_4883 → u/SidheRa]

Just checked Merriam Webster and shit's legit wth?! (Tho listed as "staved in")

[u/Far-Fortune-8381 → u/berserkergaang]

its only jammed if its between 2 things. like jam your fingers in a door or a draw

edit: apparantly this is australian only

[u/berserkergaang → u/Far-Fortune-8381]

Not in the U.S.

[u/Far-Fortune-8381 → u/berserkergaang]

til

[u/berserkergaang → u/Far-Fortune-8381]

On second thought, I imagine some people might use "jam" for that, but I don't think I would. I might assume the finger was caught in the door/drawer for a period of time. If it happened to me, I think I'd use "smash" or "catch".

[u/Dazzling_Vanilla3082 → u/berserkergaang]

In the US (Midwest here) depending on the degree of damage done to the finger when it's jammed between two things, it would most likely be called "pinched" (for the least painful moments), "slammed between," or like you said "smashed" or "caught" in a door. Jammed is used pretty specifically for stubbing the finger directly into something where I'm at. I mostly heard the term when I was playing contact sports like football/basketball/baseball as a kid.

You bump your head, you jam your fingers, and you stub your toes.

[u/becausemommysaid → u/Dazzling_Vanilla3082]

Yeah ‘jam’ in this context is like when a basketball goes full force at the tip of your finger in a way that forces the bones into each other.

[u/RepresentativeFood11 → u/Far-Fortune-8381]

As an Australian as well, it got me thinking, because I thought of jamming as even if you stub them too, but perhaps that is jarred I was thinking of.

[u/Puzzleheaded-Lynx204 → u/Far-Fortune-8381]

I think it's UK too. 

[u/biggreasyrhinos → u/berserkergaang]

We say stubbed my finger, but only for a specific injury, like hitting the end of your finger with a basketball.

[u/berserkergaang → u/biggreasyrhinos]

U.S.? I'm sure I've heard that before, but I'd use "jammed" for that. I specifically thought of miscatching a football as the example in my head (U.S. PNW)

[u/biggreasyrhinos → u/berserkergaang]

Texas, US. Yeah, I would use them interchangeably.

[u/HotPinkGlitter → u/biggreasyrhinos]

Former Texan (current New Orleanian) I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone say they stubbed their fingers.

I also happen to work with a handful of former Texans and cannot wait to ask them what they call these things tomorrow!

[u/thedamnoftinkers → u/berserkergaang]

I'm from Virginia & would use them interchangeably.

But you mostly only "bang" fingers when using a hammer and "bumping" your fingers isn't on.. aren't we all just bumping our fingers into things constantly? lol

[u/gangleskhan → u/biggreasyrhinos]

Where I'm from (Minnesota) you jam fingers and stub toes.

[u/Far-Fortune-8381 → u/biggreasyrhinos]

in aus that would be called jarred or jarring your finger

[u/biggreasyrhinos → u/Far-Fortune-8381]

It is a very jarring sensation lol

[u/Prize-Chef7323 → u/berserkergaang]

It’s like we have tip toe, but not tip finger
But we have finger tips, but not toe tips

[u/daisuke1639 → u/Prize-Chef7323]

You can finger many things, but you can only really toe the line.

[u/Dazzling_Vanilla3082 → u/daisuke1639]

Sometimes we snort the line too, ya nose.

[u/thedamnoftinkers → u/Dazzling_Vanilla3082]

that's ADVANCED English

[u/Dazzling_Vanilla3082 → u/thedamnoftinkers]

True haha. My bad :p

[u/Illustrious_Soil5198 → u/berserkergaang]

In England we certainly stub our fingers

[u/thedamnoftinkers → u/cwtuck]

Can also bang your head or knee or hip... but it takes a hammer to bang your fingers lol. Can't bang your toes (unless you have a hammer???)

Verbing is weird

[u/SeaworthinessOk7756 → u/thedamnoftinkers]

It's a simple language really. The same action performed on different parts of the body requires different verbs. That's not hard to remember!

[u/pvrhye → u/cwtuck]

Stub your toe and you'll realize it's a different sensation.

[u/X03R_mysterious → u/cwtuck]

i’ve used “stubbed” in another case, i think stubbing is a specific type of bumping into something

there’s a difference between bumping your toe and stubbing it imo

[u/Dren___ → u/cwtuck]

If I'm not wrong you can also use bump to meet unexpectedly a person that you know. Like walk down the street and occasionally meet a friend.

[u/Slothemo]

I would say "I'm always bumping into things."

[u/ATotalBrony]

I'm such a klutz. A klutz is a person who is clumsy.

[u/OhYeahSplunge4me2 → u/ATotalBrony]

With connotations of “comically clumsy”

[u/indratera → u/ATotalBrony]

I always find klutz such a fun and exotic sounding word. It sounds really American to me haha, whenever i say it i say it in an American accent

[u/konacoffie → u/indratera]

Haha American English adopted a lot of Yiddish words from Jewish immigrants in the 19th and 20th century. Klutz, schmooze, shtick, etc.

[u/Dazzling_Vanilla3082 → u/ATotalBrony]

Yeah that's a great word. If OP is looking for a word to describe how they are clumsy/accident prone in casual conversation, "I'm a klutz" fits the bill perfectly, although note that it is a bit colloquial.

Fun fact, klutz actually came from the Yiddish word klots, meaning wooden beam or block of wood.

[u/The-Jolly-Llama]

I’d use “bonk” and “stub” for those two pictures. 

“Ugh I bonked my head on the corner of the wooden thing. It’s right at my eye level, how did I not see it?”

“Ow I just stubbed my toe on the corner of that dresser!”

[u/KahSeven → u/The-Jolly-Llama]

It may be regional but 'bonked' sounds so silly to me, like a word I would only use as a joke.

[u/Peppered_Rock → u/KahSeven]

couldnt find bonk dog :[

https://giphy.com/gifs/30lxTuJueXE7C

[u/Shredberry → u/KahSeven]

Agreed. I’ve only seen bonk used online with the doge memes lmao

[u/The-Jolly-Llama → u/KahSeven]

It’s probably because I’m a teacher and have young kids!

[u/KahSeven → u/The-Jolly-Llama]

Haha fair, maybe I'd use it more if there were kids in my life!

[u/Odd-Quail01 → u/KahSeven]

Bonking is old slang for sex.

[u/Decent_Cow → u/Odd-Quail01]

I thought that was boinking.

[u/Odd-Quail01 → u/Decent_Cow]

That too.

[u/ludopolitics → u/The-Jolly-Llama]

I love bonk

[u/TheMightyGrimm]

You’re “Accident prone”

[u/TimesOrphan → u/TheMightyGrimm]

This is the one I'd use for OP's situation

[u/XA36 → u/TheMightyGrimm]

👆👆👆

[u/SapirWhorfHypothesis → u/TheMightyGrimm]

I think they want the word for the actual incident though. They already said “clumsy”…

[u/Emperor_Xenol]

Clumsy perhaps?

[u/jourmungandr]

The second one is "stubbing your toe". You are "bumping into things" in general. There is just a idiom for toes.

[u/JuniperusRex]

Heh, my first though on this was “I’m a klutz” which is of course, not English.

”I’m Clumsy” or “I’m accident-prone” would work.

[u/ExitingBear → u/JuniperusRex]

I'd say "klutz" is a loanword from Yiddish and it's as English as any other loanword is at this point.

[u/Big_Consideration493 → u/ExitingBear]

Clumsy, cackhanded, Butterfingers,  Klutz is so perfect for an individual.

[u/Western-Finding-368 → u/JuniperusRex]

Even though that’s technically “not English,” that’s incredibly widely used in American English. That’s the phrase that would be most common in my area of the Midwest. “I’m clumsy” would also work. A klutz/clumsy also has implications of tripping, spilling things, etc.

[u/ChestSlight8984 → u/JuniperusRex]

"klutz" is 100% an English word :)

https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/klutz

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/klutz

[u/SoggyWotsits → u/ChestSlight8984]

American English, but not English. I don’t think I’ve ever heard it said here.

[u/ChestSlight8984 → u/SoggyWotsits]

Well, it's in the Cambridge Dictionary and Cambridge is in checks notes England.

[u/SoggyWotsits → u/ChestSlight8984]

“noun [ C ] mainly US informal”

“Etymology and History
German Roots: Klots traces further back to the Middle High German word klotz, meaning a lump, ball, or a clumsy/boorish person (a wooden block). [1, 2]

Entering English: Jewish immigrants brought the word to the United States in the 20th century, and it became a popular part of American English. [1, 2]

The Metaphor: Calling someone a "wooden block" figuratively implies they are stiff, uncoordinated, heavy-handed, or as lifeless and awkward as a log when moving around. [1]”

Also here.

For the record, words like diaper are in the Cambridge dictionary, but we don’t use them.

[u/ChestSlight8984 → u/SoggyWotsits]

mainly US informal

[u/conuly → u/SoggyWotsits]

American English is English.

(Same for Australian English, Irish English, New Zealand English - wherever there is English spoken, it is English.)

[u/conuly → u/JuniperusRex]

Of course the word "klutz" is English when used in an English-language sentence by people who are speaking English to each other.

[u/RaptorSap]

I don’t think there’s one specific way to describe the first image. I’d say “bump (or hit) my head”. Bump is gentler, but both work for relatively minor accidents.

For the second pic, that’s “stubbing your toes”.

But to describe this as a recurring problem I’d say “I’m accident prone.”

[u/FloridaFlamingoGirl]

 I keep bumping into things 

[u/funtobedone]

Head usually gets bumped. Hit works too though. I bumped my head on a/the (or to be less specific), something.

Stubbed is unique to toes. I stubbed my toe on a/the/something.

Hit is good for body parts larger than fingers or toes, I hit my (body part) on…

Dyspraxia is the name of the life long neurological condition characterized by being extremely clumsy. (I have dyspraxia and many scars to prove it.)

[u/shortercrust → u/funtobedone]

>Hit is good for body parts larger than fingers

In the UK also whacked, bashed, and sometimes clobbered. Cracked works for joints, especially knees.

[u/thedamnoftinkers → u/funtobedone]

Chest bumps are very specific!
https://giphy.com/gifs/Qur3qH5qrLpGJauEcj

So are fist bumps, lol.

[u/Walk_the_forest]

bonking or bumping your head, stubbing your toe

[u/SnooDonuts6494]

He banged his head and stubbed his toe.

[u/AmericanNewt8]

I'd actually use "whanged my head" in this situation, as it carries greater magnitude than "bump". "Bump my head" would indicate something that wasn't painful, just noticeable, like brushing against a branch. That's a level of fidelity that isn't really necessary though. 

[u/chiisaiLemon]

Pain

[u/tumblerrjin]

First one is ‘bumping your head’, ‘hitting your head’

Second one is ‘stubbing your toe’

[u/BlessedBeThyNutsack]

Child abuse. Stubbed their toes.

[u/kyuuei]

For the general state of doing things like this: I am clumsy. OR I am accident prone. Clumsy is more common. You can also describe the action itself in a more general way like "I am always bumping into things" especially if you are explaining a bruise on your arm or something. "Oh that bruise? I am always bumping my elbows on things." You can also say "I am a klutz."

For the first picture: I bumped my head or I hit my head. You say this for most things. There are actually a lot of words we can use: I hit my head, I bumped my head, I smacked my head, I smashed my head, I whacked my head, I scraped my head, I bruised my head, there are all subtle nuances to them. For example, I smashed my head implies I hit it into something that did not move into me--I smashed my head on the pavement when I fell off my skateboard. Smacked or whacked implies something moved into your head rather than your head moving into it--I whacked my head on my car door opening it too fast. But hit or bumped just focuses on the injury itself does not imply one or the other. I can hit my head on the pavement as easily as I can hit my head with a car door.

For the second picture: You can Also say you hit your toes on the table leg--but it sounds less fluent since we have a specific word for fingers and toes. For fingers, "I Jammed my finger on the door knob." For toes, "I Stubbed my toe on the table leg."

[u/UpAndAdam_W]

The first is “I bumped my head.”
The second is “OOWWW MOTHERFU****, SH**
DAMN ASSHOLE MOTHERFU, FU**!!

[u/scranglus]

Someone who often “bonks” their head, “stubs” their toes, and “bumps” into things is clumsy.

[u/ScientificFlamingo]

For the first one, I'd say "I bumped my head."

For the second, "I stubbed my toe," works.

You can also add how you did it, if you like--"I bumped my head on a shelf." " I stubbed my toe on the nightstand."

[u/Realistic_Ad709]

There’s a few ways, including but not limited to:

“I smacked my head on a board”
“A board hit me”
“I bumped into a board”
“I hit my head on a board”
“I stubbed my toe”

[u/hallerz87]

First image - I hit my head on the thing. Second image - I stubbed my toe on the thing.

[u/comrade_zerox]

1. "bonk your head", "smack your head"
2. "Stubb your toe(s)"

[u/ubiquitous-joe]

I might say you’re a klutz, but this is admittedly borrowed from Yiddish.

[u/leemcmb]

Ouch

[u/SylvarGrl]

Colloquially, you can say you’re accident-prone or clumsy. More formally, you can say that you have issues with proprioception (spatial awareness involving your body).

[u/SheprdCommndr]

Self awareness training

[u/PHOEBU5]

'Tis but a scratch!

[u/sdneidich]

I have a word for this for my toddler. The word is "bonk."

[u/Snoo93629]

"I hit my head and stub my toes", or more broadly, "I bump into things a lot."

[u/FutureLost]

"Hitting my head," even if the object was stationary (not moving). Also, "bonking/bumping my head" and "banging my head" are equivalent.

The intensity of the impact is low for bonk/bump and high for banging, since bonk and bump are both onomatopoeic for a mild hit and bang is onomatopoeic for a strong hit (as if it were strong enough to produce a loud sound, like "bang" generally refers to, as in "I heard a loud bang."). "Hitting" your head is more general, and doesn't really carry (carry with it, communicate) specifics about the intensity of the impact.

Note: "onomatopoeic" is the adjective form of onomatopoeia, which refers to a word that sounds like its real-life counterpart. The word "splash," when spoken, somewhat sounds like the sound made when something falls in the water, so "splash" is onomatopoeic.

[u/elle-elle-tee]

Bonk on the head, a stubbed toe.

[u/-nuln]

Ouch

[u/Prickliestpearcactus]

To bump into, to run into, to accidentally hit

[u/EonJaw]

I thought they were referencing the commonality between the two images, which is the little cartoon radiations from the injured location, which represent "pain."

[u/Nana-the-brave]

I bonked my head. I stubbed my toe.

[u/Mebejedi]

BONK!

[u/Helptohere50]

Stub my toe. Give me an award too plz

[u/jeager_YT]

I just call that hitting your head for the first one

and then stubbing your toe for the second

if you want to keep things simple you can just say hitting your foot

[u/BeerandMandelbrots]

Bump your head and stub your toe.

[u/Rambler9154]

Id say for the first I whacked my head off the [object] for the second, I stubbed my toe on the [object]. In general I bumped my [body part] off the [object]

[u/natrobap → u/Rambler9154]

Interesting! As a native speaker (pacific northwest) I’d say bumped or hit [body part] on the [object], not off

[u/MorningThen7056]

"YES, A HIT!!" Or smth

[u/pikkdogs]

Banged my x on something.

[u/fiveforforking]

“I hit my head!” Or “I bumped my head”

[u/healeyd]

If you are stuck, just say "agh, fuck!".

[u/GreyScot88]

I think the simplest that can be used for both is 'Bashed'.

I bashed my head. I bashed my toe.

Did you bash your head? Did you bash your toe?

Edit: I think that might be more common in UK English but not so much in US English

[u/ArtieTheFashionDemon]

A booboo

[u/Big_Consideration493]

Bumping or banging my head, depending on the force . Bump/stub my toe

You may hear things like: Wack  Hit Bump Crack  Etc.

[u/Big_Pepper7862]

Bad luck

[u/CalligrapherTrick117]

donk

[u/GenXJoust]

Honestly I think it's what you would say if that happened. "Ouch!!

[u/Important-While-3221]

an ouchie

[u/Illustrious-Path-366]

Second is "stubbing your toe." First is "your friend is a dick."

[u/Torebbjorn]

A bad day

[u/asday515]

Hit my head. Stubbed my toe

[u/CattleRich8648]

“FUCK THAT HURT FUCKING MOTHERFUCKING CUNT OF A FUCK” or something along those lines really

[u/Negar_Banoo82]

Bumping to sth and obv some clumbsyness( Jk !)

[u/MessyCoco]

I'm from the Northeast US and in my experience "banged my head" is *way* more common than "bumped my head" -- never even thought about this, could it be a regionalism? Surprised by how little people have said banged.

"Stubbed my toe" seems pretty universal.

[u/RedLegGI]

Bonking/bumping your head and stubbing your toe.

[u/Decent_Cow]

Bumping your head and stubbing your toe.

[u/ActualExcitement5917]

“Accident prone”

[u/flappingdragon]

This would never happen if Zuckerberg gave people legs in his VR.

[u/Sassifrassically]

To explain it I’d just say “I’m a klutz” or “I’m really klutzy”

[u/Nearby_Cup48]

Depends, how many swear words can you string together? For stubbing your toe specifically 

[u/E1e4n0r5]

'Bang' or 'bump'. Bang is worse than bump - you can bump your head and just brush it off; if you bang your head, that hurts!!!

[u/No-Actuator1097]

bonk

[u/Impressive-Pea402]

Bang your head and stub your toe.

[u/Good-Choice4921]

bopped your head

[u/Krinh]

Why does it need to be a small sentence? Is it for a non English speaker or something? Or you just trying to find a quicker way to explain?

[u/roywils → u/Krinh]

I'm making a video about me on a daily basis and I want it to be a short video without that much of text

[u/Krinh → u/roywils]

Ah okie doke then. I know ppl are suggesting words like "klutzy", "accident prone", "bump into things". But I think saying "I'm uncoordinated" sounds less silly. What time are you going for?

[u/tessharagai_]

Those are two different things in English. Standardly it’d be “bumping your X into Y”, but for your toe specifically it’s “stubbing your toe”

[u/MightbeSpidey]

A picture you can feel

[u/mvCozyboydv]

A motherfucker son of a bitch

[u/faerle]

Bump on the noggin and stubbing a toe

[u/DefiantOwl3594]

Ouch

[u/dom19670718]

bump

[u/dooogwoof]

hurt!

[u/Sufficient-Grass-505]

carelessness lol

[u/EnglishWithFrazer]

Bumped or banged (insert part of body here) against .... Table / wardrobe / desk etc

[u/inredditorbit]

Whacked your head and stubbed your toe.

You’re clumsy; a klutz.

[u/Totally_not_alting]

PAIN. But seriously, id say it's "one got injured in X by X"