Thread: 'Via'

Yes, that's fine usage of "via".

The most traditional way to use "via" is to when you are doing something by means of something else.
Most traditionally if you are going somewhere.
For example. If I am travelling by train from Moscow to Murmansk, I could say:
"I am travelling from Moscow to Murmansk via St Petersburg."
or "John sent a secret message to Anne via the internet."

Whenever you are not sure, if you have nobody to ask, it's usually best to stick with the simpler word. When I first moved to England I sometimes took a chance and used new words that I was not completely familiar with, and a few times I made some rather embarassing mistakes!

And yes I try to use simple words when I am not sure. But once I had a situation when I could not use even simple words! It was my fist time I came to London and I was on a bus. There were few people...A girl (aged 11 or so) was sitting in front of me. She saw I had a watch on my wrist and turned back for a few times. I was wondering why she was looknig at me and my watch. Maybe she was shy. But finally she asked me a question to know what the time was. I did understand her question but I didn't know how to answer correctly as I had never said the time in English before! I told some numbers (now I know that was absolutely wrong) but it was so funny when a little girl asked you and you a 'big girl' couldn't answer.