first off / first up

First off / first up
Are they both common in your neck of the woods? Any difference?

I do want to hear about your day, but first off, let me tell you what the wedding planner had to say.
I do want to hear about your day, but first up, let me tell you what the wedding planner had to say.

I would just use "but first" there.

They both mean “to begin with” and they’re both quite common. According to Lexico, “first off” is mainly US and “first up” mainly UK usage. (Although I would have thought it was the other way round.) 👁 Smile :)


We usually use first up to mean “and the first one [of a certain thing] that we’re going to [deal with/use or whatever] is…”

I don't recall hearing "first off" in the current millennium, but "first" or "first of all" seem quite common. (AE)

Yes, first or first of all is very common AE in that context.

First up would usually refer to a person or thing in some specific context, like a TV interview show or an auction.

"Later, we'll talk with actor Jake Samuels, but first up we have author Jordan Jones, who's just written a book about his adventures with penguins🐧 in Antarctica."

"Welcome to the auction. Tonight we're featuring some fine antique furniture. First up is a lovely roll top desk from 1859, made in Illinois by the Galena Furniture Company."