Based on recent reports, about 99% of the Irish people actually use English than the Irish . Lets enjoy the view! Some instruments commonly used for trad music are the fiddle, the flute and the whistle, Uilleann pipes, Have you heard of the new band from across the block? The people from Northern England and Scotland borrowed the word that denoted a meaning for conversation or news. The term whats the crack essentially means, how are you, or have you any news? Interestingly, crack was borrowed from the Irish term craic, and was re-borrowed! For example, Hes a cute hoor that fella, always manages to get a free ticket to the concerts in the Phoenix Park. That man is a shnakey little shitehawk. Can you give it a lash with your jump cables? or Ive never tried that before, but sure Ill give it a lash. Related Reads: Check out our guide to 31 funny Irish jokes and 33 Irish insults and curses that locals use. This guide to British sayings, funny British phrases, dirty expressions, slang words, and more will not only help you understand what the people of England, Wales, and . Ann Carr from SW England on July 01, 2012: Voted up, funny and interesting. Jammy basically means lucky. A useless scut if Ive ever seen one. You have no idea how much of this I recognised and I've never been to Ireland! Although Im from the Philippines, my location independent career took me to over 40 countries for the past 8 years. Quare. Susan Zutautas from Ontario, Canada on August 23, 2012: What a gas :) Really enjoyed your hub. So glad that I found YOU on Hubs. 1. Great, great job! You see that poor painter, begging for scraps? For example, Ah, man, the heads bouncing off of me. And so is the jacks. (Especially after enjoying an evening in a . Talk about a dope. Example - "My wee lad is doing his eleven plus the day". As long as it didn't put you off visiting our wee Emerald Isle! Common Irish Phrases. Slinte! lol Thanks for your comments and votes, much appreciated!! 'Mucker'- an endearing term to describe a friend. For example, Sorry pal can you tell me where the jacks is?!. Turf-Cutter: Irish Solomon's Knot Symbol - History And Meaning, In terms of direction, this term is not a bit offensive and is actually quite useful. Thanks again for commenting, it is much appreciated! 'Our kid'- strictly reserved for close family, or friends who are like family, age does not come into it. Its another one for very drunk people. Positive thinking, Southern style. Good God its just dawned on me how many Irish sayings there are for describing manky weather! Thon - an Irish phrase for any sentence. Now is widely used to refer to all women of similar ages and not just girlfriends. For example, Dont be worrying about it, its grand. Fancy a pint?. It is amazing how many of these slang words we use daily here in Dublin lol. Rich from Kentucky on September 14, 2012: And I thought the Irish spoke English! The word Yoke is used to describe something. Pamela Oglesby from Sunny Florida on September 14, 2012: Great information Suzie HQ. 'Will you look at the state of her over there, theres more meat on a hamster, the skinny malink.' For example, Here. Other craic terms include good craic, mighty craic, deadly craic, and whats the craic, meaning how are you?. One you might want to include is Guards. For example, Declans been in there for the past hour faffin about the place.. Pronounced wayne, this word means child.. Its been ages since I last seen ye, boyo. No one is entirely sure of its origins, but its most probable origination is from the slang to doze-off, meaning to sleep for a short time, or take a nap. :-). Speechless Kenneth! Screwball - Unhinged, mad. For example, Its finely stopped pissing down. Stop, I know. We like to read this as one of the greatest Southern encouragements, but, like most of these phrases, you can use it however you'd like. I'm definitely gonna need this if I wanna go to Ireland! Mary Strain from The Shire on August 23, 2012: Loved this! I missed ye. Lets watch? Free burgers. Did you lob the gob?. i don't know of a slang term or colloquial term for farmer i'm afraid but check it out online or in an Irish slang dictionary. Yes, savage is also Irish slang for good. Commonly used in England where Irish immigrants did much of the manual labour. Here the top 80 most used Irish slang phrases. he can ask me bollix if he tinks im gettin into a barney wit him over it the poxbottle, sure ur aulwan kno's wot he's like n all inanyways dya kno worimean pal. I, unfortunately, have never been there, but would love to some day. This isnt slang find out what it means here. I would only really use "to be sure, to be sure" as a form of emphasizing Irishness, and in a funny way. Derived from the Irish Gaelic word brog, a shoe, or from Old Norse, broc, meaning leg covering. Example: "I'd rather stay for another round, but I have to crack on.". One can say that the English language is deeply ingrained in the blood of. In my last job, I worked in a building with around 250 people from 34 different countries. gwan oura dat ye bleedin' mad ting. Go fetch me a mug, boyo. Irish Slang Words, Jokes, Funny Irish images, Irish memes, Irish Sayings, Irish Slang Terms, Irish Phrases and more. Here, I have highlighted the most commonly heard words, their meanings, and provided examples of how they are used in everyday speech. 'Tis only a stepmother would blame you. You are destined for success in writing. Hello, my name's Tom Hardy. :) If only I could find some vacation time :). If youre from Dublin, you tend to refer to anyone that lives outside of Dublin as A culchie. Savage, man, I thought they were sold out. I heard the shebeens in Dublin at night are great places to enjoy good jazzand fresh drinks. Need to collect the messages first.. But much stronger. For example, Ah stop, thats gas! or Emmas dog is gas. Theyll tell you the secrets to creating the best garden in the world. Actually, its used to describe anything. There you have it. For example, It was definitely Colin. And now, it is an official slang in the modern Irish scenes. In the guide below, you'll find LOOOOOOOADS of Irish insults and Irish curse words (or 'cuss words', for ye Americans). You can use give it a lash in a heap of different ways. You can describe a person or a situation as bang on. For example, She passed her exams in the end. Bill Holland from Olympia, WA on June 24, 2012: What a great hub! And I'm Riz Ahmed. These meanings portray left-hand people as weird outcasts of or Irish society. Weather type: Fine. I had a wonderful laugh to begin my day withthank you! You coming out for a few pints later?!. May the luck of the Irish enfold you. Update: weve had around 50 emails since this guide was published asking about the term the luck of the Irish. Savage, mate. Internet slang now occasionally reinterprets it as the acronym for "sad and pathetic". I heard the waves are great at Inchydoney Beach, honey. You'll hear this word in Ireland and Scotland, and slinte 's meaning is "health" in both countries. No idea how to describe this one. " Ye half eejit ye " - Not quite a full eejit, but still quite foolish. Thanks for the fun hub! Suzanne Ridgeway (author) from Dublin, Ireland on June 28, 2012: Thought there was a hint of the 'ol Irish charm there!! The Middle English word "bigrucchen" meant "to grumble about"; the Irish made "begrudge" a noun. Lets get out for a dander and get some fresh air. If Americans have fries, and English people from the UK have chips, in Ireland, you might want to order a. as a side dish. :P Reall fun and great craic ;). Heres a handful of slang words that are used to describe a girl/woman. Or yer woman a saying that is heard all over Ireland, sometimes because they simply can't remember the person's name or then again just because. Its a handy conversation starter and its generally the topic of debate in shops and pubs alike. I spent a lot of time nodding and smiling, and then admitting I had no idea what they were talking about. I met a local once at a pub during our extended trip in, This word is as pretty as it sounds. Have to bookmark it as I do plan on making it over to Ireland one of these years. Irish slang is peppered with sounds and phrases and mythology from the ancient Gaelic language. These Irish slang words can range from tame to offensive, so use with caution. However, youll also hear people describing someone as Sound when theyre giving that person their approval, for example, That chap from around the corner fixed the engine. The next time you visit the National Botanic Gardens in Dublin, you might befriend a couple of colleens studying horticulture. 18. Great Hub! For example, Did you do that thing for yer man? Did I fu*k. 3. Anyhow, while the prisoners were locked in their cell they used to talk out of their windows while sticking their neck out. It was a fun hub to write and laughs all the way!! which means darling, or more literally vein or pulse. Someone thats a nuisance. Someone who is driven by anxiousness, waiting for something to occur. This is extremely useful when your In Ireland. The answer key is below. We Irish do have some odd words we use everyday! For example, He had a bag of skittles and three bottles of Coke an hour ago hes been up to high doh ever since. We all went back to Sharons after. A shorter and a fancier way of asking for an Irish local to have a cup of tea with you at your local tea shop is by asking them, Care for a cup of cha? Dryshite. This isn't a word that even exists in many cultures and dialects. Its worth noting that when someone says that theyre grand, they may not necessarily be so. If youre looking for a new way to say I have no idea, try this phrase on for size. Looking for some fun Irish slang words and phrases? That gentleman is a member of the terrorist group called Irish Republican Army On jest terroryst z IRA. It's baltic - commonly heard in winter. Jo Maxi simply means, In Ireland, if you have to use the toilet, you might need to go to the, Whenever somebody feels embarrassed or flustered, some peoples cheeks turn red or. Boyo. For example, The smell off those runners. There are two pronunciations of 'bold', each with a different meaning. I hear things like "deadly", "donkey's years", "fella", "knackered", "we legged it outta there", "mortified", "we went to the pictures" and so on on an almost daily basis, just to name a few. The only people that I know who use these words to describe drunkenness are friends from Drogheda. 9. Now if I can only save enough to go to Ireland so I can test out my nifty new words! Hows she cutting?! Had a good laugh writing and thinking god we speak a lot of rubbish!! Alex Vog/Shutterstock You may recognize this popular blessing (in Irish Gaelic: Go n-ir an bthar leat) from Catholic weddings or on cross-stitched pillows in your nan's house.. One of the main characteristics of Celtic Christianity is the use of images of nature to show how God interacts with people. Cailln maith meaning 'good girl' became a way of refering to your girl friend. I heard theyre. Aye . It was bang on only cost a tenner. A great fun hub, really well put together, great stuff, well done, thanks for sharing, voted up, Lee. Suzanne Ridgeway (author) from Dublin, Ireland on April 24, 2013: LOL . And we're gonna teach you some English slang. Today, the term is commonly used for hidden bars that provide good music and a variety of drinks. Ill drop it over later. For example, Martinas youngwan was in working with us for a few days last week.. Deadly doesnt mean dangerous and Class isnt always used to describe a lesson. But sometimes, the slang word is a reused word with a new meaning. I'll have to re-read this to get the full effect of all the phrases! And now, it is an official slang in the modern Irish scenes. That young lad was in here last night acting the maggot. Suzanne Ridgeway (author) from Dublin, Ireland on June 22, 2012: Cheers chef-de-jour! Be sure not to let anyone tell you that youre a dosser on your trip. Haven't got a baldy no . Way back, uncut liquor and alcoholic beverages were sold in Ireland in unlicensed bars and clubs in Ireland. If you're easily offended, you may want to click the little 'x' now you dope . I was chatting to a friend from London recently over pints about the Irish phrases and slang words that he couldnt get his head around when he first moved to Ireland. Slagging means to make fun of. A lot of uses, most popular are: reply to how are you, how are you feeling, being told of a decision, We will meet you there - " Grand "; Dinner will be 10 minutes - " Grand ", I had a quick kip before dinner; It was a real kip of a hotel, Three meanings: to rain hard, to make an attempt at something or to go out drinking, It was lashing out of the heavens, Give it a lash or Let's go on the lash Saturday, I was mortified when I realised my mistake, Very difficult or to really want to do something, Finding a taxi was murder, I could murder a Guinness. My father has a brogue Yorkshire accent that he couldnt seem to get rid of; despite his three-decade stay in London, he sounds like a native York. For example, Shane, hows the form?! Havent seen you in about ten years. Shes flutered. Born in New Ross, County Wexford but we most commonly used the word craic. Thanks for dropping by and commenting. For example, I got tickets to the Aslan gig. E nglish is the de facto national language of Britain, but that doesn't mean you'll take to the vernacular like a duck to water. Interesting on it being close to Essex slang, that's a new one . livingabroad from Wales, UK on June 19, 2012: What about "to be sure, to be sure"? This is another one for describing someone thats stupid. Ill never forget my stay in Ireland. Then again I live in Massachusetts, and it sometimes seems we have as many Irish people as Ireland does :) Certainly interesting - esepcially how some of these phrases we also use, but for entirely different purpose. This is a well-written, fun hub. For example, busted can mean "broken" or "ugly," sick can mean "ill" or "very cool," and hip can mean "trendy" or "fashionably un-trendy.". Black stuff. A cute hoor is used to describe someone thats relatively crafty and thats able to mould a situation to benefit themself. To the Cockney, the phrase "steps and stairs" describes the idea of gradation. Pronounced as ki-togue, it is an Irish slang that usually refers to a left-handed person. Suzanne Ridgeway (author) from Dublin, Ireland on June 24, 2012: Delighted it gave laughter to start the day, billybuc!! For example, Eh, is that Karen up on that table? Shes on her 17th vodka. lol Glad you enjoyed! It is also used as Irish slang meaning "throw" (e.g. Glad you found it interesting and came upon words you recognised. In Ireland, many of us use slang words so often that we forget theyre actually slang, for example, Thanks a million makes absolutely zero sense to non-Irish people (or so my non-Irish friends tell me!). For example, Sure look, what can ye do?!. Scundered/scunnered - different meanings depending on your location. The only way you got those types of correspondences was to get them from the post office which would normally be in your local shop (in rural areas anyway). Mike Licht NotionsCapital.com,CC-BY-2.0, via flickr. .OMG, how did that one escape me? 10. For example, Shes an awful gobshite. Topper; He's a topper = A term of praise usually reserved for the young; He's a great lad. On your trip to a nearby pub in Ireland, you might hear most young Irishmen refer to their fathers as their gaffer. May the blessings of St. Patrick behold you. Conservation. Appreciate your votes and sharing!! Care for a cup of cha? Hi, Im Christine a full-time traveler and career woman. Ive no idea, but its a bit of Irish slang that Ive heard all my life. Define neck. Know more? A good destination for your Irish escapade. Dad, weve only climbed less than a hundred feet. For example, Dye see yer wan over there with the red hat? 19. HubPages is a registered trademark of The Arena Platform, Inc. Other product and company names shown may be trademarks of their respective owners. It could also denote a place where cheap entertainment can be availed. From words emerging from the Irish language via Hiberno-English classics to unexpected words coined by . A nasty ciotog he was, and a great painter, but filled with greed and self-loathing. Appreciate your voting :-). This is another Irish expression for describing kissing. For example, Ah, nice one! said Karen, as she took the bag of chips from Kate. Im a pure irish woman, born and raised ,im surprised ,ive heard all of these but the most common ive heard are ,acting the maggot ,craic, ejit ,black stuff ,eff off ,feck off, and lots more . Locked. For example, That lad keeps on texting me. Craic generallymeans fun but, as is the case with many bits of Irish slang, theres multiple ways of using it. It might sound derogatory to some, or might be a term of endearment for others. An Irish blessing - "May the road rise to meet you." From the Gaelic "Go n-iri an bthar leat," which means "may success be with you". Youre looking well!, For example, Ah, Kayla. It stems from the English noun grudgeand as you can hear from Irish conversations, the persons who use this term usually hold a grudge towards the persons they are referring to, or, they just simply are complaining about their rough situation in life. Bang on is generally used as a response and is another bit of Irish slang for good. For example,Their kitchen is manky. For example, Ah man, my heads in bits. meaning beak, gob often refers to as mouth in English. To keep it going, and to make this guide as helpful as possible, Im going to offer myself as an Irish slang translator. To Eat the head off of someone means to get very angry at them. Here are 20 Northern Irish phrases and what they mean in plain English. A version of this story ran in 2019; it has been updated for 2023. Interesting! For example "Susie's phone got nicked at the party!" meaning Susie's phone was stolen at the party. According to Irish Central, the craic was 90 signifies the nirvana of craic, though it can also be used sarcastically when something that was supposed to be a good time ends up being the opposite.