Word of warning: Poke can also be used as slang for sexual intercourse, so be careful how you use it. Watch our web stories here. The Irish words or rather things (tings) the northern Irish say are to a large degree based on the plantation of Ulster, in other words, the Scots who moved to Northern Ireland. Thon — alternative to “the” or “those” Northern Ireland. Belfast phrases, sayings and slang used in Northern Ireland capital. It was originally cut by most Irish farmers and used as fuel (an early form of coal). Earwigging; Amusing; You had drunk too much alcohol © 2012 Suzanne Ridgeway. Nana??!! This is Northern Irish slang for a £20 note. The Irish are known for their great sense of humour. Sometimes spoken as “YeeeeOOooo” for extra emphasis, This phrase doesn’t strictly have a solid meaning pregnant!” This means someone is extremely excited about something. (The Lagan is the river that runs through Belfast. Gobdaw. one of the locals in no time, so you will. If someone says, "That's tara," and they sound glum, it's … From Belfast central to the outer edges regional accents and sayings do differ a lot. What it normally means: A girl's name. These Irish swear words are used in both the north and south and I didn’t even include some of the worst Irish swear words – trust me they can get very explicit. It reminds me of watching British TV shows in Canada with subtitles. The A to Z of Northern slang. What it means in Northern Ireland: Either good or bad. Irish slang phrases from the south are a little bit different but there are many that cross over regardless of where you come from. “That wee man hoaks through the bins. ‘Your man that I bought the car off is a serious Gombeen. Craic is another not so much Irish slang word as a Gaelic word that is used both North and South for finding the good times. “She’s up to high doh since she found out she’s Amusing; Petrol; Strange; If I told you that you were langers last night, what would I mean? : Do you think I was born yesterday? Irish slang and Irish expressions differ depending on where you are in the country be it the North or the South. Every area in Ireland has its own unique sayings and Frig(in’), Feck(in’), Flip(in’) All taken from the word fuck.Bloody. Northern Irish Slang In Use! fine city. Craic: popular throughout Ireland – where’s the craic, as in where’s the fun at. We focus on travel in Europe & our new home base Ireland. But never fear! A Cool List of Common Irish Slang Terms and their Meanings. Norn Iron: Slang/dialect. Although generally meaning “small,” it is also used as a term of endearment; for example, “wee love” or “wee pet.”. You had eaten too many Pies; You were singing non-stop; You had drunk too much alcohol; Answer Key. 20 Words and Phrases to know when heading north. If you’re described as parful, take it as a very high compliment. Northern Ireland is known for many things; Giant’s Causeway, Titanic, Seamus Heaney and of course political and religious tension. I have read and accepted the Privacy Policy *. It represents a pronunciation of wild, probably influenced by earlier Scots use of wile as an alteration of vile. Begrudgery. Craic. In Irish Slang, what does Gas mean? The most comprehensive online dictionary of Irish Slang. I’ll run ye over: Means to give the person being spoken to a ride somewhere. From deliberate mispronunciation of 'antique' (Liverpool) We highlight the most inspiring experiences Ireland has to offer. No, not a word for bathroom activities. She nearly died laughing, Your email address will not be published. Irish swear words are remarkably inventive and I have been constantly surprised by the fact that it doesn’t matter how old you are or how young the Irish can swear like troopers. The Irish pretty much shorten everything so here they say up North or they say down South to make their lives easier. Away on! Developed "straight from the horse's mouth". A very silly person. Sometimes spoken as “YeeeeOOooo” for extra emphasis, this is generally an expression of … “I didn't nuck your milk” O is for... Offie: Off Licence. “I have to go a buy new kex for my honeymoon”, Hoak: Rummage. – usually used to bring someone back down to earth. Zachowywać się jak idiota, To jump up and down insanely for a short period (usually at a football match or in a crowd near a stadium Laney Lenox December 12, 2019. When I was a young teen, in response to something I said, she responded: May your rear exit close up an fester, May it break out under your arm and may you have to take off your shirt to relieve yourself. : used to express disbelief as in you’re kidding me? this is generally an expression of excitement in response to a much loved song, Kick the shit out of him.Fucked off. “Northern Ireland,” but spoken by someone with a wonderfully strong Belfast accent. “you are right.”. In this article, I highlight some common (for the Irish), but uncommon (for the visitors) Irish slang words as in put the kettle on and we’ll have a wee cup of tea. Dander: to go out for a dander is to go for a walk. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. I love visiting Ireland just for the banter you have with the locals in the pub and all around the place. “That oul-doll looks like your Ma” Oul-Lad: Old Man. Probably the most common word that is used in Northern Ireland – rather like the Canadians are supposed to say eh! If you are courtin’ someone, it means you are dating or difficult to believe. Tadhg was once so common as an Irish name that it became synonymous with the typical person, with phrases like s Tadhg an mhargaidh ("Tadhg of the market") akin to " the man on the Clapham omnibus " or " average Joe ". Often used when discussing motor vehicles. Belfast phrases, sayings and slang used in Northern Ireland capital. “I went for a wee dander Wait till I tell ye: Said by someone who has some interesting gossip or a story to tell you. Wee from the Ulster-Scots a word used to describe anything and everything. Wrong-way round.Come on to fuck. unnecessary words to a conversation is rarely clearer than with this common Skip to navigation [n] If you know of any Irish slang phrases I may have missed let me know – I do like to keep up to date on these things….lol.. My nana was born in Cloghane, county Kerry in the 1890’s. “That man has a massive neb”, No Bother: “That’s no trouble whatsoever”, Ready for the hills: Harassed, under pressure, Sh*te the tights: Someone of a nervous disposition, Slippers: Trainers e.g. incessantly, as many Belfast locals like to do about the weather. Yeo. At least not in the same way. Heads up! When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Scundered: means you are embarrassed for yourself or for someone else, Ragin: really angry and spouting off about things that made you angry. Rounds —  works in both the North and South and the UK the act of a group of people buying rounds of drinks. Craic is another not so much Irish slang word as a Gaelic word that is used both North and South for finding the good times. As in, “that fella is dead on.” The phrase is used to Wee. Northern Irish Slang. To “gurn” is to complain or moan about something Taig in the context of the Troubles in Northern Ireland is used by Protestant loyalists to refer to Catholic nationalists. common ones to help you navigate the unique local dialect. We are “mature travellers”. an expression of frustration at someone. Belfast slang is different from country slang and certain words are unintelligable if you go a few miles down the road. While visitors to the city are welcome to adopt it, this one really does work best when spoken in a broad Belfast accent. Pissed as a fartPure lockedRubberedBolloxedHammeredMonkeyedBlitzedPissedPole-axedSteamin’Full CutHalf CutBlooteredPlasteredRat-arsedShit facedParalleticFuckedMangledLangeredLeglessparalyticLashed. It is used to describe everything, although it is meant … Jamie Dornan breaks down some of the most famous slang terms from his home country of Northern Ireland. phrases, but you will hear so many slang words when you visit Belfast that you Well aye. These words and phrases are usually incomprehensible to those outside of the bubble that is Northern Ireland. This can be said jovially or as “Ach go on.”, “Ach you know?”, Catch yourself on! As in, “The car is banjaxed after the accident.” Generally But don’t worry, with the help of this guide you’ll be talking like Belfasttelegraph. Perhaps the most frequently used phrase by Belfast locals, “wee” can be used before almost any word you can think of. This is another one for describing someone that’s stupid. Poke: (Ice-cream, usually a soft serve from an ice cream van. From the North to the ROI Irish slang can go over your head in an instant and you stand there with no clue as to what is being talked about. Stupid. may be left wondering, is this even English? This is generally said as a confirmation of what another has said, meaning In Northern Ireland we have some amazing words and phrases that are immediatly recognisable depending on where you live. 64 slang words and phrases you will only understand if you're from the north 1) Antwacky - old-fashioned, no longer in style. Grand: means good and is used up North and down South. Irish slang is hard to understand at the best of times and some of the slang from the city of Derry is completely unique. Required fields are marked *. Offie: Off Licence where you can buy beer and liquor, Catch yourself on! Top 80 Irish Slang Words - The Gift Of The Gab Comments Speaking of potatoes, although “spuds” is a common term in both Ireland and elsewhere, “poppy” is not. Growing up in Northern Ireland, we always had our own slang. Exploring St. Canice’s Cathedral in Kilkenny, Perfect traditional Irish cottages for your holiday, Dunluce Castle a romantic ruin in Northern Ireland, The Kilkee Cliffs Ireland’s hidden secret, Where to eat in Dublin | from Vegan to Michelin for foodies. Penlighten gives a list of Irish slang words as well as phrases that are commonly used in Ireland. Or perhaps it’s best to not use this one at all… Poppy. Northern Ireland is not generally known for its warm weather, so you’ll often hear this phrase being used to illustrate just how cold a person is. them. other than to add extra weight to the phrase said before it; for example, “It’s Irish slang is a language all to its own. When in agreement with someone, we will often bring out the phrase “well aye”. Do you think I came up the Lagan in a bubble? It can also refer to ow do I see all the Game of Thrones Film Sites in Ireland? 21 words and phrases you will only hear in Northern Ireland (aka Norn Iron) Tourists often struggle with the local lingo and wonder what on earth we are talking about, and arguably for good reason Incidentally, it can be said to any individual, not Here’s your guide to Irish slang phrases. While studying toward a Master's in English Literary Studies at Queen's University Belfast, he held the role of Features Editor for The Gown, Belfast's largest independent student newspaper. Many first-time visitors to the capital of Northern Ireland have expressed confusion when they hear seemingly needless words like “so it is” added on to the end of most sentences. However, there is one thing that goes unnoticed and ignites a lot of confusion when people first cross the border, which is Northern Ireland or ‘Norn Iron’, lingo. The … The first thing to learn about Northern Ireland is that up here it’s called “Norn Ireland” or at least that it is what it sounds like. around town.”. The Irish use a variety of slang terms, which can be very difficult to understand for someone who is not from the country. Penis.He/She doesn’t know his arse from his elbow. 49 words Irish people use to say the word drunk Four pretty girl celebrating something outdoors - Women opening and sprinkling a white wine bottle - Group of friends having fun, frontal flash added to give realism to the photo Irish idioms like “Jesus, Mary and Joseph” or “hand us the wooden spoon” are terms most of us Irish have heard at some point in their lives. As an Airbnb Associate, I may earn a small commission through the Airbnb links on this site.You can read my privacy policy here. Privacy Policy, Disclosure & GDPR Compliance. Baltic in here, so it is.” You’ll be hard-pressed to visit Belfast for any Informal Northern Irish adjective of late 19th century origin, meaning very or wild. you to wrap your head around some of the slang phrases you’ll hear around this Example 1: Those chocolates were parful! Huh? We respect your privacy and take protecting it seriously, How to plan a trip to Ireland (in 9 steps), Irish boy names that nobody can pronounce. One thing you will notice as a visitor to Ireland is that the Irish swear and they don’t hold back on their swearing. We have rounded up some of the more Here are 20 mad Example 2: She’s parful looking. While often confusing for non-locals, this phrase simply means “What?” or “Pardon?”. For Irish travel and history catch yourself on a confirmation of what another has said, meaning “ are. 20 words and phrases that only make sense to locals of being unusable,... 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