Top 50 The Irish Words and Phrases used in daily life

The Irish Words and Phrases – When you find yourself in the charming land of Ireland, don’t be surprised if the English spoken sounds like a linguistic dance of its own. While the roots of the language may be English, the Irish have skillfully woven a tapestry of slang phrases that add a distinctive flavor to their daily conversations.

From acting the maggot to throwing shapes, here’s a crash course on the top 50 most-used Irish slang phrases that will have you speaking like a seasoned pro in no time.

• Acting the Maggot

Meaning: An Irish term for fooling and messing around.

Example: Stop acting like the maggot.

• Bad Dose

Meaning: Severe illness.

Example: You got a bad dose of it, didn’t you?

• Bags (to make bags of something)

Meaning: To make a mess of doing something.

Example: He made the right bags of that.

• Bang On

Meaning: Right, accurate, correct.

Example: You are bang on.

• Banjaxed

Meaning: Broken.

Example: The chair is banjaxed.

• Black Stuff

Meaning: Guinness.

Example: A pint of the black stuff, please.

• Boyo

Meaning: Male, juvenile.

Example: Come on, you boy!

• Brutal

Meaning: Awful, dreadful.

Example: It was a brutal tackle.

• Bucketing Down

Meaning: Raining hard.

Example: It is bucketing down.

• Bunk Off

Meaning: Skip (school, work).

Example: Do you want to bunk off tomorrow?

• Chancer

Meaning: A lighthearted Irish insult for someone who takes a risk.

Example: He is a real chancer.

• Chiseler

Meaning: Young child (Dublin slang).

Example: He was a chiseler at the time.

• Ciotóg

Meaning: Left-handed.

Example: I am a Ciotóg and proud.

• Cod/Codding Ya

Meaning: To pull someone’s leg.

Example: I am only codding ya!

• Craic is probably the most famous Irish slang word!

Meaning: Fun, gossip, goings-on. One of the most well-known Irish phrases.

Example: What’s/where’s the craic?

• Deadly

Meaning: Brilliant, fantastic.

Example: That was a deadly film.

• Eat the head off

Meaning: To give out to someone.

Example: Don’t eat the head off me.

• Feck off

Meaning: Go away (polite version).

Example: Feck off, don’t be bothering me.

• Gawk

Meaning: To stare rudely.

Example: Stop gawking.

• Howya

Meaning: Hi, hello.

Example: Howya doin’?

• Knackered

Meaning: Exhausted, tired.

Example: I was completely knackered.

• Locked

Meaning: Very drunk.

Example: He was totally locked at closing time.

• Mortified

Meaning: Highly embarrassed.

Example: I was mortified when I realized my mistake.

• On the tear

Meaning: Going drinking.

Example: We were on the tear last night.

• Pictures

Meaning: Movies, film.

Example: We went to the pictures a week ago.

• Shattered

Meaning: Exhausted.

Example: After driving, I was shattered.

• Slag

Meaning: To make fun of someone in a nice way.

Example: He was only slagging you, don’t worry.

• Thick

Meaning: Extremely stupid.

Example: He is as thick as a plank.

• Trinners

Meaning: Trinity College Dublin.

Example: Did you go to Trinners to do your degree?

• Suckin’ diesel

Meaning: Now you’re talking, doing well.

Example: Now you are suckin’ diesel, my friend!

• The Pale

Meaning: Anywhere in the region of Dublin.

Example: I am living just outside The Pale.

• Scarlet

Meaning: Very embarrassed.

Example: I was scarlet.

• Savage

Meaning: Great, brilliant.

Example: It was a savage contest till the end.

• Rugger Bugger

Meaning: Someone posh, loud, and loves rugby.

Example: He is a rugger bugger for sure.

• Puss (To have a puss on you)

Meaning: Sulky face.

Example: Take that puss off your face.

• Throw shapes

Meaning: Show off, sometimes aggressively.

Example: They were all throwing shapes in the pub.

• Cute hoor

Meaning: A person who quietly engineers things to their advantage.

Example: He is a real cute hoor.

• Delira and extra

Meaning: Delighted and excited (Dublin slang).

Example: Are you delirious and excited about it?

• Donkey’s years

Meaning: For a very, very long time.

Example: They have lived there donkey’s years.

• Dosser

Meaning: Someone not working or messing about.

Example: They are a couple of dossers.

• Effin’ and blindin’

Meaning: Swearing and cursing.

Example: He was effin’ and blindin’ nonstop.

• Fair play!

Meaning: An acceptable response for many things.

Example: Fair play, mate!

• Feck off

Meaning: Go away (polite version) or used to show surprise.

Example: Feck off, don’t be bothering me.

• Fella

Meaning: Partner/husband/boyfriend.

Example: Is your fella going to be there?

• Fine thing

Meaning: Good-looking man or woman.

Example: That guy is a fine thing.

• Floozie

Meaning: Woman of dubious moral attributes.

Example: The place is full of floozies.

• Fluthered

Meaning: Very drunk; too many alcoholic drinks.

Example: I was absolutely flattered last night.

• Gaff

Meaning: Home; having a ‘free gaff’ means you are home alone.

Example: I will pop over to your gaff later.

• Gammy

Meaning: Crooked or odd-looking.

Example: He had a gammy leg.

• Gander

Meaning: Quick glance.

Example: Take a quick gander in here first.

So, next time someone asks, “How’s she cuttin’?” or you find yourself in need of a jo maxi, you’ll be ready to throw shapes with the best of them in the charming land of Ireland.

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