POV: You’ve arrived in the UK and can’t understand what anyone’s saying. Cracking the code to British slang can be confusing – especially with different rules for each region.
Even a simple bread roll has 20 name variations around the UK, including: roll, bap, bun, barm, teacake and cob. Don’t panic! From London to Scotland, YourTRIBE’s student guide is here to decipher common UK slang and get you up to speed.
The Queen’s English
Slang isn’t just modern-day dialect. It dates back to the 1900s. The Queen’s English, the classic British accent everyone knows (think Downtown Abbey), was taught to the upper and middle classes. Today, it’s predominantly spoken in London and Southern England. Common slang words include:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Bloke / Chap | A man | Who is that bloke/chap you were talking to? |
| Bloody | An intensifier (used for emphasis) | What a bloody awful day. |
| Cheers | Thank you or goodbye | Cheers! |
| Chuffed | Pleased or delighted | She was chuffed with her present. |
| Gutted | Very disappointed | I was gutted that I didn’t get the job. |
| Knackered | Very tired or exhausted | I’m knackered from working all day. |
| Mate | Friend or companion | Hey, mate! |
| Quid | £ (GBP) | It cost 5 quid. |
Cockney (East End of London)
While the upper and middle class spoke in The Queen’s English, the working-class Londoners created their own. The Cockney accent was born to create a coded language among the working class communities, using rhyming phrases to replace words. Common slang includes:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Adam and Eve | Believe | I don’t Adam and Eve this! |
| Apples and pears | Stairs | Mind the apples and pears as you go up. |
| Barnet Fair | Hair | I need to cut my Barnet Fair. |
| Butcher’s hook | Look | Take a butcher’s hook at this view. |
| Dog and bone | Phone | Ring me on the dog and bone. |
| Frog and toad | Road | Meet me at the end of the frog and toad. |
| Plates of meat | Feet | My plates of meat are killing me. |
| Ruby Murray | Curry | Fancy a Ruby Murray tonight? |
| Trouble and strife | Wife | I’ll need to ask the trouble and strife. |
London (modern day)
While traditional Cockney slang still exists, the modern world has evolved and shaped London’s slang. Slang from different cultures and influences worldwide spread quickly throughout London communities. Common slang includes:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Bants/Banter | Playful/witty conversation or teasing | She’s got great bants. |
| Chuffed | Delighted or pleased | I’m chuffed with that. |
| Geezer | Man (used affectionately or sarcastically) | Alright, geezer? |
| Gutted | Disappointed or upset | He’s absolutely gutted. |
| Innit | Short for “isn’t it” (used to seek agreement or confirmation) | It’s a nice day, innit? |
| Mandem | A group of friends, usually boys | I’m off to see the mandem. |
| Mugged off | Treated badly or unfairly | You mugged me off! |
| Peng | Something or someone attractive or appealing | That’s peng! |
Geordie (Newcastle upon Tyne and Tyneside)
Arguably one of the hardest dialects to understand (even for some Brits) is Geordie. A concoction of slang, their distinct accent and pronunciation can be confusing. If you’ve seen the reality show Geordie Shore, then you’ve probably heard most of these slang terms:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Belta | Great or fantastic | The concert was a belta! |
| Canny | Good, nice or pleasant | The sunset is canny tonight. |
| Clamming | Hungry | Am (I’m) clamming. |
| Deek | Look | Giz a deek = Can I have a look? |
| Fettle | Foul mood | Are ye (you) in a fettle? |
| Gan doon | Go down | We’re gan doon the pub. |
| Haddaway | You’re joking or get away | A: The test is tomorrow. B: Haddaway, man! |
| Howay | Come on or hurry up | Howay, man! We’re going to be late. |
| Pet | Term of endearment | How are ye, pet? |
| Radgie | Aggressive person | Watch out for that radgie! |
| Wey aye | Yes, of course | Wey aye, man! I’m going out tonight. |
| Wor lass | My girlfriend | Wor lass is visiting this weekend. |
Scouse (Liverpool)
One of the most distinctive accents in the UK is Scouse (think The Beatles). Scousers often speak very fast, blending words together and dropping consonants. Common slang includes:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Bevvy | Alcoholic drink | Fancy a bevvy tonight? |
| Blag | To deceive or trick | I blagged my way through the test. |
| Boss | Excellent or great | Those shoes are boss! |
| Boss tha | You’re the best | Thanks, you’re boss tha. |
| Our kid | A close friend or younger sibling | I took our kid to the match. |
| Scran | Food | Let’s order some scran. |
| Sound | Good or okay | Everything’s sound. |
Mancunian (Manchester)
The city’s proud working-class heritage heavily influences Mancunian, or “Manc”, slang. Greetings are informal, responses are direct and there’s a lot of dry humour. Common slang includes:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Alright?/
You alright? |
Hello (rhetorical question) | A: Alright? B: Hi, you alright? |
| Angin | Disgusting | That’s angin! |
| Bobbins | Rubbish | You’re talking bobbins. |
| Brew | Cup of tea/coffee | Fancy a brew? |
| Butty | Sandwich | I’ve got a butty for dinner (lunch). |
| Buzzing | Excited | I’m buzzing for the weekend. |
| Dead/Well | Very | The concert was dead/well good. |
| Mint/sound | Very good | That’s mint/sound. |
| Nowt | Nothing | There’s nowt better than this. |
| Our kid | Term of affection | It’s arr (our) kid’s birthday tomorrow. |
Welsh (Wales)
From the valleys to the cities, Welsh slang reflects the down-to-earth personalities of the people with vivid, candid expressions. Common slang includes:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Bladdered | Drunk | I was bladdered last night. |
| Butty | Friend | Alright, butty? |
| Chopsy | Talkative or argumentative | Don’t get chopsy with me! |
| Cwtch | A cuddle or hug | Let’s have a cwtch. |
| Lush | Delicious or attractive | This chocolate is lush. |
| Minging | Disgusting or unattractive | That smells minging! |
| Tamping | Angry or furious | I’m absolutely tamping! |
| Tidy | Good, nice or satisfactory | They look tidy. |
| Ych-a-fi | Expression of digust | Ych-a-fi, that tastes horrible! |
Scottish (Scotland)
Rooted in ancient dialects, Scottish slang changes with the region. There are 5 main varieties: Insular Scots, Northern Scots, Central Scots, Southern Scots and Ulster Scots. Common slang includes:
| Slang word | Meaning | Example sentence |
| Bairn | Baby or child | The bairn is crying. |
| Boak | To be physically sick | That smell is making me boak. |
| Bonnie | Pretty or beautiful | She’s bonnie. |
| Dreich | Gloomy or bleak weather | It’s a dreich day. |
| Glaikit | Stupid or foolish | Don’t be glaikit. |
| Greetin’ | Crying or whining | He’s been greetin’. |
| Ken | Know | A ken what yer (you’re) sayin’. |
| Nae bother | No problem or you’re welcome | A: Thank you. B: Nae bother. |
| Scooby | Clue or idea | I haven’t got a scooby. |
| Wee | Small or little | I’ll have a wee slice. |
Popular slang
Finally, let’s dive into some of the most popular and quirky slang terms used across the UK today:
| Bagsy | To claim or reserve | Bagsy the front seat! |
| Bollocks | Nonsense or rubbish | That’s a load of bollocks. |
| Bonkers | Wild or crazy | You must be bonkers! |
| Faff | Wasting time | Stop faffing around. |
| Kerfuffle | A commotion or fuss | She caused a kerfuffle. |
| Loo | Bathroom or toilet | Where is the loo, please? |
| Minted | Rich or wealthy | They must be minted! |
| Muppet | Fool or idiot | You’re such a muppet. |
| Snazzy | Stylish or impressive | Your new bag is snazzy. |
| Skint | Broke or without money | I’m skint until payday. |
| Snog | To passionately kiss | They were snogging. |
There you have it, your guide to UK slang. With such rich diversity across the UK, a little slang can help you fit in like a local and create lasting relationships.
Learn a few phrases for wherever your travels take you, or master your local slang. Remember, slang flows naturally with the conversation and context – you don’t need to overdo it with lots of phrases in a short period.
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