June 14, 2019 — bpnaughton

Swear Like a Local: Ireland

So, you want to learn how to curse like an Irishman, do you? Well you’re in luck, ya jammy bastard. Because one of the first things you’ll notice in Ireland is that everyone swears. All the time. From little babies asking for their “fooking bottles” to old women shouting “I will in me hole!” when asked if they’ll give up their seat on a bus.

So here’s a brief guide to help you (kind of) understand all of the Irish slang and curse words people are using.

SIDE NOTE: Despite being a tiny island, Ireland has a broad range of very distinct accents. In most accents, though, “your” is pronounced “yer”, “my” is “me”, and “arrah” often appears at the beginning of a sentence. “Arrah” is an interjection that’s roughly equivalent of “Listen to what I’m about to say…” “or “In all seriousness….” It’s used as a lead-in to an idea or statement in Irish slang. For example,

“Arrah, he was a right eejit, sure he was”

or

“You have to leave now? Arrah, sit down there and have a cuppa.”

Neutral words and phrases

Banjax

A complete and total mess.

“He made a banjax of that presentation.”

Class

Great, cool, really good

“Do you like me new car? Class!”

C’mere til I tell you

Get closer and I’ll tell you some gossip.

“Where’s John, you ask? C’mere til I tell you. He’s under arrest.”

Craic

(Pronounced “crack”) – fun, entertainment.

“How’s the craic in Dublin on weekends?”

A cuppa

A cup of tea. (This is THE most common question you’ll hear when visiting Irish people in their homes.)

“Would you like a cuppa?”

D’yaknowwhatImeanlike?

Understand? Get it?

“It was a great day, but not the same without you there. D’yaknowwhatImeanlike?”

Gas

Funny.

“He told us a gas story about growing up in Dublin’s suburbs.”

Grand

Terrific, great.

“How was your holiday?” “Grand. Grand. It was grand.”

G’way outta that

No way! or Go away and stop annoying me!

“He won a million euro in the Lottery.” “G’way outta that. He couldn’t have been that lucky.”

OR

“Can I borrow 10 euros?” “G’way outta that or I’ll kick you in the arse.”

Knackered

Exhausted, tired out

“Sean was so knackered after the gym, he didn’t make it to the pub.”

Messages

Groceries

“I’m on me way out to get the messages.”

Right

Total or complete.

“You’re a right eejit, sure you are.” (You’re a total idiot, I swear to God.)

Sure

This is used very frequently by just about everyone. Most of the time it means “truly.” Sometimes it means, “Hang on a second….”

“Arrah, Paddy’s a great man, sure he is.”

“Sure what’re you saying? Paddy’s a right eejit.”

Yer man

The guy I’m talking about in my story or the guy I’m not mentioning by name in my story.

“She broke up with Paddy and the next thing you know, yer man steals her car.”

“I like everyone here except yer man over there by the bar.”

Yoke

A thingamabob, a doohickey.

“Pass me one of dem yokes there on the counter.”

Less polite words and phrases

Act the maggot

To behave badly or in a totally unacceptable manner, usually in public.

“Me son got suspended for acting the maggot at school.”

Arseways

Badly, in the wrong way.

“His plan went arseways when the copper showed up early.”

Ask me arse

In your dreams, forget about it.

“You want me to loan you 100 euro? Ask me arse.”

Brickin’ it

Someone who’s so nervous, they’re crapping their pants.

Culchie/bogger

Someone from way out in the country or the boglands. This is an insulting term, similar to calling someone a “hillbilly” in the US.

Dry shite

Party pooper

Eejit

Idiot. This is one of the most common minor insults used in Ireland. You’ll hear it all the time, everywhere.

Effin’ and blindin’

Swearing and cursing

Erection section

A series of slow songs played one after another at a dance

Fanny

A woman’s private parts. Which is why the Irish and English are always appalled when Americans talk about taking things out of their fanny packs.

Feck

A weaker version of “the F-word.” Like the word “eegit,” “feck” is used by everyone all the time.

“Where’re my fecking car keys?”

Fook

The Irish pronunciation of the F-word. Stronger than “feck” and used almost exactly like it is in American English.

Gobshite

Fool, idiot, stupid person

“That haircut makes him look like a right gobshite.”

Hoor

The Irish pronunciation of “whore.” It’s a common insult, but is normally said in jest as a way to tease someone or get a rise out of them.

“Get up and get me breakfast, ya lazy hoor.”

Note that cute hoor means something entirely different and not at all sexual. It refers to a young man who’s either a loveable rogue or a scheming con man, depending on context.

I will in me hole

Fat chance, no “F-ing” way.

“You want me to drive you to the aeroport at 5 a.m.? I will in me hole.”

The jacks

The toilet

Jackeen

A Dubliner. This is said as an insult, slightly stronger than the term “city-slicker” in American English. Opposite of a culchie.

Jammy bastard

Lucky guy

Jaysus

The Irish pronunciation of “Jesus.” It’s used to indicate total exasperation with a person or situation.

“Jaysus, Mary, will you c’mon. The bus is leaving in five minutes.”

Manky

Gross, disgusting

Muppet

Idiot (slightly harsher than gobshite).

“You’re a right bloody muppet, sure you are.”

Póg mo thóin (pronounced “pogue ma hone”)

Kiss my ass. The Irish band The Pogues gets their name from this phrase.

A ride

Sex. If you’re a woman needing to get across town, never ask an Irishman for a ride. Ask for a lift instead.

Scuttered

Often pronounced “scuthered”. It means drunk.

Shifting

Kissing with tongue (french kissing)

Specky four-eyes

A childish taunt directed at anyone who wears glasses.

Take the piss

To tease someone, usually good-naturedly.

“We were taking the piss outta John, so he got mad and went home.”

Thick

Really stupid.

“Yer man McCarthy is as thick as brick. A true gobshite, so he is.”

Touchin’ cloth

On the verge of literally crapping in one’s pants.

And finally…

“The c-word”

The “c-word” (rhymes with hunt) is used in Irish slang fairly frequently, though almost exclusively by men. That’s because it doesn’t have the strongly vulgar connotation that it does in many other forms of English. In fact, it’s part of a series of common, usually joking insults friends hurl at each other. “Ya schewpid c*** ya” (“You stupid c-word, you”) and and “ya daft c*** ya” (“You idiotic c-word, you”). This might seem shocking, but in fairness, it’s just another word to them.