Northern Irish slang is known for its witty sayings and unique accent that’s replicated around the world. Whether you’re in the bustling streets of Belfast or the scenic countryside, you’ll hear these phrases bringing everyday conversation to life.
Northern Irish slang might sound a little fast and full of energy, but once you catch on, it’s packed with character and charm.
Ready to get the hang of some Northern Irish lingo? Let’s dive into the slang terms that you’ll hear in the land of Giants!
SlangHub’s Top Picks
At SlangHub, we’ve carefully chosen our favourite Northern Irish slang terms that are not only fun to say but also show off the local culture. Here are our top 10 picks:
Wee – Small or little, used all the time.
“I’ll have a wee cup of tea, thanks.”
What’s the craic? – What’s happening or how are you?
“What’s the craic, anything exciting?”
Banjaxed – Broken or ruined.
“My phone’s banjaxed, it won’t turn on.”
Scundered – Embarrassed or fed up.
“I’m scundered after that fall.”
Dead on – Okay or fine.
“Aye, he’s dead on, no worries.”
Steamin’ – Very drunk.
“We were steamin’ after the match.”
Foundered – Very cold.
“I’m foundered, it’s freezing out there!”
Jammie – Lucky.
“He’s so jammie, winning that prize!”
Head melter – Someone or something that’s really annoying.
“That customer is a pure head melter.”
Aye – Yes, commonly used.
“Aye, I’ll do it in a minute.”
Other Popular Northern Irish Slang Terms
Aff yer head – Acting crazy.
“Are you aff yer head, climbing up there?”
Bout ye – How are you?
“Bout ye, mate, how’s things?”
Buck eejit – A complete fool.
“He’s acting like a buck eejit.”
Cat – Terrible or awful.
“That weather’s pure cat today.”
Clatty – Dirty or unclean.
“Your shoes are clatty after that walk.”
Catch yourself on – Get real or stop being silly.
“Catch yourself on, you can’t be serious!”
Craic – Fun or good conversation.
“We had some good craic at the party.”
Dander – A walk or stroll.
“Fancy going for a wee dander?”
Diddies – Breasts.
“She’s always talking about her new dress showing off her diddies.”
Dosser – A lazy person.
“He’s a dosser, never does any work.”
Eejiot – A fool or idiot.
“You’re being a right eejiot.”
Full whack – At full speed or all out.
“He’s going full whack down the motorway!”
Gutties – Trainers.
“Grab your gutties, we’re going out for a run.”
Hallion – A rowdy or disruptive person.
“He’s a bit of a hallion after a few drinks.”
Houl yer whisht – Be quiet.
“Houl yer whisht, I’m trying to listen!”
Juke – To take a quick look.
“Take a juke at that!”
Lamping – Hitting someone.
“He was lamping the ball across the pitch.”
Melter – A really annoying person.
“Stop being such a melter, mate.”
Norn Iron – The way someone from Northern Ireland says it.
“Proud to be from Norn Iron!”
Nippy – Annoying or irritable.
“She’s a bit nippy today.”
Och aye – Oh yes.
“Och aye, I know what you mean.”
Peelers – The police.
“Watch out, the peelers are about.”
Raging – Really angry.
“I’m raging after that decision.”
Scundered – Embarrassed or ashamed.
“I’m scundered after spilling my drink.”
Snat – To steal.
“He snatted my phone from the table.”
Stickin’ out like a sore thumb – Standing out in an obvious or awkward way.
“You’ll be stickin’ out like a sore thumb in that outfit!”
Sound – Great, cool, or okay.
“That plan sounds dead on to me.”
Spide – Someone with a tough, edgy appearance.
“That group over there are all spides.”
Tayto – Potato crisps (chips).
“Grab us a pack of Tayto from the shop.”
Tight – Stingy or cheap.
“He’s tight, never buys a round!”
Wean – A child.
“The weans are off school today.”
Wile – Really bad or terrible.
“That storm was wile last night!”
Yarn – A chat or a story.
“Let’s have a yarn over a pint.”
Boke – To vomit or feel sick.
“That smell is making me want to boke.”
Beastin’ – Feeling extremely tired or worn out.
“I’m beastin’ after that gym session.”
Boggin’ – Dirty or gross.
“These shoes are boggin’ after that hike.”
Wrecked – Exhausted.
“I’m wrecked after that long day.”
Ballix – Nonsense or rubbish.
“That’s pure ballix, don’t believe a word of it.”
Baytin’ – Beaten up or bruised.
“He got baytin’ after that fight.”
Big lad – A term of endearment for a male friend.
“Alright, big lad, how’s things?”
Blather – To talk at length about something unimportant.
“You’re always blathering on about nothing!”
Bog – The bathroom.
“I’m off to the bog, be back in a minute.”
Buckled – Bent out of shape or in fits of laughter.
“I was buckled laughing at that joke.”
Cracker – Fantastic or great.
“That gig was an absolute cracker!”
Culchie – A country person.
“He’s a proper culchie from the sticks.”
Dead on – Fine or okay.
“Aye, he’s dead on, no worries there.”
Dig in – To start eating.
“Dig in, the food’s ready!”
Feck – A softer version of a swear word, like ‘damn’.
“What the feck is going on here?”
Fiver – Five pounds (£5).
“Can you lend us a fiver till tomorrow?”
Get her bucked – Go for it or get it done.
“Let’s get her bucked, we’ve got loads to do!”
Hammered – Extremely drunk.
“We got hammered at the pub last night.”
Hinchy – Feeling embarrassed or awkward.
“I felt hinchy when I spilled my drink.”
Jook – To run away quickly.
“We had to jook when the teacher came round the corner.”
Lifted – Arrested.
“He got lifted for causing a scene.”
Mad as a bag of frogs – Completely crazy.
“She’s mad as a bag of frogs, that one.”
Millies – A derogatory term for someone who acts rough or uncouth.
“That lot are pure millies.”
Muckers – Close friends.
“Me and the muckers are heading out later.”
Napper – Head. “
Watch your napper on that low ceiling.”
On the rip – Going out drinking.
“We’re on the rip tonight!”
Poke – An ice cream cone.
“I’ll have a 99 poke, please.”
Riddy – Embarrassment.
“That was a pure riddy, tripping up like that.”
Savage – Really good or impressive.
“That meal was savage!”
Scarpered – Ran away quickly.
“We scarpered as soon as the police showed up.”
Scundered – Extremely embarrassed.
“I was scundered after falling in front of everyone.”
Shift – To kiss someone.
“Did you see them shift at the party?”
Shuck – To chuck something.
“Just shuck it in the bin.”
Shut your bake – Be quiet.
“Shut your bake, I’m trying to listen.”
Snookered – In a tricky situation.
“I’m snookered with this assignment, no clue where to start.”
Sparra – A sparrow, often referring to a small person.
“He’s like a wee sparra, isn’t he?”
Steamin’ – Very drunk.
“We were all steamin’ by the end of the night.”
Take a notion – Have a sudden urge or idea.
“I took a notion to bake a cake.”
Tay – Tea.
“I’ll have a wee cup of tay, thanks.”
Tool – A fool or idiot.
“He’s such a tool, always messing things up.”
Up to high doh – Stressed or overly anxious.
“She’s up to high doh about the exam.”
Waffle – Talking nonsense.
“He’s waffling on about nothing again.”
Wain – A child.
“The wain’s asleep, finally!”
Wind yer neck in – Calm down or stop being so aggressive.
Northern Irish slang is known for its witty sayings and unique accent that’s replicated around the world. Whether you’re in the bustling streets of Belfast or the scenic countryside, you’ll hear these phrases bringing everyday conversation to life.
Northern Irish slang might sound a little fast and full of energy, but once you catch on, it’s packed with character and charm.
Ready to get the hang of some Northern Irish lingo? Let’s dive into the slang terms that you’ll hear in the land of Giants!
