We’re a unique bunch us Irish and we like to put our own mark on things, especially when it comes to language and slang. Yes we do speak English, so we should be able to communicate easily with the other 335 million or so people who also speak English. Yet some people claim when they visit this fair isle that it’s like we’re speaking another language. To be honest there are times when I can’t even understand my fellow Irish man. Yes we speak too fast at times and yes our accent can be strong and difficult to understand depending on what part of the country you’re in (I’ve been slagged for being well-spoken, as a Mayo person who’s well-spoken is a rare breed 😂). But it’s the slang words and phrases we use that flummoxes (puzzles) visitors. So I’ve put together a list of my favourite slang words and phrases to help you on your travels through Ireland.
Craic
Meaning/Context: Pronounced crack and can mean two different things depending on the context.
Example: What’s the craic? (How are you?)
That was great craic! (That was great fun!)
Banjaxed
Meaning: Broken
Example: The car is banjaxed!
Gason
Meaning: Boy
Example: You’re a great gason.
Locked
Meaning: Drunk
Example: I was locked last night!
Whisht
Meaning: Be quiet or shut up!
Example: Whisht will ya!
Quare
Meaning: Very, really or strange; depending on the context.
Example: She’s a quare (strange) one.
That’s quare (very/really) funny lads!
Yoke
Meaning: Thing
Example: Pass me that yoke there!
Cat
Meaning: Bad or awful
Example: The weather is cat.
Sound
Meaning/Context: Decent/dead on/good or can describe how you’re feeling.
Example: He’s sound!
“How are you?” “I’m sound!”
Stop the lights
Meaning/Context: Said in disbelief.
Example: “England lost the rugby match.” “Stop the lights!”
Sucking diesel
Meaning: We’re doing well at something or getting better at something. (I would often hear my granddad say this phrase ☺)
Example: Now we’re sucking diesel!
I will in me hole!
Meaning: No chance!
Example: I will in me hole get up and sing!
A great stretch in the evenings.
Meaning: The days are getting longer.
Example: There’s a great stretch in the evenings.
Ah here!
Meaning/Context: When something bad or stupid happens.
Example: “She lost her phone last night.” “Ah here!”
I’m scarlah (scarlet) for yah (you)!
Meaning: Embarrassed
Example: “Didn’t all of my clothes fall out of the suitcase!.” “I’m scarlet for you!”
Go on outa (out of) dat (that)!
Meaning: You’re joking me.
Example: “I spent the night stranded on a beach, I didn’t know where I was at first!” “Go on out of that!”
So I hope these little words and phrases will help you understand us better. Do you have any favourite Irishisms? Are there any I should add to the list? Let me know!
This is so funny! I’ve only been to Ireland once but this is all so true. Hoping to go back there later this year so am really pleased I’ve stumbled across this.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed it Amanda 😊 Hope you enjoy your upcoming trip.
LikeLike
I seriously I never heard of half of these but would have thought ye all were bonkers!! How funny!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha well some of us are bonkers 😂
LikeLike
There are so many of these that I have never even heard of! Some don’t even make sense ha ha. This is a good guide for anyone who is heading to Ireland!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha, these made my day! :)) Now I’m prepared to visit Ireland! Hope the weather won’t be ..cat when I go there 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Glad you enjoyed reading it Andreea 😊 😂 it might be unfortunately 😕
LikeLike
This is such a fun post! I’ll admit that I have a though time understanding the Irish, but the Scottish are the most difficult!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Being Irish even I have a tough time understanding my own people. Some of us talk way too fast and have a very strong accent.
LikeLike
The first one what the crac is our favourite! … heard it so many times!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve never heard any of these! Practicing for when I visit Ireland! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 hope you’ll be able to understand us when you visit 😜
LikeLike
Thanks for the list. Would try to learn some Irish. This will help me 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love language, and I have Irish heritage, so I found this SO interesting! I was in a bookstore yesterday and started reading a coffee table book called Speaking American. It talks about different accents and vocabulary used throughout the United States (and has maps to go along with it)–it’s fascinating!
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so cool you have Irish heritage Naomi! Have you been to Ireland? Haha could you share some examples please?
LikeLike
No, I’ve never been to Ireland! My great-grandmother on my dad’s side was 100% Irish, and my grandpa was a red-head in his younger days. 🙂
So in the U.S….A popular one that most people here know about is what you call a carbonated beverage (like Coca-Cola). Depending on the region of the US, it is called pop, soda, or just coke (whether you want a Pepsi or Coca-Cola or ginger ale–they’re all called “coke”). Another one that was funny to me was what you call the weather when it’s rainy but the sun is shining. I’ve always called that a “sun shower” (makes sense) but in a lot of areas of the country, they just don’t have a word for it.
This post has a bunch of the maps that were in the book–so interesting! http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/06/06/dialect-maps_n_3395819.html
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s so cool! Do you know what part of Ireland your great-grandmother came from? Yes, we have a lot of American programmes on TV here in Ireland and I hear that a lot, ‘soda’, ‘pop’ etc. Carbonated drinks in general I call fizzy drinks, Coca-cola we call coke. Thanks for link, it was interesting to read ☺
LikeLike
“Fizzy drinks”–I like it! 🙂 And no, I’m not sure where she came from. I don’t know that she herself immigrated actually–might have been her parents or grandparents. I have a cousin who did our family tree, but I think he only traced back the paternal side (which was mostly English) to when they came here–before the Revolutionary War. Maybe one day I’ll get to visit, though. I’ve been told I’d “fit right in” with how I look. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love family history, I find it so interesting. You’ll always be welcome Naomi. Yes you’d fit right in with your red hair ☺
LikeLike
These are absolutely hilarious. Pinned so I can study up before my departure!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I find them hilarious too!
LikeLike
Lol. That is funny. I guess every country has them. Cool.info
LikeLiked by 1 person
I learned so much from reading your article and had great craic! The funniest was “sucking diesel.” We’ll memorize these phrases for our next trip to Ireland. Thank you for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gason is like French’s garcon which means the same thing! And thank you for letting us know how to properly pronounce craic! I’ve always thought it was pronounced as “krayk”! haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yes they are very similar Justine 😊 Haha you’re welcome 😂
LikeLike
This is so funny, and just reminds me why I love the Irish and their humour! I always heard craic when I was there, but I would have killed to hear ‘I will in my hole!’ Just brilliant!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I should make a video of me saying these phrases to go with the post 😂
LikeLike
Oh I very much enjoyed reading through these Irish slang list! A lot of them I didn’t know about, but when I go back to Ireland, I will listen extra closely now to these slangs!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad you enjoyed it 😊
LikeLike
Haha this is hilarious! I guess every country has these but Irishism is probably the funniest I’ve come across. Why the hate on cats!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha I’m not sure Ivy 😂
LikeLike
Haha these are so funny and cute (yes, cute!). And I haven’t heard of most of them actually! Loved reading this post, I’m sure it’ll help me look less stupid and fit in much better when I travel to Ireland next year, thanks for sharing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha cute 😂 I guess they are! 😊
LikeLike
This slang list is so hilarious AND informative! I couldnt stop giggling at some of them. I live in UK and hopefully visiting Ireland next year and i am sure your blog will come very handy. Happy travelling 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I hope you do get to visit here 😊
LikeLike
This is great! I seriously cannot understand Irish and Scottish and people always try to have the longest conversations with me to which i have to like smile and nod because i never know what they are talking about lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂
LikeLike
These would be useful if I’d plan to travel to Ireland. I was once in London, and it was a lot harder to understand English there than in any other European capital city I’ve been to. I guess it comes from speaking fast and using not the most proper words in the conversational language.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ahahaha, hilarious! 😀 This Will be useful when I finally make it to Ireland!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good 😊
LikeLike
Haha, these are great! I don’t think I’ve ever heard any of these before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will keep these words handy for sure when I am in Ireland.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lol..its a funny post.. i haven’t heard of any of the word..but pronouncing them as i was reading was fun..lol ..glad u had a great treip. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m Irish and from Ireland so this is how some of us speak. Glad you enjoyed the post 😊
LikeLike
Loved your post a lot! Probably because I also write a lot about interesting details in different languages.
I loved the meaning of CAT, seems so funny!
Also, I have an Irish friend whose English is quiet difficult yo understand.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Language is fascinating! Haha where is your friend from?
LikeLike
This is super – a real insight into the Irish culture….love it!! I intend to visit Ireland, anyway, so this will be a big help.
That was great craic!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Hahaha.. This is a refreshing list! It’s interesting to hear and perhaps get to use foreign slang words someday 😀 Pinning it for later to show my husband!
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is AWESOME! I love it! Thank you for this! MY husband and I visited Ireland about 5 years ago and we always talk about going back! We LOVED the people and of course the place!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha glad you love it! 😊 You should definitely come back to Ireland, you’ll always be welcomed 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I laughed all the way reading through this post, it’s true you Irish are a rare breed but we love ya for it 😀 – Being English and having the bants with the Irish just comes natural but some of the words you guys use even stumps me sometimes. Having lived and made friends with so many Irish people over the years I’ve got accustomed to most of the words you’ve listed and some others, I noticed you left off ‘grand’ …you guys use that in every sentence 😛
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad it made you laugh Amit 😊 Haha yes most of us stick in the word grand but I don’t find it as funny as the others we use 😊
LikeLike
omg loved this posts so much! Irishnish sounds really cool 🙂 When I visited earlier this year, I had some trouble understanding everything locals say haha
LikeLiked by 1 person
What part of Ireland did you visit Ella? I have problems sometimes understanding what people from Kerry or Cork are saying 😊
LikeLike
LOL, classic. I was in a pub in Dublin a few months ago and we were all enjoying the craic when a girl came up to get into the bar area, we all started chatting and asked her where she was from. She hung her head and said Mayo. Everyone howled with laughter and it took me a while and some explaining to figure out the joke. Ah the Irish language…
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ah the poor girl 😂 I’m from Mayo too so don’t hold that against me 😜
LikeLike
OH MY WORD, I need to save this as a glossary! My best friend from high-school recently had a child with an Irish man, and I swear I understand about 30% of what he says! And now she’s started to pick up the phrases and even a touch of the accent… I’ve spent about 6 months pretending I understand when she said something was “good craic”. “Yoke” was pretty much the only familiar entry here, I picked it up from a Marian Keyes novel I read yonks ago… so I pretty much owe you a huge debt of gratitude right now 🙂 Keep up the good work!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha glad to be of service Sheree 😂
LikeLike
Ahhhh I love this post so much! I used to date an Irish guy, and he said “craic” all the time, it rubbed off on me and I started saying it too. I am actually off to Ireland on Friday in fact, visiting a friend over in Bundoran – she’s from Scotland, so lets see how her accent has changed! x
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha that’s funny! Oh Bundoran is a lovely spot 😊 Hope you have fun and that your friend’s accent hasn’t changed much. I love the Scottish accent 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wasn’t familiar with any of these and I’m a native English speaker! I can understand when Irish people speak but I can never understand Scottish people. Between the accent and the slang I’m always lost.
LikeLiked by 1 person
The Scottish accent can be quite strong depending on where you go 😊
LikeLike
Ha! There are so many that I would never have come close to guessing. 🙂 Language is so fun, isn’t’ it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is Lara 😊
LikeLike
How funny are these Irishisms! I kept on thinking, as I was reading, “Where did these come from? How did they come about? Go on outa dat!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 They are so funny Carolina!
LikeLike
It’s amazing how many different places speak English….but different English! We are currently in Australia and occasionally having to pull out our phones to translate!
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 I’ve of Australia having their own lingo 😊
LikeLike
How interesting to learn these terms and phrases! Some of them like Quare and Whisht are words I have never even heard of. I am now imagining myself speaking these in pure Irish accent. 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been toying with the idea of making a video of me saying these phrases 😊
LikeLiked by 1 person
This had me chuckling away! Too hilarious 🙂 “How are you?” “I’m sound!” hehehe so different and unique ! Never heard of these before! Language can be so amusing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m glad it made you chuckle 😊 It can be very amusing.
LikeLike
Hahaha those are some great sayings. Particularly like the “stretch in the evenings.” That one sounds quite poetic!
LikeLiked by 1 person
It does actually 😊
LikeLike
I’m so glad I read this, especially before St Patrick’s Day! I knew craic but that’s about it. This will also be helpful next time I’m in Ireland, thanks for sharing 🙂
LikeLiked by 1 person
That’s why I could never understand my Irish mates in college!😄😄 Gason seems to come from “Garcon”, French for boy. I love Irish lilts and landscape and have to go there. Schooled in England but only did Wales.
LikeLiked by 1 person
😂 I can believe it. Yeah I heard that about gason and garçon before. Although the Irish for boy is buachaill pronounced boo-a-kill 😊
LikeLike