Irish slang is colorful, varied, and often reflects the unique culture and sense of humor of the Irish people. Here are some Irish slang terms, along with their meanings and usage examples:
- Craic
- Meaning: Fun or enjoyment.
- Example: “What’s the craic tonight?”
- Feck
- Meaning: A less offensive way to say “fuck.”
- Example: “Ah, feck it! I forgot my keys.”
- Eejit
- Meaning: Idiot or foolish person.
- Example: “You’re acting like a complete eejit.”
- Gobshite
- Meaning: An annoying or foolish person.
- Example: “Stop talking nonsense; you’re such a gobshite.”
- Banshee
- Meaning: A loud, wailing woman.
- Example: “She’s screaming like a banshee.”
- Grand
- Meaning: Fine or good.
- Example: “How are you? Ah, I’m grand.”
- Sláinte
- Meaning: Cheers or good health.
- Example: “Sláinte to a great night!”
- Culchie
- Meaning: A person from rural Ireland.
- Example: “He’s a proper culchie, not used to city life.”
- Gaff
- Meaning: Home or house.
- Example: “Come over to my gaff for a cuppa.”
- Bolt
- Meaning: Run away quickly.
- Example: “He tried to steal my wallet, so I bolted.”
- Manky
- Meaning: Dirty or unpleasant.
- Example: “This place is a bit manky; let’s leave.”
- Quare
- Meaning: Very or quite.
- Example: “That’s a quare big dog.”
- Yoke
- Meaning: Thing or object.
- Example: “Hand me that yoke over there.”
- Gas
- Meaning: Funny or amusing.
- Example: “That joke was gas!”
- Langer
- Meaning: Fool or idiot.
- Example: “Don’t be a langer; it’s not that difficult.”
- Shift
- Meaning: Kiss or make out.
- Example: “Did you see them having a shift at the party?”
- Jacks
- Meaning: Toilet or bathroom.
- Example: “I’ll be back in a minute; I need the jacks.”
- Flute
- Meaning: Fool or idiot.
- Example: “You’re acting like a complete flute.”
- Bleedin’ Deadly
- Meaning: Extremely good or fantastic.
- Example: “The concert was bleedin’ deadly!”
- Feck Off
- Meaning: A more polite way of saying “go away.”
- Example: “Feck off, I’m trying to concentrate.”
- Gowl
- Meaning: Annoying or unpleasant person.
- Example: “Stop being a gowl and help me out.”
- Arseways
- Meaning: Messed up or disorganized.
- Example: “I’ve done it all arseways; I need to start over.”
- Muck Savages
- Meaning: People from rural areas.
- Example: “City folk think we’re all muck savages.”
- Shower of Savages
- Meaning: A group behaving badly or uncivilized.
- Example: “Look at that shower of savages causing trouble.”
- Scarlet
- Meaning: Extremely embarrassed.
- Example: “I spilled coffee on myself; I was scarlet.”
- Whisht
- Meaning: Be quiet or hush.
- Example: “Whisht, the movie is starting.”
- Gurrier
- Meaning: Troublemaker or streetwise youth.
- Example: “Watch out for those gurriers hanging around.”
- Banjaxed
- Meaning: Broken or ruined.
- Example: “The car is banjaxed; it won’t start.”
- Mollycoddle
- Meaning: To pamper or spoil someone.
- Example: “Don’t mollycoddle him; he needs to learn.”
- Up the Duff
- Meaning: Pregnant.
- Example: “She’s up the duff; it’s great news.”
- Jammers
- Meaning: Extremely crowded or busy.
- Example: “The pub was jammers last night.”
- Mortified
- Meaning: Extremely embarrassed.
- Example: “I tripped and fell; I was mortified.”
- Shiftin’ Heavy
- Meaning: Engaging in passionate kissing.
- Example: “They were shiftin’ heavy in the corner.”
- Fluthered
- Meaning: Extremely drunk.
- Example: “After the party, I was absolutely fluthered.”
- Bogger
- Meaning: A person from the countryside.
- Example: “He’s a bogger; not used to city life.”
- Geebag
- Meaning: Annoying or obnoxious person, usually female.
- Example: “She’s such a geebag, always complaining.”
- Bold
- Meaning: Naughty or mischievous.
- Example: “The kids were bold and stayed up late.”
- Gee-eyed
- Meaning: Drunk.
- Example: “He came home gee-eyed last night.”
- In the Jack’s
- Meaning: In the bathroom or toilet.
- Example: “She’s in the Jack’s fixing her makeup.”
- Cat
- Meaning: Terrible or awful.
- Example: “The weather is cat today.”
- Hames
- Meaning: A mess or something done badly.
- Example: “I made a hames of the presentation.”
- Jammers
- Meaning: Extremely crowded or busy.
- Example: “The place was jammers; no room to move.”
- Gobsmacked
- Meaning: Amazed or shocked.
- Example: “I was absolutely gobsmacked by the news.”
- Sorted
- Meaning: Well-organized or prepared.
- Example: “Everything is sorted for the party.”
- Quarehawk
- Meaning: Someone who is very angry.
- Example: “Don’t mess with him; he’s a quarehawk.”
- Wagon
- Meaning: An unpleasant or obnoxious woman.
- Example: “She’s acting like a right wagon.”
- Gawk
- Meaning: To stare or gape.
- Example: “Stop gawking at people; it’s rude.”
- Press
- Meaning: Cupboard or wardrobe.
- Example: “I left my keys in the press.”
These Irish slang terms add a delightful touch to the language and culture. Keep in mind that some words might be region-specific, and usage can vary among different communities in Ireland.