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COMMON IRISH SLANG WORDS AND WHAT THEY MEAN
Author | Raphael Adewusi
Craic? Banjaxed? Yoke? - Irish Slang You Need To Know
Irish slang is an essential part of the culture in Ireland. It is an unique and colorful aspect of the Irish language that has evolved over time. Although the national language here is technically Irish (Or Gaeilge although everyone speaks English), the real language here is slang. The slang terms are used in everyday conversation, and if you don't understand them, you might feel a little lost. Here are some of the most popular Irish slang terms and their meanings.
1. Craic
If you hear an Irish person say "What's the Craic?" they're not asking about drugs or anything illegal. In Ireland, craic (pronounced 'crack') is slang for 'fun'. It's a word that's used to describe a good time or a fun atmosphere.
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Image Source: Meanwhile in Ireland |
2. Gobshite
Gobshite is slang used to describe someone who talks nonsense or is full of themselves. It's a harsh term that's often used in a joking manner.
3. Feck
Feck is a word that's used to express surprise or annoyance. It's a polite way of saying the f-word. If someone says "Ah feck it", they're expressing frustration or disappointment.
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Image Source: Independent.ie |
4. Deadly
In Ireland, deadly doesn't mean what you think it means. It's a slang term that's used to describe something that's amazing or impressive. For example, if someone says "That concert was deadly", they mean it was fantastic.
5. Yoke
Yoke is a term that's used to describe an object when you can't remember its name. For example, if someone says "Pass me that yoke over there", they're referring to an object whose name they can't remember.
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Image Source: NPR |
6. Banjaxed
Banjaxed is a slang word that's used to describe something that's broken or not working correctly. For example, if someone says "My phone is banjaxed", they mean it's not working correctly.
7. Bold
Bold is a term that's used to describe someone who's misbehaving or being naughty. For example, if someone says "Don't be bold" they're telling you not to misbehave.
8. Press
Press is a term that's used to describe a cupboard or a cabinet. For example, if someone says, "I left the cups in the press", they mean they left the cups in the cupboard.
9. Cans
Cans is slang for beer or drinking beer, not necessarily just cans, it refers to all types of alcohol being drank outside of a drinking/eating establishment. For example, if someone says "Let's grab some cans", they mean let's buy some drinks and go drink them at the park.
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Image Source: Marketing Network |
10. Shift
Shift is a sweet one: slang for kiss. For example, if someone says "Did you get the shift?" They mean, did you kiss anyone?
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Image Source: PeopleImages / Getty Images |
Irish slang is an essential part of the culture in Ireland. It's an unique and colorful aspect of the Irish language that has evolved over time. The slang terms are used in everyday conversartion, and if you don't understand them, you might feel a little lost. These are just a few of the many Irish slang terms that exist, and if you're planning a trip to Ireland, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with them. You'll have a better understanding of the language and culture, and you might even impress some of the locals with your newfound knowledge of Irish slang.
#irishslang #funnyirishslang #irishslangwords #craic #whatsthecraic #theshift #banjaxed #deadly #yoke #gobshite
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So funny 🤣 sure we’re gas!!!
ReplyDeleteI love this post ☺️
ReplyDeleteLool we need a second edition of these to continue, so much Irish slang hahaha
ReplyDeleteNow someone explain “a wet day” to me please 😂
ReplyDeleteWow, I've learned a lot today! Thanks, Raphael for the post!
ReplyDeleteIt's great! I laughed a lot!
ReplyDeleteOh God! Ireland should have its own dictionary at this point! 🤣🤣 When I came here I had a bit of a hard time understanding English in general and with Irish people it was even worse. Now that I have finally came around it there're still so many slangs my friends teach me. 'Grand' has become my favorite one, I always use it at the coffee shop I work in and on a daily basis - Julio Costa
ReplyDeleteThe first slang that I heard in Ireland was “what’s the craic” and as you mentioned in this post, I was completely lost and had no idea what to say 🤣 .
ReplyDeleteThe number 8 in this post is a surprise for me because I didn’t know it was slang. I’ve been hearing this word almost daily in my work, so I might have internalized it as part of an official vocabulary hahaha.
What I like the most about slang for us, non-native English speakers, is that learning and using common slang and expressions in everyday life helps us to feel more confident speaking the language, and allow us to communicate more naturally with native speakers. – Dayane Torres