Irish Lingo
Irish lingo is the everyday English you'll hear in Ireland, and it can leave a visitor scratching their head. The most useful Irish lingo to know is grand (fine), craic (fun or news), eejit (a fool), banjaxed (broken), knackered (worn out) and the jacks (the toilet). Get those six and you'll get by in any pub in the country.
Most Irish lingo is plain English that's been given a new job. Sound means someone is decent and reliable. Class, deadly and savage all mean brilliant, and pure means very, so a great night out is pure class. A chancer is someone who'll try to get away with anything, and if you're bullin, you're raging. Gammy is something that doesn't work right, like a gammy knee, and manky is filthy.
Some of it is the Irish language poking through, and some of it is just the way we've always said things. Whist means be quiet, a gander is a quick look and yonks is a very long time. Aye is yes, and wee means small, though people use it for nearly everything, from a wee cup of tea to a wee drive to Galway.
Irish lingo isn't the Irish language, mind. Irish, or Gaeilge, is a language of its own, while the lingo is the English we've made our own. You'll hear it on the radio, at a match and in every shop queue in the country, and nobody will think twice if you give it a go yourself.
Below are 30 everyday Irish words and terms, most popular first, each with what it means and how it's used, and a Posh English version on its own page. Every county has its own lingo on top of these, so pick a county at the bottom for the local stuff, or see our lists of Irish slang words, Irish slang phrases and Irish expressions.
Updated
- Irish slang
- Phrases
- Lingo
- Expressions
- Sayings
- Insults
- Drunk
- Idiot
- Toilet
- Money
- Rain
- Man
- Funny
- Friend
- Visiting Ireland
- Northern Irish
The Irish words and terms to know 30
MouldyGalway +14
To get drunk, be drunk, be hungover, something that's disgusting.
Let's get mouldy, I'm awful mouldy, that's mouldy as fuck
BanjaxedFermanagh +15
In a bad state of repair. Also broken or exhausted.
I was banjaxed last night hi led
SavageLeitrim +14
An intensifier denoting something or someone as exceptionally good or impressive.
She has savage pair a legs on her!
WhistLeitrim +9
Be quiet. Also: to listen or to shut up, depending on context and tone.
Ahh will you ever whisht, Ireland don't stand a chance in the World Cup.
DeadlyWexford +9
Very nice, satisfying, enjoyable.
I went to the opera last night. Was it any good? Yes, it was deadly.
CraicRoscommon +10
Fun, chat or news, as in what's the craic.
Come into town, it's great craic!
SpudsLouth +6
Potatoes, or colloquially used to refer to the dinner table itself.
Hurry up inside now, the spuds are on the boil!
BuzzinGalway +4
Excited or delighted, really looking forward to something. Also having great fun on a night out.
Lads we were buzzin down in clada park
SkaSligo +4
The latest gossip, news, or scandal.
Well boy, good to see ya, have ya any ska for us?
MightySligo +4
Excellent or splendid. Often used as an all-purpose positive response.
How are ya? Mighty. Did ya have a gud night? Mighty!
SangwichAll Ireland +4
A colloquial, phonetically altered pronunciation of a sandwich.
I'd love a thick ham sangwich with lashings of mustard on it like.
DaycentCork +4
Brilliant or very nice indeed.
Your new car is daycent
ConyaCork +4
Rubbish, nonsense, or idle chatter.
Ah yer talkin aload of conya and ye know it well!
GwayTipperary +3
An incredulous dismissal meaning go away or nonsense.
Gway outta dat, you never won the lotto!
PandyTipperary +5
Mashed potatoes. Also: a simple meal of potatoes and soup.
Ooooh the pandys smashin
JipTyrone +3
Cheek or making fun of someone.
Are ya giving me jip are ya?
GalleryKilkenny +3
A brilliant time or a good laugh.
Ah lads, we had some gallery down de park last night.
GuffTipperary +3
Useless complaints, unnecessary fuss, or tiresome hassle.
Ah don't be givin me any more of yer guff today la!
PoppiesKilkenny +3
Potatoes, especially boiled ones served with a family dinner.
How come there's not a single trace of poppies on my plate?
SoundAll Ireland +11
An approving term meaning reliable, agreeable, fun and without hassle; the same as dead on.
Do you know Niall? Aw yeah, he's a sound lad.
ClassKilkenny +8
Excellent, superb or first-rate.
The food was class
BanterArmagh +7
Amusement or fun. Also: it was good craic.
Ne banter?
LashTipperary +6
A go or an attempt, as in give it a lash. Also a night out drinking, as in on the lash.
Ah go on, give it a lash!
StallLongford +5
An imperative command to stop, wait, or cease an action immediately.
Stall the ball will ya, ye're runnin' me into the ditch!
UnrealMayo +4
Exceptional, superb, or strikingly attractive.
Did you see her? she was unreal.
ScratcherDublin +4
One's bed. Also: social welfare payments.
I'm knackered, I'm going to me scratcher
WreckedCork +4
Exhausted or severely hungover following an evening of heavy drinking.
I'm totally wrecked after being out on the batter till three in the morning!
ScaldGalway +4
A cup of tea.
Are you havin' a cup of scald?
CloseTipperary +3
Warm and oppressively humid.
Tis fierce close owl wedder ain't id, tis mick woful hot.
HangingCork +3
Extremely hungover or physically wrecked following a heavy session of drinking.
Yer man was absolutely hanging coming out of the pub this morning.
Questions people ask
What is Irish lingo?
Irish lingo is the everyday English spoken in Ireland: words like grand, craic, deadly and banjaxed that mean something a bit different here, or that you won't hear anywhere else.
Is Irish lingo the same as the Irish language?
No. Irish, or Gaeilge, is a language of its own. Irish lingo is English the Irish way, with the odd word borrowed from Irish, like whist for be quiet.
What does grand mean in Ireland?
Grand means fine or okay. If someone says they're grand, they're doing alright, and if a thing is grand, it'll do.
