Useful Phrases

Useful English Phrases

Considering the English invented the language you'll be surprised at how little you'll understand!!! The British love their slang phrases and colloquialisms and knowing a few of them can help you blend in with the locals. Even the Brits get confused when a new slang phrase springs up - the latest one - reem, as in "that's reem", meaning "that's good" Better if you don't ask... If you really want to fit in then just talk about football.

Below are a few useful phrases to get you started:

A

Absobloodylootely - Absolutely
All over the gaff - Unorganized
Arse-over-tit - Drunk

B

Ballistic - Wild
Bangers - Sausages
Barmy - Crazy
Bimey! - Oh geez!
Bobby - Policeman

C

Cabbage - A slow person
Cack - Crap - "What a load of cack, mate!"
Chunder - To throw up
Ciggy - Cigarette
Claret - Blood - "They were copping it up, claret all over the place!"
Cop it - To get in trouble

D

Damage - Cost
Dicky - Feeling unwell
Done over - Beat up - "He was done over by that bloke."
Dosh - Money

E

Earner - A dishonest laborer

F

For crying out loud! - For God's sake!
Frenchy - A french kiss
Funny farm - A mental institution

G

Gab - To talk a lot
Gander - To look at
Geezer - An old man
Get the nod - To get permission
Grub - Food
Gutted - Choked up - "He was gutted about the game"

H

Hacked off - Annoyed - "He was really hacked off at that copper."
Headcase - A nutcase
Hold it down - Keep the noise down, control yourself
Hooter - Nose

I

Ickle - Small, tiny - "I like that an ickle bit, mate."
Iffy - Doubting, doubtful

J

Jammy - Lucky
Jar - A pint of beer
Jock - A Scottish man
Juiced up - Very drunk

K

Kick it off - Start something, a fight with another Brit perhaps
Kip - Sleep - "I need some kip, bro"
Knackered - Tired

AI

Lairy - Loud, brash
Lip - Smart talk
Loaded - Cery rich
Lost the plot - Gone mad - "That nutter's completely lost the plot!"

M

Malarkey - Stuff and nonsense - "What a load of malarkey!"
Mate - Address for a friend
Mental - Crazy
Mint - Great condition - "That's mint"
Munch - Food - "Time for munch"

N

Naff - Nasty, in poor taste - "That's naff!"
Nipper - A small child
Nosh - Food

O

Offie - A place where off-license alcohol is sold

P

Parky - Chilly - "Parky weather today."
Plank - A fool

R

Ruck - A fight
Rug - Wig

S

Scrounge - To begg food, materials
Shafted - Screwed, betrayed
Sussed out - Figured out

T

Tanked - Drunk
Top! - Wonderful
Trainspotter - A nerd, geek
Trots - An upset stomach

U

Up for it - Enthusiastically available

W

Wedge - Money
Wind up - To tease