British slang: top terms and phrases you need to know

Travelling to England, Wales, or Scotland and want to fit in with the locals? Been watching Love Island or Made in Chelsea and want to understand what the hell they’re saying? Well, learning British slang is your best option, and you’re in the right place.

Like with any country, slang can be really regional. Which is to say, a British slang term you might hear up in Manchester doesn’t necessarily ring a bell to anyone down in London. Even moving through London – east to west or north to south – you’ll hear so many different kinds of slang that are mutually incomprehensible. Similar to that, Scottish slang isn’t going to resonate much in England – but we’ve covered that elsewhere… 

If you want to crack down on the real nitty gritty of English slang, feel free to spend a few months across the best places the country has to offer! But for now, we’ve picked the terms that cross over the most of the UK so you won’t look so baffled while travelling. 

1. Chuffed

To be chuffed simply means to be pleased. There are many things to be chuffed about like having a sunny day after a spell of rain, or finding a cheap pint in London.

“Did you see *INSERT FOOTBALL TEAM* won the Champion’s League?”

“Ah yeah, I’m well chuffed mate!”

2. Lush

If something is lush it means it’s very good. It can be used as an adjective to describe pretty much anything, or it can also be used as an exclamation on its own.

“I had a lush time in the Lakes over the bank holiday.”

OR

“Shall we go for an afternoon tea?”

“Lush!”

3. Bloke / Geezer 

Bloke and geezer both mean the same thing, and they’re basically used to refer to a man. Geezer is a little more jokey, and it can also be shortened to ‘Geez’ and used as a direct term of address, sort of like ‘dude’. 

“You alright, geez?”

“Who’s that bloke over there?”

4. Bruv

A quintessential bit of British slang, bruv is short for ‘brother’ (with a Cockney pronunciation in London), and it just means ‘bro’ or ‘dude’ or ‘mate’. Basically, you use it to refer to your friends – usually male.

“You going to Sarah’s gig tonight?”

“Yeah bruv, I already told you I’m going.”

5. Butt

Alternatively, if you happen to find yourself in Wales, you can call your new friends ‘butt’. It’s a term of endearment which can be equated to ‘mate’ or ‘buddy’. Just make sure to keep it in Wales and around the borders – people in York may get a little confused, possibly offended.

“Alright, butt?”

“Yeah, alright, mate.”

6. You alright? All right?

A common source of confusion for travellers in the UK, if someone greets you by saying ‘You alright?’ or ‘All right?’ they’re not actually asking how you are. It’s just a simple greeting! 

A real culture shock if you touch down in London, I know! If you want to reply, a simple ‘alright, you?’ will do.

7. Bare

In this case, this slang term means the complete opposite of the actual word. In regular English, ‘bare’ would mean something like empty or featureless, but in slang, bare means ‘a lot’.

“There were bare people at the party,” means “there were lots of people at the party.”

8. Tea

Now, as much as the Brits love a cuppa (see below), tea also refers to dinner. This term is mostly used in the North of England (think Manchester, Newcastle, York, etc.), though you can hear it all over.

“What are we having for tea?”

“Leftover Sunday roast.”

9. Melt

To be a melt is to be soft or vulnerable, sometimes even pathetic. You can use it as an endearment with your close friends, but usually calling someone a melt is perceived as an insult.

“I always cry when I watch The Titanic.”

“You’re acting like a total melt, bro.”

10. Mug / Mugged off / Muggy

Right so these three words all have the same root meaning, but they’re used differently:

• Someone who is a mug is someone who can be fooled easily.
• To get mugged off, is to be poorly treated, taken advantage of, or fooled.
• And if something or someone is being muggy, it means they’re doing something disingenuous. 

Someone being muggy is usually mugging someone off, making them a mug. Got it? You have heard variations of all 3 while watching everyone’s favourite summertime dating show, Love Island.

11. Can’t be bothered / Can’t be arsed / CBA

This bit of British slang feels a little self-explanatory. If you can’t be bothered to do something, it just means you’re fed up and/or that you don’t want to do it. It can also be an exclamation used to express discontent or frustration. Can’t be arsed means exactly the same, though it’s slightly more rude to say, and CBA is the acronym which you’ll see in texts, or something said out loud if you can’t be bothered to say the whole thing!

“My mate wants to go out this weekend, I really can’t be arsed.”

OR

“I’ve heard this new restaurant is great, but the queues are so long.”

“Can’t be bothered, then.”

12. Tamping

Another bit of Welsh specific slang, ‘tamping’ means you’re in a bad mood, like fuming or raging. You probably don’t want to approach a local if they’re tamping.

“Did you hear the rumours about you?”

“Yeah, I’m tamping.”

13. Peak

In day to day language peak would usually refer to something as being amazing or at the top of its field, but not around London. In the capital, peak is used as slang to mean unfortunate or bad or unlucky.

“They don’t have those new shoes I wanted in my size.”

“That’s peak, mate.”

14. That’s a bit of me

Something that’s a bit of you is something that is perfectly to your liking! It can be used to refer to basically anything really, be it a new dress, some kind of delicious looking sweet treat, or even the person you fancy (see below). It’s actually quite a cute saying as you’re essentially expressing that you like something so much it’s part of the fibre of your very being – aw!

“Have you heard Sabrina Carpenter’s new song?”

“Oh yeah, it’s a bit of me!”

15. Fancy

Another classic bit of British slang is ‘fancy’. I feel like this the one most Americans quote if they’re doing an impression of a Brit, but what does it actually mean? To fancy something or someone basically just means that you like them.

When referring to a person, i.e. “I really fancy that guy across the bar”, it means you have romantic/sexual interest in them. You wouldn’t say it about your friend, unless you have something to confess…

If you’re referring to an item or an activity, i.e. “I really fancy a Maccies” or “Do you fancy a walk?”, it just means it’s something you’d like to have or do.

16. Is it?

Mostly said around London, ‘is it?’ is one of those phrases that you can just tack on at the end of anything, or use as a neutral response.

For example:

“I’m going to a concert this weekend.”

“Is it?”

You’re basically expressing neutral interest and acknowledgment, sort of like saying ‘oh really?’ or ‘cool’. 

17. Aye, right

A little bit of Scottish slang for you, ‘aye, right’ basically means ‘yeah, sure’ – but with the connotation that you don’t believe a word the other person is saying. It’s a bit of a sarcastic saying.

“I ran 10k in twenty minutes yesterday.”

“Aye, right, I’m sure you did.” 

18. Gaff

If someone invites you back to their gaff, they’re inviting you back to their place of residence. Simple as!

“You’ve just moved in? Nice gaff!”

19. Muppet

Sadly, this bit of British slang does not refer to the beloved puppets Kermit and Miss Piggy and co. Instead, calling someone a muppet is actually an insult. It basically means idiot or stupid. You can be a muppet if you make a poor decision or act in a clumsy manner or really just do anything worthy of ridicule. 

It’s not a huge insult really, and it can often be used as a term of endearment for those you’re close with.

20. Mate

Mate is a slang term shared by Aussies and Kiwis as well, and it’s just an informal way of greeting or referring to your friend. It’s versatile as it applies to all genders, and if said with the right intonation it can also mean something like ‘no way!’

For example:

“I asked her on a date and she said yes.”

“Maaaate!” – in this instance would mean ‘no way that’s huge!’, you know?

Otherwise, it’s just used interchangeably with ‘dude’ or ‘bro’ or ‘bruv’. It’s just what you would call your friend – or a stranger if you wanted to rile them up (not recommended).

21. Shattered

To be shattered basically means that you’re extremely tired. You can be shattered after a long day of work, after hiking all day in the Lake District, or after a day at Glastonbury. 

“Mate, I’m absolutely shattered.”

“Yeah, same. That last hour at work finished me.”

22. Tidy

In Wales, ‘tidy’ is used as a way to say something is brilliant or great. Short and efficient, this is one of Wales’ best known slang terms.

“I passed my driving test yesterday!”

“Aw, that’s tidy, mate.”

23. Taking the piss

If you’re taking the piss it can mean two things: you’re either exaggerating or taking something too far, or you’re making fun of something/someone. This can also be said as ‘taking the piss out of’ or even ‘piss take’.

You might also hear ‘Taking the mick’ or ‘taking the mickey’ instead of taking the piss, and it just means the same thing. 

“Can I borrow your lighter?”

“Nah, mate, I lend you mine all the time, you’re taking the piss.”

OR

“Can you believe they’re charging £15 for one cocktail?”

“That’s such a piss take.”

24. A cuppa

A cuppa is simply a cup of tea! If someone offers you a cuppa it’s a sign of a good host.

“Would you like a cuppa?”

“Yes please, with a dash of milk.”

25. Innit

Innit is a shortened version of ‘isn’t it?’. You can use it to say that when you’re wanting to ask a question or confirm something, but more and more, innit is just used as a phrase that you can tack on the end of basically anything. 

“Wow, this cake is really good.”

“Innit?”

OR

“The Eiffel Tower is in Paris, innit?”

26. Gutted

To be gutted is to be majorly upset or disappointed. Like you’ve literally had your insides cut out – it’s honestly kind of graphic if you think about it too much. But, that would be quite an upsetting thing to have happen…

“I was trying to get concert tickets for Chappell Roan but they sold out. I’m actually gutted.” 

27. Pissed / Plastered / Sloshed / Hammered / Steaming 

A fun thing about British slang is that you can basically add ‘ed’ to any word at all and it’ll mean that you had a crazy night of drinking. The above are the most common. You might say ‘Dude I was absolutely plastered last night’ and your friend might respond with ‘I know, I was steaming too,’ and you’re both just talking about how drunk you are. 

But feel free to try out your own! As long as whoever you’re chatting to knows the context, they’ll most likely get what you’re saying.

28. Ta

Usually used up North, ta just means thanks. You can combine it with ‘very much’ to say ‘ta very much’ if you’d like, but a simple ta works just fine.

“Here’s your cup of tea, sir.”

“Ta.”

Easy!

29. Dead

Dead can be used one of a few ways, though don’t worry, the context will help you grasp the meaning as both uses are quite different.

If something is dead, like a party for example, it means that it’s boring. Makes sense. You could also say: “Yeah, I fancied him, but his chat’s dead,” which just means that he’s dry and boring.

However, dead can also mean ‘very’ and can be used as an intensifier. For example:

“I’m dead chuffed” or “That was dead easy” meaning ‘I’m very happy’ and ‘that was very easy.’

30. Calm

Saying ‘calm’ is sort of like shrugging out loud. It’s a term that just expresses a relaxed and unbothered state. You can use it as a response to ‘how are you’ ‘yeah, calm’, or it could be a response to someone confirming plans with you ‘are you still down to come over tomorrow?’ ‘yeah, calm.’ It’s really versatile, and if you manage to slot it into your speech while you travel, you’ll sound like a local.

31. Well

Well is used as an intensifier. It basically just means ‘very’ and you can use it however you like.

“Mate, I slept so badly last night.”

“Same, I’m well tired.”

32. Quid / Squids / Tenner

Seems like every language has a slang term to refer to money, and if we’re talking about Great British Pounds, we’re usually saying ‘quid’. 

You can use quid alongside a number, i.e. “this book costs 10 quid,” or you can use it without, i.e. “How much did that cost you?” “Only a coupla quid.” 

Squids is just a fun alternative to quid and can be used in the same way, whereas a tenner (always add the ‘a’ before) refers specifically to £10 – as the name might suggest. You’d most likely say something like:

“How much do I owe you for the cinema ticket?”

“Just a tenner, mate.”

Cockney Rhyming Slang

If you know anything about England, it’s possible you’ve heard of something called Cockney Rhyming Slang. Cockney refers to a person from East London as well as the dialect and accent used in that area. If you need an example of how that sounds, actor Michael Caine will be your go to (plus who needs an excuse to rewatch The Dark Knight).

The Rhyming Slang is a type of slang which hails from the area and it originated as a secret code language used by thieves. Basically, it works by making up an expression and having the last word of that expression rhyme with the one you’re actually trying to say. 

For example:

• Up the apples and pears = up the stairs 
• Answer the dog and bone = answer the phone
• Have you got the bees and honey? = have you got the money?
• You’re telling porky pies = you’re telling lies

Famous British comedian Danny Dyer actually uses Cockney Rhyming Slang quite a lot – so if you want to try it out for yourself, we recommend emulating him (and the accent!).