Here are some useful words that might come in handy for your trip to Ireland! Challenge yourself and try to use a few in a sentence when you next see us! 

 

• "Fàilte" = Welcome (Not slang, Gaelic)

• "Slàinte" = Cheers (Not slang either, Gaelic)

• “Like” = used at the end of almost every sentence as a space filler and is, remarkably, not at all annoying as compared to the American compulsive use of ‘like’. (“I’m grand, like.” NOT “I’m like, grand.”)​

• "Craic" = a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation ("It was good craic" or "The craic was good last night")

• “What’s the Craic?” = How are you? What's happening?

• "Craic was 90" =  The fun and atmosphere was excellent

• “Deadly” or "Lethal" or "Savage" = fantastic, wonderful ("The wedding was deadly!")

• ​"Fierce" = Of exceptional quality ("That party was fierce!")

• “A Whale of a Time” = the only time you can have in Ireland—a good one

• “Donkey’s years” = For a very very long time (“Christian was dating Renée for donkey’s years before he proposed.”)

• "Go way outta that" = If this is the reply you get the person doesn’t believe what you just said or is refusing an offer

• “Get Outta that Garden” = to express surprise or disbelief (“ah would ya get outta that garden!”)

• "I will yeah" = Said when the person has no intention on doing what you just asked them to do

• “Black Stuff” or "Pint O' Plain" = Guinness

• “Bangers” = Sausage

• "Crisps" = Potato chips

• "A bag of Tayto" = A packet of crisps

• "Chips" = French Fries

• “Red Sauce” = Ketchup

• “Runners” = Sneakers

• “A Hooley” = A shindig, a knees-up, a soiree, a few pints, a party, Christian and Renée's wedding

• "Great drying out" = Weather is nice, great day to dry the clothes

• "Any Use?" = Was it good?

• “The Jacks” = Toilet

• “Grand” = Alrighty, ok, sounds good

• "It's Grand" = Its fine, does the job

• "Happy Out" = Your content in your current surroundings

• “That’s Gas” = That’s funny

• “Acting the maggot” = Playing around

• “Wee” = An adjective that describes pretty much anything, regardless of size, but nevertheless makes all things sound small and cute (“Would you like to have a wee swim in that gigantic lake over there?” “We had a wee argument that ended in pie-throwing.”)

• “Leg it” = To run away quickly 

• "Arseways" = Something that is done in the wrong way

• "I’m knackered" = Your exhausted, very tired

• ​“Banjaxed” = Hopelessly broken, injured, wrecked (“Our rental car is bloodly banjaxed thanks to them narrow Irish roads!!” or "Im banjaxed!")​

• “Pissing” = raining

• “Lash” = to rain or "Give it a lash" = to make an attempt at something or "To go on the lash" = to go out drinking

• “Bucketing down” or "Pissing from the heavens" = raining a ton (As you may have guessed it rains a lot in Ireland so there are lots of words for it!)

• "I’m going on the gargle/piss/batter" = Your going out for a drink, and you may not return for days

• “Slag” = To make fun of someone in a nice way

• “Thick” = Extremely stupid, pronounced “tick”

• “Eejit” = Complete fool (Idiot, with a brogue)

• “A Couple Sandwiches Short of a Picnic” – when the Irish call you dumb, they tell you a story about a picnic and not having enough sandwiches.

• “Legless” or “Buckled” or “Locked” = Drunk

• “Shite” = Sh** (“Watch out for sheep shite!)

• “Feck’s Sake” =  polite, less offensive way of dropping the f-bomb

• "Feck off" = Another word for F*** off, but not in such a harsh tone