Learning slang and idioms can help you improve your communication in a foreign language.
, a team of researchers from the Industrial University of Tyumen, Russia, point out that even with “classroom” skills you may not be able to read magazines, to watch TV programmes, or to travel abroad. If students want to learn to “communicate personally with native speaker, in social networks, then studying some of the common slang and idiomatic phrases is absolutely necessary.”
This can be a problem for English learners. The colloquial English spoken in different countries where English is the first language can vary greatly, and so do age groups and socioeconomic classes.
This post will explore examples of British English colloquial expressions. These expressions will help you to understand British media and conversations, allowing you to improve your English communication passively or actively.
British Greetings
The informal English words for thank you, goodbyes and farewells vary greatly between British dialects. However, some are used across the nation.
This table provides a list of the most common English colloquialisms that you are likely to hear in a UK context.
| Use of colloquial expression | The word “meaning” is used to describe the meaning of this phrase. | Appropriateness | A Typical Reaction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alright? | Hello (implies “How are You?” | The informal but widely accepted in the UK | All of “Hello”, “Alright”, or “I’m fine, thank you, how are we?” work. |
| Eye Up | Hello or Look at That | Informal. Most common in the Midlands and North of England. | It depends on the context but is very flexible. It is common to ask “How are things?” as a follow-up. |
| What do you think? | How are you? | Extremely traditional and formal, typically only seen in the “upper classes” | How are you? or “Pleased you meet me” |
| Are You Okay? | How are you? | Most often reserved for family or friends | “Not bad, you?” |
| What is the buzz? | What’s New with You? | Informal. It is common in Ireland but rare everywhere else. | Share a gossipy or humorous story about the day. |
| Wotcher | “Hello” | Informal. It is mainly used in southeast England but has declined in usage. | “Wotcher” |
| You can also find out more about Ta | “Thank you” | You can also use informal language | Not expected. You can use “no worries” or similar phrases. |
| Cheers | Thank you (also used to toast) | You can also use informal language | Not expected. You can use “no worries” or similar phrases. |
| Enjoy the moment | “I appreciate it” | Often combined with another “thank you”, this informal way of expressing gratitude is a very friendly one. | Not expected. You can use “No worries”, or an expression similar. |
| Easy it up | Have a nice day (also called “relax”). | Very informal | You too, “Goodbye”, or variations |
| Enjoy your day | Have a great day | You can also use informal language | You too, “Goodbye”, or variations |
| Pip pip | “Goodbye” | Rarely heard. Old-fashioned, “upper class” and old. | The phrase “Goodbye”, or variations thereof |
| Ta-ta / Ta-ra | “Goodbye” | Informal. Ta-ra tends to be more popular in northern England. | The phrase “Goodbye”, or variations thereof |
| Cheerio | “Goodbye” | Quite old-fashioned | The phrase “Goodbye”, or variations thereof |
Use British Slang to Complain
The British have a tendency to casually discuss things that are not going well. It can be about the weather, the current events or even personal issues if you are talking to close family or friends.
It’s not uncommon to hear people exaggerating or understating the severity of a situation. This is part of the British art of “banter”, or witty conversations.
| Use of colloquial expression | The word “meaning” is used to describe the meaning of this phrase. | Appropriateness |
|---|---|---|
| Bloody | The following phrase or word is intensified, usually in a negatively slanted way. The phrase “bloody brilliant”, however, would be extremely good. | The use of mild language that is generally not offensive. |
| Bloody Hell | Surprise, anger or dismay | The use of mild language that is generally not offensive. |
| Flippin’ Heck | Bloody Hell in a softer version | It’s not offensive, but it is old-fashioned |
| Rubbish | Waste material is literally waste. It can mean “bad”, “dishonest”, “dishonesty”, “untrue”, “unreliable” or be used verbally. | Universally Acceptable |
| Bollocks | Literally, testicles. When used in a phrase such as “The dog’s bollocks”, it means “very good”, “the best”. Bollocks it means to ignore something. | The use of mild or moderate profanity |
| Cock-up | Incompetence or failure to perform. | The use of mild or moderate profanity |
| Tits-up | To be “tits-up”, is to have a chaotic state. | The use of mild or moderate profanity |
| You’re Daft | “Silly”, “stupid” and “insane”, according to context | In some contexts, it could be offensive to use this informal, old-fashioned language. |
| Dodgy | Unreliable, dangerous or of poor quality | The word is universally accepted. Unsurprisingly, it is offensive when used as a description of a human being. |
| Gutted | Very disappointed. To literally have lost your intestines. It can also be taken in a more literal sense, referring to the inside of a vehicle or building being removed or to an organisation or project losing its funding. | Universally Acceptable |
| Knackered | When referring to an object that is inanimate, it would be “in bad condition”. Cockney Rhyming Slang is “cream cracked”. | Casual but not offensive |
| Lost the plot | Being confused or incapable of coping with the current situation | It is not offensive but it can have a negative connotation. |
| Mug | A gullible person. To mug off is a transitive verb that means to deceive or cheat someone. | Not profane, but considered rude or coarse |
| Nuts | The word “testicles” is a literal translation. Crazy or amazing is a term used to describe something. | The word “swear” is a very mild one. |
| Get pissed off | To be “pissed off” means to be angry. But “to have pissed of” means to have left. | The use of moderate profanity |
| Prat | Incompetent or arrogant people are lacking initiative. | Not profane but insulting |
| Take the mickey out of (the) | The expression “to take the mickey” is used to mock someone, though it is also often ironically used to show that something is wrong, i.e. Someone is “taking the Mickey” when they do a bad job, implying they’re being irresponsible and taking advantage of others. The word “mickey” can also be shortened to just “mick” or replaced by “piss”, to give the statement a harsher tone. | Not offensive, but very casual. When “piss”, instead of “mickey”, is used, it’s a mild or moderate swear word. |
| Wind-up | A “wind-up” can be a joke, prank, or irritant that is prolonged. The phrase “to wind up [someone]” can be used. | Universally Acceptable |
| Bugger all | Nothing is used as a way to show irritation at an obvious absence. The word bugger can also be substituted with words such as “sod” or “f*ck”. | The word “f*ck” is used to describe a vulgar, intense profanity. A vulgar, intense profanity, when “f*ck” is substituted. |
| Cack-handed | Lacking skill or being clumsy | Casual but not offensive |
| Chockablock | Very busy or at capacity | Casual but not offensive |
| Clanger | A silly or embarrassing error | Casual but not offensive |
| Codswallop | Nosey | It’s very casual, but not offensive. Quite old-fashioned. |
| Bombs are expensive | Very expensive. The term “an arm and a limb” is often used in place of the word bomb. | Casual but not offensive |
| F | A process or activity that is unnecessarily time-consuming or inconvenient | Casual but not offensive |
| You will be Gobsmacked | To be “completely shocked” is to literally have your mouth hit. | Universally Acceptable |
| Long | It is not worth the effort | Multicultural London English is a slang that’s not offensive, but it’s quite new. Older generations and those from outside London are less likely to understand it. |
| Lurgy | Illness. It is often used in a playful way to suggest that the cold may be something worse. | Casual but not offensive |
Samples of British words and phrases used to describe “drunkness”
- You’re Pissed
- Pie-eyed
- Shit-faced
- Rat-arsed
- Steaming
- Mortal
- Bevvied
- F*cked
Local Dialects
There’s no simple way to tell you how to “sound British”. Many British say things differently based on their origins or socio-economic status.
Here are a few regional dialects in the UK.
Birmingham Slang
| Use of colloquial expression | The word “meaning” is used to describe the meaning of this phrase. |
|---|---|
| You can also find out more about Ar | Yes or I agree |
| “ark at That | You can use “Listen” to surprise someone or direct their attention. |
| Bab / Babs | “Baby”. A term used to express affection. It is generally accepted as a way to address friends. The babby could be used to refer to actual babies. |
| Bonce | Human head |
| Bostin’ | Fantastic, amazing |
| Council pop / fizzy pop | Fizzy pops are carbonated soft drinks. When “pop” is used without any qualifiers, it’s often taken to be a diluted squash or cordial. |
| Deff | Ignore or avoid. Decide against. Or abandon. It can be used with “off” as a phrase verb. |
| Outdoor | Off-license or newsagent, is a place to buy alcohol |
| Around the Wrekin | To “go round the Wrekin”, is to go slowly or inefficiently. |
| Ta-ra a bit | Later |
| Wench | A young woman |
Scottish Slang
| Use of colloquial expression | The word “meaning” is used to describe the meaning of this phrase. |
|---|---|
| Aye | Yes or I agree |
| Bairn / Wean | The term used to describe a small child varies from place to place in Scotland. In Scotland, the preferred terms vary. |
| Barry | Enjoy the Great outdoors |
| Bawbag | Literally, “testicles”. It is used as an insult among friends. |
| Bonnie / Braw | Enjoy the beauty of this world. |
| Canny | Clever or clever |
| Dae/Dinnae | Do not / Do |
| Dead/Pure | When used with other adjectives to intensify their meaning, for example: The word “dead” is used to describe something that’s very good. |
| Fash | Worry |
| Take a tae | Get away |
| Haste ye back | We hope to be back in touch soon |
| Hen | The term used by young women to refer to themselves. |
| Ken | You can also learn more about |
| No worries | There is no problem |
| Scran | You can also buy food |
| Scunnered | Tired and bored |
You can take your game to the next step
A good command of English can help you in your career, romance, and even leisure.
Most of the time, it is sufficient to have a good grasp on professional international English in order to be understood and understandable during a conversation. There’s still more to learn. It’s possible to meet native English speakers that aren’t used to an international environment and use a lot of slang.
Because most Americans are exposed to a lot of American media, English students tend to learn the basic colloquialisms of American English almost by default. It’s important to keep in mind that British people have their own unique way of saying many things. You’ll also find a lot of variations in Irish, Canadian and Australian English.
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