Dubliners are the Renaissance painters of taking the piss. No one else does it quite like us. Our slang is a full-blown language that can be used to flatter, insult, or take the absolute head off of someone, often all at once. It’s musical, it’s mischievous. It’s ours.
Dublin in particular has a way with words that’s as sharp as a seagull eyeing your battered sausage. We talk, chat absolute shite and we perform. A minor inconvenience can be dramatised to Shakespearean levels. The word “sure” alone has about seventeen different meanings depending on the tone. “Deadly” is a compliment, “scarlet” means you should be mortified, and “I will, yeah” translates directly to “not a hope.”
One minute we’re all calling each other “stunhuns,” the next it’s “rots,” and if you’re not keeping up, you’ll be left looking like a right dope. It’s inclusive too. Whether you’re a banker in a suit or a fella with a can in the park, you’re getting called a gobshite at some stage, and that’s just the way it is.
Dublin slang is perpetually laced with a bit of devilment. A well-placed “ah, here” can tell an entire story. A “would ye go away outta that” can settle an argument. And if someone ever says, “I’m only coddin’ ya,” chances are you’ve just been absolutely slated.
While it may be confusing to newbies, there's no need to worry, we've got you covered with some of the main phrases you might hear around town:
Someone who hams it up a bit for attention
Someone who is a bit of a see you next Tuesday
95. Shower of hail
Used to describe a polka dot fabric
94. Get up the garden
Off you pop
93. Story?
What's happening?
92. Stall the ball
Wait a minute
91. Bawling
Crying
90. Flat out
Working hard at something
89. Moydered
Would kill for something (typically very trivial like a cup of tea or something)
88. Gallivanting
Off here there and everywhere doing god knows what
87. Streeling
Dragging something behind
86. Traipsing
Having to follow someone around for ages (typically on foot)
85. Chancer
Someone who would try anything
84. Gurrier
A young lad who is capable of anything
83. Melt
Someone who is extremely annoying or draining to be around
82. The messages
The shopping
81. Mitch
Skip school, also used as a verb "going mitchin"
80. I'll wear the face off ya
I'll kiss ya
79. Burst you
I'll punch you
78. Shade
Derogatory term for the Gardai, who are sometimes referred to as "the shades"
77. Amadán
Irish for eejit
76. Savage
Brilliant, sometimes used as as a verb "absolute savage for pints"
75. Manky
Filthy dirty
74. Locked
Drunk
73. Langers
Drunk
72. Janey Mac!
Wouldn't hear it too often these days, generally used to express a mild form of shock and surprise at something
71. Cameraman
Someone who works hard when people are watching, particularly used in a work setting
70. Mé féiner
Bit of a bastardisation of the Irish, mé féin (which means "myself") used to describe someone who only looks out for themselves
69. Knackered
So tired
68. That's gas
That's funny
67. Jammers
Absolutely packed, no room
66. Away with the fairies
Their mind was elsewhere
65. Up the duff
Pregnant
64. Nice one, yeah
Typically used in sarcasm when someone does something annoying to you
63. Delira
Delighted
62. Hole
Sex, typically used like this "did you get your hole last night?"
61. A goo
Love to go do something/go for a little look and see what happens, typically used "I've an awful goo on me for a drink"
60. Wrote off
Absolutely gone, has gone past the point of any return
59. The hack
The state of someone's appearance, typically used as this following "the hack of your man"
58. Stop the lights
I can't believe it, has received a lot of attention from Gemma Dunleavy's powerful song of the same name.
57. Simpleton
Someone who isn't the brightest
56. Dope
A person who isn't the most intelligent and who behaves as such
55. Browned off
Really annoyed by something
54. Bang
The smell of something, e.g "the bang of lynx Africa off your man"
53. Puss on them
The face on them
52. Pox
Used to express something that's not great can be a person "that pox" or as an adjective "that poxing weather"
51. Tick
Stupid
50. Bleedin'
Really/very, generally used as follows "they are bleedin' wrecking my head"
49. What’s the story?
What's the news/what's happening? Unfortunate if your name is Rory
48. Pup
A mischievous individual who is acting out
47. Bold
Knowingly behaving badly
46. Messer
Being a bit of a brat
45. Acting the maggot
Acting the eejit, at stuff they shouldn't be at
44. Making shapes
Used to describe a hard-looking lad who is walking in an exaggerated fashion
44. Throw shapes/throwing shapes
Dancing
43. On the tear
Going out-out with the intention of letting loose
42. Daniel Day
Used to describe the luas, so-called after the famous Irish actor... Daniel Day-Lewis (Luas)
41. Leg it
Make a run for it
40. Jo maxi
Rhymes with.. taxi
39. Giz’ a shot of that
Can I have a go of that thing that you are using
38. Fair play
Used when something has pulled off something pretty exceptional, typically used as "fair play to you altogether"
37. Eat your head off
Giving out hell to someone about something they've done wrong, typically used by mams
36. Grief
Giving someone "grief" generally means they are giving them a hard time about something that maybe isn't deserved
35. Giving out hell
Really annoyed about something and giving everyone around an earful
34. Dog's abuse
Extremely annoyed and giving out to the person who caused it in a major way
33. Effin’ and blindin’
Meaning to use a whole pile of curse words together, when someone is angry about something.
32. Donkey’s years
An extended length of time, typically used as the following "I haven't seen you in Donkey's years"
31. Crips
A packet of crisps
30. Brolly
An umbrella
29. Lashing
The rain is absolutely bucketing down
28. Bleedin’ ride
An attractive individual, generally a young one
27. Sound
Someone who is just generally great to have around, or sometimes used when you want to display that you've understood something and that you are cool with it.
26. Black stuff
A pint of Guinness, often goes with the saying that originated from an ad "a pint of plain is your only man"
25. Bang on
Someone who is just sound nice to be around and has genuine motives
24. State
I was in an absolute state last night, the state of you at that party, used to describe something being a bit wrecked/broken
Destroy the place/go mad
I'm extremely delighted about something, "I'm only" can be used ahead of a variety of emotions
21. That's massive
That's absolutely brilliant (generally said in response to some happy/positive news)
Move it pronto, generally because someone you don't want is coming
Will you ever move, quick
18. The tide wouldn't take her out
A true Dublin classic, funny on several levels and one that can be used again and again. Used to describe a gal who is having a few problems in the relationship department.
If you'd kindly stop that behaviour/chat this instant and remove yourself from my general vicinity that would be much appreciated. Generally a pretty harmless request, sometimes used in response to a silly or unbelievable comment to illustrate the listener's disbelief.
It's no coincidence that this rhymes with starving
An individual that you simply can't trust, can also be shortened to a 'go-boy' (as in he's a real go-boy)
A real useless person who continually does stupid things
I'm not going to answer your question/complete your request at the moment (or probably ever)
I've something to tell you, pop over when you have a minute and I'll tell you
You are one of the least intelligent people I have ever met in my entire life
At the time I was feeling really embarrassed
I need to head away to the toilet
Quite an older saying but no less good, used to describe a positive experience
Please be quiet for a minute you irritant
I'm categorically stating that this will not be happening
You are pretty incompetent and have difficulty in completing even the most basic of tasks
It's broken, and completely beyond repair
Your character is pretty questionable and I can almost guarantee that your behaviour is pretty bad.
I'm so genuinely so happy for you
