Scottish Slang for Everyday Objects & Places
Let’s start off with a list of Scottish slang words for commonplace items, subjects, or locations you might hear discussed in a conversation—from shoes to cars, and beyond. When you read through this list, you’ll have a sense of the many ways in which Scottish slang can be used! For instance: Baffies - Slippers Banger - Firework Bits - Boots Box - A TV set Brae - A hill Breeks - Trousers (pants) Brief - Car Bunker - Tabletop or kitchen counter Close - An alleyway Cludgie - A toilet (originally one located outdoors, like an outhouse) Edina / Embra - Edinburgh (the city) Gaff - House (or house party) Geks - Glasses Grund - Ground Gutties - Rubber-soled shoes or gym shoes Haver - To talk nonsense Hame - Home Hauf - Half, or a measure of whiskey Hingway - Thing (can be used interchangeably with any noun or object) Jaggies - Stinging nettles Jenny - A generator Kirk - Church Lavvy - Lavatory (bathroom) Lecky - Electricity Loaby - Hallway, lobby Messages - Shopping Midden - Outdoor rubbish pile Motor - A car Oose - A dust ball or cobweb Outwith - Outside, beyond Puddock - A frog Sannies - A pair of shoes Scheme - A residential area Schule - School (pronounced “skull”) Script - Plan, idea Skelf - A splinter Snout - Cigarette Spondoolies - Money Tassie - Cup Yocker - A large, throwable rock
Scottish Insults & Swear Words
Yes, the Scottish lexicon of swears and insults is just as colorful and creative as you’ve probably heard! There’s an impressive array of curse words and crude names to choose from—some more joking and inoffensive, others much more seriously insulting. We haven’t even touched the most offensive phrases, but you’ll still find a huge array of options below: Bam - A fool or simpleton Bampot - An idiot; someone totally unhinged Bastart - Bastard Batter - To beat up (“I’ll batter ye!”) Bawbag - Scrotum (“What a bawbag he is!”) Besom - An insulting term for a girl or woman Boke (boak) - An expression of disgust (or to gag or vomit) Boggin - Foul-smelling Boot - An insult for an ugly or untidy woman Bowfin - Unpleasant Dafty - A foolish person Diteit - Stupid Div - Idiot Dobber - A fool (Can also mean “dickhead”) Dolton - An idiot Doolally - Someone who has lost their mind Dunderhead - An idiot Eejit - Idiot Fandan - An overconfident or pretentious idiot Fannybaws - A term of ridicule, although sometimes it can be a term of endearment, too Feartie - Cow Glaikit - Foolish, not very bright Gommy - Simple-looking (an idiot) Goon - Idiot Gowk - A fool Hackit - Ugly Honkin’ - Dirty Howlin’ - Smelly Huddy - Idiot, lame brain Jobby - Poo Knob - An irritating person (usually a man) Lavvy heid - Toilet head Loon - Idiot Minger - A dirty, horrible, or ugly person Mink - An unhygenic person Munter - Someone ugly Numpty - A lovable idiot Nugget - A fool Nyaff - An irritating person Reprobate - An unprincipled person Roaster - Someone making a fool of themselves Rocket - An annoying person Scabby - Dirty Tube - An idiot Twally - A person who lacks intelligence Wallaper - Idiot, moron Weapon - An annoying or widely disliked person Wopper - Someone embarrassing
Lovely Scottish Words & Compliments
After all those (admittedly impressive) insults, we have to cover the softer side of Scottish slang: the compliments, sweet words, and terms of endearment. When you want to explain that something is truly awesome using Scottish slang, what should you say? Take a look at the terms below: Barry - Excellent Belter - To be excellent Bonnie - Pretty or beautiful (often used to refer to a woman as “bonnie lass”) Braw - A good-looking person, beautiful Class - Something that’s really good Coorie - To cuddle (especially during cold weather) Crouss - To be cheerful Flichterin’ - Fluttering (like the wings of a butterfly) Gloaming - Twilight Hen - A term of endearment for a woman (like “honey” or “dear”) Magic - Great or excellent Mense - Great (a shortened form of “immense”) Quality - Great, excellent Saorsa - Freedom Scramble - Scottish wedding tradition wherein the groom throws change out of the car for kids to pick up Smourich - A kiss Sound - Nice, cool, able to keep secrets Stoater - A beauty Tidy - A good-looking woman Wee - Small Winch - Kiss (to French kiss someone) Yaldi - An expression of joy
Scottish Slang for Food and Drink
There are also a few choice Scottish slang terms for different types of food and drink (or the act of drinking itself), particularly for beer and other alcoholic beverages. For instance: Bevvy - Alcoholic beverage Bez - Beer Blootered - Extremely drunk Bucky - An abbreviation of “Buckfast” (a popular type of tonic wine) Jaked - Being drunk Neeps - Turnips Piece - Sandwich Pizza Crunch - A deep-fried pizza Scran - Food Session - A night out drinking Snashters - Sweets, goodies, treats to eat Stovies - A beloved Scottish dish (typically made from potatoes, fat, meat, onions, and sometimes gravy) Swally - Alcohol, or to swallow Tatties - Potatoes
Scottish Slang for People
What’s the Scottish slang term for a little kid, or a pretty girl? What about a grandparent or a friend? In this section, we’ll cover a wide range of Scottish slang terms for different people, from family members to random people you might see on the street while people-watching. Take a look: Bairn - A child Barra - A small child Bawheid - Bald-headed Big Yin - A term of endearment for an older relative or friend Blether - Chatter-box Burd - A girlfriend (can also just refer to a girl or girls in general) Chief - Another way to say “dude” or “mate” (basically a term for a friend) Da - Father Gadge - A guy Granda - Grandfather Janny - A janitor Laddie - A boy or young man Lassie - A girl or young woman Maw - Mom Min / Mannie - A mate (friend) or any adult man Minted - Rich Ned - A backronym for a hooligan or troublemaker Papa - Grandfather Quine - A girl or young woman Sassenach - An English person (someone born below the Highland Line) Sook - A big softie Speccy - Someone who wears glasses Teuchter - Someone living in the countryside Toonser - Someone from the city Wean - A child, the youngest in a family Wee barra - A term of endearment (usually for boys) meaning “small fair-haired child” Weegie - Someone from the city of Glasgow Wifey - A woman (usually an older woman)
Scottish Slang for Body Parts
Here, we’ll address Scottish slang terms for body parts. And before you take a look at the terms themselves, keep in mind that a couple of these words could be considered a wee bit more rude than others (seeing as the Scottish do have many slang terms for private parts). Nonetheless, check out the following slang terms: Bahoochie - Buttocks Baws - Testicles Chebs - Breasts Coupon - Face Dowp - Backside, bottom Een - Eyes Gammie - An injured body part Geggy - Mouth Gob - Mouth Gowpin’ - A sore body part Haun - Hand Lugs - Ears Napper - Head Noggin - Head Nut - Head Oxters - Armpits Paps - Breasts Yaks - Eyes or mouth
Scottish Expressions & Phrases
Here, we have some slang expressions and phrases you might hear in everyday conversation with someone Scottish, from exclamations of shock or excitement to quick and easy ways to get someone’s attention or ask “How are you doing?” Get to know the most common Scottish slang expressions here: Ae - An expression of agreement And but - An expression indicating that the speaker is done talking Aye - Yes Banana boat - An expression of disbelief or doubt Cannae - Can’t Crivens - An exclamation Craic - A conversation starter (“What’s the craic?”); pronounced “crack” Deh - Don’t Diddy - Did he? Didnae - Didn’t Dinnae - Don’t Dunno / dinnae ken - I don’t know Eh? - What? Fae - From Fit like? - How are you? Gaun yerself - Congratulations Gaggin’ for it - Begging for something Geez - Give me (“Geez it!”) Gingin’ - Disgusting Graftin’ - To like someone Haver - Silly talk Havnae - Have not Haw - An expression used to get someone’s attention Hogmanay - New Year’s Eve (“Happy Hogmanay!”) Hoot - What How? - Why? Jings! - Wow! Ken - To know Knackered - Exhausted Mental - Insane, off the chain, wild Mibbe - Maybe Mince - Nonsense (“Dinnae talk mince!”) Nae danger - No chance, no way Naw - No Oan yer trolley - Go away Peely wally - Looking pale or sick Pure - Very, totally (an expression of emphasis) Scunnered - Bored, fed up Shan - A shame Simmer - Calm down Skud - Naked Square go - A fair fight (one vs. one) That’s a sin - What a shame Wabbit - Exhausted, feeling under the weather Well - Very (“The couch is well comfy!”) Whit like? - How are you? Yuptae? - What are you up to?
Other Random Scottish Slang Terms
You may hear any of these Scottish slang terms thrown into a casual conversation. They cover a wide range of subjects, from the weather to slang versions of adverbs (like “very,” but with an extremely Scottish twist). Take a look: Baccy - Tobacco Baltic - Freezing cold Barkit - Dirty or unclean Barras - A market (originally describing using a wheelbarrow to sell things from) Batter - To beat up Bide - Stay, live Birl - Spin Bit - Place (referring to someone’s house) Bizzo - Business Bolt - Go away Bosie - Cuddle Burn - A small river or stream Canny - Smart (or, alternatively, to be wary or careful) Chankin - Cold Chib - To stab something or headbutt Chookie - Bird Choon - Song Chum - To go somewhere with someone else Clart - To put on or apply too much of something Clipe - To snitch or tell on someone Cowk - To throw up Crabbit - Grumpy, bad-tempered Cuddy - Horse Cuttin’ - Hanging around without a goal or direction in mind Dander - A walk Doo - A pigeon Dreich - Damp, overcast Drookit - Soaked through, drenched Dug - Dog Dunt - Nudge Fash - Fuss, worry Gan - Go Grannied - Didn’t score any points Greet - To cry Heavin’ - Very busy Hoora - Very Kippy - Left Keek - To peek at something Laldy - Effort Lifted - To be arrested Lip - Cheek (as in giving people attitude) Loused - Finished or super tired Nip - Kiss Patch - To ignore someone or stand them up Peedie - Small Pooched - Broken or useless Puckle - A small amount of something Scooby - A clue (as in “no clue!”) Skelp - To smack (hit) something or someone Swatch - Look Swick - Cheat Techt - Tight, broke (having no money) Wheesht - Quiet Yonks - Years (a long time ago)
Old & Popular Scottish Sayings
Finally, let’s examine some of the Scottish sayings and slang phrases that became prominent years ago, and remain so to this day. In this day and age, it’s hard to pinpoint who first said what or where, exactly, each individual phrase comes from—but we can at least explain what they mean and how they’re used! Ah dinnae ken. - I don’t know. Black as the Earl of Hell’s Waistcoat! - Pitch black Dinna fash. - “Don’t worry.” Dinnae teach yer Granny tae suck eggs! - Don’t teach someone something they already know. Do yer dinger. - An expression of disapproval Failing means yer playin’! - It’s trying that counts (when you fail, at least you’re trying). Gonny no dae that! - Please don’t do that! Hairy Coo - “Hairy cow” (referring to Scotland’s highland cows) Haste ye back! - A farewell, meaning “Come back soon.” Haud yer weesht! - A (rude) way to say “Be quiet!” Hell slap it intae ye! - It’s your own fault! I’ll gie ye a skelpit lug! - I’ll give you a slap on the ear! I’m fair puckled! - I’m winded (or short of breath). It’ll be a skoosh. - Don’t worry, this will be easy It’s a dreich day. - A phrase to indicate a cold, damp, or otherwise miserable day. Keep the heid! - Stay calm! Long may yer lum reek! - May you live long and stay well. Ma heid’s mince. - I’m confused. Pure dead brilliant - Amazing, extraordinary Skinny Malinky Longlegs! - Referring to a tall, thin (skinny) person Speak o’ the Devil! - An expression used when someone appears after you’ve been talking about them Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! - What’s meant to happen will happen. Yer a chancer! - You’re pushing your luck! Yer lookin’ a wee bit peely wally. - You’re looking pale (or ill).
Where does Scottish slang come from?
Scottish slang comes in large part from the Scots language. A lot of Scottish slang is rooted in Scots, which is actually a language with Germanic origins—and it’s over 600 years old. While Gaelic is also still spoken in Scotland, fewer Gaelic words are still used on the daily. Thus, Scottish slang is largely made up from Scots terms, with smaller amounts of English and Gaelic in the mix. Scottish slang can also vary heavily by area! People in Edinburgh don’t use all the same words as people in Glasgow, and people in northern Scotland might use different slang words, too. In Edinburgh, for example, small kids are most often called “bairns.” In Glasgow, the more common word for small children is “weans.”
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