One of the many advantages of studying English in the UK (or at a place with English speakers) is that you will get a real idea of how British people really communicate.
Slang makes up a large part of the vocabulary and is different across the country. If you鈥檙e studying English in the UK this year, then check out our guide to British slang before you arrive….
20 Common British Slang Words
1. Bloke (noun)
A common way of saying ‘man’. You might also hear ‘geezer’, ‘guy’, ‘dude’, ‘fella’, ‘chap’, or ‘lad’.
E.g. 鈥淭hat bloke over there has a nice hat.鈥�
2. Loo (noun)
This is probably the British slang word you’ll hear the most if you come to the UK, this is because it’s the polite word we use to say we’re going to the toilet without saying the word “toilet”.聽
E.g. 鈥淐an we stop at a cafe? I need to go to the loo.鈥�
3.聽Dodgy (adj)
Dodgy is an incredibly useful word that British people use to describe anything we’re a bit concerned about. It can be used to mean anything that鈥檚 low-quality, potentially dangerous or unreliable.
“E.g. 鈥淚 wouldn鈥檛 go to that pub. It can get a bit dodgy late at night.”
4.聽Proper (adj)
Proper is a difficult word to define, mainly because British people use it to describe so many different things. Doing things 鈥榩roperly鈥� means to do them correctly or in the right way. In the North of England, 鈥榩roper鈥� can also be used for emphasis in the same way as the word 鈥榲ery’.
E.g. 鈥淎 proper cup of tea needs milk and two sugars.鈥澛犫�淭hat鈥檚 a proper good cup of tea.鈥�
5.聽Knackered (adj)
Simply put, knackered means really, really tired. The term used to describe the person who cleared dead animals away in the slaughterhouse, but is now used to say you鈥檙e exhausted. Just be a bit careful when using this one, some people consider this word to be impolite.
E.g. 鈥淚 can鈥檛 come to the pub, sorry. I鈥檓 absolutely knackered.鈥�
6.聽Quid (noun)
If you鈥檝e ever been at the cashier of a British shop and heard the word 鈥榪uid,鈥� then you know how confusing it can be. But, don’t worry, a ‘quid’ is just a slang word for ‘pound.’
E.g.聽鈥淐an you lend me a quid for the parking machine?鈥�
7. Skint (noun)
Still on the theme of money, 鈥榮kint鈥� means that you don’t have any. It means the same as ‘broke’ which is used more commonly in American English.
E.g. 鈥淪orry I can鈥檛 come out for your birthday. I鈥檓 not getting paid until鈥� next week and I鈥檓 skint.鈥�
8.聽To Skive (verb) Skiver (noun)
If you鈥檙e pretending to be sick so that you can鈥檛 go to work, you鈥檙e 鈥榮kiving.鈥櫬�
E.g. 鈥淛eremy is such a skiver. He always takes the day off work.鈥�
9.聽Snog (noun) To snog (verb)
So ‘to snog’ is to give someone a kiss. Specifically, the kind of kiss that is not very romantic.
E.g. 鈥淒id you hear that Lisa snogged Pete at the Christmas party?鈥�
10. Cheers (exclamation)
So you might know the word 鈥榗heers鈥� as the word you use to toast your drink in English. But, as the British like to be different, we also use it for something else. We use ‘cheers’ to mean thank you and often use pretty it sarcastically.
E.g. 鈥淒o you want to help me clean the car?鈥�
鈥淣ah I鈥檓 good, cheers鈥�
11.聽Naff (adj)
‘Naff’ is a word with an interesting history. Back in the 1960s, it was illegal to be gay in the UK and so gay men began to use a kind of code language or slang that was a mix of Italian, Romany and rhyming slang. 鈥楴aff鈥� was one of these words that actually meant someone was heterosexual. Now, the word 鈥榥aff鈥� is used to mean that something is lacking in style or good taste.
E.g. 鈥淚 was going to buy you the pink one, but I thought it looked a bit naff.鈥�
12.聽To sack off (phrasal verb)
鈥楾o sack off鈥� is to avoid doing something or to give up doing something – normally something that you didn鈥檛 want to do in the first place.
E.g. 鈥淭hink I鈥檓 going to sack off work drinks later. I’m way too tired.鈥�
13.聽Banter (noun)
Banter is a word used to mean joking or teasing that is meant to be friendly, but often isn鈥檛.
E.g. 鈥淒on鈥檛 get offended. It鈥檚 just a bit of banter.鈥�
14.聽Gutted (adj)
Extremely disappointed or upset.
E.g. 鈥淚 was gutted when she broke up with me.鈥�
15.聽Pissed (adj)
Now in the United States, pissed means angry. In the UK, pissed means drunk, and ‘pissed off’ is rude, and means angry. Confusing, we know.
E.g. 鈥淚 was so pissed off when I saw how pissed she got at the party.”
16.聽Par (noun) To par off (phrasal verb)
A 鈥減ar鈥� is an act of dismissal or disrespect.
E.g. 鈥淒id you see how rude that guy was to me? What a par鈥︹��
17.聽Melt (noun)
A slang word used in London youth culture for years that was made famous by the reality TV show 鈥楲ove Island,鈥� a 鈥榤elt鈥� is someone who is a wimp or a coward.
E.g. 鈥淛ust go and ask them out! Stop being such a melt.鈥�
18.聽Cheeky (adj)
鈥楥heeky鈥� has long been used in the UK to describe something light-hearted but a little rude or risqu茅. However, it is now used to describe any activity that is a little bit naughty but nice.
E.g. 鈥淒o you fancy a cheeky pint after work?鈥�
19.聽To mug off (phrasal verb)
To 鈥榤ug someone off鈥� is to take advantage of someone or make a fool out of them.
E.g. 鈥淭hat guy at the football kept laughing at me for wearing an Arsenal shirt. I told him to stop mugging me off.鈥�
20.聽Mate (noun)
‘Mate’ is British slang for a friend. But, like a lot of British slang, mate is a word that is used as much sarcastically as it is sincerely. You鈥檙e just as likely to call someone 鈥榤ate鈥� when they’re your friend as when they’re annoying you.聽
E.g. 鈥淪top mugging me off, mate.鈥� 聽
Want to learn to speak like a true Brit? Check out our online English language courses and find classes with native speakers.
