International history

Typical Scottish slang, phrases and words!

I’ve got some history with the Scottish language. Not as much as a true Scottish citizen does, but I’ve many friends living there and picked up their accent so quick, that I get asked from others to stop speaking Scottish. Well, too bad for them xd So, here are some Scottish phrases, some provided by my Scottish friend!

Train With Smoke
  • Failing means yer playin! It’s the taking part that counts
  • Bonnie or tidy: beautiful
  • Lang may yer lum reek: long may you live
  • Gie it laldy: give it your best
  • Pure dead brilliant: very good
  • All his eggs are double-yoakit: he’s full of rubbish
  • Awa’ an bile yer heid – get lost (away and boil your head)
  • Haud yer wheesht : be quiet
  • Get tae: go away
  • Gonnae no’ dae that! Not going to do that
  • At dis ma nut in: that does my head in
  • Pure dead brilliant: exceptionally good
  • Yer bum’s oot the windae: you’re talking rubbish
  • Am pure done in: I’m feeling very tired
  • Am a pure nick: I don’t look very presentable
  • Ah umnae: I’m not
  • Int it: isn’t it
  • Ma heid’s mince: my head’s a bit mixed up
  • Ma heid’s loupin’: my head is sore
  • Yer oot yer face! you’re very drunk
  • Yer aff yer heid: you’re off your head (a little bit daft)
  • Cludgie: toilet
  • Hoachin’: very busy
  • It’s a sair ficht for half a loaf: life is difficult
  • Hell mend ye: in other words, it serves you right
  • Skedaddle aff: to scurry along your merry way, or a way to say ‘leave me alone’
  • Yer lookin’ a bit peely wally: you look pale or ill
  • That’s gee-in me the boak: that makes me feel sick
  • Gonny no dae that: please don’t do that
  • She’s up tae high doh: she’s riled up and flustered
  • I’ll give ye a skelpit lug: I’ll give you a slap on the ear
  • Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye! What’s meant to happen will happen, or what will be will be
  • Haste Ye back! Return soon
  • It’s a dreich day: a cold, damp and miserable day, in terms of weather
  • Aboot: about
  • Breeks: trousers
  • Crabbit: bad tempered
  • Braw: good or brilliant
  • Drookit: soaking wet
  • Feart: afraid
  • Hame: home
  • Hoose: house
  • Auld: old
  • Frae: from
  • Aye: yes
  • Haver: talk rubbish
  • Geeza haun: give me a hand (help me)
  • How no: why not
  • Ken: know
  • Mair: more
  • Keek: a little look
  • Merrit: married
  • Naw: no
  • Piece: a sandwich
  • Riddy: a red face, embarrassed
  • Mon: come on
  • Scullery: kitchen
  • Stookie: plaster cast (for a broken bone)
  • Toon: town
  • Windaw: window
Architectural Photography of Brown and Gray Castle

We’ve got far more Scottish slang/phrases/words, but these were the ones we could think of right off the bat. Which other slangs/phrases/words do you think should be added to this list? Or, needs to be on this list?

Love, Deem ❀

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