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131 top British slang words, expressions & meanings to learn. March 12, 2024. Author. Karolina Assi. Have you ever watched a British TV show and struggled to understand what the characters were saying? If so, you probably wondered why you couldn’t understand anything if you usually have no trouble understanding movies and TV shows in English.
- Arse. What a great way to start the list. An arse is your rear end (not to be confused with an ass, which is a donkey). But it can also be a reference to an annoying person: “Stop being such an arse”.
- Banter. Making jokes, often at the expense of others in your company. British people love to banter, and someone with good banter is likely to be popular.
- Bare. Used mostly in London to mean "a lot of". “There were bare man at the rave”. Note the use of “man” in the singular to mean “men” or even “people”.
- Barmy. Crazy. “That’s a barmy idea”.
- Pissed.
- Nowt.
- Us.
- Trainers.
- Wanker.
- Hunky-Dory.
- Cheers.
- Bugger all.
- Bollocks.
- Bloody.
This doesn't mean angry or frustrated in the way Americans use it– rather, it means to be blind drunk.
Coming originally from Northern England, this word has recently entered the mainstream British slang and means 'nothing'.
This one is interesting and can be a bit confusing at first. In British slang, some people use the word "us" rather than 'me' when talking about themselves. For instance, instead of 'come with me', one might say 'come with us'.
Trainers are the American equivalent of "sneakers". If you think about it, it makes more sense– athletes train in shoes, they don't sneak.
Possibly the best single-worded British insult on the list, wanker fits closest by 'jerk' or 'a-hole'.
A fun little piece of British slang that means a situation is cool, okay, or normal. Related: 300 Words to Describe Yourself
While most people associate this word with a toast, it can also mean a quick 'thanks' or 'thank you'.
This is slang used for 'nothing at all'. When you've sat on the couch all day watching Netflix, you've done bugger all.
While it has a multitude of meanings, bullocks is most commonly used to describe dismay or disbelief.
You probably don't need a definition, as this is by far the most popular British slang. Historically, it was seen a cuss word– it's now so commonly used that it is generally acceptable.
Aug 3, 2021 · Fortunately, there are quite a few descriptive British slang terms that paint quite a vivid picture to anyone who knows what the informal words mean. bog-standard - nothing special; bonkers - crazy; botched - something going wrong; cack-handed - clumsy; camp - flamboyant; cheeky - sassy; chockablock - filled to the brim; cobblers - nonsense
- Mary Gormandy White
- Staff Writer
- Bet. Bet is used as a way to confirm or agree with something. Consider it a synonym for okay or sounds good. —Can you pick up Joshua in an hour? —Bet, I’ll be there.
- Boujee. Boujee (also spelled bougie) is mostly used as an adjective describing something extravagant, luxurious, or of high-class taste. Boujee can also describe a person who is materialistic, pretentious, or who prioritizes an upscale lifestyle.
- Curve. To curve someone is to dismiss someone’s flirtatious advances or expressions of interest. In other words, if someone is flirting with you, and you tell them you have a boyfriend or girlfriend, you’ve curved them.
- DMs. DM is an abbreviation for direct message. It refers to a private message sent via a social media platform like Facebook or X (formerly known as Twitter).
2 days ago · James Prior. No Comments. Updated May 30, 2024. If you’ve ever come across British slang words and you live anywhere other than the UK, it’s understandable if you’re confused by what they mean! But, fear not! This ultimate list of British slang words covers the popular slang words and phrases that you might hear in the UK.
Jan 29, 2024 · Here’s a curated selection of the top 50 British slang words and phrases that will help you navigate the world of British colloquialisms: 1. A cuppa. A cuppa is the endearingly shortened version of “a cup of tea,” a beverage deeply ingrained in British culture and social interactions.
