How To Sound Like A Brit – 82 British Slang Words For Your British Accent
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Nothing will make you sound more like a Brit than using British slang or British accent words!
As an American living in London, I’ve come across a lot of British slang words. Some British slang I knew growing up (thanks, Harry Potter), but I was surprised about how much I had to learn since I’ve been here.
Just like British dialects of the English language, British slang can vary region by region and even by subgroup, such as class. Of course, I can’t cover everything, and some of these phrases aren’t necessarily exclusive to the UK. But I’m going to introduce you to some quintessential slang you’ll definitely hear if you’re in the UK or if you watch British TV.
To make it easy for you, I’ve listed these British words to say in alphabetical order. So feel free to read down the list or jump to a word you’ve been burning to understand more! After the list, I’ll also introduce you to a famous and fascinating coded slang system unique to a subset of Londoners.
So what words do you need to comprehend that the British are telling you? Some of these are quite funny words (at least to an American), so you may be surprised to find out.
A final word of warning – some of these words are Not Safe for Work (NSFW), so if you’re easily offended this might not be the article for you. I’ve marked these words with a § symbol.
A
- Alright – This is a casual greeting, not necessarily an enquiry about your health. (This confused me so much when I first got here!) You might hear it as just “Alright?” or “You alright?” (But if a Brit says “Are you alright?” then thye may be asking about your wellbeing.)
- Arse § – Ass. This can refer to both your rear end or a jerk. “Stop being such an arse!”
B
- Blimey – An expression of surprise or astonishment. It tends to be used more among an older demographic. “Blimey, did you see that?”
- Blinking – An intensifier similar to “bloody” (below), but less harsh. A common expression of frustration or negative surprise is “Blinking heck!”
- Bloke – A man (basically, a “dude”). “That bloke over there has been staring at his pint for an hour.”
- Bloody – A very versatile word to intensify the sentiment. It’s a bit harsh, but nothing that would be censored on TV. “It’s bloody cold today!”
- Bollocking – A telling-off. “He got a bollocking from his boss.”
- Bollocks – Nonsense or rubbish (see below). Also used to express disbelief. Its original meaning refers to testicles, so it’s a bit vulgar. “That’s a load of bollocks!”
- Brilliant – Fantastic or excellent. Also sometimes shortened to “brill.” “She passed her driving test? Brilliant!”
- Bruv – Short for brother, used among friends. It’s similar to “mate” (below). “You alright, bruv?”
- Bugger § – A mildly offensive term for someone or something disliked. “This little bugger won’t leave me alone!” You’ll also often hear the expression “Bugger off!” to mean “Get lost!” or “Leave me alone!”
- Bugger all – Absolutely nothing. (Don’t get this confused with the above!) “I did bugger all today.”
- Buzzing – This has two possible meanings. The first is excited or enthusiastic. “I’m buzzing for the concert tonight!” Its original meaning is “drunk,” and may take the form “buzzed” in this sense.
C
- Cheeky – This has two possible meanings: 1. Impudent but endearing. “She made a cheeky remark about his outfit.” 2. A little, unplanned treat or indulgence. “Fancy a cheeky pint after work?” You’ll also hear it often with getting a “cheeky Nando’s.” (Nando’s is a popular fast-casual food chain.)
- Cheers – Thanks or bye. Quite multi-purpose, it can also be used for toasts. “I’m off! Cheers.”
- Chippy – A fish and chip shop. “I’m going to the chippy. Want anything?”
- Chuffed – Pleased or proud. “I’m chuffed with my exam results!”
- Come off it – An expression of disbelief or dismissal. “Come off it, you can’t be serious!”
- Crack on – To continue or proceed with a task or activity. “We need to crack on with this project.”
- Cracking – Excellent or impressive. “That was a cracking goal!”
- Cricket – An expression of surprise or amazement. It’s about the same as “blimey” (above). “Crikey, that was close!”
- Cuppa – A cup of tea. Essential to British existence (although coffee is also immensely popular). “Fancy a cuppa?”
D
- Daft – Silly or foolish. “Don’t be daft!”
- Dead – Very. “That’s dead useful.”
- Dodgy – Sketchy. Something or someone suspicious or of low quality. “That’s a dodgy looking kebab van.”
F
- Faff – To waste time or fuss unnecessarily. “Stop faffing around and get to work!”
- Fag – Here’s a key Britsh vs. American accent word. This is very different from the homophobic American meaning. In the UK this means a cigarette. “I’m just stepping outside for a fag.”
- Fancy – To like someone or something. “I fancy a bit of chocolate.”
- Fanny § – Be careful with this one; it’s quite vulgar in the UK, referring to female genitalia. (FYI, a “fanny pack” is called a “bum bag” in the UK.) “I saw her fanny because she wasn’t wearing any pants!”
- Fit – Attractive (but not necessarily in good physical shape!). “Did you see that fit bloke in the cafe?”
- Fiver – A five pound note, or just five pounds (since cashless payments are used so much in the UK). “This whole meal only cost a fiver!”
- Fob – To deceive or trick someone. “He tried to fob me off with a fake excuse.”
G
- Good fun – Enjoyable or entertaining. “Going to the fair was good fun.”
- Good job – Used in expressions expressing relief or gratitude for a fortunate outcome (basically in the same way you could say “good thing”). “It’s a good job I remembered my keys.”
- Grand – Fantastic. This is especially used in the northern parts of the UK and Ireland. “You’re coming home tomorrow? That’s grand.”
- Gutted – Extremely disappointed or upset. “He was gutted when his team lost.”
H
- Heaving – Extremely crowded. “The bar was absolutely heaving last night.”
- Hiya – An informal and friendly way to say hi. “Hiya, you alright?”
- Hundred percent – Totally or for sure. This is also used outside of the UK, but in my experience, it’s used here on a different level. (Just watch “The Traitors,” a massively popular British competition show. Everyone uses it all the time, particularly in season one.) It can be used with or without “a” preceding it. “Do you trust me?” “Hundred percent.”
I
Innit – Short for “isn’t it,” often used at the end of statements to check for confirmation. Interestingly, it can end any sentence, even where “isn’t” it can’t be used. “She went to York last week, innit?”
K
- Knackered – Very tired. “After the marathon, I was completely knackered.”
- Knob § – An annoying jerk, usually male. It can also refer to a penis. It’s similar to “wanker” (below). “Her boyfriend is such a knob.”
L
- Lads – Refers to a group of men or boys, often friends. “The lads are going out tonight.” It can be used pejoratively to refer to a man who displays certain toxic masculine traits, much like calling someone a “bro.” So British people will often say “lad culture” instead of “bro culture.”
- Loo – The bathroom. “Where are the loos?”
- Lot – A group of people, used similarly to how “guys” is used as a genderless plural. “This lot are coming to the party tonight.”
- Love – A term of endearment, usually at the end of a sentence. It’s similar to “sweetie” or “dear” but used more universally, especially up north. “Here’s your coffee, love.”
- Lovely – Great. “You’re free tonight? Lovely!”
- Lovely jubbly – A lighthearted expression of pleasure or approval. “Found £20 on the road, lovely jubbly!”
- Lush – Fantastic or attractive. This is used mostly in Wales and northern England. “That girl looks lush! Can you introduce me to her?” It may also mean “drunk.”
M
- Mate – Friend, often male. “Hey mate, can you lend me a quid?” You might also hear the collocation “mates’ rates” for a “friends and family discount.”
N
- Naff – Unfashionable or lame. “That hat is a bit naff, isn’t it?”
- Nick – To steal. “My brother nicked a fiver straight from my pocket!”
O
- Oh my days – Expression of surprise or disbelief, like “Oh my gosh.” “Oh my days, did he really just say that?”
P
- Pants – Not the American trousers, but a British way of saying that something is not very good. Not that here it’s an adjective (and when used as a noun, it usually means “underwear” in the UK). “The weather today is pants.”
- Pillock – An idiot or annoying person. “You’re such a pillock. Go away!”
- Pint – A beer (based on the unit of measurement for a large glass of beer in the UK). “Fancy going for a pint after work?”
- Pissed – Totally drunk. It’s a tad vulgar of a phrase. “He got pissed at the party last night.”
- Plonker – A stupid or annoying person. It’s a bit less harsh than calling someone a “pillock.” “Don’t be such a plonker!”
- Pong – A bad smell. It can be used as a noun or a verb. “There’s a pong coming from the kitchen.”
- Pop – To quickly visit somewhere. “I’m just going to pop to the loo, and then I’ll be ready.”
- Proper – An adjective (sometimes used like an adverb) used for emphasis, similar to “really” or “totally.” “I can’t believe it. He only had one pint, and now he’s proper pissed!”
Q
Quid – A pound (as in the British currency). It’s the British equivalent to a “buck.” “It cost me fifty quid.”
R
- Right job – A difficult or challenging task. “Fixing the car was a right job.”
- Row – An argument or disagreement. (It rhymes with “now.”) “They had a row about money.”
- Rubbish – Garbage, but also used to describe something of poor quality or to express disagreement. “Your argument is rubbish.”
- Rugger – Rugby. “You watching the rugger today?”
S
- Shag § – To have sex or the act of sex. “I hear they broke up but are still shagging.”
- Shattered – To be exhausted or very tired. It’s basically the same as “knackered” (above). It doesn’t necessarily mean you’re upset about anything (something that really confused me the first time I heard it!). “You must be shattered after that long flight.”
- Smash – To do something extremely well or successfully. “You really smashed the presentation.”
- Snog – To kiss passionately or make out. “I saw them snogging in the corner.”
- Sod off § – Go away or get lost. “I told you million times to sod off!” “Sod” can also be used in other expressions, such as “sod it” or “sod all” (similar to “damn it”).
- Soz – An informal abbreviation for “sorry.” “Soz for being late.”
T
- Ta – Thank you. This is particularly common in northern England. “Ta for the tea, love.”
- Take the piss – To mock or make fun of someone or something. It can also refer to exploiting a situation for one’s own gain. “He’s always taking the piss out of his friends.”
- Tenner – A ten pound note (or ten pounds in today’s cashless society). “A pint cost me a tenner in that pub! They’re taking the piss out of their customers.”
- Tipple – A drink, usually alcoholic. “Care for a tipple?”
- Tosser – An annoying or idiotic person, basically similar to a “pillock.” Again, this is usually used for men. (The Brits have a lot of words for this kind of person.) “Shut up! Don’t be such a tosser.”
- Tuck in – To eat eagerly or with enthusiasm. Also used as “tuck into.” “Let’s tuck into this delicious meal.”
U
- Uni – University. “She’s starting uni next month.” Note that “college” doesn’t mean “university” in the UK and is an earlier level of schooling.
W
- Wanker § – An idiot or a despicable person, usually male (and originally refers to someone masturbating). Used disdainfully and definitely not the best for polite company. “He’s a complete wanker.”
- Wee – A bit or small, used especially in Scotland and Ireland. “Could I have a wee bit more sugar in my tea?”
- Wicked – Awesome. “He’s wicked at football.”
X
- X – Literally meaning a kiss (like the X in XOXO), this is often used at the end of a message to convey affection. It doesn’t necessarily impart any romantic feelings and can be used among friends. It’s only used in writing. “How have you been? Hope to catch up soon x”
Cockney rhyming slang
Now I would be remiss if I didn’t mention Cockney rhyming slang. It’s kind of like a uniquely British version of pig latin, but it requires more brain power.
Cockney rhyming slang is a playful and creative form of language that started in the East End of London. It involves replacing common words with phrases that rhyme with them, often dropping the rhyming word to add an element of obscurity. It’s been said that it was initially developed to outwit eavesdroppers and authorities.
For example, instead of saying “Use your head!” someone speaking in Cockney rhyming slang might say, “Use your loaf of bread!” – or even further abbreviated (and more confounding to those not used to it), “Use your loaf!”
Words are often used in pairs with the latter rhyming with the real meaning. For example, if someone was sent to the “bucket and pail,” they were probably sent to “jail.” “Stairs” becomes “apples and pears,” but people might just say “apples” instead, dropping the rhyming word.
It’s not something you can easily pick up. My housemate actually gave me a glossary of rhyming Cockney slang when she learned I was writing this article!
Crack on with British Slang
I hope you had a cracking good time learning more about British accent slang words. There’s plenty more to learn about, so crack on! (See what I did there?)
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