The Lingo

A searchable Scottish words guide.

Showing 68 of 68 words

Aye

Yes

Example: Aye, I'll have another cup of tea.

All Scotland

Naw

No

Example: Naw, I dinnae want any.

All Scotland

Wee

Small or little

Example: Just a wee dram of whisky.

All Scotland

Dinnae

Don't or do not

Example: I dinnae ken what you're on about.

All Scotland

Cannae

Can't or cannot

Example: I cannae make it tonight.

All Scotland

Willnae

Won't or will not

Example: He willnae listen to reason.

All Scotland

Ken

To know or understand

Example: Do ye ken what I mean?

All Scotland

Bairn

Child or baby

Example: The bairns are sleeping.

All Scotland

Blooter

To get very drunk

Example: He got absolutely blootered last night.

Glasgow

Boggin

Disgusting or dirty

Example: That's pure boggin, mate.

All Scotland

Bolt

Go away, leave quickly

Example: Bolt ya rocket!

Glasgow

Boost

To steal or shoplift

Example: Did you see him trying to boost that chocolate bar?

Glasgow

Braw

Great, fantastic, beautiful

Example: That's a braw day for the beach.

Aberdeen/North East

Chib

To slash or stab with a sharp object

Example: He got chibbed in the street.

Glasgow

Chungin

Very attractive/good looking

Example: She's pure chungin.

Glasgow

Dafty

Idiot or fool

Example: Don't be a dafty.

All Scotland

Dug

Dog

Example: Who's a good dug?

All Scotland

Dunno

I don't know

Example: I dunno what to do.

All Scotland

Fannybaws

Idiot, annoying person

Example: Shut it, fannybaws.

Glasgow

Fud

Idiot, stupid person

Example: What a total fud.

All Scotland

Gallus

Bold, cheeky, impressive

Example: He's pure gallus that wan.

Glasgow

Geggy

Mouth (derogatory)

Example: Shut your geggy.

Glasgow

Gonnae

Going to

Example: I'm gonnae be late.

All Scotland

Hen

Woman, girl, term of endearment

Example: How you doing, hen?

Glasgow/West

Hingin

Smelly, disgusting

Example: That's pure hingin.

All Scotland

Hoachin

Very busy, full of people, or disgusting

Example: The pub was hoachin last night.

All Scotland

Hoose

House

Example: Get back in yer hoose.

All Scotland

Jobby

Poo, feces

Example: There's a jobby on the pavement.

All Scotland

Keed

Child

Example: The keeds are playing outside.

Glasgow

Laldy

To do something with enthusiasm/vigor

Example: Give it laldy!

Glasgow

Lassie

Young woman, girl

Example: She's a bonny lassie.

All Scotland

Loon

Boy, young man

Example: Come here, loon.

Aberdeen/North East

Mad Wae It

Very drunk

Example: He was mad wae it last night.

Glasgow

Maw

Mother, mum

Example: I'm going to see my maw.

Glasgow/West

Mental

Crazy, wild, exciting

Example: That party was mental.

All Scotland

Mince

Rubbish, nonsense

Example: That's a load of mince.

All Scotland

Naebdy

Nobody

Example: Naebdy kens the answer.

All Scotland

Nippin

Biting cold, freezing

Example: It's nippin out there today.

All Scotland

Noo

Now

Example: What are you doing noo?

All Scotland

Oan

On

Example: Whit you oan aboot?

All Scotland

Oot

Out

Example: He's oot playing.

All Scotland

Oan Yer Bike

Go away, leave

Example: On yer bike, pal.

Glasgow

Patch

Ignore, leave alone

Example: Just patch him.

Glasgow

Pished

Very drunk

Example: He was absolutely pished.

All Scotland

Pure

Very, completely

Example: That's pure brilliant.

Glasgow

Radge

Crazy person, angry person

Example: He's a total radge.

Edinburgh

Rerr

Great, fantastic

Example: That's rerr!

Glasgow

Rocket

Idiot, fool

Example: Ya rocket, ye!

Glasgow

Sannies

Sandals

Example: Put on your sannies.

Glasgow

Scoobied

Confused, bewildered

Example: I'm pure scoobied.

Glasgow

Scran

Food

Example: Let's get some scran.

All Scotland

Shan

Embarrassing, bad quality

Example: That's pure shan.

Glasgow

Sook

Suck up to someone, teacher's pet

Example: Don't be a sook.

All Scotland

Steamin

Very drunk

Example: He was steamin last night.

All Scotland

Stoater

Something excellent, fantastic

Example: That's a stoater of a car.

All Scotland

Swally

Alcoholic drink

Example: Fancy a swally?

Glasgow

Taps Aff

Shirt off (usually when sun comes out)

Example: It's taps aff weather!

Glasgow

Tatties

Potatoes

Example: Tatties and mince for tea.

All Scotland

Tea

Dinner, evening meal

Example: What's for tea tonight?

All Scotland

Toaty

Tiny, very small

Example: That's a toaty piece.

Glasgow

Tube

Idiot, stupid person

Example: You absolute tube.

All Scotland

Wain

Child

Example: The wains are in bed.

All Scotland

Wheesht

Be quiet, shut up

Example: Wheesht! The bairn's sleeping.

All Scotland

Windae

Window

Example: Look out the windae.

All Scotland

Wit

What

Example: Wit you saying?

Glasgow

Yer Maw

Your mum (often used as comeback)

Example: Aye, well yer maw!

Glasgow

Yer Da

Your dad

Example: Yer da sells Avon.

Glasgow

Yersel

Yourself

Example: How's yersel?

All Scotland