Glaswegian Dictionary

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Aboot About
Aff: Off
Ah/Ah’ll/Ahm: I/I’ll/I’m
Ain: Own, as in my own, which would be “Ma ain”.
Anaw: Aswell, also, too, in addition to.
Arsed: Bothered, as in “Ah cannae be arsed”, meaning I can’t be bothered.
Auld/Aul’: Old
Aye: Yes
Backie: A ride on the back of someones bike.
Bahookie: Buttocks, bum, bottom, arse, erse, ass, butt.
Baltic: Very cold, normally used to describe a particularly cold day, as in “It’s bloody baltic the day”.
Bampot: Idiot, crazy person, silly or stupid person. Bampot is a dissaproving word normally used after someone has done something particularly stupid.
Banter: Lively and humourous chat or conversation. Banter is a term used to describe lively humourous conversation, usually between friends. But in Glasgow you will hear banter from many people you don’t know or have just met, e.g. a Glaswegian taxi driver, or a wee old lady waiting in the queue for her messages. (Definition of “messages” is below).
Barras: The Barras, or Barrowlands; a location in Glasgows East End where there is a street market.
Barrbru: Irn Bru; the fizzy, orange coloured drink that the Scot’s love. I can’t describe the taste. You have to taste it yourself to discover how delightful it is. Also recommended as a brilliant hangover cure by many Glaswegians.
Bawbag: Can be used in the literal sense, meaning scrotum. Can also be used as a derogatory term, normally towards a male, meaning asshole or dick.
Beamer: Red face caused by Embarresment. e.g. James had a beamer when realised his fly was down. A beamer is not a BMW in Glasgow!
Belter: A very good thing, for example “That goal was a total belter!”
Bile: Boil, often used in the phrase “Away an’ bile yer heid” which is a cheeky way of saying no to someone.
Boabie: Male genitals, penis, willy, wangdoodle, knob, cock, dick, johnson.
Boak: Vomit, would most likely be heard in the phrase “That gies (gives) me the boak” which translates as finding something particularly disgusting.
Boggin: Very dirty, manky, mockit, mingin’.
Bookies: Bookmakers
Boozer: If someone is talking about going to the boozer, it means they are going to the pub.
Brass neck: Impudence, shameful boldness, embarrassing behavior. This phrase is normally used to highlight someones bold cheel or unwittingly embarrassing behavior in company of others.
Breed: Bread, as in “breed an’ butter”.
Bucky: Buckfast; a tonic wine which is particularly popular among the Glasgow neds.
Bufter: Homosexual
Bunnet: Hat, any type of hat. Sometimes can also mean a tweed hat.
Burds: Females
By-the-way: This is a phrase used to accentuate or draw draw attention to a particular point. Can also mean aswell, also or too.
Cannae: Can’t
Cauld: Cold (Pronounced like the word called).
Chibbed: Cut with a sharp object, normally a knife. A term used mainly in terms of stabbing someone.
Clatty: Dirty, manky, mingin’.
Clatty pats: The affectionate name for a nightclub in Glasgows West End called Cleopatras.
Connel: Candle
Coo: Cow, as in the milk producing domestic animal. You might hear the term “Highlan’ coo” which is the breed of cow found mainly in the Scottish highlands.
Copper crack: Dirty bum
Coupon: Face, as in “What’s up wi’ your coupon?”
Croanie: Old friend
Da Dad, father
Dae: Do
Daftie: Idiot, halfwit. Generally an endearing term used when someone does something a bit silly.
Dancer, Ya: An expression of joy. When something particularly great happens then the phrase “Ya dancer” may be shouted.
Dancin: Used when talking about a nightclub, as in “Ahm going tae the dancin’ the night”.
Diddies: Breasts, Boobs
Dinjy: Dark and dirty
Diz: Does
Dobber: A derogatory term similar to calling some a dick, but perhaps a bit more friendly.
Dod: A dod of something just means a bit something.
Doin’/Doing: A beating or fight. Might be heard from someone who angry with someone else and to whom they are “Going to give a doing”.
Donner: A walk, as in “A wee donner round the park”.
Doon: Down, as in “Lets go doon the pub the night”.
Dug: Dog
Eejit: Silly person, normally not used in a derogatory way.
Emdy: Anybody, as in “Is emdy in the lavvie the noo?”
Erse: Arse, bottom, bum, buttocks, ass, as in “Sit on yer erse and listen tae me”.
Fae: From
Faimly: Family
Fanny-bawz: A derogatory term (similar to dobber).
Fartsack: Bed
Fiver: A five pound note
Flittin’: Moving house
Fly: Illicit
Fud: A name for female genitalia. Normally used as an insult, in which case it means the same as idiot or fanny.
Fugly: Fucking ugly
Fur: For

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Gaff Boss or another person in charge. Can also be used by a person talking to someone older.
Geesa: Give me a, as in “Geesa wee dod a that”.
Get it up ye: Loosely translated, this means “Ha Ha”.
Gies: Give
Ginger: Fizzy juice, particularly pertaining to Irn Bru.
Gonnae: Will you or can you, as in “Gonnae gies a wee dod a that?”
Greetin: Normally means crying, but can also mean moaning.
Gub: Mouth, gob
Hackit: Ugly, someone with a weathered face.
Hairy (Hairy Mary): A female ned, normally one who is particularly loud and mouthy.
Hameldaeme: Home
Haudin’: Holding
Haw: Generally an expression used to catch someones attention, particularly someone a distance away, for example across a street.
Hawd: Hold
Hawfwit: Halfwit, idiot, silly or stupid person. Generally not derogatory.
Hawn: Hand, as in “Will ye hawd ma hawn?”
Heavy: Can be used instead of the word very, but can also be used to describe bad news.
Hee haw: Nothing, as in “He’ll be getting’ hee haw aff me”.
Heid: Head
Heid case: Head case, idiot. Can be derogatory. Normally used to describe someone who has done something particlarly stupid.
Heid the baw: Halfwit, idiot, silly or stupid person. Generally not derogatory.
Heider: Header
Hen: A term used to refer to or greet a female, as in “Hiya hen, how are ye?”
Here you: An expression used to attract someones attention.
Hing: Can mean hang, but is also the slang way of saying thing.
Hoachin’: Very busy
Honkin’: Smelly, horrible or disgusting.
Honnel: Handle
Hudnae: Had not
Hunner/s: Hundred/s, as in “There were hunners a folk there this mornin”.
Huv: Have
Intae: Into
Isnae: Isn’t
Jake Can mean cheap booze, but is more commonly to refer to a tramp or homeless person. Can also be used to describe someone who looks messy.
Jessie: If someone is described as a “big Jessie” it normally means that they are a bit soft.
Jimmy Riddle: Piddle, pish, pee, wee, urine.
Jist: Just
Jobby: Poo, faeces, shit.
Kerry oot: Carry out. Generally refers to buying alcohol from an off licence, but can also mean take-away food.
Keys/Keyses: If you call keys/keyses, you are calling a truce. Normally used by children when playing tig or something similar.
Kin: Can, as in “Kin ye pass me that book ower please?”
Lassie: Girl, female.
Lavvie: Toilet
Lecky: Electricity, normally used when referring to an electricity bill.
Lift: A ride in vehicle, normally a car. Would normally be heard in the context of “Do you need need a lift to school?”, or something similar.
Loupin: Very sore, as in “Ma heid wis loupin when ah got up this mornin”.

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Mad wi’ it Very drunk
Maest: Most
Mah: Used to refer to ones mum/mother, but also means my.
Massehl: Myself
Maw: Mum, mother
Menshy: Grafitti
Mental: Normally used when referring to someone who has tried to be tough, but has also been a bit of an idiot.
Messages: Shopping, groceries.
Mibbe: Maybe
Middin’: Bin, rubbish dump. Can also refer to a mess, for example “This hoose is like a middin”.
Midge: Bin
Mince: Rubbish or crap, as in “He played mince the day”.
Mingin: Horrible, disgusting, manky, dirty.
Mockit: Dirty, manky, mingin’, disgusting, horrible.
Motur: Car, as in “Ahm going tae pick up the motur fae the garage”.
Muntered: Very drunk.
Nae: No
Nae-borra: Literally means “No bother”. Translated, this means no problem at all.
Napper: Head
Naw: No
Ned: Ned stands for Non-Educated Delinquent. It means the same as chav.
Nip: To kiss or to “get off” with. Normally used by teenagers, as in “Will you nip mah pal?”
Nugget: Halfwit, idiot, silly or stupid person. Generally not derogatory.
Ower: Over
Pat and Mick Rhyme and slang for sick.
Pee: Piddle, pish, wee, urine.
Piece: A piece is a sandwich.
Pish: Piddle, pee, wee, urine.
Plook: Acne. Normally used to point out a particularly large spot.
Poacket: Pocket
Poke: Paper bag, as in when in the chippie, “Kin ah get a poke a chips please?”
Pokey hat: An ice cream cone.
Puggy: Slot machine.
Pun: Pound, not normally used in terms of money. More often used when talking about weight.
Punter: Customer or consumer.
Pure: A descriptive word which means the same as really. See “pure dead brilliant”.
Pure dead brilliant: A very Glaswegian phrase. Used to enthusiastically describe something that is really great.
Randan: If someone is going out on the “randan” it means that they are going out for a drink, particularly to a nightclub.
Reekin: Smelly or disgusting, but can also mean very drunk.
Rid neck: Embarassed, particularly when a persons face gets very red.
Riddy: If someone “takes a riddy”, it means that their face has gotten very red, most likely because they are very embarassed.
Rocket: An idiot, someone who doesn’t really have a good grip on reality.
Rotton: This can mean that something or someone is really bad, as in “That dinner we had the other night was rotton”.
Rubbered: Very drunk.

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Sannies Shoes, normally refers to trainers or plimsoles.
Scadge: To obtain something, for example, a lift or a cigarette.
Scooby: A clue, normally used in the phrase “I don’t have a scooby” meaning I don’t have a clue.
Scran: Food
Scratcher: Bed
Scud: To hit or smack.
Scunnered: Devastated
Shoot the craw: Go to bed, go home.
Single fish: Is rhyming slang for pish, but is also used when ordering a piece of battered fish from a chippie.
Skank/skanky: Generally talking about a female who perhaps sleeps around, or a person/place that is a bit dirty.
Skelp: To hit or smack someone.
Skite: To slide or slip.
Slash: To cut
Smidgeon: A small piece.
Sook: Suck
Spanner: Halfwit, idiot, silly or stupid person. Generally not derogatory.
Square go: Someone who is asking you to fight them will ask for a square go. The question would simply be phrased “Square go?!?”
Stoat: If someone is “stoating” they cant walk in a straight line without falling over. This would generally refer to someone who is inebriated.
Stoater: This can either be a very nice looking person, or something very good such as “a stoater of a goal”.
Stooky: A plaster, such as the type on a broken bone in the body.
Swagger: A specific type of walk, tending to be an over-confident and rather manly walk.
Tadger: Male genitals, penis, boabie, willy, wangdoodle, knob, cock, dick, johnson.
Tae: To or too.
Tan: This can mean either smash, as in “Tan a windae”, or can mean to drink quickly.
Tap: This means loan or borrow, but will often be heard in the phrase “Gonnae tap us a fag” in which case the person asking will not be giving it back.
Taxed: If someone “taxes” something it means that they have claimed it for their own.
Telt: Told
Teuchter: Someone from Scotland, but not from Glasgow, normally in reference to someones accent.
The day: Today
The morra: Tomorrow
The night: Tonight
The noo: At the moment, just now.
Toatey: Small, little, wee.
Tod: If somone is on their tod, this would mean that they were “on their own”.
Toley: Poo, jobby, shit, faeces.
Tom tit: Poo, jobby, shit, faeces.
Tool: Halfwit, Idiot, Tube, Spanner
Toon: Town, used generally when talking about going into “The Toon”, which would mean going into the centre of Glasgow.
Trackies: Tracksuit, generally referring the tracksuit trousers.
Troops: Friends
Tube: Halfwit, idiot, silly or stupid person. Generally not derogatory.
Waddin’ Wedding
Wallies: False teeth, dentures.
Wan: One
Wee: Small, little. Probably one of the best known Glaswegian words.
Wee man: Friend, mate. This phrase is generally used in a friendly and endearing way. Is often used in place of excuse me.
Weegie: Glaswegian
Whit: What
Whitey: Sick, normally after drinking too much.
Wide-o: Someone who is getting a bit too big for his boots.
Winch: To kiss or to “get off” with. Normally used by those in their thirties or above. Not really used by teenagers.
Windae: Window
Wis: Was
Wisnae: Wasn’t
Wummin: Woman
Ye: You
Yer budgies deed: Literally means “Yer budgie’s died”, but actually means that someones trousers are too short.
Yersel: Yourself
Youse: You guys, this would normally be used in the same context as the American Y’all.

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