Sláinte! 20 Popular Irish Slang Terms and Their Meanings

If there's one group of people that's been blessed with the gift of gab, it's the Irish. If you've ever been to the Emerald Isle –or at least spent some time hanging out with Irish folks, ideally over a couple of pints – then you'll understand why we're jealous of their ability to not only carry on a conversation with just about anybody, but to do so with some serious panache. A big part of that panache? The use of certain slang terms that are distinctly and uniquely Irish.

Language is a living, constantly evolving thing, and just about every culture has their own slang. There are plenty of reasons why slang comes into being. Social groups can develop their own vocabulary, terms are coined to describe something new, funny words are invented and catch on as a joke, older terms acquire new meanings over time, and words and phrases are adapted from other languages.

In the case of Irish slang, the vast majority comes from Irish Gaelic, the native language of Ireland. Though Irish Gaelic is taught in schools throughout the country, it doesn't have as many fluent speakers as English. That said, Gaelic has made its way into everyday Irish conversation by way of countless slang terms, and some of the most common Irish slang terms are English, as well. These are 20 slang terms that you should probably brush up on a wee bit before heading to the Emerald Isle, and these are more old words that have gotten completely new meanings over the years.

Pronounced "crack," this is used as a term for fun and entertainment.

This is a mild expletive, about the equivalent of "heck" or "damn." It's usually shouted when someone is surprised or annoyed.

A term for a foolish person, "eejit" is basically "idiot" with an Irish accent.

If you encounter an eejit who's talking nonsense and acting foolishly, then he's also a gobshite.

If something is fine or pretty good, it's grand.

If something is broken beyond repair, might as well throw it away; it's banjaxed.

"Yoke" is just another name for "thing," similar to how Philadelphians use the word "jawn." If you can't remember the name of something, just call it a yoke.

The Irish equivalent of "Cheers!," Sláinte (pronounced "slawn-cha") is said while clinking glasses.

Similar to the Brisish "bloody good," "bleedin' deadly" is a way to describe something as being amazing.

If you've had a few drinks too many, you're completely langers. Other slang terms for drunk include locked, buckled, ossified, and scuttered. The term "langer" is also popular in Cork, where it can refer to any eejit.

Another word for "house," gaff is a good term to know in case you get invited to a gaff party.

If something is disgusting, rotten, or dirty, it's a wee bit manky. Unsurprisingly, it's most commonly used to describe the weather in Ireland.

If someone or something is incredibly entertaining, it's a real gas.

If someone's foolish or eccentric, they're a header.

Saying something is "savage" is just another way of saying it's great or fantastic.

Derived from a popular phrase on the beloved Irish TV show "Father Ted," "g'wan" just means "go on," and is used to express encouragement.

If someone tells you that they're only coddin' ya, it means that they're just joking around and shouldn't be taken too seriously.

When someone needs to visit the jacks, it means they need to use the bathroom; it's used most often to refer to public restrooms, like in a pub.

If you ask someone to do something in Ireland and they reply "I will, yeah" in a sarcastic tone, they're most definitely not going to do it.

If something's not quite broken but not exactly working perfectly, it's a bit gammy. "That dog don't hunt," if put in Southern slang terms.