Belfast Slang. Northern Ireland Slang. Belfast Irish Accent

Belfast Slang. Northern Ireland Slang. Belfast Irish Accent
Check out these Belfast Slang words and things people say in Northern Ireland.
If you come to Belfast you're going to hear some of these Belfast phrases and words.
Let me know your favourite Belfast slang and if you know any different phrases you want to hear in part 2!
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I'm Dave Cordner from Central Belfast Apartments. We provide the best-serviced apartments in Belfast. As well as showcasing the best places to stay in Belfast we show the best things to do in Belfast and Northern Ireland!
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[@tommac8556]

An elevator (lift?) in a Belfast hotel pronounced " Doors are closing.. so they are". So it did. So they did

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Yes that's Bullitt hotel 👍

[@ddemaine]

"Catch yourself on", "desperate", "wise up", "buck eejit" and "what's the situation" are some of my favourite NI expressions.

[@mollyannSmyth]

I grew up with a Belfast father and was always interpreting for him when we moved to canada. I still say those phrases but one i could never explain was "here dear" I say it and know when to use it but never could explain why. My aunt would say "here dear, would you look at that" as an example. 😊

[@ChiuJoyce-oy1kp]

I'm a Taiwanese girl , living in Australia and I'm so obsessed with your accent omg😍😍😍

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Haha thank you 😊

[@philipperaffin4382]

I am a French guy , I spent many holidays in Belfast . Actually that is where I really learnt colloquial English and now British tourists I meet over here in France think I am from " Northern Iron " . lol ... When I was in your country , people used to call me " the wee French man " . Nice memories indeed , great people over there ! I feel nostalgic after watching your nice video Dave . I must go back to Belfast very soo n . I " have till " ...

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Philippe this comment has made my day. I love the thought of English speaking tourists thinking you're from Norn Iron when you speak English! Nice to hear you miss here. Check out my part 2 video I did after I got so many suggestions on this videos comments!

[@PS-ru2ov]

Hello Phillippe I am from Northern Ireland and I LOVE France so the love is equal

[@TheTal1989]

Someone called me a 'melter' when I first moved to Belfast and I was so offended to find out what it meant 😂 I've said 'aye', 'wee', 'so it is', 'bokey', 'catch yourself on' for years but now I'm living here I've noticed 'awk', ''bout ye', 'steaming', and even 'dander' creeping into my lingo, and I'm never going somewhere, I'm "away the wee Tesco" or "that's me away to sleep" 😂 Best accent and best slang there is!

[@printerudell3604]

I could listen to you all day long so I could

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Hahaha thanks 😊

[@oscaraiken5484]

Ats us fucked nai is my favourite variation 😂

[@jondonnelly4831]

Love that one, i've im ever on plane and it's going down (or similar situation), I'm gonna shout that out.

[@dazza9623]

😂😂😂

[@SardonicALLY]

Had no issue with most of these or the accent since I'm from Dublin. One or two were new to me. It's a right good accent so it is...

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

😁 thank you for watching 🙌

[@tinalarsen6059]

I think you're the best at NI accents. I have lived and worked in Portrush for 1 month in 1996. I loved NI and as someone who has lived and worked in London, Edinburgh and Llandudno as well and my first time to the UK was to London in 1982 I think it really interesting to learn or at least to understand the different accents I think I have become quite good at understanding them I love the NI accent especially and the Georgie accent and the Glaswegian accent. I also find that you can pick up the accents while watching crime series from different parts of the UK and also there is always Scottish or NI and Irish actors in a lot of the UK series not only English actors.❤tina from Denmark

[@heathermcdougall8023]

Well I lived in Denmark for nearly 3 years, and I speak Danish so well, lots of Danes with my accent , thought I'm Norweigian.I don't beliee ou uderstood real Georides as most English people can't understandfthem atall and this is where i live now.

[@poetink]

My late Maternal Grandmother was from Belfast. She came to America in 1921. She lived with my family as I was growing up and I always imitated her accent. I alway remember her ending sentences with "so it is" but the way she said it was "So it 'tis". Now, one word she used to say that I didn't hear in this video is if she was annoyed with let's say me or my older brother if we were acting up or whatever, she would call us a "bugger" or a "wee bugger" or if she really got mad, she yell out "Bugger hell"! LOL, I loved her with all of my heart, and I miss her dearly and miss hearing her accent. I still find myself imitating it from time to time so as to keep her memory alive. She passed away back in 1986 at the age of 94.

[@akirachan9391]

i‘m currently on a semester abroad in belfast - thank you for explaining some of the words i‘ve heard here

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

I've done a part 2 so check it out as well

[@hughdempsey3717]

yes bro loved this I was born there brought up over Birmingham England but go over to see family love the slang still learning so I am lol my favourite was Melter and Chancer great people and so friendly too

[@NaRii]

my dads from belfast and i always found it HILARIOUS that he ends the call repeating bye and i never knew it was a belfast thing hahahahah everything suddenly clicked and i can't stop laughing

[@needleseupins]

Loved the video and the accent!!

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks for watching 😁

[@colincampbell4261]

That was fun - cheers.

[@michaelgannon3072]

Skundered, teeming, lashing etc (all weather phrases) gis us (as in give me ((in shops)) wee mucker and my personal favourite. Ya wa? (You what?)

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Love these! Thanks for commenting and I think these will appear in part 2 🙌

[@augstinostandrew6606]

from HK living in ravenhill and donegal road in 90s about two year and half, I found this video very nostalgic. thank you.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

That's lovely to hear. I'm glad you enjoyed it 😊

[@Snuclear]

Some others I say or hear about is, what’s on the cards? Scundered, stop muckin about, you’re a spacer, out in the sticks, big smoke… loads like lol

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Christopher some great ones in there. Scundered especially!

[@sandrabeulah]

Very helpful video thanks😊. I work in customer service I hear all kinds of accents over the telephone. I didn't grow up here so sometimes it gets challenging. I laughed when you talked abt the byebyebyebeyebye - now I get it 😂

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

😂😂 thanks for watching!

[@missblue4699]

A friend and I are visiting Belfast for the first time next week, I'm so looking forward to it 💚

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Have a fantastic time!

[@a.demifemiflapo5795]

Lovely accent 😍😍

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thank you 🙌

[@tinalarsen6059]

I have an old dog but when he dies I want to travel again and I would love to go back to NI as well. I only spent 3 hours in Belfast so I'd love to see Belfast.

[@booknerd9467]

Also, turned, boke, baltic, roastin', foundered, caul (and aul/aul doll). Wild (as in "that's wild"), scrote, score quid, lamped, clampit, peeler. There's "use boys" and "The Boys".

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Hahaha thanks some brilliant suggestions there.

[@colincampbell4261]

​@@davecordnerairbnbcoachaway wi' ya, ya wee scrote!

[@colincampbell4261]

Youse uns and us uns!

[@dancingappaloosa8926]

"Aye work away"

[@laylaboo91]

This killed me 😍 I love your accent omg haha

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks very much! Check out the part 2 video!

[@brianfinlay756]

great video. There is also wick. As I I feel wick

[@Reev-co4em]

Can you do Newry. Buck eejit, skundered, weeins,..... maybe some Derry

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Included in part 2. Check it out!

[@mariamraza15]

Beautiful accent. I wish I could speak like this

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Mariam. Noone from Belfast thinks we have a beautiful accent and it always sounds so weird when we hear someone with our accent on TV.

[@mariamraza15]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach Haha, I totally understand this but as an outsider, it is sounds lovely to me! Also, Jamie Dornan is doing a great job in making it even more interesting 😄

[@brihev4355]

my mom was from Co.Antrim. some of her Irish-isms": "they'll have a hard time keepin' her flyin' end down." ,"What's that in aid of?", "skitter", and, when she didn't want me to do something: "Like hell brave boy."

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Haha wee skitter. Haven't heard that in a while!

[@windermere2330]

Bri What did those things mean?

[@brihev4355]

@@windermere2330 let's see 'flyin end down' means 'she'll be a wild child.' ' ...in aid of?'----"what did that mean? 'like hell brave boy! means "OH NO YOU'RE NOT!

[@windermere2330]

@@brihev4355 I like the last one of the best! Could you also say “ like hell brave girl”?

[@RandomPerson-us5fn]

i have never been to the emerald isle, but somehow know a lot of these being from atlantic canada

[@na-dk9vm]

Dave, where is the best shop or store in belfast to buy best fireworks ??

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

I have no idea sorry

[@tinalarsen6059]

Dead on is my favourite😂❤

[@talkslop417]

In the states a melter is called a punisher lol

[@darkdantepl]

Yeeeoooooooo!

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Anytime someone smashes a plate or glass 🤣

[@Celtic505]

When I came to Ireland I was surprised at how different each accent was..... Dublin was the easiest to understand. Cork and the South had a very fast way of speaking and was a more...not sure how to explain it but they had like a more twangy way of speaking I guess? They loved using "like" in every sentence and I thought that was just an American thing lol. Out west I couldn't understand anybody lol. They had very strong accents. The Northern accents reminded me more of a Scottish sounding accent..not everyone obviously but some of the times it sounded more like and Irish meets Scottish accent. And I def recall the "So it is". That's my take anyways. I'm no expert mind you.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks for your comment. Yea Scotland and NI are very close. Ulster Scots used to be a common dialect

[@Succubites]

God I miss living there

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Hopefully you get back soon!

[@elijaprice]

I've been living in NI for a couple of years now, I have a generic british accent, but I have the bad habit of imitating the speech patterns of people around me, so I'm terrified that I'm going to start dropping into a norn iron accent at some point, and I'm going to get decked by someone who thinks I'm taking the piss. So I am.

[@PWalnuts69]

Very similar to glasgow

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

I lived in Glasgow for a few years. You guys have some brilliant slang 👍

[@JustNam66]

Awk, Aye, well?! La. Hahahaha

[@tinalarsen6059]

I know that there is not just one NI accent it's the same in Denmark if you drive 20 kilometers away from where you live people speak in a funny way that makes me laugh. 😂😊

[@nomorokay]

I’m from Belfast, but came to Canada when I was quite young. My mom used to tell me that the accents varied across the city, to the point where some people could even tell what street you lived on, and in some cases, even which end of which street. Of course, this can only happen in a place where people live in one neighbourhood for most of their lives. I’ve heard that it’s also like that in Italy. Each village has its own local accent, so it’s easy to spot newcomers, even though they grew in the next village up the road. I suppose that traditionally, the men might live with their parents until they got married, similarly to the Irish practice until a generation or two ago.

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

I sure would like a tiny ginger Irish accented lass but that is rarer than a skinny one Says I! + I'm more of a Wasp or better with my aboriginal blood Says I.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Brad

[@Eltonlaleham]

I wish I lived in Ireland

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

It's a cool place 💚

[@PS-ru2ov]

except Belfast is in Northern Ireland which is in the UK its like saying Vancouver is in USA when you say you want to live in Ireland

[@DrMerle-gw4wj]

We use "dead on" in Texas all the time. Y'all must have borrowed that from us.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

And does it mean the same thing?

[@DrMerle-gw4wj]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach It does.

[@rasmusem33]

Would love to have "YEOW" explained

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

lol honestly I don't know how it started. The first time I think it blew up was the guy screaming it in McDonalds on Royal Avenue after a night out.

[@rasmusem33]

Shane Todd made a sketch about it and it represents the yell in a beautiful light

[@carolinavictronia1668]

@@rasmusem33 LOLOL. where is the sketch...i have a good mate who says it all the time then claps his hands and rubs them together

[@gigicee3323]

oh my gosh.... look who it is 👋🏻

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Who, me?

[@gigicee3323]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach haha yes! 😄 you don't recognise me lol its been like 18 years

[@charliecharlie2288]

Norn Iron and Glaswegian have loads in common so they dae .

[@doellt4753]

"Have you taken time off lately?" "Divil the time off kind." You say "Divil the *blank* kind" when you mean no, or none. My wife, who is not from N. Ireland, looks at me blankly when I let her know that there is divil a mouse kind in the trap I had left out to catch one. She looks at me as if perhaps I was somebody she didn't know and wasn't at all sure about! A motorist slow to move off at lights or a junction, might easily inspire the rhetorical question, "What are you doin', sittin' standin' there?" Another word for "opposite to, or facing or in front of " is "fernenst". "The door into the shed is fernenst the gable wall so it is."

[@huxley3043]

"-so it is" comes from irish, i think. because their sentences are constructed with verbs on the end. probably an ancient holdover like ppl still saying "eegit" in arkansaw in the 1950s

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

That's a really interesting point. Thanks for watching and commenting 🙌

[@bbj180146]

Drunk = stotious. Headstaggers = irrational behaviour. Skitter = cheeky young person. Skitters = diarrhea. "You'll eat it - and you'll like it!" or "You'll eat it before it eats you" - parent "encouraging" child to eat. "Do you think I came up the Lagan in a bubble?" - "I'm not stupid or naive".

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks John! Some crackers in there. Think it's definitely time for a part 2 video!

[@bbj180146]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach Ah, catch yerself on, Dave!😀

[@missopowers]

Wee imp, I'm stuttered, the crater, as in a drop of the crater or the poor wee crater. How's the craic? Put yer jumper on before ye go ait ye wee savage ye, or ye'll get a founderin'. If ye eat up all them lallys ye'll get a sickener so ye will. Give us a sit for I'm knackered so I am. Then there's fadge, hoke, boke, face like a Lurgan spade, banjaxed, blower (telephone)... I haven't been back home in a wee while, so that's all I mind just now.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Hahaha these are brilliant 👏 Where are you living and please tell me you use these regularly 😄

[@nathan4233]

Dead on is weird for me lol out in the states it just means that's perfect, like holy shit that accent was dead on

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

It means the same here, I guess it's just been adapted to mean this person is "perfect" or that suggestion is "perfect". Thanks for your comment 🙌

[@colincampbell4261]

​@@davecordnerairbnbcoachi think it comes from - dead centre, spot on, to dead on, engineering shipyard terms.

[@gary0768]

"so it is" in Belfast = "but" in the Southside of Glasgow

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Never understood why Scottish people say "just now". It's the same as "so it is" in that it lengthens the sentence for absolutely no reason 🤔

[@colincampbell4261]

​@@davecordnerairbnbcoachi think it reinforces what has been said in the sentence, so it does!

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

I guess I know not to share a pinte in Belfast especially after a few but who can afford it these days after the COVIDIOCY don't you know.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Bars are all open in Belfast. You're very welcome

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach Since I'm in Alberta Canada unvaxed forever perhaps I'm going nowhere fast. If I ever escape I think I'll stay South in the America's as me white skin could pinkin up to a lobster hue, sting til I peal you know the scenario.

[@emer67]

Do you think Glasgow accent is bit reminiscent of Belfast accent ?

[@SawZaag]

Whatever happened to gansh?…”Go on o’ that yer ganshin’ there…”

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

That's more of a culchie term from up the country I thought?

[@kathleenmillen9394]

Deffo a Culchie or Free State term....

[@E9JMX]

Only people i have even heard saying "ganch" or "ganchin" is my ma from Lisburn, or townies i worked in Shorts with. Never heard a culchie saying it in my life

[@dancingappaloosa8926]

Using "till" instead of "to"

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

I caught onto SAM SLICK says I from the Canadian East Coast but like he it kinda faded away SAYS I. SINCE I don't drink, have any friends or talk to me wife I never get to use it SAYS I. One day I might find someone worth talking to Says I! LMFAO Says I! I );-DDD

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Brad

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach Apartments! that's funny says I, I haven't lived in an apartment since 1978 but I don't know if I'm any further ahead! I )I -[ I feel so 3rd class these days, SAYS I! All i'm rich with is me memories. I ):-D[ ] All good says I.

[@alanmacdonald3763]

Nai will be derived from ....now

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Yea exactly. Just pronounced differently 👍

[@mikedrown2721]

👍👌😊❤️🇺🇲

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Mike 🙌

[@prayassoni7876]

Whats the craic?

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Yes of course! Thanks for watching 😁

[@missopowers]

It was ninety!

[@prayassoni7876]

@@missopowers yes the craic is 90.. 😊

[@HiHi-mj7fd]

Is anyone else from antrim

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

?

[@JohnSmith-ie6xq]

Air locked never in my life I've never said here's me what. Here mate need to update there . Fair play to you you forgot kebbs bouncing rosebud scud my heads banging you said melted you could say your doing my box in

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Excellent mate plenty of good options in there for part 2. Thanks for commenting 👍

[@JohnSmith-ie6xq]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach for ordering a drink give me two gee and coke give me a low flyer ( famous groose) dead on is one fighting . If someone says they are going to hurt you say will ye or let's be having ye or come on the f$$k will or I'll punch the coupon off ye

[@booknerd9467]

I still hear "here bees me wha?" sometimes Edit to add: Also, "yah wah?!"

[@JohnSmith-ie6xq]

@@booknerd9467 never would I ever say that and I'm from belfast that saying was from a belfast rap song any off my mate would never say that

[@ruthroses1]

sexy accent x

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

😅 thanks 👍

[@waynemercer26]

Blocked pissed hula hooped

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Never ending list of words to describe drunk 🥴 😅

[@missthunderstormable]

you guys from NI all look v similar :)

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

OK 😂

[@nomorokay]

What, good-lookin’? We get that a lot, lol.

[@n1knak]

My northern Irish mate calls good things “weaker”

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Haha yea that means something's great. Really makes no sense sometimes 🤣

[@n1knak]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach it’s no different than people in London describing good things as being “sick”. NI slang is unique but all slang has the same entirely oxymoronic roots

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Absolutely! Thanks for giving me another word for a potential part 2 video 🙌

[@olliephelan]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach Ratz from Paths to Freedom and his visit to Belfast would be an interest clip to narrate over.(on YT)

[@olliephelan]

If you create a Quora account, you will be able to find 10 or 20 question on the irish or Northern accent. A quick answer similar to the video description and your vid could answer 10 questions with some minor writing edits. Each answer would score an extra several views, and advertise your channel. If you answer 2 or 3 questions on the North, you get sent lots of questions on the North. Quora is a force multiplier. It can also be monetised now, in Ireland. For example "movies" alone has 20 million followers. The keywords "Northern Ireland" has 23,000 followers. I just typed in "Northern Ireland accent" and theres too many answers to scroll through. And that does not include "Ulster accent" or "Irish accent"

[@skyhookphotography1546]

munya

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks

[@onemysore6120]

If you don’t say so it is, the other person you’re speaking to will. Try it. They can’t help it.

[@xmcca7l366]

Weaker you missed and Beezer.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

I think beezer is in there but definitely weeker deserves a mention

[@xmcca7l366]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach your rite lol Beezer is in there

[@Gwynsladle]

me, an Indonesian, speaks English in Belfast accent unknowingly >_>

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Haha how come? Did you learn to speak English from someone from Belfast?

[@Gwynsladle]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach no clue 😂 I watch alot of english based movies and whatnot since young. mixed accent for quite some time and end up with Belfast accent. the one time i know i was speaking with Belfast accent is when I spoke to my south UK friend who 'deals' and thought i have the accent xD

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

Quite a bit of rubbish Says I! Oh I'd have there but I don't drink or scrap anymore Says I. But I am B RAD always.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Brad

[@bradkevenblonjeaux1844]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach "HEHE!" SAYS I. TY! before Christmas at least.

[@andrewmccloskey1]

When he’s saying about ‘ats us nai’. He uses the phrase, ‘and stuff like that’. ‘And stuff like that’ is the most annoying thing to hear, in a professional or informal environment, in my opinion. I had a training group in work where the ‘leader’ used that phrase twice in every sentence, resulting in 20 colleagues shoving that phrase in every customer interaction. ‘Aye, theres a few problems with your phone, maybe the screen leaks and theres dodgy wifi connection AND STUFF LIKE THA’. You shouldn’t be teaching people, and using language or phrases, that are vague as fuck. ‘And stuff like that’ is a vague as fuck statement, that should not be filtered down, or associated with Belfast.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Dead on mate. I'm not teaching anyone anything. It's a bit of craic video talking about Belfast Slang. Away on

[@PS-ru2ov]

I am from Coleraine and we don't speak like this

[@Dan-eq6po]

You sound corny 😂

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks Dan 😅

[@Dan-eq6po]

@@davecordnerairbnbcoach bro your making us sound soft lol

[@sarah-jaynebarton4333]

Why did you start the video by saying wee video. That’s my recommendation for next time, so it is.

[@davecordnerairbnbcoach]

Thanks 🤣

[@DesandSam]

"Ach, away" - no, that can't be true "Yer joak'n" - (shocked) that can't be true "Wise up" - don't be so stupid "Don't lose the bap" - don't get angry "Takin' the han'" - making fun of "Baltic" - very cold "The road to no town" - someone annoying "Aye, right nuff" - I agree, that's true "Like two men an' a wee lad" - very energetic, productive, fast work "Boke" - puke "Poke" - ice cream in a cone "Slider" - a small block of ice cream between two wafers "Jotter" - a note pad "Yard" - a walled enclosure behind a terraced house "Back entry" - the alley behind terrace houses "Mineral" - soft drink, especially lemonade, any flavour "Windies" - windows "Rations" - groceries (less common now that we don't have rationing) "Wait'll I tell ye" - that's what you've heard now listen to what I've heard "Ma and Da" - Mum and Dad "Nanny and Granda" - Grandmother and Grandfather "Chippy" - fish and chip shop "A chip" - a portion of chips "Ah, Holy smoke" - oh, my goodness "That's wrecked the wee shop" - that didn't go as planned, that's it broken. "Boys-a-dear-oh" - oh, my goodness. "Aye, that's us nai, so it is".

[@seeingimages]

The mucked phrase was the most unexpected. I still can't see how it means that. 🤔