Search icon

Entertainment

02nd Feb 2017

39 Slang Phrases Used By Irish Teenagers These Days – Explained By A Teen

Rebecca Stafford

Have you ever found yourself sitting on a bus surrounded by chatty teens and wondering to yourself, “what in God’s name are they talking about?”

Apparently some snake was shook ‘cos he had beef but no tea. 

Confused? Yeah, us too. 

We’ve decided to get to the bottom of 21st century Irish teenage slang by bringing in the help of, you’ve guessed it, an Irish teen. 

Here’s 16-year-old Rebecca Stafford with her guide to Irish teenage slang, some you will be familiar with and some which may as well be Double Dutch:

Take it away, Rebecca: 

“The great thing about being a teenager in Ireland these days is that older people don’t know what we’re talking about most of the time.

Although I’m sure you twenty-somethings might be familiar with a few of our terms, the majority of the slang we use is exclusive to just us teens and that’s the way we like it. However, since I’m sooooo sound (that’s what you old folk say, right?) that I’ll let you in on a little lingo so you can impress your younger relatives at the next family gathering.”

1. Yeah boi

The phrase yeah boi is a meme that started out with a viral video. This is probably one of the most popular phrases with teenagers now, it shows that a person is excited or happy and the more i’s at the end of boi, the more excited you are.

Example: “Mam said we’re getting Chinese for dinner, yeah boiii.”

Boi

2. On fleek/on point

On fleek or on point is a term used to tell if something is perfect or good, so if somebody’s eyeliner is perfect you would say that it’s on fleek.

Example: “Gurl your highlight is on fleek.”

Fleek

3. Memes

A meme is a trend or joke that is shared amongst the internet. It is usually something pointless but for some reasons us teenagers find it hilarious. 

Example: “Did you see that ‘cash me ousside’ meme? It’s literally the funniest thing ever.”

4. Snapchat streaks

When you Snapchat your friend for so many days in a row, a number will appear beside their name. This tells you how many days you’ve snapped each other in a row. 

Example: “I’m so mad at Rory, he lost our 103 day streak.”

5. Lit

Lit is a word used to describe something fun or something funny. 

Example: “I’m going out with Jessica tomorrow it’s gonna be so lit.”

6. Shook

Shook is a universal term used for almost anything. You can be a sad shook, a happy shook, the most popular shook is one of surprise. It is a lot like being shocked.

Example“I can’t believe that she said that I’m so shook.”

Shook

7. Turnt

Turnt is another way of saying something is fun or something is funny, it’s a lot like lit. 

Example: “I’m going out later with the fam and we’re gonna get turnt.”

8. Ship

Ship is a shortened version of relationship, it’s used by teenagers when they want two people to get together. 

Example: “Did you see Kate and her new boyfriend? I ship it.”

Shipit

9. Savage

Savage is used when somebody roasts someone else.

Example: “Did you see what Ella said in the group chat? She’s a savage.”

10. Chill

Chill is a word used to describe how rational somebody is. Therefore if somebody had no chill they are quite irrational.

Example: “Clodagh says I have no chill after blocking his Snapchat, but I still have chill.”

11. SMH

SMH is an acronym for ‘shaking my head’ and is used when somebody is disgusted or finds something extremely stupid. 

Example: “I can’t believe she said that, SMH.”

12. Roast

A roast is when somebody mocks or humiliates somebody else to their face, it usually nothing to get offended by, it’s just a simple joke. 

Example: “Hazel got completely roasted by everyone in the group chat last night, it was hilarious.”

13. Fam/squad

Fam is a word used to describe a close friend or someone that you’d consider family. 

Squad is a lot like fam and they can be used in the same way, but squad means more of your group or friends rather than close friends. 

Example: “I’m going out with the squad later.”

Squad

14. Hella

Hella is just another way of saying very or a lot.

Example: “I’m hella tired after staying up to watch the new season of OITNB.”

15. Salty

Salty is used to describe somebody who is angry or upset, or someone who is just being mean or moody. 

Example: “I can’t even talk to Dylan, he’s being so salty.”

16. Extra

Extra is when somebody is being high maintenance, or they’re trying too hard to do something. 

Example: “I can’t believe we got that much homework, she’s being so extra.”

17. Shade

Shade is when somebody makes a comment about someone else, it’s often like a roast but instead of saying it to the person’s face they say it behind their back.

Example: “Literally she throws shade like it’s sunny.”

Shade

18. Beef

Beef is when somebody starts on someone else, or when people are fighting they have beef between them.

Example: “I don’t think it’s a good idea to have them around each other, there’s a tonne of beef there.”

19. Tea

Tea is gossip or drama. 

Example: “I was talking to Hannah the other day and she gave me all the tea.”

20. No beef, no tea

This is a phrase that teenagers use when they’re telling others gossip but they don’t want to start anything. 

Example: “Okay so Shay was telling me stuff, and I’m gonna tell you but like no beef no tea, right?”

Beef

21. Sus

Sus is the same as tea and it means gossip or drama. 

Example: “Hey Eimear, what’s the sus?”

22. Stan

When you’re a hardcore fan of someone you ‘stan’ them.

Example:  “I stan Ed Sheeran, he’s so great.”

Stan

23. Fire

Fire is used to describe something that’s good, or hot. 

Example: “Did you listen to my mixtape? It’s fire.”

24. Drag

A drag is basically a roast but instead of it being light-hearted banter, you’re harshly roasting them. Drag is like next level of roasting. 

Example: “You must have been born on a highway, because that’s where most accidents happen.” “YES QUEEN DRAG HER.”

25. Woke

Woke means that you’re aware and understand things that are going on nowadays. Someone that is woke is aware of injustice and inequality. 

Example: “I’m hella woke.”

26. Basic

Basic is used to describe something that is boring, uninteresting or simply isn’t cool. 

Example: “That girl is so basic, she doesn’t do anything exciting.”

Basic

27. Bae

Bae is an acronym for ‘before anything else’ and it’s basically what you’d call your significant other. People still say it, but it’s become less popular in recent times.

Example: “Stay away from my bae, go get your own.”

28. Bruh

Bruh is something that doesn’t really have a meaning but it’s said when somebody says something stupid. It’s also another way of saying bro. 

Example: “So like 60 seconds is 5 minutes?” “Bruh.” 

Example 2: “Ay bruh, wassup.”

29. Thirsty

Thirsty is used to describe a person that is desperate and craves attention. 

Example: “Did you see what Nicole sent him? She’s so thirsty.”

30. Bye Felicia

Bye Felicia is something you say to someone who is irrelevant, or someone you hate. You can also say it when somebody is leaving and you really couldn’t care less. 

Example: “So he started texting me after leaving me for like two days and I was like ‘BYE FELICIA!'”

31. AF

AF is an acronym for ‘as f*ck’ and it’s used like the word very. 

Examples: “I’m tired AF.” “I’m broke AF.” “I’m hangry AF”.

32. Slay

You use slay when you’re telling people that something is good, amazing, or when someone has achieved something special.

Example: “Look at her eyeliner it’s so good.” “Yaaaaaaaas slay meeee.”

33. Goals

Goals is something that girls usually say to each other when they see something that is attractive or that they aspire to be/have. 

Example: “Did you see what Shay posted of her and Jade?” “Yes omg they’re goals.”

34. OTP

OTP is an acronym for ‘one true pairing’, it basically is the ship you care most for above all ships. 

Example: “Honestly they’re my OTP, I’d like die if they broke up.”

Theone

35. Petty

Everyone knows what petty means, but recently its made a big comeback, there’s even songs about it. Petty just means to blow something small out of proportion and make it way bigger than it needs to be. 

Example: “This girl is so petty”.

36. High-key/low-key

High-key is something people say when they want to make it obvious that they’re feeling a certain way. People say low-key when they want to keep something on the down low and they don’t want people to find out. 

Example: “I high-key want some pizza right now.” 

Example 2: “I’m low-key obsessed with doggos.”

37. Doggo

The word doggo came from a meme and people started saying it ironically as a joke, but now its gotten to the stage where people say it sincerely.

Example: “I saw the cutest doggo go bork this morning.”

38. Triggered

Triggered is a word that people say when something makes them feel offended. 

Example: “I really don’t like Zayn’s new song.” “Omg I can’t believe you said that, I’m so triggered.”

39. Gotta Zayn/ gotta blast

Gotta Zayn is something you say when you’re leaving because, you know, Zayn left One Direction. Gotta blast is a lot like ‘gotta Zayn’ and you’d say it instead of ‘I gotta go.’ 

Example: “Mam wants me home now, I gotta Zayn, I’ll text you later.”

Zayn

READ NEXT: These Are The Top 10 Fashion Trends For 2017 – According To A Teen

Topics: