Lost in translation? Here is some help…
We have all done it! Excitedly telling a new Irish friend about how nice it was to be on the highway and get to the circle and not the robot, just to be met with a blank, blinking face in a bit of a frown and a quiet “How do you mean?”
You go into a detailed description and see the light come on with the response: “Oh you are talking about the round-a-bout at the end of the motorway where the traffic light used to be!!!”
Don’t worry, we have your back and will give you the tools to not just guide you through this, but help you avoid it completely. We will make sure this all ends with you feeling lekker Just now, OK?
We asked the members of the South Africans Moving to Ireland page to give us a list of all the phrases and words that they have managed to raise some eyebrows with, or phrases and words that has been used leaving them slightly baffled.
Remember too there is Dublin speak, there is Cork speak, there is Galway, Clare, Wexford and definitely up north a whole different speak… not just accents which change wildly within a few km’s but culturely and certainly phrases and slang changes too
This is what we received, and as always, if anything needs to be added, please email admin@sa2eire.com and we will happily add it.
| SAFFA speak | Irish speak |
| SAFFA – South African Far From Africa | South African |
| Viennas | Frankfurters |
| Now, now now & just now*You will probably use this for years to come.Most non Saffas will probably still not understand it then either | ? |
| No | I will, yeah |
| Yes | No bother |
| Ja Nee*Come now, do we even know what this means? | ? |
| A 4×4 (SUV)*You drive a Land Rover? Here it’s called a Jeep.Drive a Rav4? It’s called a jeep. See? | Jeep |
| Prestick * Same thing, different colour | Blutak |
| Cupboard | Press |
| Bed side table | Locker |
| Geyser | Immersion |
| Cupboard with the geyser in it | Hot Press |
| Koki | Marker/ Sharpie |
| Cellphone | Mobile |
| Airtime | Credit |
| SMS | Text |
| Robot | Traffic Light |
| Circle*The traffic variety | Roundabout |
| Takkies | Runners |
| Rusks | Baby Teething biscuits |
| Braai* I am not putting anything on the Irish side here.No, it’s not like a bbq.It takes longer than 30 minutes! | |
| Plastic glasses | Safety glasses |
| Wendyhouse | Shed |
| Treehouse/ fort | Cubby |
| Broom | Brush |
| Aliceband | Hairband |
| Children | Wee-uns*Nothern word |
| EFT | Direct transfer |
| Debit Order | Direct Debit |
| Flapjacks/ Crumpets | Pancakes |
| Pancakes | Pancakes/ Crepes |
| Cupcake/ Muffin | Buns*Any type of little cake (like a muffin or cupcake) |
| Depositing cash or money | Lodging cash or a cheque |
| Plakkies | Sliders |
| Chips | Hot ones are Chips.*cold ones in a bag are crisps |
| Gumboots | Wellies |
| Long-life milk | UHT milk |
| Bread rolls | Baps*unless its waterford then its a blaa |
| Its raining hard | Its lashing*There’s about 15 terms for rain of various types |
| Really? | Go’way |
| Please listen to me now | Come ‘ere to me now |
| That thing/ thingy | The yoke |
| Buying drinks at the pub | Extending an arm |
| Vibe | Craic |
| Howzit?*How are you? well kinda, it just a hiya really! | How a’ya?Whats the form?Story?!Howsagoing?*Regional greetings.If someone asks it may just be to say hello as youwalk by, it is not an invitation to stop and actuallyask how you actually are |
| Pen | Biro |
| Man who’s name you dont know? | Yer man |
| How’s your husband/wife? | How’s himself/ herself? |
| That person(female) | Your wan ( pronounced one) |
| I will take you to the shop | I will bring you to the shop |
| Really really bad/naughty word for a person | Gowl/ Geebag*Not terms to be used freelyunless you know the context/people |
| It’s a bit nippy | It’s so cold the balls freezes off the brass monkey orit’s positively baltic! |
| Idiot | Tool |
| Idiot | Eejit |
| French kiss | Shift |
| Very dirty or smelly | Manky |
| Hotty | Ride |
| Really awesome | That’s class |
| Hammered drunk | Plastered/ Scuttered |
| Here is a sentence and I finish it with a fullstop | If you’re in Cork you finish your sentence with ‘like’ |
| Yeah it’s good thanks | Grand |
| He is from Dublin | Jackeen |
| A plaas Jaapie* derogatory term used to describe someone alittle backward from somewhere remote | A Culchie |
| Male genitalia but used in a joking term in Cork fora fool/idiot/drunkard | Langer |
| It is what it is | Ah, sure look it |
| Its broken | Its banjaxed |
| Toilet | Jacks |
| I’m in trouble she is shouting/moaning at me | Shes giving out |
| Horrid place in bad condition | Its a kip |
| Flipping funny | Thats gas! |
| I don’t feel like it*I just dont wanna work today | Allergic!*Im allergic to work today! |
| Ahh that’s great and I feel happy about that choice | Happy Out! |
| How are all of you? | How are ye? *CorkHow are yous? *Dublin*Ye/yous being 2 or more people |
Well, there you go. And here you thought you would have to learn how to speak Irish, and turns out you need to re-learn how to speak English!!
As regional and culturally different the slang is in South Africa, it changes from county to county in Ireland. Make sure you’re using the terms correctly before making a fool of yourself, ok?
Good luck!!!
Bye-bye-bye-bye-bye!!!
If you have a story to share please email us a blog at admin@sa2eire.com
