Scottish+colloquialisms
Probably Positive
Pure dead brilliant: Really good.
She's a bonnie lass: She's a beautiful girl.
G ie’s a bosie: A Doric expression which translates as "give us a hug".
Coorie in: Snuggle up
That's Barry: No, you aren't referring to a person called Barry, in Edinburgh you're saying something is good.
Lang may yer lum reek: This literally means "long may your chimney smoke" and it is a common Hogmanay greeting used to wish someone good health.
Mony a mickle maks a muckle! A 'mickle' is a small amount of something and a 'muckle' is a large amount - so little savings can have big results is the meaning of this saying.
Guid gear comes in sma' bulk: A Scottish saying which acts as the equivalent of "good things come in small packages."
Gie it laldy: This is a saying used as a form of encouragement or motivation, if you "give it laldy" then you're doing something with vigour.
A pritty face suits the dish-cloot: "A pretty face suits a dish cloth" - basically there's no need to fuss over what you're wearing because beautiful people look good in anything anyway, even a dish cloth.
We’re a’ Jock Tamson’s bairns: Tamson was used to refer to your average man on the street and "bairns" is the Scots word for children, so in essence this phrase just means that "we are all the same.
Gaun yersel! This is used as an expression of encouragement to motivate others, often in the context of sports events.
You're a long time deid: This is the Scots equivalent of "carpe diem" as it is a reminder that our time on this Earth is limited so enjoy your days to the fullest.
Potentially Neutral
Whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye: Whatever is meant to happen to you, will happen to you. Whatever will be, will be.
Hou's it gaun? How are you doing?
Taps aff: T-shirts off. To remove one's shirt due to the slightest hint of sunshine. And we mean literally the slightest hint.
Ye goan to the dancin'? Are you going to the nightclub?
I'm goin tae the pictures - Translation: I'm going to the cinema.
Ah dinnae ken: A great phrase to highlight some basics of the Scots vernacular, this literally just means "I don't know".
Ma heid’s mince – Translation: My head’s mixed up.
No ah umnae – Translation: No I'm not.
Noo jist haud on! – Translation: Now just hold it, slow down, take your time.
It wis hoachin' - Translation: It was busy.
Dinna fash yersel – A Doric expression that means don’t trouble yourself.
Speak o’ the Devil - Translation: Used when you have been talking about someone and they appear.
Up to high doh: All worked up/all riled up. Often used to refer to a state of agitation, if someone's "up tae high doh" then you're better staying out their way.
Mony a mickle maks a muckle: This famous expression translates as "lots of little amounts make a much larger one".
Fair trauchled: A Doric phrase for exhaustion.
It's blowin' a hoolie ootside! This means it's very windy outside.
They are theHeid-bummer/High Heid Yin: you might here Scots refer to their boss as this.
Heid straight through at that Circle: If you're in Dundee, and someone mentions a Circle they are usually referring to a roundabout.
Square go! Officially a 'square go' refers to an unarmed brawl, and it is something you exclaim when you're challenging someone to fight you.
Pin yer lugs back: "Lug" is the Scots word for an ear, so in this case the saying means to listen up and pay attention.
Dinnae teach yer Granny tae suck eggs! This means that you shouldn't teach someone something that they already know, particularly if you're doing so condescendingly. In this case with her old age it should be expected that your granny knows how to suck an egg!
Haud yer horses: "Haud yer horses" is the same as saying "hold your horses" i.e., take your time before making a hasty decision.
A nod's as guid as a wink tae a blind horse: "A nod is as good as a wink to a blind horse" - basically that small hints are often enough to convey what we want to say.
Black as the Earl of Hell’s Waistcoat! We use this to refer to something being very dark, during the night for example it could be used to say its pitch black outside.
If yer pals maw told ye to jump in the Clyde would you do that too? The Scottish equivalent of "if your friend told you to jump off a cliff would you do that?"
Keep the heid! As in to say "keep your head" and don't lose it i.e., stay calm.
Whit’s fur ye’ll no go by ye: "What is for you will not go by you" in other words if it was meant to be it would be so don't worry about it too much.
The baw’s on the slates: Ever been kicking a ball about with your mates outside and one of them manages to boot it up onto the roof? This is for that friend: "the ball's on the roof!"
Mad wae it: If you're on a night out with friends then you'll likely end up "mad wae it" by the end of it i.e., drunk.
Havnae a Scooby: This means "I haven't a Scooby" which is a colloquial way of saying "I haven't a clue" i.e., I don't know.
Glasgow Kiss: No, we're not referring to a romantic exchange with a Glaswegian. Instead a "Glasgow kiss" refers to a headbutt attack, as commonly seen amongst goats.
Jings, crivens, help ma boab! This is used as an exclamation of surprise or bewilderment and it originates from the famous Scottish cartoon 'Oor Wullie.'
I'm fair puckled: 'Fair' is often used by Scots as a way of saying 'very', and in this case puckled refers to being out of breath.
Ma heid’s mince: "My head is mince" - this is like saying that your head is scrambled, probably because you're trying to do too many things at once.
Almost Certainly Hostile
Aye Right - Translation: Yeah, right. A phrase used when you don't believe something that you are told.
Yer aff yer heid – Translation: You’re off your head – a little bit daft. Useful in a variety of situations you can use this phrase to say someone's acting stupid or downright crazy.
Don’t be a wee clipe: Nobody likes a clipe, or so they say... A clipe is the Scottish word for "tattle tale" i.e., someone who tells on others.
Awa' an bile yer heid - Translation: In English is "Away and boil your head". This is a particularly harsh way of telling someone to 'get lost.
Haud yer wheesht - Translation: Be quiet.
Yer a chancer -Translation: You're pushing your luck.
Beggars cannae be choosers - Translation: If you ask for something you should not question what you are given.
Geein me the boak: The "boak" is that feeling of disgust or being sick, so if something's "giving you the boak" then it's making you want to throw up.
Yer gettin' skelped - Translation: You're going to get slapped.
Yer bum’s oot the windae/Yer arse is parsley – Translation: You’re talking rubbish.
Yer at it - Translation: You're talking nonsense/Your'e acting like an idiot.
Mad wae it: If you're on a night out with friends then you'll likely end up "mad wae it" by the end of it i.e., drunk.
Yer clatty/Yer mingin' - Translation: You're dirty/disgusting.
Yer oot yer face – Translation: You’re very drunk.
You're on a shoogly peg – Translation: A Scots term meaning you're on your last warning (shaky peg).
Yer looking a bit peely wally: 'Peely wally' refers to being pale or sickly looking. If you have a Scottish parent then you probably heard "you're looking a wee bit peely wally" when you were growing up.
Is the cat deid? This is used offensively to point out that your friend's trousers are too short for their legs.
I’ll gie ye a skelpit lug! Another useful Scots word is "skelp" which is like a "smack", so if you're giving someone a "skelpit lug" then you're going on the assault towards their ear.
Gonnae no dae that: An iconic saying from the Scottish lexicon, this simply means "don't do that" when someone's irking you with their behaviour.
Haud yer wheesht: This basically translates to "shut up" and can also be said as just "wheesht" for a short and snappy way of making someone quiet.
Yer bum's oot the windae! Literally translated to "your bum is out the window" this saying ultimately just means that you're talking absolute nonsense.
Ye think I came up the Clyde on a banana boat? A well-known Glaswegian phrase which essentially means "Do you think I'm stupid?"
Did ye, aye? This is akin to saying "is that really true?" For example, if your friend claims that he got into a fight on a night out and beat up 10 guys all by himself then an apt response would be a sarcastic "did ye, aye?" Unless your friend is Batman.
Away Ye Go: Often said like one singular word "awayyego" this means "away you go" and is used to convey that you don't believe someone.
You're a wee scunner! Often said in moments of impatience this is akin to saying to someone "you're such a nuisance!"
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