A Very Funny and Quick Guide to London Slang

By the way, did you know Culture Trip now has a selection of incredible small-group trips around the world where you can learn more local phrases from an expert guide? Our local insiders will show you sights that few tourists get to see and will give you a few language pointers too!

Ah nam – tell on, rat on, tattle on.

Alie – I agree.

Allow/allow it – stop/stop it.

Bait – obvious or simple. As in, ‘you’re so bait.’

Bangin‘ – good.

Bare – a lot of something.

Beast – really cool. As in, ‘that outfit is beast.’

Beef – a hostility between two people that usually results in violence.

Blud/Blad – brother, friend.

Bovvered – verb describing a lack of interest. As in, ‘I ain’t bovvered.’

Brap! – representing oneself, bigging yourself up.

Butters — ugly.

Chief – an unintelligent person.

Chung – extremely good looking.

Chirpsing – flirting.

Dapper – someone who looks fancy or smart.

Dizzy – crazy.

Dred – dreadful, terrible, cruel,

Dry – dull, boring.

Ends – area or neighbourhood a person hails from.

Fam – family and friends.

Fresh – nice, looks good. As in, ‘Sam is looking fresh today.’

Feds – police.

Garms – clothing.

Gyaldem – girl grew.

Heads – people (‘bare heads’ means ‘lots of people’).

Hype – too much, excessive, over the top.

Hench – muscular.

Hectic – good, fantastic, amazing.

Init – short for ‘isn’t it’, often put at the end of sentences for extra effect or added drama.

Is-it (sometimes pronounced iiiiissss iiiiitttt?) – means: really?

Inner – describes someone who is too nosey.

Jack – to take or steal. As in, ‘Katy jacked my food.’

Jakes – police.

Jam – relax, chill out.

Jokes – funny. As in, ‘that party was jokes’ or ‘Charlie is so jokes.’

Kotch – sit and chill.

Kretin – idiot.

Link – to hook up with someone.

Lips – to kiss passionately.

Long – when something involves far too much effort.

Lush – good-looking.

Manz – refers to oneself in a ‘big up’ manner.

Marvin – hungry.

Next man – someone who joins in a conversation when they are not involved.

On top – when a situation goes absolutely crazy.

Owned – to be made a fool of.

Peng – good-looking.

Rinsed – overused, used up, all gone.

Roll with – hang out with.

Safe – cool, good, sweet.

Shook – nervous, freaking out.

Sick – interesting, cool. As in, ‘Harry is sick.’

Standard – of course.

Switch – to turn on someone instantly with maximum shade.

Taxed – stealing.

Tight – cheap. As in, ‘stop being so tight and lend me £5.’

Tonk – muscular person.

Treck – something far away.

Tune (sometimes pronounced tuuuuunnnnneeeee) – music you love.

Vex/vexed – an extremely annoyed person.

Wag-One (wah’gwan or wah’ta’gwan fam) – short for ‘what’s goin on.’

Watch – be careful, don’t mess with me.

Wicked – cool, amazing.

Wifey – girlfriend, bestie.

Yard – your house.

Younger – a sibling, someone younger than you. As in, ‘come here, younger.’