100 Glaswegian words that prove you are from Glasgow

Did you understand that sentence? If you did, the chances are you're from ma bit - Glasgow. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, I basically asked you how you are and invited you to my home for an alcoholic beverage.

Over the years, us Glaswegians have shortened words, invented our own sayings, and made it all the more difficult for our friends elsewhere in the UK (or even in Edinburgh) to understand a single word we say.

We don't have our own reality TV shows for the rest of the nation to catch on to our lingo, but we do have current champions of Glaswegian like Kevin Bridges, who often uses Weegie Words in his comedy routine, Rab C Nesbitt, and Ford Kiernan and Greg Hemphill in Still Game.

They, of course, are following in the footsteps of Stanley Baxter's Parliamo Glesca, and Michael Munro, who documented the dialect in his volumes of The Patter.

But we thought it was time to produce an updated guide to our language, which is special, funny and testament to the people of Glasgow. Yesterday, we published the first 20 and, already readers have contributed more: special thanks to Siobhan MacRae, Alan McKinnon, Kayleigh Duncan, Claire Galbraith, Kirsteen King, Debbie Gosling, Paula Buchanan, Michael Lawrie, Iain Perham, Ben Allison, Angela Convery, Andrew Benson, David McNee, Robi Wilson, Ross Miller, Pamela Robinson, Emma Montague, Scott Ferguson, Jeanette Doyle, Kim Mansell, John McJagger, Margaret Kedge, James Gilchrist, Maureen McKellar, Paul Stewart, John Gray, Tommy Fulton, Ewan McRobert, Janet MacDonald and Beth Wolland. 

Come on fellow Glaswegians, we want you to add your own 'patter’. Use the comments box below, posting with your real name, and we'll credit you as we keep updating the list.

This article was orignally published in 2019. 

We, however, caution that this is the language of the streets so don't read on if you are easily offended. 

1. Weegie word: dolly

Non-Glaswegian translation: foolish, idiotic or stupid.

Usage: Senga walked into the door, she is pure dolly man.

Similar words: glaikit, rocket, eejit, banger (Kayleigh Duncan), walloper (Beth Wolland).

2. Weegie word: a doin

Translation: a person who has been attacked or let someone else get the better of them in a fight.

Usage: Rab pure gave Ali a doin last night.

Similar words: malky.

3. Weegie word: be'n

Translation: the location of an item.

Usage: Mary you seen ma boots? They're be'n in the loaby (hall).

4. Weegie word: clatty

Translation: dirty, not clean.

Usage: Bobby's hoose (house) wis pure clatty, he never cleaned it.

Similar words: mocket, reekin, bowfin, manky, boggin, rank (Sibohan MacRae). 

5. Weegie phrase: taps aff

Translation: on the rare occasion the temperatures increase in Glasgow or there is a slight chance of sun, men usually go topless regardless of whether they are fantastically fit or full of flab. (Taps aff can also apply to rare moments of celebration such as your football team scoring.)

Usage: Here John, Heather wae the Weather said it's gonna be warm the morra, taps aff for the lads.

6. Weegie phrase: here we, here we ****** go

Translation: there is usually a swear word thrown into this sentence - we'll let you use your imagination. It is a phrase of celebration, often used at concerts. It shows you're having a good time… although technically you're not going anywhere.

Usage: Aww man Tiesto dropped the beat, here we, here we ****** go.

7. Weegie word: pish

Translation: an adjective used to describe anything that is generally not good.

Usage: Iain, how wis Hogmanay (New Year) pal? It was pure pish man!

Similar word: mince (Beth Wolland) 

8. Weegie word: warmer

Translation: used to describe a person who is not liked and who gets on your nerves.

Usage: His bird (girlfriend), she is a pure warmer man!

9. Weegie phrase: done a bunk

Translation: to escape or flee from a situation under suspicious circumstances.

Usage: The hoose was empty, he hid nae paid his rent, he done a bunk.

10. Weegie word: hoachin'

Translation: busy or full of. Can also apply to a desperate need for something.

Usage: You enjoy yourself at the pub Barry? Naw man, the place was hoachin, could nae move. But I was hoachin for a drink.

Similar words: mobbed and heaving.

11. Weegie word: swally

Translation: alcoholic beverage. Short for swallow of.

Usage: Fancy a swally?

12. Weegie phrase: mad wae it

Translation: drunk or out of it.

Usage: My heid is splittin (sore), I was pure mad wae it last night.

Similar words: steamin, oot yer box, MWI, oot yer nut, blootered, steamboats

13. Weegie word: bolt

Translation: used in a request to ask someone to get away from you. Can also be used when you don't think someone is telling you the truth.

Usage: Jennie won the lottery last night I am tellin ya. Naw she did nae, bolt ya rocket.

14: Weegie word: gallus

Translation: someone who has a sense of arrogance. Can also be used to describe an attractive man.

Usage: He walked into the place liked he owned it, he thinks he's pure gallus man.

Similar words: ticket, fly man.

15: Weegie word: growlin'

Translation: applies to when someone is showing a dislike towards you using their face to express their dislike of you.

Usage: She wis pure growlin' at me all night, I didn't know whit her problem wis.

16. Weegie word: knock

Translation: applies to the stealing of an item or an item that has not been paid for. Can also refer to a fake designer item, used as knock-off.

Usage: Did you knock that fae the shop?

17. Weegie word: riddy

Translation: refers to your face going red as a result of embarrassment or can be used when you feel embarrassed for someone else.

Usage: Her maw's (mother) skirt wis pure short, whit a riddy!

18: Weegie word: swatch

Translation: to have a brief look at.

Usage: Geez a swatch at yir new trainers.

19. Weegie word: dinghied

Translation: this is used when someone ignores you or does not reply to something you asked them.

Usage: I pure walked past her in the streets, and she just pure dinghied me.

Similar words: blanked.

20: Weegie phrase: geein me the boak

Translation: when something makes you feel sick.

Usage: The food wis mingin' (not nice) and it wis geein me the boak.

Reader Siobhan McRae made the following suggestions on Tuesday, February 4. 

21: Weegie word: stoater 

Translation: used to describe someone so drunk they can't co-ordinate their movements enough to walk in a straight line. Sometimes used if you are lost and wandering around or as a derogatory term for somebody not very clever.

Usage: Del yir a pure stoater when you've hid hunners to drink. 

Same phrase different meaning: Reader James Gilchrist says stoater can be used in a complimentary way in the sense of, "You're a wee stoater pal."

22.Weegie word: floater

Translation: a word used to describe an item of food 'floating' around your drink after you have ate. 

Usage: aww whit man, you've got a pure floater in your ginger (drink of juice), ya mad minger. 

23. Weegie word: mon

Translation: a word used to ask someone to come with you. It can also apply to when you want to show encouragement towards your football team or a band you like.  The word can be also used in the context of 'mon then' when you are in a confrontation and it  has reached boiling point, and you wish to fight with the person you are arguing with. 

Usage: mon then ya mad rocket, yir getting a doin. 

24. Weggie word: chibbed

Translation: a word used to described someone who has been stabbed. It is also used by 'wains' (children) in the context of them being marked 'chibbed' by a pen. 

Usage: Haha, ya dafty, you've chibbed yirself wae a permy (permanent pen). 

Similar phrase: reader James Gilchrist says Malky can also mean chibbed or slashed as it comes from rhyming slang for Malcolm Fraser (razor). 

25. Weegie word: chebs

Translation: a word used to refer to when a woman shows off her chest. It is a word used in a similar context to 'taps aff' but applied to women. 

Usage: Toot toot, chebs oot

26. Weegie phrase: get it right up ye/ get it right roon ye

Translation: a phrase often used in a smug way to describe a victory or as a way of making a valid point. 

Usage: A wis right, you wer wrang, get it right roon ye, ya dafty. 

27. Weegie word: skelped

Translation: a word used to describe slapping someone. 

Usage: If you don't behave son, yir getting skelped. 

28. Weegie phrase: wrap it/chuck that in

Translation: a word used to ask someone to stop doing something, particularly when it is annoying you. 

Usage: John gonna wrap it, yir dain ma nut in cracking yir knuckles. 

29. Weegie phrase: that rips ma knittin' 

Translation: used when something really annoys you. 

Usage: see these wans that talk pure loud on the fone when yir ootside, nae need man. That rips ma knittin'

Similar word: heid nip (Emma Montague). 

30. Weegie phrase: hefty radge/heavy ragin

Translation: this phrase is the next level of annoyance to 'that rips ma knittin'. It is used when you are really angry.

Usage: A just drove through a pothole, there is hunners at ma bit. My tyre burst, am heavy ragin. 

Similar words: bealin (Debbie Gosling).

31. Weegie word: shady

Translation: an adjective used to describe something that is not legitimate or dodgy. It is also used to express injustice. 

Usage: A seen that Gary up ma bit with that bird (girl), he wis acting pure shady. Wonder where his girlfriend wis?

32. Weegie word: nigel

Translation: used to describe someone with no friends or when a situation is thrust upon you which means you end up being left alone. 

Usage: Aye, I started ma new joab the day, I am pure nigel nae pals, naebody will talk to me. 

33. Weegie phrase: patch it/pie it

Translation: used to describe the act of giving up on activity. It can also be used to describe not doing something you were thinking of doing. 

Usage: Did you pie it? Aye the joinery course wis too hard for me. 

34.  Weegie phrase: wired tae the moon

Translation: our version of 'the lights are on, but nobody is at home'. It is used to describe someone who is crazy or eccentric. 

Usage: She his to switch the lights oan and aff everytime she leaves the room, she is pure wired tae the moon. 

35. Weegie word: peach

Translation: an adjective used to describe something that is amazing or good. 

Usage: yir new motor is a peach, John. 

Similar words: belter

36. Weegie word: burly

Translation: a word used to describe a three point turn when driving. 

Usage: Here, here Davie, dae a burly you've went right past ma bit. 

37.  Weegie word: yaldi

Translation: a word used to describe excitement. 

Usage: a just goat my Paolo Nutini tickets, yaldi!

Similar words: ya dancer, yaaaaas, geein it laldy, laldy (Paula Buchanan). 

38. Weegie word: ginger

Translation: a word we commonly used to describe fizzy juice, in the same way American's use the phrase soda or people in England say pop.  The word is also the adjective we use to describe someone with red hair. 

Usage: giz a bootle of ginger. 

Similiar word: skoosh (Debbie Gosling)

39. Weegie phrase: ma bit

Translation: used to describe the area you are from or your where you currently live. Also used to refer to your house. 

Usage: you comin up to ma bit?

Similar words: ma gaff

40. Weegie phrase: gen up

Translation: to express genuity when someone says 'really'? A phrase to express honesty. 

Usage: I saw UFO, gen up. 

41.  Weegie phrase: Happenin'?

Translation: the h is never pronounced and it is word used to ask someone how they are.

Usage: Happenin'? No seen you in ages pal. 

Similar words: how's tricks? Whit's yer chat? 

42. Weegie word: the dancin'

Translation: a nightclub

Usage: you goin to the dancin' oan Saturday?

43. Weegie phrase: bevy sesh

Translation: used to describe drinking a lot of alcohol over a small period of time or binge drinking. 

Usage: Bank Holiday Monday, aww day bevy sesh, yaldi!

44. Weegie phrase: whit you aww about?

Translation: used when someone is acting above their station and you are confronting them about it. 

Usage: You pure dinghyed me aww week, whit you aww about?

45. Weegie phrase: You're the height of s****

Translation: a put down when someone is getting to big for their boots. 

Usage: So whit you scored a goal, you're the height of s****

Similiar phrase: acting wide

46.  Weegie word: hairy/herry

Translation: usually used to describe a girl who is streetwise, has a reputation and is not a very nice person. She is the kind of person you would not want to be associated with. She perhaps has done something that goes against your own moral code. 

Usage: She wis aww aer that guy, and she's goat a man. She is a pure hairy. 

47. Weegie phrase: hangin aboot wi/hings aboot wi

Translation: a phrase used to describe spending time with friends. It always is used to inform someone who a person is a associated with in case you know that person. 

Usage: You know Mary, she hings aboot wi Betty. 

Reader Alan McKinnon suggested on Tuesday, February 4

48. Weegie word: Jakey

Translation: used to describe someone with an alcohol problem or someone who is a tramp or begger.

Usage: shut it ya mad jakey

Reader Kayleigh Duncan suggested on Tuesday, February 4

49. Weegie phrase: budgie deed

Translation: a phrase used to describe someone who is wearing trousers which are too short.

Usage: Paul's, yir trackie bottoms are budgie deed, whit you aww aboot man?

50. Weegie word: gawpin 

Translation: an adjective used to describe a throbbing pain.

Usage: My leg is gawpin efter playing fitbaw.

Reader Claire Galbraith suggested on Tuesday, February 4.

51. Weegie word:  KB/Knockback

Translation: a word which is used when you are refused entry into somewhere particurlarly the dancin' (nightclub).

Usage: Ma pal goat a kb fae the dancin' cos she was steamin (drunk). 

52. Weegie phrase: haw you

Translation: this is a way of grabbing someone's attention when you have a sense of urgency. It can also be used to point out that someone is being out of order. 

Usage:  haw you, wint tae watch yir mucky boots are aww aer ma new carpet. 

Reader Kirsteen King suggested on Tuesday, February 4. 

53. Weegie word: hackett

Translation: an adjective used to describe an ugly person. 

Usage: His bird (girlfriend) is  pure hackett. 

Reader Debbie Gosling suggested on Tuesday, February 4. 

54. Weegie word: greetin'

Translation: used to describe the act of crying. Can also be used to describe a moaner in the context of 'greetin' face. The phrase 'greetin' face' often applies to wains (children) who cry a lot. 

Usage: A wis pure greetin' watching River City last night, it was pure deed sad. 

55.  Weegie word: A piece

Translation: a sandwich. Many of you might even remember the jeely piece song, "Oh yae canne fling pieces oot a 20 storey flat, 700 hungry wains (children) will testify to that, if its butter, cheese or jeely, if the breid is plain or pain, the odds against it reaching earth are 99 tae wan." 

Usage: Maw (mother), gonne make me my pieces for ma work the morra. 

56. Weegie word: lumber

Translation: a date or one night stand.

Usage: you goat a lumber fir the dancin' (nightclub)?

57. Weegie word: sook

Translation: an adjective to describe someone who sucks up to a person. 

Usage: your a pure sook.

Reader Paula Buchanan suggested on Tuesday, February 4. 

58. Weegie phrase: efters

Translation: see you later.

Usage: awright, efters.

59. Weegie word: solid

Translation: an adjective to describe something being difficult or hard. Can also apply to a person who has a strong physique. 

Usage: That test was pure solid man. 

60. Weegie word: sound

Translation: a word used to ascert that something is cool. It can also be used to vouch for a person as being OK. 

Usage: Wee Tam is pure sound. 

Reader Iain Perham suggested on Tuesday, February 4.

61. Weegie phrase: geez it

Translation: used in a request to ask someone to give you something. 

Usage: Geez a bootle of ginger (juice). 

Reader Beth Wolland suggested on Tuesday, February 4. 

62. Weegie word: Wynchin

Translation: used to describe the act of kissing or French kissing. It is a generational word which has changed throughout the years. Every generation has their own version of the word. 

Usage: Laura and John wer wynchin up the cloose. 

Similar words/phrases: nip, get aff wae.

Reader Ben Allison suggested on Wednesday, February 5.

63. Weegie phrase: away take yir face furra  s****

Translation: used when someone is talking nonesense in a debate or argument.

Usage: She did nae run across a field, the wain (child) is only wan, away take yir face furra s****

Similar phrase: away n raffle yir doughnut.

Reader Angela Convery suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

64. Weegie word: Jalky

Translation: a person who is an alcoholic and a drug user. 

Usage: She is pure MWI (out of it) aww the time, she is a mad jalky. 

Reader Andrew Benson suggested on Wednesday, February 5.

65. Weegie word: handy

Translation: used in the context of someone being able to use their fists and protect themselves. 

Usage: He's handy with his fists. 

66. Weegie phrase: aye right

Translation: a phrase used when you don't quite believe what you are being told. You are calling someone's bluff. Andrew points out quite rightly that we are one of the only dialects that uses two positive words to make a negative. There is even a Glasgow literacy festival celebrating the popular phrase named aye write. 

Usage: aye right, who you trying to kid?

Reader Michael Lawrie suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

67. Weegie word: edgie

Translation: used to describe the act of keeping a lookout when you are up to no good. Can also be used as a warning that someone is coming who has authority and can give you into trouble such as the police or a teacher at school. 

Usage: Ah'll keep the edgie troops. Edgie! there ra polis!

Reader David McNee suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

68. Weegie phrase: thingy ma jig/thingy 

Translation: used when you cannot remember someone's name.

Usage: You know who I'm talking aboot, thingy ma jig with the blonde hair. 

69. Weegie word: mucker

Translation: a friend.

Usage: awright ma mucker.

70. Weegie word: hawd it/hawd on

Translation: hold it or hold on. Can be used for emphasis when you just want someone to repeat what they have just said. 

Usage: Hawd it, you mean he proposed?

Reader Ross Miller suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

71. Weegie phrase: hawd yir wheesit

Translation: tell someone to be quiet or to shut up. 

Usage: hawd yir wheesit, am trying to watch the film. 

72. Weegie word: scale

Translation: to spill something

Usage: watch yae don't scale that ginger (juice).

Reader Pamela Robinson suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

73. Weegie phrase: cargo

Translation: alcohol usually bought at an off licence which is consumed at home. 

Usage: Naw am stayin in the night to watch tele with a curry and cargo.

Similar words: Carry out.

Reader Robi Wilson suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

74. Weegie word: doggin it

Translation: used to describe the act of missing/skipping school. 

Usage: you were doggin it today, yir getting skelped (slapped). 

75. Weegie word: stank

Translation: a word for drain. 

Usage: It fell doon the stank. 

Reader Emma Montague suggested on Wednesday, February 4.

76. Weegie word: yon/yonder

Translation: used as a variant of the or that. It is also occasionally thrown into a sentence but has no real meaning. It is short for younder. 

Usage: De ye know that yon way when ye canne get to sleep?

Reader Scott Ferguson suggested on Wednesday, February 5. 

77. Weegie phrase: spam valley

Translation: refers to people who have bought a house of their own which is perhaps beyond their means of income. They therefore have to subsidise their house payments by buying cheaper food like the tinned favourite spam. 

Usage: She think's she is sumfin, livin up there in spam valley. 

78. Weegie word: boat hoose

Translation: a word used to describe which is not council and is mortgaged or owned by the person living in it. As a child, I was even confused thinking people in Glasgow lived in boats, I can't be the only one?

Usage: She's got a boat hoose. 

Reader John Gray suggested on Wednesday, February 5

79. Weegie phrase: cooncil tele

Translation: a phrase used to describe having a television set with channels one to five, and no more. It perhaps has changed with the digital age so other people sometimes use it to refer to having a basic digital package.

Usage: Did you see the Manu v Chelsea game at the weekend? Naw pal, av just goat cooncil tele.

80. Weegie phrase: cooncil curtains

Translation: a phrase used to describe metal or wooden boards over empty flats.

Usage: Her bit (area) is bad, full a hooses (houses) with cooncil curtains.

81. Weegie phrase: cooncil juice

Translation: word for tap water.

Usage: Her wains (children) dont get ginger (juice), she canne afford it. They just get cooncil juice.

Reader Paul Stewart suggested on Wednesday, February 5

82. Weegie word: wurny

Translation: were not.

Usage: Naw ye wurny (no you were not).

Reader Maureen McKellar suggested on Wednesday, February 5

83. Weegie word: moonie

Translation: slow dance.

Usage: Mon dae a wee moonie wae me.

Reader Margaret Kedge suggested on Wednesday, February 5.

84. Weegie word: Rake

Translation: Rake has two meanings. It can apply to searching for something everywhere you possibly think it could be. It can also mean someone who has a very thin frame.

Usage: A canne find my wedding ring, av raked the hoose for it. That lassie (girl) is nae eating enough, she’s built like a rake.

85. Weegie word: Shugh

Translation: the gutter at the side of a pavement.

Usage: watch you don’t step all over that shugh.

86. Weegie word: pockie

Translation: a mitt to keep your hands warm.

Usage: It’s baltic (cold), a wish I hid my pockies oan.

Reader John McJagger suggested on Wednesday, February 5.

87. Weegie word: munter

Translation: ugly

Usage: Ooft nae way, she’s a munter.

Reader Tommy Fulton suggested on Thursday, Feburary 6.

88. Weegie phrase: a waste eh claes

Translation: refers to someone who has succeeded at annoying you in the world. They have annoyed you so much in fact, they should not even bother to leave the house or dress themselves.

Usage: He’s a pure waste a claes him.

89. Weegie phrase: No a pun ah her hingin’ the right wiy

Translation: Refers to a mishapen lady. Pun is a pound of weight.

Usage: There’s no a pun ah her higin’the right wiy na’er there is.

Reader Ewan McRobert suggested on Thursday, February 6.

90.Weegie word: dreepie

Translation: to manoevre your way from a high height.

Usage: A hurt ma leg cos a hid to dreepie doon fae the lockies (lockers) to get ma baw (football).

Reader Janet MacDonald suggested on Thursday, February 6.

91. Weegie word: scunnered

Translation: fed up or not happy about a situation.

Usage: I am just scunnered wae him, oor relationship is nae working oot.

92. Weegie word: scullery

Translation: kitchen

Usage: Betta watch that pot in the scullery case it spills.

93. Weegie phrase: hell mend yi

Translation: a phrase which really is when it goes wrong, don’t say I told you so.

Usage: I told ye he was a bad yin, hell mend yi.

94. Weegie word: wains/weans

Translation: while bairns is the popular term for children in other parts of Scotland, us weegies call her kids wains.

Usage: Av goat four wains. 

Similar phrase: wee ones.

Reader Kim Mansell suggested on Thursday, February 6

95. Weegie phrase: I love going for a wee donder

Translation: I love going for a walk. Doesn’t have to be a short or long walk. We just like to add in ‘wee’ for no reason.

Reader Jeanette Doyle suggested on Thursday, Ferbuary 6.

96. Weegie phrase: Yir oan tae plums.

Translation: a phrase used when you are not getting anywhere or to refer to bad luck.

Usage: yir oan to plums trying to get that money back.

97. Weegie word: dod

Translation: refers to a portion. Usually small in size.

Usage: Geez a dod a mince.

98. Weegie phrase: could nae keep weans oot a close

Translation: a phrase used in a situation where the defence of a sports team is performing badly. Usually applies to football.

Usage: Ma team were pure pish today, they could nae keep weans oot a close and don't get me started oan the goalie. 

Reader Nicola Bell suggested on Thursday, February 6

99. Weegie word: Coorie in

Translation: means to cuddle up or cosy in.

Usage: It was baltic last night, a just cooried in wae ma wains.

Columnist Michelle McManus suggested in her column on Thursday, February 13

100. Weegie word: outsider

Translation: used to describe the outside ends of a loaf of bread. It is the slice of bread that is that little bit thicker, and you feel you have achieved something when you manage to snag an outsider. 

Usage: You want a piece son? Aye maw. The outsider awright fir ye?

PS Michelle, thanks for the mentiony.