Need help understanding Scouse slang words? Whether you’re just visiting Liverpool or planning to stick around for work or uni, this guide will help you make sense of what the locals are on about and break down some funny scouse sayings and phrases!
1. Sound
Meaning: Good/okay/alright
Example: “You alright?” “Yeah, sound mate”
2. Scran
Meaning: Food
Example: “I’m starving, let’s get some scran”
Bonus: Check out our food & drinks guides to find the best scran in Liverpool!
3. Wool
Meaning: Someone not from Liverpool (usually from surrounding areas)
Example: “You can tell he’s a wool by the way he talks”
4. Bizzy
Meaning: Police officer
Example: “Leg it, the bizzies are coming!”
5. Jarg
Meaning: Fake/counterfeit
Example: “Don’t buy that phone, it’s jarg”
6. Devoed
Meaning: Devastated/very disappointed
Example: “I’m proper devoed I missed the match”
7. Tracky
Meaning: Tracksuit
Example: “Just popping to the shops in me trackies”
8. Scally
Meaning: Mischievous person/troublemaker
Example: “Watch out for that bunch of scallies”
9. Bevvy
Meaning: Alcoholic drink
Example: “Fancy going for a bevvy?”
10. Kecks
Meaning: Trousers/pants
Example: “Where did you get those new kecks from?”
11. Giz
Meaning: Give us/give me
Example: “Giz a look at that”
12. Angin
Meaning: Disgusting/horrible (from “hanging”)
Example: “That smell is proper angin'”
13. Boss Tha
Meaning: Really good/great
Example: “That new film was boss tha!”
14. Swerve It
Meaning: To avoid something/stay away from it
Example: “That pub’s full of trouble, let’s swerve it”
15. Ozzy
Meaning: Hospital
Example: “Me nan’s in the ozzy again”
16. Clobber
Meaning: Clothes
Example: “Where’d you get your new clobber from?”
17. Plazzy
Meaning: Fake/plastic/trying too hard
Example: “He’s a plazzy Scouser, only moved here last year”
18. Made Up
Meaning: Very happy/pleased
Example: “I’m made up with my new job”
19. Baltic
Meaning: Extremely cold
Example: “It’s absolutely baltic outside today”
20. Smashing It
Meaning: Doing very well/succeeding at something
Example: “Our Mo’s smashing it at his new job”