“C'mere till I tell ya, ye man was about to box the head off o’ that chugger!”

Sometimes us Dubliners can sound like we’re speaking our very own language … and that’s because sometimes we are.

Of course the Irish do have a very colorful way of cursing, which is almost unconsciously used in day to day language, with no offense meant. However, there is more than just cursing involved – there's a whole other language in use.

We turned to the site Slang.ie and chosen some phrases heard daily on the streets of Dublin.

Here are their explanations and how to use them on your next trip to the Auld Sod.

- C'mere till I tell ya

Meaning “Come here until I tell you.”

This is usually said to indicate that something important about to be revealed (such as gossip!)

"C'mere till I tell ya, yer man was out with yer wun last night."

- Ah leave eh ouh!

To be used when you witness some unacceptable behavior, be it fighting or otherwise.

Best shouted in a strong Dublin accent:

"Ah HEYOR! LEAVE eh bleedin OUHHH!"

- “Box the head off…”

To badly beat a person, particularly about the face and head.

"Here you ye sap ye, if you don't give me all yor bleedin money I'll box the head off ye."

- D’yaknowhwatimeanlike

Meaning “Do you know what I mean like”? This is used constantly as a kind of punctuation between sentences.

"I haven't a clue what I'm talking about – D’yaknowhatimeanlike?"

- Ye bleeeeedin doooopeee ye

Meaninng “You bleeding dope you” or “you silly billy,” or fool.

Yes … you’ve got it, “dope” does not have the same slang meaning as in the US, where it means something very cool or trendy. You can imagine our amusement at the tshirts and hats people wear emblazoned with the word “Dope.”

"Ye missed the bus! You’re a bleeeedin’ doooope ye."

- Chugger

Chugger is a combination of the words charity and mugger.

A charity mugger is a generally a student or young adult (paid) volunteer who aggressively asks you to fill in a questionnaire for their particular cause.

- Bolloxes

1. testicles

2. bullshit

3. slightly affectionate term of abuse

Mainly in Dublin slang this refers to a bunch of unpleasant people but could also refer to people you’re friendly with whose actions are slightly irritating you.

“Ye know wha, yis are acting like a bunch of bolloxes tonigh’!”

- Big Baluba

Idiot or fool.

This is the kind of light-hearted slag that might be used by a teacher to a student. Its roots lie in the 1961 fatal attack by the Irish United Nations peacekeepers. Baluba was the name of tribe in Katanga, in the Congo.

"Ya big baluba, you!"

- Bogie

Bad, unfair.

This one originated in the Air Force, as an unknown aerial target, but it’s long been heard on the streets of Dublin.

"Hear jaysus bud, I had some bogie look at me car, needs new sparks!!"

- Spanner

An idiot. Some who really puts a spanner [wrench] in the works…get it!

“Wha’ did you do that for ye bleeding spanner!”

H/T: Slang.ie and Urban Dictionary.

*Originally published in September 2015.