Easy Insider hacks for speaking London slang

Living in the UK capital, you’ll probably notice a distinct accent, and some strange words that you’ve never used before. Welcome to London slang!

Here are some essential words and expressions to use to sound like a local in your new city:

• Cheers

– Used to express good wishes when leaving or ending a conversation. It can also be used in place of “thank you.”

E.g. When someone holds the door open for you, you can say, “Cheers.”

• You alright?

– “What’s up? How are you?” This is used as a greeting.

E.g. You go up to the cash register and the cashier asks you, “You alright?” “I’m alright thanks. You?”

• Mate

– Friend.

E.g. “Mate, where are we going out to tonight?”

• Blimey

– Used to express surprise, excitement, or alarm.

E.g. If you go to a haunted house and something jumps out at you: “Blimey! That scared me.”

• Wicked

– Adjective to describe something that is excellent.

E.g. “I won free tickets to the Adele concert.” “That’s wicked!”

• Fiver, Tenner

– Another way to say £5, £10.

E.g. “I bought this all for under a tenner.”

• Quid

– Pound.

E.g. “I paid five quid for this ticket.”

• Chuck a left

– Take a left.

E.g. “Go out the door, chuck a left, and walk down the hallway.”

• Dodgy

– Describes something that is unreliable or sketchy.

E.g. “The umbrella I got online is a bit dodgy”

• Cheeky

– Used to describe someone who does something or says something disrespectful or rude, but says it in a cunning, amusing way. It’s used in a light-hearted way.

E.g. If someone doesn’t hold the door for you: “Well, that’s cheeky.”

• Rubbish

– Nonsense, lies.

E.g. “I didn’t eat the last cookie.” “That’s rubbish!”

• Innit

– “Isn’t it?” This one is mostly used at the end of a sentence, and as a filler.

E.g. “London is such a great city, innit.”

So ring your mate, get out of your flat, chuck a left towards the grocery store, buy some snacks for under a tenner, and don’t forget to tell the cashier ‘cheers’.

While you’re in London, check out all the awesome things you can do for free, or read how London life compares to living in Singapore.

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