What Glaswegians Say Vs What They Mean

    53 Glasgow clichés, translated.

    1. "It got a bit lively." – The police were called.

    2. "I might have overdone it a wee bit with the drink." – I don't remember anything after midnight.

    3. "The night got away from me." – I don't remember anything after 10pm.


    4. "I was drunk." – I don't remember the last three days.

    5. "He's no the worst." – He is the worst, but he's a mate.

    6. "He's a mate." – Someone you used to pal about with and still feel oddly loyal to despite rarely seeing them.

    7. "We used to pal about." – We used to get pissed together.

    8. "He's gone a wee bit Edinburgh." – He's convinced he's the best thing since Jesus.

    9. "I've basically quit the fags." – I'm down to less than a pack a day.

    10. "I have the odd one when I'm drinking." – I've started having booze with every meal so I can have a fag.

    11. "I've got an empty, fancy coming over?" – Would you like to help wreck a house?

    12. "He's a good guy, he just has a wee problem handling his drink." – He's a bam who once tried to feed a Greggs sausage roll to a police horse.

    13. "She's totally minted, no doubt about it." – She sometimes has a new bag.


    14. "He's a bit much." – He never shuts up and his voice goes through your head like a drill.

    15. "It's hard to say when it's likely to finish up exactly." – Don't expect me back before dawn.

    16. "Aye bouncer, I'm just out: I've only had a couple of pints." – I've had eight pints, three shots, and two vodka Red Bulls.

    17. "What school do you do to?" – Are you a Tim or a Hun?


    18. "Who do you really support?" – Are you a Tim or a Hun?

    19. "What's your favourite colour?" – Are you a Tim or a Hun?

    20. "I'm not that fussed about the football." – I hate football more than anything on Earth, please stop talking about it.

    21. "So, you see the game?" – Football is my only topic of conversation.

    22. '"I'll come for one." – I'll need to be dragged out of the pub in six hours.

    23. "Fancy a couple after work?" – I'll need to be dragged out the pub in ten hours.


    24. 'It's a bit wet out." – Half of Glasgow is underwater.

    25. "It's Baltic out there." – Sauchiehall Street looks like a deleted scene from Frozen and all the pigeons have solidified.

    26. "Old man pub." – The clientele have one foot in the grave and smell like it, but it's cheap.

    27. "What's this place worth?" – I'm from London.

    28. "He's a patter merchant." – He talks an unbelievable amount of shite.

    29. "He's a bottle merchant." – He'd run away from his own reflection.

    30. "He's a wind up merchant." – He's addicted to taking the piss.

    31. "I'm no saying he's clatty but..." – He's got a massive and worrying personal hygiene problem.

    32. "It's some day!" – It's above ten degrees.

    33. "The brass neck on her."– She has no concept of shame.

    34. "There was hunners of folk there. Hunners!" – There were about thirty people there, possibly less.

    35. "You free for a quick swally?" – You're my best friend and I urgently need to talk to you.


    36. "That film? It's alright." – I cried with joy all the way through.

    37. "Aye, no bad looking." – They are totally, utterly gorgeous.


    38. "Jog on pal." – I'm thirty seconds away from battering you.

    39. "Aye right." – You're talking shite.

    40. "He's the numpties' numpty." – Even idiots think he's an idiot.

    41. "I got dingied but I'm no fussed." – I was stood up by my date and I'm utterly devastated.

    42. "You're the most beautiful lassie in this place." – You're the nearest lassie in this place.

    43. "Aye, I'm nae bad." – I've just won the lottery.

    44. "Aye, I'm nae bad." - I've just been told I have a week to live.

    45. "He's doing my head in a bit." – He is the most annoying arsehole in history.

    46. "Thank you driver." – Please stop the bus so I can get off.

    47. "He couldnae batter a fish." – He's as weak as a kitten and as much use in a fight.

    48. "I'm getting right into the healthy eating." – Sometimes I don't have an extra portion of chips.

    49. "She thinks she's all that." – She cuts about like she's a mixture of Beyoncé and Nicola Sturgeon.

    50. "He's nae idea when enough's enough." – He has no sense of personal boundaries and zero self control, which is why he's your best pal.

    51. "He's a bit of a blether." – He couldn't keep a secret to save his life.

    52. "Did ye, aye?" – Did ye fuck.

    53. "Ah belong to Glasgow." – I may be drunk, but I genuinely love it here.