What are some Scottish sayings?
Robert Miller
Published Feb 16, 2026
What are some Scottish sayings?
Scottish Sayings
- Gonnae no’ dae that!
- Pure dead brilliant – Amazing.
- Yer bum’s oot the windae – You are lying or exaggerating.
- Am pure done in – I am pretty tired.
- Am a pure nick – I am not looking my best.
- Ah umnae – I am not.
- Ma heid’s mince – My head is mince, meaning I’m a bit confused.
- Yer oot yer face!
What’s the most Scottish thing to say?
Here are a few of the Scottish sayings that I grew up hearing on a daily basis:
- “Whit’s fur ye’ll no go past ye.”
- “You’re a wee scunner!”
- “She’s up to high doh”
- “A pritty face suits the dish-cloot”
- “Awa’ an bile yer heid”
- “Don’t be a wee clipe!”
- “Yer bum’s oot the windae!”
- “I’m going to the pictures”
What do they call people from Dundee?
Dundee
| Dundee Dùn Dè (Scottish Gaelic) | |
|---|---|
| Demonym(s) | Dundonian |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (GMT) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (BST) |
| Postcode Areas | DD1-5 |
Why is Och Aye noo offensive?
“Och aye the noo!” This is one of those Scottish phrases that can be heard in countless parodies aimed at poking fun at the Scots’ dialect and accent. Its direct English translation is “Oh yes, just now”. And, while some Scots may chuckle along with you, it is considered quite offensive by others.
What is Scottish slang?
Awa’ an bile yer heid – translating as away and boil your head, this simply means ‘get lost’ Bampot – a mad idiot. Dafty – fool. Eejit – idiot. Fandan – pretentious idiot.
How do you say crazy in Scottish?
Rocket (Rocket) Scottish slang for crazy.
How do you say pie in Dundee?
Put simply, ‘peh’ is ‘pie’ in the Dundee accent.
What does affy mean in Scottish?
To trust
To trust; to put trust or confidence in (a person or thing).
What does caw canny mean?
Go easy/Don
Caw canny meaning “Go easy/Don’t overdo it”, as in Caw canny wi the butter, “Don’t use up the butter”
Why do Scots say Ken?
It means “know”. “Ken” shortened from “d’ye ken” – e.g “do you know (what I mean)” like the English say “innit” at the end of sentences.
What does Raj mean in Scottish?
Whereas radge, or raj (slang for a mad, crazy idiot or fool and one of Begbie’s favourite words) is thought to be a variant of the Gypsy word “raj” or “rajy”, which has the exact same meaning. Even “gadge”, or “gadgie”, that has come to mean a man in Scots, was originally used by travellers to refer to an outsider.
What are some of the most popular Dundonian words?
Here are some of our favourite words than only a Dundonian will understand: 1 Cundie. A drain cover at the side of the road “Aw no, I dropped my keys down the cundie”. 2 Peh. A pie “Gimme two pehs”. 3 Circle. 4 Fehver. 5 Dowp. The bottom of something or your backside “Ahm just sitting on ma dowp”.
What are some Dundee sayings and words?
Some of our favourite Dundee sayings, words, and phrases as suggested by our friends on Facebook • Pletty – The open-air communal landing at the back of a block of tenement flats. • Kettle-biler – An unemployed man, or househusband.
How do you pronounce the Dundonian word for ‘pie’?
Add another letter, and you have ‘peh’, the Dundonian pronunciation of ‘pie’. It’s another small step from there to ‘ken’, Dundee’s word for ‘know’. The ‘eh’ sound prevails across the Dundonian dialect, but once you grasp it you’ll soon ken whit’s whit, eh.
How do you say ‘pie’ in Dundee?
That is unless it’s being used in its third form, as a noise made as the speaker is grasping for another word, or perhaps it’s being used as a way to affirm what’s just been said. Add another letter, and you have ‘peh’, the Dundonian pronunciation of ‘pie’. It’s another small step from there to ‘ken’, Dundee’s word for ‘know’.
