36 Yorkshire Sayings and Slang: Every Expression You Need to Know

I’ve lived in Yorkshire my whole life. I was born in South Yorkshire, moved to West Yorkshire for university and lived there for a few years, and I’ve spent the last eight years in North Yorkshire. So, I know a thing or two about Yorkshire sayings, slang, expressions and phrases in the different areas of Yorkshire. 

The Yorkshire dialect mixes Old English and Old Norse words. There are a lot of different words that are used daily that the average English speaker may struggle with! 

So let’s look at some common sayings, slang words, and funny phrases so you can chat like a true Yorkshire person.

Updated August 2026

Popular Yorkshire Sayings and Their Meanings

By gum

“By gum,” often said as “eeh, by gum,” is an old-fashioned way of expressing surprise, a bit like saying “well I never” or “blimey.” You don’t hear it as much from younger people these days, but the older generation still says it.

Be reyt

“Be reyt” means things will be okay, no matter how tough life feels. It’s a shortened version of ‘it’ll be alright’ 

Even young children get told “Be reyt” if they are mardy. The Yorkshire accent gives it a charm that standard English cannot match. It just wouldn’t sound the same if someone with a southern accent were saying it!

Bobby Dazzler

This just means something is really good and is often a compliment. For example, you might say it to a child who is wearing a pretty dress. That’s a right bobby dazzler.

Champion

Champion means brilliant or excellent. You’ll hear “that’s champion, that” used about anything from a good cup of tea to a job well done.

Chelping 

Chelping is a slang term similar to pestering – if you keep going on and on about something annoying, you may get told to stop chelping. 

Chuffed

Chuffed means you’re pleased with something. People may even say they are dead chuffed. 

Chuntering 

Chuntering is kind of like mumbling, frustratingly to yourself. 

Dollop

Dollop is a lump of something. You might ask for a dollop of tomato sauce or mashed potato. 

Ey up

“Ey up” pops up in Yorkshire all the time.  We Yorkshire folk use it as a simple hello, or to warn you about something. You might hear “Ey up” on t’ street or in t’ chip shop.

Gi’ over

“Gi’ over” is a classic Yorkshire expression that means to stop it. Some people may say ‘Gi or‘ depending on the accent, or ‘give over‘. 

Gormless

Gormless is kind of like a dim person. If someone looks a little lost or isn’t concentrating on what’s happening around them, you may call them gormless. It can also be used to describe being a bit stupid or lacking common sense.

Lug ‘ole

This means ears. If someone tells you to clean your lug ‘oles, it usually means you’re not listening. 

Mardy

“Mardy” means someone is in a bad mood or sulking. We use it for people who moan over small things. You might hear, “Stop being so mardy!”

Kids get called “mardy” if they throw a strop or look grumpy, but adults don’t escape either! 

Maungy (or “Morngy”)

Maungy, sometimes spelled or heard as “morngy,” is another word for mardy. Just being a bit moody!

Mithering

To mither is to pester. 

Monk on 

Another word similar to maungy and mithering. If you’ve got the monk on, then you’re being mardy. 

Nah then

Now then! A good thing to say when you are finishing a conversation. ‘Nah then, I best be off!’. 

Neb

Neb means nose. You may say, ‘What are you nebbing at?‘ as in ‘You’re being nosy’ or ‘Keep your neb out.’ 

Nesh

Nesh is the Yorkshire word for feeling extremely cold or freezing. I don’t use this one myself, but my mother uses it a lot!

Nowt 

This simply means nothing. 

Off t’ shop

This means I’m going to the shop. You’ll notice that people in Yorkshire often use a ‘t’ with a glottal stop to replace ‘to’. 

Oh aye?

This can be a way to express agreement with someone, as in ‘oh yes’, or a way to express surprise in the place of ‘oh really’

‘Ow do

How do you do?

Pack it in

This means to stop it. Usually, if someone is tormenting you or joking around, you might tell them to pack it in. 

Scran 

Scran is Yorkshire slang for food. 

Siling down

“Siling down,” or “siling it down,” means it’s pouring with rain. You might also hear “chucking it down” or “pissing it down.” These expressions are typical Yorkshire ways of describing heavy rainfall, which isn’t exactly uncommon in the region.

Siling down is more of a Sheffield term and not one I use personally. 

Snap Tin

Snap is a slang word for food, and a snap tin means a lunchbox. 

Sock on 

To be asleep means someone is fast asleep. I love this one. When I first said it to my husband, he had no idea what I was talking about!

Spice

Spice is South Yorkshire slang for sweets, mostly heard around Barnsley. Ask for “a bag of spice” in a corner shop there and you won’t get chilli flakes.

Sprog 

Sprog is a word used for a child, commonly ‘She’s having another sprog’. 

Stop faffin

This means to quit wasting time and get on with it. You might accuse someone of faffing about, or being a faffer. 

Ta

“Ta” is one of the most popular Yorkshire slang words used by locals. We use “Ta” every day as a simple way of saying thank you. It’s pronounced as ‘tar’. 

People might say “Ta luv” or just plain “Ta.”  Kids pick it up quick, too; sometimes you’ll hear a wee bairn shout “Ta!”. It’s often how Yorkshire people teach their babies and toddlers to say thank you. We start with “Ta”.  

Tara

Tara just means goodbye. Quick and friendly, said on the way out the door: “Tara, see you later!”

Where’s tha bin

Where have you been? 

Wood in the oil 

This simply means to shut the door, and is often said if someone walks into a room without closing the door after them. May be followed by ‘Wa ya born in a barn’ meaning ‘were you born in a barn’. 

Yorkshire born and Yorkshire bred

This is the start of a classic, very tongue-in-cheek Yorkshire rhyme: “Yorkshire born and Yorkshire bred, strong in the arm and thick in the head.” It’s said with real pride despite poking fun at itself, that’s very Yorkshire.

Which Yorkshire Words Do You Know?

So, now you know a bit more about the Yorkshire dialect and Yorkshire expressions, hopefully you’ll be able to understand the locals a bit more the next time you visit Yorkshire. There are a lot of regional variations between the different ridings of Yorkshire! Sometimes it can feel like each has its own language. 

Which favourite Yorkshire phrase makes you smile?