7 Liverpool Scouse Slang Words You Will Hear When You Visit Merseyside

Learn Frequently Used Scouse Slang Used Across The Liverpool City Region, From 'Sound' And 'Wool' To 'Antwacky' And 'Trabs'

The Liverpool City Region is known for its accent but its interpretation of words can also be puzzling to those from outside the City. Here is a quick guide to get you up to speed on words you will definitely hear when visiting Liverpool.

Regardless of if you are moving to Liverpool for work, to study or just feel like relocating to a new city, this quick guide will help you get on your way with some of the local slang terms used in the Liverpool City Region.

Liverpool is a City and Metropolitain Area in the UK that comprises of Six Boroughs: The City of Liverpool, and the Boroughs of Wirral, Sefton, Halton, St. Helens, and Knowsley.

Scouse Slang: 'Sound'

One of the City Region's most used slang words is 'Sound'. Telling someone something or someone is 'sound' is, in normal English, the equivalent of saying great or awesome. It is most people's go to reply if they are happy with something or agree with your response.

In response to someone saying: 'Shall we meet tomorrow for a bevvy at, say, seven o'clock?'

In a sentence you would say: 'Yeah, that's sound mate, look forward to seeing you then.'

Scouse Slang: 'Trabs'

This Scouse word means shoes. Trabs are shoes, particularly trainers. The term 'trabs' is in reference to the 1980s Adidas Trimm Trabs trainers which, in natural Scouse style, became shortened to 'trabs' and then this was applied to all shoes of that nature.

If you 'can't find your shoes', in a sentence you would say in Liverpool, that: 'I can't find me trabs! I've looked everywhere for them.'

Scouse Slang: 'Boss'

Saying something is 'boss' is a bit of a step up from saying 'sound'. It's not just great. It's epic. Saying 'boss' is the equivalent of amazing or epic. This word is used for great levels of excitement

In a sentence, you would say: 'That's boss, that is mate, I can't wait for the gig! It's going to be class.'

Scouse Slang: 'Wool'

Saying someone is a 'Wool' is a shortened version of the term 'Woolyback', which is a slang term used by some people from the City of Liverpool to refer to people from the rest of Merseyside who are not technically classed as part of Liverpool.

Scouse Slang: 'Devo'ed'

Saying "Devo'ed" is a Scouse (Liverpudlian) slang term that means disappointed or upset. The term is derived from the word "devastated," which has a similar meaning.

The term "devo'ed" is often used in everyday conversation to express a sense of disappointment or frustration. For example, someone might say "I was absolutely devo'ed when I found out the concert was cancelled," or "She was devo'ed when she didn't get the job.

Scouse Slang: 'Antwacky'

The Scouse word 'Antwacky' derives from the amalgaamation of words 'antique', 'antiquated' and 'wacky' being combined together to create a hodgepodge of words that essentially means old-fashioned and old hat. It is used to refer to things that are out of date and no longer in use.

Anything that is not used by a majority of people on a daily basis could techinically be described as 'antwacky'. For example, an item of clothing from the any of the previous decards might be described as 'antwacky', an older more outdated piece of technology or a quirky piece of furnature.

In a sentence you would say: 'That jacket is proper antwacky, I haven't seen anything like that before, it's so unusual!'