From 'oreit' to 'cwtch', Welsh people use a range of phrases that are second nature to them but completely baffling to anyone else in the world. Here are 23 examples that will confuse literally everyone else.
Greetings and small talk
Welsh greetings are famously unique. 'Oreit how's it going oreit?' simply means 'Hello', while 'Oreeeit?' means 'Hello to you too.' If someone asks 'How do, butt?', they're asking 'How are you, my friend?' A reply of 'Tidy, mun' means 'I'm good, thanks'.
Other common phrases include 'Where you to?' (meaning 'Where are you?') and 'Alright or what?' (also hello).
Time and weather
When a Welsh person says 'I'll be there now in a minute', they mean they'll be there soon but aren't sure how soon—it could be immediately or it could be in an hour, and all you can do is wait and see which it ends up being.
If it's 'nobbling out', it means it's really, really cold outside.
Emotions and opinions
'I'm not being funny right' means the speaker is about to say something serious, possibly offensive and which could in no way be mistaken as funny. Similarly, 'I'm not gonna lie to you' means the speaker is about to tell you something which might be true but might be a lie, despite what they just said.
'Absolutely buzzing' means awful in every possible way, while 'absolutely hanging' is similar but also means really drunk. 'I am tamping' means 'I am so angry'. 'I'm only saying' means the speaker was pointing something out which they fully intended to cause controversy but, now that it has had the desired effect, they're putting some distance between themselves and the words they said.
Everyday expressions
'Fancy a cwtch?' means 'Would you like a cuddle that is in fact a bit more than a cuddle and more like a loving and safe embrace that offers warmth, protection and emotional security.'
'Cheers, drive' is a heartfelt thank you to a bus driver for doing nothing more than the bare minimum required of their job in getting the speaker from A to B in a way that was totally predictable—they have a special place in the nation's heart.
'Hambon' refers to a man of sound farming stock, likely fond of check shirts, Massey Ferguson tractors and Peugeot 306 turbo diesels. 'Stop chopsing' means 'Can you stop talking please?' 'Tidy darts' means 'Good'. 'Under the doctor' means 'Unwell'. 'Poor dab' means 'I feel really sorry for this person.' 'Pack it in, you sledge' means 'You are behaving like a fool and need to stop it right now.' 'Cowing lush' means 'Unbelievably nice'.
