Slang is a word that describes another word that is not in the English dictionary but is commonly used to describe things, place and feelings. They are very useful to know if you are planning on working or studying in the UK or with people from the UK. Many slang words are not found in other English speaking countries like America for example where they are likely to be confusing or misunderstood. Generally, slang words are not suitable (1) for the workplace or formal situations but can be used with friends and family or in casual conversations.
This is a casual (2) term you might use with a friend or a family member. It is used when you would like someone to move along a seat to give you some room to sit down. It is also used if you need someone to move to make some room (3) for you if you are standing watching something.
This is a common slang term used to describe something that went wrong. If you were talking about a mistake (4) with someone you could say “that was a cock-up” or “that was a total cock-up”. It is a very casual term but is used in a number of situations.
This is a word used in a number of ways but all uses are similar. It means to like or want something. But it can also be used by men and women who like each other. For example “I fancy a pizza” would mean you would like a pizza. But you could also see someone very attractive in a bar and tell your friend you fancy that person.
This is another word for friend. It is used very commonly (5) and in many different situations. You could say “he is my mate” or “my mate is coming to the pub with us”. But you could also use it to address (6) your friends by saying “hello mate, how are you”. It is not a word that should be used to describe your boss or someone important at work. It is a friendly term used with friends.
This is a very common (5) word used to describe things that are expensive or part of a luxury lifestyle. It can also be a little bit rude when talking about people. Calling someone posh is not really very nice as it means they are rich or wealthy but also a little bit rude (7). If you went out to a very nice restaurant you could say to your friends it was a posh place to eat and this would be fine.
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