With one of our recruitment hubs in Leeds, one of the major economic and commercial cities in the county, if not the country, we obviously have a vested interest in ensuring our candidates can hit the ground running in their new workplace.

• Aye– meaning yes. “Aye, I’ll be at the meeting.”
• Ah’m– meaning I am. “Ah’m off t’see client” or “A’hm off to see the client”
• Be reight– meaning it’ll be okay. “Don’t worry about your expenses claim, it’ll be reight.”
• Bob into – means to go into. “Bob in to see the gaffer when you’re ready.”
• Brew– a cup of tea. And by tea, we naturally mean Yorkshire Tea. “Make us a brew will yer?”
• Butty– meaning sandwich. “I’ll have an egg butty for me lunch please.”
• Champion– meaning excellent. “Thanks for the report, it’s champion!”
• Chuffed– means happy or pleased. “I were well chuffed wi’ the feedback.”
• Ding–meaning to hit heavily, to knock. “I dinged my door in the car park getting out earlier. Gutted!”
• ‘eck– can mean hell. “Ooh blooming ‘eck, have you seen last month’s figures?”
• Eh– meaning pardon, or what. It can be an expression of confusion. “Eh? I didn’t hear you.”
• Faffin’– means messing about. “Stop faffin’ wi’t presentation, it looks fine.”
• Flaggin’– meaning getting tired. “We need to stop for a brew, I’m flaggin’”
• Gaffer– means boss. “I’ll ask the gaffer if I can book the day off.”
• Gander– meaning look at. “Gis a gander at that report.”
• Gi’us – meaning give me. “Gi’us a chuddy please” (chuddy means chewing gum)
• In’t– meaning “in the”. “They’re in’t filing cabinet Kelly.”
• Jammy– can mean lucky. “I’m well chuffed I won that client account. How jammy am I?”
• Kiddin’– meaning joking. “I’m only kiddin’. It’s my round for the brews.”
• Lug– meaning to tug or pull. “I had to lug all those filing boxes from t’ store cupboard.”
• Manky– means disgusting. “Sandra left her sandwich in the fridge for two weeks. T’was manky!”
• Mind– meaning be careful. “Mind how you go Dan, it’s dark out there.”
• Mithering– meaning annoying. “Stop mithering me, I’ll make a brew now.”
• Nay– meaning no. “Nay, it’s too late to start the project now.”
• Nar’n– means now then. “Nar’n, how’s that report coming along?”
• Nesh– means to feel the cold. Especially if you’re not originally from Yorkshire! “You’re Nesh if you can’t hack a Yorkshire winter!”
• Nowt– meaning nothing. “I’ve got nowt to do today. I’m bored.” – hopefully not something you’ll be saying in your new roles!
• Ow do – means hello. “Ow do pal, great to see you again!”
• Owt– meaning anything. Opposite of nowt. “Have you brought owt for the team meeting?”
• Pop– means fizzy drinks. “Can you buy a pop from t’ shop for me?”
• Reckon– meaning ‘think’. “What you reckon to the news from the gaffer, eh?”
• Sarnie– meaning sandwich. “Has anyone ordered sarnies for the meeting?
• Sup– meaning to drink. “Aye, sup up, we’re off t’next pub!”
• Tara – means goodbye. “Tara, I’ll see you next week”
• Tha– means you. “Where’s tha been? We started the meeting without ya.”
• T’werk– where Yorkshire people go all week “I’m off t’werk.”
• Un– meaning one. “He’s a reight un, that un.”
• Vexed– means angry. “That report is a week late! Man, I’m vexed.”
• Wang– means to throw. “Wang that pen over here please”
• While– meaning until. “It’s a late one. I’m working while seven tonight.”
• Yam– means home. “It’s t’end of day, I’m off yam.”

It’s not an exhaustive list, for obvious reasons. There’s a whole regional dialect that we could write pages about… but it should give you a little head start in the lovely Yorkshire workplaces and client companies that we work with.

If you want to put your new-found language skills to good use, why not check out all the latest jobs we’re actively recruiting for in Yorkshire, HERE. Or call the Leeds team on 0113 487 1900 for a confidential discussion (Yorkshire lingo optional!)