Cursing word in english

You may also hear individuals say a sports team “sucks”. For example, “those Yankees suck!” In this instance, the speaker is meaning the Yankees are one of the two following; a poor team or a team they dislike. “Yankees suck” is a common phrase overheard at the Boston Red Sox’s home ground but is not said because the Yankees are a poor team; Boston has an intense rivalry with the New York side.

There are seven words in English considered to be the “worst” swear words, as in most offensive. Two of these have been mentioned; fuck and cunt. American comedian George Carlin said shit, piss, cocksucker, motherfucker, and tits make up the remaining five of his “seven dirty words”. The usage of tits and piss has increased significantly since Carlin came up with the list in 1972, but the others remain offensive. A common strand between those words are their relationship to bodily functions or sex.  Here are some more swear words commonly used in English:

Fuck could be considered one of the most flexible words in the English language. It can be used to describe a range of emotions; love, lust, pain, anger, surprise, success and failure and many others. Borrowed from German, the word could make nearly every single word in a sentence; “Fuck the fucking fuckers.”

Fuck has become used much more liberally in recent years and, as such, it’s offensiveness has diminished somewhat. Long considered the most offensive, it’s status is perhaps now rivaled by “cunt”. Women, in particular, often find cunt to be significantly more offensive than “fuck”.

Here’s a great video to watch as a demonstration:

Add visual elements.

Conducting a search for English curse words on YouTube will get you several video results for both pronunciation and written forms of bad Chinese words. By viewing and reviewing the words you are more likely to remember them.

Use cue cards                                                 

Cue cards are a great technique to use for general language learning. Add swear words, and the process gets that much more enjoyable. Adding visual cues to the bad English words can help you learn them faster. Use white flash cards to memorize your vocabulary words.

Write one new word or phrase on one side of an index card. Place the English translation of the English curse word on the back of the card where you can’t easily see it. Underneath the English word draw a picture that represents the term. This doesn’t have to be a master drawing; a stick figure representation will do. When you finish, you should have between 10 to 20 visual flash cards with the English words you want to learn.

This is also an effective way to learn how to swear in English with a friend so that the both of you can swear back and forth at each other.

How often do English people use these terms?

English speakers swear just as often as everybody else. The culture of swearing in America and the UK is comparable to that of other nationalities regarding any offense that may be taken, appropriate use, etc. What you’ll find if you begin swearing a lot in English is that anyone who understands you won’t be shy about swearing right back – so when you’re out front of the office going on your tirade, don’t be too surprised if someone across the street joins in on the fun.

Are English speakers easily offended by swearing?

Not typically, unless you’re meaning to cause offense by swearing directly at them. If this is the case, they likely will become offended, yell some profanities back at you, and potentially attempt to engage in a physical confrontation.

Putting It All Together

During your English swear word study time, go over each phrase or word, repeating it out loud. If you don’t remember what the vocabulary means look on the back of your cue card to see the English translation. Review the pronunciation by watching the YouTube video, clicking on the pronunciation in Google Translate or listening to your digital recorder. After a few repetitions, while looking through the cards, you’ll remember the vocabulary through both the audio and visual associations. Continue repeating the vocabulary out loud until you memorize it.

As is the case with any language learning journey, repetition is key to success. Use your key cards, practice with a friend, or better yet – do some Skyping with a fluent English speaker. You two can swear at each other like one of you just punched the other’s son square in the face. Bet you never thought learning a new language could be so much fun!

The moral of the story is to just do it. Learn the words. Use the words. Then, expand them in your English vocabulary to cover basic daily interactions and conversations. Practice every day and we promise – you’ll see some fucking results. Need help with practice? Live Lingua has native English tutors available to get you chatting with the best of them.

Definition from Wiktionary, the free dictionary

Jump to navigation
Jump to search

What were the first words you learnt in English? If you started learning as an adult, after you nailed hello and goodbye, I’ll bet that fuck wasn’t far behind. Some English swear and curse words are almost universally understood; you can tell someone to fuck off in any country in the world and people get it. We will give you an overview of bad words in English but beware: It is not appropriate in certain settings to use those!

• When swearing in English – what is offensive and what isn’t?
• The most common swear word in British English
• The most common swear word in American English

When swearing in English – what is offensive and what isn’t?

Very few swear words are truly offensive in the UK nowadays. Swearing is acceptable in workplaces and among friends, even in families. It’s up to you on an individual basis to work out when you can use these words. So if your British friend tells you to fuck off, don’t immediately assume you should be offended. Because there’s more than one way to use fuck off and understanding this, and many other swear words, will make you a better English speaker. Never forget culture and context when learning a language.

So let’s dive in. 

The most common swear word in British English

1. Fuck

What a brilliantly diverse word fuck is. Used on its own, it usually signifies annoyance:

“Ah fuck, the kettle’s broken, how am I going to make tea?”. 

Fuck can be joined to other words to change its meaning. Fuck off for example can mean get away from me, or it can be used to signify surprise or shock. It all depends on the context and how you say it.

“Nice tits.”

“Fuck off.” (Leave me alone, you sad, lonely creep.)

“I’m pregnant and it’s triplets.”

“Fuck off!” (Hopefully not coming from the father of the triplets, but a likely shocked reaction from friends.)

“I just won £1 million on the lottery.”

“Fuck off!” (A nice surprise, probably.)

Fuck is also a vulgar way to say have sex as in “We fucked last night.” But this phrase makes you sound like an overexcited teenage boy, so it’s one not to use. Learn more about the use of diverse English words that might not always make sense.

2. Piss off

Another phrasal verb, piss off is a milder version of fuck off. However, it’s still probably not one to use in front of grandma. It usually means go away, but your tone of voice has a big impact on its meaning. 

“You look lovely today, Jean.” 

“Oh, piss off Greg.” (Depending on the tone of voice, Jean is either angry or flirting. It’s an important distinction Greg will have to make himself.)

It can also be used to express surprise or shock:

“James is coming for a drink tonight.”

“Piss off, he never comes out on Wednesdays.”

3. Bugger off

With a similar meaning to piss off, bugger off is very British. When a Brit says this to an American it usually causes them to giggle and swoon over the accent rather than be offended. And again, it can be used forcefully to tell someone to go away, or playfully to flirt with someone. 

“Drinking wine again, Carol?”

“Oh, bugger off.” (Again, is Carol angry, playful or flirting? Tone of voice and a cheeky smile will give her away.)
Don’t forget to put on your best British accent for this expression!

4. Bloody hell

This is another very British swear word. Bloody hell is actually quite mild and it’s used to express anger. 

“Bloody hell, Yuri’s lost the tickets to the concert.”

“Yuri, what the bloody hell have you done?”

Learn how to gossip in English and get all the juicy details!

5. Bastard

The earliest definition of bastard is a child with unmarried parents, but the word has morphed away from that. Now bastard is used to call someone nasty or unpleasant. It’s usually used to talk about men:

“The bastard cheated on me.”

It’s also used in Britain to say that something is difficult or unpleasant to do:

“Commuting into London every day is a bastard.”

If you want to experience bastard in a strong northern accent, see this video featuring the brilliant actor, Sean Bean.

6. Wanker/tosser

These are more swear words which are usually directed at men. They mean a stupid or unpleasant person. 

“Ah Yuri you wanker, how did you lose the tickets?”

“Logan’s a tosser. He never pays for his drinks.”

7. Bollocks

One of the greatest British swear words is bollocks. It means testicles, but it’s used in some wonderful ways, most often to exclaim when something has gone wrong:

“The train’s delayed and we’re going to miss our flight.”

“Bollocks!”

It’s also used to call out a liar:

“I’ve been working hard on this all day.”

“Bollocks! You were playing computer games for most of the morning.”

And it can be used as a verb, to mean a telling off. 

“My boss bollocked me for coming in late three times this week.”

The most common swear word in American English

1. Motherfucker

A more American swear word, although it is used in other countries too, is motherfucker. This is not a word that’s used literally (not very often, anyway). We use it to talk about someone we really dislike or who has made us angry. We don’t just use it for people, we can use it for things and situations too. 

“I crashed your car… I’m really sorry.”

“My new car?! You motherfucker!”

“I heard you’re getting divorced.”

“Yeah, it’s a motherfucker.”

You can also use motherfucker affectionately, especially when you’re impressed with something someone’s done. 

“I got a 1400 on my SATs.”

“You clever motherfucker!”

And it can be turned into an adjective. 

“I can’t get the motherfucking waffle maker to turn on!”

2. Son of a bitch

In the US, you’re much more likely to hear someone being called a son of a bitch rather than a bastard. 

Like bastard, you can use son of a bitch to talk about people and things. 

“That son of a bitch insulted me.”

“Why didn’t you take the elevator?”

“The son of a bitch is broken.”

You can also use it as an exclamation. 

“Son of a bitch! I spilled my beer everywhere.”

And you can use it to say that a man is impressive or that you admire him, often grudgingly. 

“The son of a bitch has done it. He’s won the competition.”

3. Asshole

Asshole is another American swear word that is more often used for men. It describes a stupid or unpleasant person. It’s not a particularly strong swear word and like all of them on this list, there’s a time and a place to use it, and it’s not in class or at family dinner. In British English, you’re more likely to hear someone being called an arsehole. 

“I can’t believe the asshole forgot my birthday.”

“Stop being an asshole! I’m going to tell mom.”

Just to be clear, we are not encouraging you to start swearing at your lovely English teachers (‘bugger off, I’m not doing that homework,’ is actually quite offensive). But now you should be able to enjoy some great British banter with a side of swear words thrown in.

Laura is a freelance writer and was an ESL teacher for eight years. She was born in the UK and has lived in Australia and Poland, where she writes blogs for Lingoda about everything from grammar to dating English speakers. She’s definitely better at the first one. She loves travelling and that’s the other major topic that she writes on. Laura likes pilates and cycling, but when she’s feeling lazy she can be found curled up watching Netflix. She’s currently learning Polish, and her battle with that mystifying language has given her huge empathy for anyone struggling to learn English. Find out more about her work in her portfolio.

Do you think swearing is a bad habit?

It’s not polite, that’s for sure. However, swear words are a part of every language and they can sometimes
help us reduce stress. 

English cursing words have different styles and variants, depending on the country. 

With more than 1.5 billion speakers worldwide, English is definitely the most popular and spoken language. 

From American English swearing that can be heard in Hollywood movies, we are heading to Canada, and learning Canadian English bad words. Then we’re off to the Land Down Under with cursing words you definitely want to remember. In the end, we’re landing to the UK to repeat some familiar, and some new British English cursing words.

British Swear Words

Although British English is quite sophisticated, sometimes even they can’t resist saying bloody hell or rubbish.

In the following lines, you’ll find a list of curse words British people tend to use.

Bell/Bellend

This word translates to ‘the end of the penis.’

As a cursing word, it’s used in situations similar to American ‘assh*ole’ or ‘d*ck.’

Bloody Hell

The word ‘bloody’ literally means covered or smeared of blood.

It’s also an exclusive British cursing word rarely used in the USA or Canada.

It expresses disgust, and depending on context, it can refer to anger as well. You can use it with other words like ‘bloody moron,’ or ‘bloody brilliant!’

Bollocks

This word is, in other words, s*it. It literally means ‘testicles.’

You can use this word to describe something useless, of poor quality, or nonsense.

Bugger

This one is a typical British cursing word. To bugger can be translated as to sodomize someone. It refers to someone whose behavior is displeasing or to express dissatisfaction.

However, it’s not a real offensive, but a more mild swear word.

In the USA, it is used as a slang word in some parts of the meaning ‘small critter.’

Choad

The word ‘choad’ is another word for the penis that is wider than long. It’s used the same way the word ‘di*k’ is used in the USA.

Crikey

Among various definitions, according to
Urban Dictionary, this isn’t a swear word but a slang. It is an expression of surprise, like when someone shouts ‘Christ!’

Rubbish

Rubbish is a synonym for ‘trash.’ It’s literally described as a waste material, so if you want to offend someone, you can describe them with this word.

This one isn’t a real cursing word, though, it can be very offensive to some people. Calling someone ‘rubbish’ means you want to offend them and with this word, to show them that they are bad.

Shag

‘Shag’ is a word that can be used instead of ‘to have s*x.’ It isn’t offensive and is used usually among close friends.

According to the
Dictionary, this word is much older than we all think, and it dates back from 1680.

Taking the piss

This phrase is a pejorative phrase that is used in the meaning ‘to make a joke,’ or ‘to take liberties at the expense of others.’ 

If you say, for example, ‘Are you taking the piss?’ it means ‘Are you joking with me?’

Twat

Twat can be translated as ‘vagina,’ or more precisely, ‘p*ssy.’

As a cursing word, it can be used in many situations.

To use it as a verb, you can use it in the meaning ‘to be drunk’ or ‘to hit.’

Wanker

The word ‘wank’ means ‘to masturbate.’ Therefore, the word ‘wanker’ means ‘masturbator.’ 

As some sort of swear word, this one is used for drunk persons, precisely, to use the verb ‘wanker’ in that context, means ‘to be drunk.’

American Swear Words

Some would say that there are not many
differences between British English and American English when talking about swearing, but in fact, there are

If you want to
curse like a proper American person, then stay with us.

Assh*ole

This word is used to describe a stupid or an annoying person. By using this word, you can refer to someone as cruel and heartless as well.

While ‘bitch’ is used for women, the word  ‘assh*le’ is often used for male persons.

Bastard

This word literally means mongrel or illegitimate child.

If you want to insult someone, without using a real cursing word, then ‘bastard’ is the right one.

It’s mainly used to describe those who give you unpleasant experiences, who lie, spread misinformation, or make you feel angry all the time.

Bitch

Even though the word means ‘female dog,’ as an offensive word, it’s used for both males and females.

However, back in the days, it was used only for women in the most insulting way by reducing her to a dog status.

When used today, it refers to an unpleasant term for those who are unreasonable, aggressive, or malicious. 

Damn

‘Damn’ isn’t a cursing word that can be harsh or offensive.

It’s mostly used in the eastern part of the USA.

Using this word people express their anger towards someone or something.

D*ckhead 

D*ckhead can be used in two completely different situations. On one hand, it’s used to describe an unfair person or an idiot. On the other, it can be used among close friends without a goal to offend.

F*ck

This American English swear word is the most used and the most common one. 

Besides in the USA, it’s widely used in every country,
English-speaking one or not.

Literally, it means ‘the act of sexual intercourse,’ but globally, it’s used to express anger and disgust, sometimes surprise, and even amazement.

F*ck you

Similar to f*ck, f*ck you is also quite offensive. Only here, by adding the pronoun ‘you,’ you can directly offend someone.

Piss Off

This quite offensive phrase means ‘to go’ or ‘to leave.’

If you are angry at someone, and you want them to leave you alone, you can use the verb ‘piss off.’

Sh*t

It’s considered to be vulgar in today’s English. It literally refers to a fecal matter, or simply said ‘poo’. This one is one of the most popular bad words. 

You can use it in many different situations and contexts when something unexpected comes up.

Son of a b*tch

This offensive word is used in situations when you want to offend  someone who is being unfair, nasty, or rude.

According to the
Merriam-Webster dictionary, this phrase also expresses surprise, disappointment, or annoyance.

Canadian Swear Words

Even though Canadians are thought to be the most polite people in the world, there are some situations when even the most polite people simply have to use some cursing words.

Here are some of them:

Beau cave

The phrase comes from Quebec French in the meaning ‘total idiot.’ And even though it’s in French, English speakers use it as much as French do.

Chucklehead

This word is used for someone very stupid.

This one is a typical Canadian word, and over there, it’s used pretty often.

Doughhead

This cursing word is popular in Ontario, where it’s commonly used. This word is a big insult and describes ‘stupid’ and ‘thick in the head.’

Hoser

This one is the most common and worldwide-known Canadian insult.

It originally refers to hockey players who lose games. When they lose, that is, when the game is over, they have to hose the rink down.

Today, it’s used as a synonym for ‘stupid.’

Skeet

It’s one more typical Canadian insult. It’s similar to ‘white trash,’ poor people in the USA.

Mainly refers to youngsters who commit petty crimes.

Australian Swear Words

Even though Australia is an English-speaking country, there are many differences when it comes to
slang and cuss words. If you want to learn Australian curse words, read on.

Bloody Oath 

In other words, this phrase is used to say ‘F*ck yeah!’ or ‘Isn’t that the truth?’

Like its synonym, ‘Bloody oath’ is used to express support for something, or an affirmation as an understatement.

Bugger me/off

Some use this phrase as ‘bugger me’ while others use ‘bugger off.’ It’s used in the UK as well as in Australia and refers to someone or something very annoying.

DADS

For those who spend some time living or traveling to Australia surely know what DADS mean. It is an abbreviation for ‘dumb as a dog.’

The phrase ‘you have DADS disease’ is quite common. It means that your joke wasn’t funny, or you clearly didn’t get it right.

Drongo

Behind this story, there is a sad story. Drongo was a racehorse who never won any race during his almost three-year career. 

The word started being used to refer to a dumb person, a fool, or a loser.

Fair Suck of the Sav

The word ‘sav’ is shorter for a red, seasoned sausage called saveloy.

This phrase is used when someone is unfair, and it’s actually a replacement for ‘Give me a fair shot.’

Get Stuffed

While Americans say ‘Piss off,’ in Australia the most suitable equivalent is ‘Get stuffed.’

GFY

It’s an abbreviation for ‘Go F*ck yourself.’ Australians use it pretty often.

Root

This word appears to be a synonym with the British ‘shag.’ The phrase ‘ Cop a root’ is a common phrase in Australia, which means ‘to have sex.’

Slag/Slagger

The word means a promiscuous man or woman. Depending on the situation, it can be pretty offensive.

Conclusion

Learning these cuss words and phrases can be helpful for many reasons.

You will sound like a local when you spontaneously start using them. 

Releasing anger, or any other positive or negative emotion is suitable for your mental health.

And you have to admit that many of these words are funny, at least in the way we use them. So you can laugh at them, too.

What’s your favorite English curse word? Let us know in the comments.

Parental Guidance Cheat Sheet

This Cheat Sheet contains material that parents may find unsuitable for younger children. It mainly contains English slang words, nothing offensive but it is informal, only to be used in small talk with friends.

PG 13 Cheat Sheet — Forbidden to Under 13 Years Old

This Cheat Sheet contains some material that many parents would find unsuitable for children under 13 years old. It mainly contains English strong words used in everyday life, recommended to be used with caution and friends only. (Example: Fool, Idiot, Stupid, Lame…)

Rated-R Cheat Sheet — Forbidden to Under 17 Years Old

This Cheat Sheet is specifically designed to be downloaded by adults and therefore may be unsuitable for children under 18. It mainly contains English curse words, insulting expressions that will make you sound vulgar. (Example: Damn it, Bastard, What the F***, F words…)

I have divided curse words into 3 different levels

Level 1 Curse Word = Slightly inappropriate

Level 2 Curse Word = inappropriate

Level 3 Curse Word = Extremely inappropriate

Hell 

Shit

Bastard

Jerk

Ass

Douchebag

Fuck

Bitch

Racist And Other Derogatory Terms

Whore

Dickhead

Cunt

Bullshit

Freak

Pussy Whipped