Brummie words & sayings
A light-hearted guide to the Brummie and Black Country words, sayings and local lore you'll come across in the city and around it, and how (not) to use them on a date.
Brummie and Black Country words
- Bab
- A term of endearment, like "love" or "dear", used for friends, family and strangers alike.
- In dating: Being called "bab" by a stranger in a shop is just Birmingham being friendly, so don't read too much into it.
- Bostin
- Excellent, great. "That's a bostin idea" is high praise.
- In dating: If they call your plan for the evening bostin, you've picked well.
- Tara a bit
- Goodbye, see you later.
- In dating: The best way to end a date is a "tara a bit" that means you'll be seeing each other again.
- Cob on
- In a sulk or a bad mood, as in "he's got a cob on".
- In dating: A first date with a cob on is best avoided. Pick somewhere warm and dry and you'll both be fine.
- The cut
- The canal. Birmingham is criss crossed with them, and locals often just say "down the cut".
- In dating: A stroll along the cut is one of the easiest first dates in the city.
- Mom
- What Brummies call their mother, rather than "mum".
- In dating: Say "mom" on a date and nobody will bat an eyelid...they'll know you're a proper Brummie.
- Gambol
- A forward roll, and a classic Birmingham word from school playgrounds.
- In dating: Suggest a gambol down a grassy bank and you'll find out quickly how playful they are.
- Ow bin ya
- How are you? A classic Black Country greeting.
- In dating: It's a friendlier opener than a plain "hi", and easy to answer.
- Yam yam
- Someone from the Black Country, from the local way of saying "you am" for "you are".
- In dating: If they tell you they're a proper yam yam, they're proud of where they're from.
Birmingham lore and landmarks
- The Bullring
- The big shopping centre in the heart of the city, named after the old medieval market, with a bronze bull statue outside.
- In dating: "Meet you by the bull" is a very Birmingham way to arrange a first date.
- Spaghetti Junction
- The nickname for the Gravelly Hill Interchange, the famously tangled motorway junction where roads cross on stacked levels.
- In dating: Nobody plans a date around it, but everyone has a story about getting lost near it.
- The Balti Triangle
- The area of south Birmingham around Sparkhill and Balsall Heath known for its curry houses, where the balti is widely said to have taken off in Britain.
- In dating: Sharing a curry is a classic Birmingham date, and there's plenty of friendly argument about who does the best one.
- More canals than Venice
- A favourite Birmingham boast, based on the city's many miles of canal, much of it lined with restored warehouses, bars and cafés.
- In dating: A walk along the canals makes for an easy, low key first date.
- The Jewellery Quarter
- The historic area just north west of the city centre where jewellery has been made for generations, with independent shops and workshops.
- In dating: Plenty of cafés and quiet corners for a first coffee or a browse.
- Peaky Blinders
- The TV drama set in Birmingham after the First World War, inspired by a real street gang from the late 1800s.
- In dating: If you both love the show, you'll never run out of things to talk about.
- Cadbury and Bournville
- The chocolate makers who built the model village of Bournville in south Birmingham for their workers.
- In dating: A walk round Bournville is a gentle, pretty afternoon out, and you'll probably end up sharing a bar of chocolate.
- Villa and Blues
- Aston Villa and Birmingham City, the city's two big football clubs.
- In dating: Find out early which side they support, and enjoy the friendly rivalry.
- Sarehole Mill and Tolkien
- The old watermill in Hall Green that is said to have inspired parts of The Hobbit, close to where the young J.R.R. Tolkien played as a boy.
- In dating: A walk round the mill and the nearby Moseley Bog is a lovely first date for anyone who loves a story.
Words change from Birmingham to the Black Country, and what you hear in Dudley isn't always what you hear in Handsworth. Got a favourite we've missed? Tell us when you join.
Don't be shy. Go and meet someone.
Put a few of these to use with singles who'll know exactly what you mean.