Talk Like a Pirate Translator

Type a plain sentence and read it back with ahoy, me hearty and I be in the right places.

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Direction: Plain English to Pirate

Pirate 42 characters

Ahoy me hearty, I be lookin' fer the head.

6 swaps made. 1 word has no entry and stays as typed.

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This is a word list, not a language. Only whole words and phrases that have an entry change. Everything else stays exactly as you typed it, and the note under the result says how many words had no entry.

Next step Hail a ship properly, in code words Try a sillier voice: Pig Latin

How it works

This talk like a pirate translator swaps everyday words for pirate ones: hello into ahoy, my friend into me hearty, the bathroom into the head. All 277 swaps are marked sea term, old or plain English, or stage talk.

Read the full guide

Plain English in, pirate out

The longest phrase wins, so my friend goes out as me hearty before my can turn into me. Only whole words change, capitals stay, and a longer word ending in ing loses its g. Swap reads pirate back into plain words, roughly: we be returns as we is, though it began as we are.

Where the voice comes from

From the English West Country, by way of a film. Robert Newton, born in Dorset, played Long John Silver in the 1950 film of Treasure Island and is credited with popularising pirate speech. The grammar is real: West Country English says I be for I am. Of the 277 swaps, 148 are sea terms, 97 old or plain English and 32 stage talk.

Tips

Everyday words convert best: the table knows bathroom, boss, email and traffic, and lets rarer words through untouched.
Every note opens with its origin, so you can keep to real sea terms: aft, belay, handsomely, scuttlebutt.
Talk Like a Pirate Day is 19 September, a parody holiday from 1995. Share copies a link to your sentence.

Questions and answers

Did pirates really talk like this?

Partly. The voice is from a film, but many words are real. Ahoy, avast, belay and aye aye are sea hails and orders, and lubber, maroon and pieces of eight all turn up in Treasure Island, published in 1883. Arr is pure stage.

Was walking the plank real?

Mostly it is a story. Few cases are documented, all well after the classical age of piracy, which ended by 1730. Pirates burying treasure was rare too, and the map to it is a device from fiction. The table marks all three as stage talk.

Is it clean enough for a classroom?

Yes. The table has no drinking words, nothing crude, no punishment beyond the brig, marooning and a storybook plank, and its oaths stop at blast and blimey. Unknown words pass through unchanged, so the result is only as rude as what went in.

All 286 pirate words

Hails and answers 20

Ahoy Sea term. Replaces hello, hi, hey and greetings. A sailor's call to hail a ship or a person. Works at the start of a sentence.
Ahoy there Stage talk. Replaces hello there, hi there and hey there. Ahoy with a little more room in it.
All hands Sea term. Replaces attention everyone, attention please, hey everyone and listen everyone. All hands is the whole crew of a ship. Works at the start of a sentence.
All hands on deck Sea term. Replaces everybody help, we need help, i need help and team meeting. The order that brings the whole crew up to work.
Aye Old or plain English. Replaces yes, yeah, yep and yup. Yes. An aye is also a vote in favour.
Aye aye Sea term. Replaces yes sir, yes ma'am, will do, on it, got it and sure thing. The answer to an order: understood, and it will be done.
Beg pardon Old or plain English. Replaces sorry, my apologies, apologies and my bad. Short for I beg your pardon.

Show all 286 pirate words (279 more)

Hails and answers, continued

Fair winds Sea term. Replaces goodbye, bye, farewell, see you later, see you soon and take care. A fair wind is a favourable one, blowing the way the ship wants to go.
Gangway Sea term. Replaces excuse me, out of the way, coming through and make way. Shouted to clear a path. The gangway is the way on and off a ship.
Godspeed Old or plain English. Replaces good luck, best of luck and safe travels. A wish for a good journey.
Good morrow Old or plain English. Replaces good morning. An archaic good morning.
Heave ho Sea term. Replaces let's go, here we go and off we go. What sailors called out to pull together on a rope.
If ye please Stage talk. Replaces please. Please, with ye in it.
Land ho Sea term. Replaces we're here, we made it and we have arrived. The lookout's shout when land comes into sight. Works at the start of a sentence.
Mayhap Old or plain English. Replaces maybe, perhaps and possibly. Perhaps.
Nay Old or plain English. Replaces no, nope and nah. No, and the word for a no vote.
Thankee Old or plain English. Replaces thanks, thank you, thanks a lot and cheers. An old run-together form of thank ye.
Thar she blows Sea term. Replaces there it is, there she is and look at that. The hail of a whaling ship's lookout on seeing a whale spout.
Well met Old or plain English. Replaces nice to meet you, pleased to meet you and good to see you. An old greeting for someone you are glad to run into.
What cheer Old or plain English. Replaces how are you, how are you doing, how's it going and what's up. An old greeting that asks how things are.

Crew and other people 35

Blaggard Old or plain English. Replaces villain, crook, liar, bad guy and cheat. A worn-down spelling of blackguard, a scoundrel.
Bosun Sea term. Replaces foreman, supervisor and site manager. Short for boatswain, the officer in charge of sails, rigging, anchors and the work on deck.
Buccaneer Sea term. Replaces pirate, robber, thief and burglar. One of the seamen who cruised the Spanish Main on their own account in the 17th century.
Cap'n Old or plain English. Replaces boss, manager, chief, teacher, coach, leader and captain. Captain, with the middle worn away.
Commodore Sea term. Replaces director, ceo, president, principal, headmaster and head teacher. A naval officer ranking above a captain.
Crew Sea term. Replaces family, staff, colleagues, coworkers, employees, squad, gang and team. Everyone who works a ship.
Deckhand Sea term. Replaces worker, helper, volunteer, laborer and labourer. A sailor who does the general work on deck.
First mate Sea term. Replaces deputy, assistant, second in command and vice president. The officer next below the captain on a merchant ship.
Gentleman o' fortune Stage talk. Replaces adventurer, fortune hunter and gambler. What the pirates in Treasure Island call themselves.
Helmsman Sea term. Replaces driver, pilot, bus driver, taxi driver and chauffeur. The one who steers the ship.
Lad Old or plain English. Replaces boy, guy and young man. A boy or a young man.
Landlubber Sea term. Replaces beginner, newbie, newcomer, novice, tourist, amateur and rookie. Someone with no feel for ships or the sea.
Lass Old or plain English. Replaces girl, young woman and gal. A girl or a young woman.
Lookout Sea term. Replaces guard, watchman, security guard, bouncer and lifeguard. The person posted to keep watch.
Lubber Sea term. Replaces fool, clown, klutz and butterfingers. A clumsy person, and to sailors one who is no use on a ship.
Matey Old or plain English. Replaces friend, buddy, pal, mate, dude, bro and bud. A friendly word for a companion. It turns up in Treasure Island. Works at the end of a sentence.
Me beauty Stage talk. Replaces darling, sweetheart, my love and babe. A stage pirate's word for anything loved, ships included. Works at the end of a sentence.
Me hearties Sea term. Replaces friends, folks, guys, everyone, everybody, you guys, you all and y'all. More than one hearty. Works at the end of a sentence.
Me hearty Sea term. Replaces my friend, dear friend and old friend. A hearty is a brave, good fellow, in sailors' talk a shipmate. Works at the end of a sentence.
Messmate Sea term. Replaces lunch buddy, flatmate, housemate and tablemate. Someone who shares a mess, the eating place on a ship. Treasure Island uses the word.
Mutineer Sea term. Replaces traitor, rebel, snitch and backstabber. Someone who takes part in a mutiny.
Nippers Old or plain English. Replaces kids, children and little ones. Children.
Old salt Sea term. Replaces expert, veteran, professional, specialist and old hand. A sailor with many years at sea.
Privateer Sea term. Replaces contractor, freelancer and consultant. A private ship, or its captain, licensed by a government to attack enemy shipping.
Purser Sea term. Replaces cashier, banker, bank teller and bookkeeper. The officer who keeps a ship's accounts and money.
Quartermaster Sea term. Replaces treasurer, accountant, administrator and admin. On a ship, a petty officer who looks after steering and signals. On land, the officer in charge of stores.
Sawbones Old or plain English. Replaces doctor, surgeon, physician and dentist. Old slang for a surgeon.
Scallywag Old or plain English. Replaces rascal, troublemaker, joker, prankster and cheeky monkey. A rascal, said with more fondness than anger.
Scurvy dog Old or plain English. Replaces enemy, rival, opponent, foe and nemesis. Scurvy, as an insult, means contemptible. The dog is for emphasis.
Sea dog Sea term. Replaces sailor, seaman and mariner. An experienced sailor.
Shipmate Sea term. Replaces colleague, coworker, classmate, roommate, teammate, neighbor and neighbour. Someone who sails in the same ship.
Shipwright Sea term. Replaces builder, carpenter, engineer and mechanic. A builder of ships.
Stowaway Sea term. Replaces uninvited guest, freeloader, lurker and gatecrasher. Someone who hides aboard to travel without paying.
Swabbie Sea term. Replaces intern, trainee, apprentice and junior. Informal for a sailor. A swab is a mop, above all a ship's.
Swashbuckler Old or plain English. Replaces hero, champion, daredevil and show-off. A swaggering, daring fighter.

Ship, shore and things aboard 65

Aboard Sea term. Replaces on board, on the bus, on the train and on the plane. On or in a ship.
Aft Sea term. Replaces the back, at the back, in the back and out back. Toward the stern.
Aloft Sea term. Replaces upstairs, up there, up high and up top. Up in the rigging, above the deck.
Below decks Sea term. Replaces downstairs, basement and cellar. Under the main deck.
Berth Sea term. Replaces parking space, parking spot, parking lot and car park. The place where a ship lies at a dock, and a bed aboard.
Bilge Sea term. Replaces nonsense, rubbish, garbage, trash, junk and spam. The lowest inner part of a hull, where water collects, and so slang for nonsense.
Breeches Old or plain English. Replaces pants, trousers, jeans and shorts. A men's garment of earlier centuries that covered the hips and thighs. Informally, any trousers.
Brig Sea term. Replaces jail, prison, detention and time out. A jail aboard a ship or on a navy base.
Broadside Sea term. Replaces rant, criticism, scolding and telling off. All the guns on one side of a ship fired together, and so any fierce attack in words.
Bulkhead Sea term. Replaces wall. An upright partition inside a ship.
Bunk Sea term. Replaces bed and mattress. A narrow bed built against a wall, as on a ship.
Cabin Sea term. Replaces room, bedroom and office. A private room on a ship.
Cargo Sea term. Replaces luggage, baggage, shopping, stuff and belongings. The goods a ship carries.
Chart Sea term. Replaces map, atlas, gps and sat nav. A map made for navigating at sea.
Companionway Sea term. Replaces stairs, staircase, stairway and escalator. The steps from one deck down to the next.
Crow's nest Sea term. Replaces balcony, attic, rooftop, roof and loft. The lookout's platform near the top of a mast.
Cutlass Sea term. Replaces sword, sabre, saber, blade and knife. A short sword with a curved blade, once used by sailors boarding an enemy ship.
Davy Jones's locker Sea term. Replaces the bottom of the sea, the ocean floor and the seabed. The bottom of the sea, in sailors' talk.
Deck Sea term. Replaces floor, ground, sidewalk and pavement. The floor of a ship.
Dinghy Sea term. Replaces bike, bicycle, scooter and skateboard. A small open boat.
Dry dock Sea term. Replaces garage, repair shop and workshop. A dock that can be drained so a hull can be repaired.
Duff Old or plain English. Replaces cake, pudding and dessert. A stiff flour pudding boiled in a bag. In Treasure Island the crew get duff when it is any man's birthday.
Fleet Sea term. Replaces traffic, convoy and caravan. A group of ships under one command.
Fo'c'sle Sea term. Replaces living room, lounge, break room and staff room. Short for forecastle, the raised deck at the front of a ship and the crew's quarters inside it.
Fore Sea term. Replaces the front, at the front, up front and in front. Toward the bow.
Galley Sea term. Replaces kitchen. A ship's kitchen.
Gangplank Sea term. Replaces ramp, bridge and walkway. The board people walk between ship and shore.
Grub Old or plain English. Replaces lunch, dinner, breakfast, supper and meal. Food, in slang.
Hammock Old or plain English. Replaces couch, sofa and armchair. A hanging bed of canvas or netting.
Harbor Sea term. Replaces station, airport, terminal and bus stop. Sheltered water where ships can lie safe.
Hardtack Sea term. Replaces bread, crackers, biscuit, biscuits, cookies and toast. A large hard biscuit of flour and water, once a long-keeping staple aboard ships.
Hatch Sea term. Replaces door, gate and entrance. An opening in a deck, or the cover over it.
Head Sea term. Replaces bathroom, toilet, restroom, loo, washroom and lavatory. A ship's toilet, once at the head of the ship.
Helm Sea term. Replaces steering wheel, controls and driver's seat. The wheel or tiller that steers a ship.
The high seas Sea term. Replaces the internet, internet and the web. The open ocean, outside any country's waters.
Hold Sea term. Replaces closet, cupboard, warehouse, storage room and pantry. The space below decks where cargo is stowed.
Home port Sea term. Replaces home, hometown and home town. The port where a vessel is based.
Jolly Roger Sea term. Replaces flag and banner. The pirate flag, a skull and crossbones on black.
Line Old or plain English. Replaces rope, string and cord. A rope, cord or cable of any thickness.
Logbook Sea term. Replaces diary, journal, notebook, blog and report. The book where a ship's position and the events of a voyage are written down.
Longboat Sea term. Replaces bus, minibus and limo. The largest boat carried by a sailing ship.
Mess Sea term. Replaces restaurant, cafe, diner, dining room, cafeteria and canteen. Where a ship's company eats, and the group that eats there.
Message in a bottle Sea term. Replaces email, e-mail, text message, dm and voicemail. A note sealed in a bottle and left to the sea.
Oilskins Sea term. Replaces raincoat, jacket, coat and anorak. Waterproof clothing made of oiled cloth, a sailor's foul-weather gear.
Overhead Sea term. Replaces ceiling. The ceiling of a space below decks.
Poop deck Sea term. Replaces porch, patio, terrace and back porch. The raised deck at the stern of a sailing ship.
Port o' call Sea term. Replaces destination, next stop, stopover and layover. A port where a ship stops on its way.
Porthole Sea term. Replaces window. A round window in a ship's side.
Quarters Old or plain English. Replaces house, apartment, flat and dorm. Where people are lodged, aboard or ashore.
Salt pork Old or plain English. Replaces bacon, ham and sausage. Pork cured in salt.
Scuttlebutt Sea term. Replaces gossip, rumor, rumour, rumors, rumours and water cooler. First the cask of drinking water on deck, then the talk that went on around it.
Sea chest Sea term. Replaces suitcase, backpack, bag, trunk and locker. A box for a sailor's belongings.
Ship's bell Sea term. Replaces clock, alarm, alarm clock and doorbell. The bell struck every half hour to tell a ship's time.
Shore leave Sea term. Replaces holiday, vacation, weekend, day off and time off. Time a sailor is allowed to spend off the ship.
Speaking trumpet Sea term. Replaces phone, telephone, smartphone, cellphone, mobile phone and megaphone. A megaphone of the older kind, with no electrics in it.
Spyglass Sea term. Replaces telescope, binoculars, glasses and spectacles. A small hand telescope.
To port Sea term. Replaces to the left, on the left, left side and left-hand side. Port is the left side of a ship when you face the bow.
To starboard Sea term. Replaces to the right, on the right, right side and right-hand side. Starboard is the right side of a ship when you face the bow.
Trading post Old or plain English. Replaces shop, store, mall, supermarket and market. A place set up far from home to trade goods.
Tricorne Old or plain English. Replaces hat, cap, beanie and helmet. A three-cornered hat with the brim turned up.
Vessel Sea term. Replaces vehicle, car, truck, van and suv. Any craft built to travel on water.
Vittles Old or plain English. Replaces food, snacks, snack and groceries. Food. A worn-down spelling of victuals.
Voyage Sea term. Replaces trip, journey, commute, road trip and flight. A long journey, first of all one by sea.
Watch Sea term. Replaces shift, night shift and day shift. A period of duty aboard, and the sailors who share it.
Yonder Old or plain English. Replaces over there. Over there, within sight.

Treasure and money 18

Barter fer Old or plain English. Replaces buy and purchase. To barter is to trade goods for goods with no money in between.
Bounty Old or plain English. Replaces reward, bonus and commission. A reward paid for a deed done.
Buried treasure Stage talk. Replaces secret, surprise and hidden gem. Treasure put in the ground for later.
Coin purse Stage talk. Replaces wallet and purse. A small bag for coins.
Doubloons Sea term. Replaces money, cash, dollars, bucks, euros and funds. Spanish gold coins.
Hoard Old or plain English. Replaces collection, stash and stockpile. A hidden store.
Loot Old or plain English. Replaces prize, prizes, winnings, haul, profit and profits. Goods taken by force.
Pieces of eight Sea term. Replaces coins, small change, loose change, pennies and cents. Spanish silver coins worth eight reales each. The parrot in Treasure Island says it three times at a go.
Ransom Old or plain English. Replaces price, fee, fare and toll. Money demanded to let a captive go.
Share o' the loot Stage talk. Replaces salary, wage, wages, paycheck, allowance and pocket money. Pirate crews split what they took into agreed shares.
Treasure Old or plain English. Replaces savings, valuables, jewelry and jewellery. Stored-up wealth.
Treasure chest Old or plain English. Replaces safe, vault, piggy bank and bank account. A strong box for valuables.
Treasure map Stage talk. Replaces instructions, manual, recipe and to-do list. A map to buried treasure. The idea is considered a fictional device, and pirates burying treasure at all was rare.
Tribute Old or plain English. Replaces tax and taxes. Payment made to a stronger power to be left alone.
Trinkets Old or plain English. Replaces souvenirs, knickknacks and accessories. Small showy things of little value.
Without a doubloon Stage talk. Replaces broke, penniless and skint. Out of coin.
Worth a king's ransom Old or plain English. Replaces expensive, pricey and costly. A king's ransom is a very large sum of money.
X marks the spot Stage talk. Replaces here it is, found it and this is the place. From the cross that shows where to dig on a treasure map.

Orders and other doings 56

A parley Old or plain English. Replaces meeting, conference, video call and interview. A talk between opposing sides.
Avast Sea term. Replaces stop, halt, wait, hold on, hang on and cut it out. A sea order: stop what you are doing.
Avast ye Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to open a sentence. Avast, aimed at someone.
Batten down the hatches Sea term. Replaces get ready, prepare, brace yourself and brace yourselves. To fasten covers over the deck openings before a storm, and so to get ready for trouble.
Belay Sea term. Replaces cancel and undo. To make a rope fast. As an order it means stop, or take no notice.
Belay that Sea term. Replaces never mind, forget it, scratch that and cancel that. The order that cancels the order before it.
Bury Stage talk. Replaces hide and conceal. What is done to treasure first.
Can't abide Old or plain English. Replaces hate, dislike and can't stand. To abide a thing is to put up with it.
Careen Sea term. Replaces repair, fix and mend. To heave a ship over on her side to clean or mend the hull.
Cast off Sea term. Replaces untie, unfasten, launch and let go. To let go the lines that hold a ship to the shore.
Clap eyes on Old or plain English. Replaces look at, stare at and check out. To see, often for the first time.
Come about Sea term. Replaces turn around, turn back and make a u-turn. To turn a sailing ship through the wind onto a new course.
Commandeer Old or plain English. Replaces borrow, take over and requisition. To seize for official use, or just to take.
Cross swords Old or plain English. Replaces argue, quarrel, squabble and bicker. To fight, or just to disagree out loud.
Dig up Stage talk. Replaces find, discover, locate and uncover. What is done to buried treasure.
Drop anchor Sea term. Replaces park the car, park here, stop here and settle down. To let the anchor go and stay put.
Fathom Sea term. Replaces figure out, work out and solve. A fathom is six feet of depth, and to fathom a thing is to get to the bottom of it.
Hail Sea term. Replaces call, greet and shout to. To call out to a ship or a person.
Have a hankerin' fer Old or plain English. Replaces want, crave, fancy and would like. A hankering is a strong wish for something.
Heave Sea term. Replaces pull, drag and tug. To haul with effort, on a rope most of all.
Heave to Sea term. Replaces slow down, pull over and pause. To bring a vessel to a halt, bows to the wind.
Hoist Sea term. Replaces lift, raise, pick up and put up. To haul something up, a sail or a flag above all.
Hornpipe Sea term. Replaces dance and jig. A solo dance commonly associated with seamen.
Hornswoggle Old or plain English. Replaces deceive, swindle, dupe and bamboozle. To cheat or trick.
Jettison Sea term. Replaces discard, throw away, throw out, get rid of and toss out. To throw cargo overboard to lighten a ship.
Lash Sea term. Replaces tie, fasten, strap and tie up. To bind with rope.
Learn the ropes Sea term. Replaces learn the basics and get the hang of it. To learn the basics. The phrase is nautical in origin.
Look lively Old or plain English. Replaces hurry, hurry up, be quick and come on. Get busy, get moving.
Make fast Sea term. Replaces lock, lock up, tie down and fasten down. To tie off securely.
Maroon Sea term. Replaces abandon, ditch, desert and leave behind. To put someone ashore in an empty place and sail off. It is how Ben Gunn came to be on Treasure Island.
Parley Old or plain English. Replaces negotiate, discuss, chat, have a chat and have a word. To talk terms with the other side.
Pipe down Sea term. Replaces be quiet, shut up, quiet and hush. To be quiet. Aboard ship, to pipe down was to dismiss the crew from muster.
Plunder Old or plain English. Replaces steal, rob, raid and swipe. To take by force.
Reckon Old or plain English. Replaces think, believe, guess, suppose and assume. To think or suppose, and also to count up.
Run aground Sea term. Replaces crash, break down, stall and get stuck. To hit the bottom in water too shallow for the ship.
Savvy Old or plain English. Replaces understand, comprehend and grasp. To understand. It reached English through pidgins, from the Portuguese for knows.
Scuttle Sea term. Replaces delete, destroy, ruin, wreck and sabotage. To sink your own ship on purpose by letting the water in.
Set a course fer Stage talk. Replaces go to, head to, drive to, walk to and travel to. To pick a heading and hold it.
Set sail Sea term. Replaces travel, set off, hit the road and head off. To begin a voyage.
Show a leg Sea term. Replaces wake up, get up and rise and shine. To wake up and get out of bed. Said to have begun as a Royal Navy waking call.
Sign the articles Sea term. Replaces register, enroll, enrol, subscribe and sign the contract. A ship's articles are the agreement its crew signs. Pirate crews wrote their own.
Sing a shanty Sea term. Replaces sing a song and sing along. A shanty is a sailors' work song.
Spin a yarn Old or plain English. Replaces tell a story, exaggerate and make up a story. To tell a long tale, true or not.
Splice Sea term. Replaces join, connect, attach and merge. To join two ropes by weaving their strands together.
Spy Old or plain English. Replaces see, spot, notice and observe. To catch sight of.
Stand by Sea term. Replaces wait here, one moment, one sec and just a second. To wait, ready to act.
Stand easy Old or plain English. Replaces relax, chill out, calm down and take it easy. A drill order: you may relax where you stand.
Stow Sea term. Replaces pack, put away, pack up and tidy away. To put a thing in its proper place aboard.
Strike yer colors Sea term. Replaces surrender and give up. To haul down the flag, which is how a ship surrenders.
Swab Sea term. Replaces mop, scrub, wipe, clean up and tidy up. To clean a deck with a mop.
Swab the deck Stage talk. Replaces mop the floor, clean the floor, do the chores and do the dishes. The job nobody aboard asks for.
Take the helm Sea term. Replaces drive, steer, take charge and lead. To take over the steering, and so the command.
Turn in Old or plain English. Replaces go to bed and go to sleep. To go to bed.
Walk the plank Stage talk. Replaces get out, get lost, go away and you're fired. Far more common in stories than in records. Few cases are documented, all from after the great age of piracy.
Weigh anchor Sea term. Replaces depart, head out, get going and take off. To haul the anchor up, ready to leave.
Yarn Sea term. Replaces story, tale and anecdote. A long story, often a tall one. At sea, yarn is the twisted fibre that rope is made from.

Describing words 28

A shipload o' Sea term. Replaces a lot of, lots of, many, plenty of and tons of. As much as a ship will hold.
Addled Old or plain English. Replaces confused, muddled, crazy and silly. Muddled in the head.
Adrift Sea term. Replaces aimless, drifting, off course and off track. Floating wherever the water goes, tied to nothing.
Barnacled Sea term. Replaces old, ancient, outdated and vintage. Crusted with barnacles.
Becalmed Sea term. Replaces bored, stuck, idle and stuck in traffic. Of a sailing ship: unable to move for want of wind.
Bonny Old or plain English. Replaces beautiful, lovely, gorgeous and cute. Pretty or handsome, in Scots and Geordie speech.
Canny Old or plain English. Replaces smart, clever, intelligent and shrewd. Shrewd and careful.
Cursed Old or plain English. Replaces haunted, unlucky and jinxed. Under a curse, as half the treasure in pirate stories turns out to be.
Dead calm Sea term. Replaces silent, peaceful and very quiet. No wind at all and a flat sea.
Dog-tired Old or plain English. Replaces tired, exhausted, sleepy and worn out. Very tired indeed.
Fathoms deep Sea term. Replaces deep, very deep and bottomless. Deep enough to be measured in fathoms of six feet.
Fine Old or plain English. Replaces good, nice and decent. Good, said with a nod.
Foul Sea term. Replaces bad, terrible, awful, horrible, nasty, gross and disgusting. Rotten. At sea it also means stormy, of weather, and entangled, of anything that should run free.
Grand Old or plain English. Replaces great, awesome, amazing, fantastic, wonderful and excellent. Fine and large, both at once.
Green around the gills Old or plain English. Replaces sick, ill, unwell, nauseous, queasy and seasick. Unwell, and looking it. Usually the sea is winning.
Handsomely Sea term. Replaces slowly, carefully, gently and gradually. In sea talk, slowly and with care: lower away handsomely.
Leagues away Old or plain English. Replaces far away, distant, far and a long way. A league is an old measure of about three miles.
Lily-livered Old or plain English. Replaces scared, afraid, cowardly and frightened. Cowardly.
Mighty Old or plain English. Replaces very, really, extremely and super. Very, in colloquial speech.
Salty Sea term. Replaces grumpy, cranky, annoyed, bitter and irritated. Of the sea and of sailors, and in newer slang, cross.
Scuppered Sea term. Replaces ruined, doomed and out of luck. Thwarted or wrecked, in British use. A scupper is also the drain hole in a ship's deck.
Seaworthy Sea term. Replaces sturdy, reliable, solid and roadworthy. Fit to go to sea.
Shipshape Sea term. Replaces tidy, neat, organized, organised and in order. Neat and in order, as a ship has to be.
Smartly Old or plain English. Replaces quickly, fast, quick, rapidly and promptly. Quickly.
Stout-hearted Old or plain English. Replaces brave, courageous, fearless and bold. Brave and not easily put off.
Swashbuckling Old or plain English. Replaces adventurous, daring and epic. Full of swagger and sword fights.
Till the seas run dry Stage talk. Replaces forever. A long time.
Wee Old or plain English. Replaces small, little, tiny and mini. Small, in Scots and northern English.

Sea, sky and creatures 21

Albatross Sea term. Replaces burden and millstone. A large seabird of the Southern Ocean and the North Pacific. Figuratively, a burden that will not go away.
Bilge rat Stage talk. Replaces rat, mouse and hamster. A rat from the bilge, the wet bottom of the hull.
The briny deep Sea term. Replaces ocean, the ocean, the sea and sea. The sea. Briny means salty.
Cove Sea term. Replaces hideout, hiding place, den and bay. A small sheltered inlet.
Doldrums Sea term. Replaces slump, boredom, a bad mood and lull. A part of the ocean near the equator known for calms and light winds, and so low spirits.
Eight bells Sea term. Replaces noon, midday and twelve o'clock. Eight strokes of the ship's bell end a four-hour watch, and noon is one of those times.
First light Old or plain English. Replaces dawn, sunrise and early morning. The first brightening of the sky before sunrise.
Gale Sea term. Replaces strong wind, high wind and gust. A very strong wind.
Gull Sea term. Replaces seagull and pigeon. A seabird.
Isle Old or plain English. Replaces island. An island, usually a small one.
Knots Sea term. Replaces miles per hour, mph, kilometers per hour, kilometres per hour and kph. One knot is one nautical mile an hour. The swap is for show and the number is not converted.
Kraken Sea term. Replaces monster, sea monster and beast. A colossal sea monster of Norse mythology that attacks ships.
Lagoon Sea term. Replaces pool, swimming pool and pond. Shallow water cut off from the sea by a reef or a sandbar.
Leviathan Old or plain English. Replaces whale and blue whale. A vast sea monster in the Bible, and so anything monstrously large.
The seven seas Sea term. Replaces the world, the whole world, everywhere and worldwide. All the oceans of the world.
Ship's cat Sea term. Replaces cat, kitty and kitten. Cats have been carried on ships since ancient times, mainly to catch rats and mice.
Ship's dog Stage talk. Replaces dog, puppy and doggo. The cat's shipmate.
Ship's parrot Stage talk. Replaces pet, pet bird and budgie. The parrot in Treasure Island is called Cap'n Flint.
Squall Sea term. Replaces storm, thunderstorm, shower and downpour. A sudden burst of strong wind, often with rain.
Strand Old or plain English. Replaces beach, seaside, coast and shore. The shore, in older English.
Swell Sea term. Replaces waves, big waves and surf. The long rolling waves of open water.

Small words: ye, yer, me, be 20

Afore Old or plain English. Replaces before. Before.
Be Old or plain English. Replaces is, are and am. One form of the verb for everybody. It is the centre of the stage pirate voice and it is real West Country dialect.
Be not Stage talk. Replaces isn't, aren't, is not, are not and am not. Be, turned down.
Betwixt Old or plain English. Replaces between. Between.
'Em Old or plain English. Replaces them. Them, in speech.
Fer Old or plain English. Replaces for. For, spelled the way the West Country says it.
I be Old or plain English. Replaces i am and i'm. West Country English says I be where the standard says I am.
-in' Stage talk. A rule, not a word: the g comes off any word that ends in ing, so sailing turns into sailin'. Replaces "-ing".
Me Old or plain English. Replaces my. My, in regional British, Irish and Australian speech. Me hearties depends on it.
Meself Old or plain English. Replaces myself. Myself.
Naught Old or plain English. Replaces nothing, zero and nil. Nothing.
Nigh on Old or plain English. Replaces almost and nearly. Nigh means near.
O' Old or plain English. Replaces of. Of, with the f dropped, as in o'clock.
There be Stage talk. Replaces there is, there are and there's. Be again, doing the work of is and are.
'Tis Old or plain English. Replaces it is and it's. It is, squeezed.
'Twas Old or plain English. Replaces it was. It was, squeezed.
Ye Old or plain English. Replaces you. An old form of you.
Ye be Stage talk. Replaces you are and you're. Ye plus the all-purpose be.
Yer Old or plain English. Replaces your. Your, as it is said in a good many dialects.
Yerself Stage talk. Replaces yourself. Yourself.

Clean oaths and cheers 23

Ahoy, me hearties Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to open a sentence. Ahoy, to a whole crew.
And no mistake Old or plain English. Replaces definitely, certainly and absolutely. An old-fashioned way to underline what was just said. Treasure Island uses it. Works at the end of a sentence.
And ye may lay to that Stage talk. Replaces you can count on it, count on it, no doubt and for sure. Silver's you may lay to that, from Treasure Island: you can bet on it. Works at the end of a sentence.
Arr Stage talk. Replaces um, uh, er and hmm. The stage pirate's all-purpose noise. The actor Robert Newton, Long John Silver in the 1950 film, is credited with making this accent the pirate standard. Works at the start of a sentence.
Arrgh Stage talk. Replaces ugh, argh, grr and oh man. Arr, annoyed.
Arrr Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to close a sentence. Arr with more time on its hands.
Blast Old or plain English. Replaces darn, dang and drat. A mild oath.
Blimey Old or plain English. Replaces oh no, yikes, uh-oh and oops. A British cry of surprise. Works at the start of a sentence.
Blow me down Old or plain English. Replaces no way, i can't believe it, unbelievable and you're kidding. A cry of surprise with some wind in it. Works at the start of a sentence.
By the powers Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to open a sentence. Another of Silver's oaths in Treasure Island.
By thunder Stage talk. Replaces seriously, for real and i mean it. An oath heard all through Treasure Island. Works at the end of a sentence.
Har har Stage talk. Replaces haha, lol, hehe and rofl. A pirate laughing. Works at the end of a sentence.
Huzzah Old or plain English. Replaces well done, congratulations, congrats, bravo, good job and nice one. An old shout of joy and approval.
Mark me words Old or plain English. Replaces listen to me, trust me and believe me. Mark my words: remember I said so. It is in Treasure Island in the plain form. Works at the start of a sentence.
On me oath Stage talk. Replaces i promise, i swear, honestly and to be honest. A promise, pirate fashion. Works at the end of a sentence.
Or walk the plank Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to close a sentence. A threat from the storybooks.
Savvy? Old or plain English. Replaces do you understand, get it and understood. Do you understand? Works at the end of a sentence.
Says I Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to close a sentence. A storyteller's tag from Treasure Island.
Shiver me timbers Stage talk. Replaces wow, whoa, omg, oh my god, oh my gosh and oh my. Treasure Island has it as shiver my timbers, and Long John Silver says it. Works at the start of a sentence.
Yarr Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to open a sentence. Arr with a run-up.
Ye scallywag Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to close a sentence. A fond insult to finish on.
Yo ho Stage talk. The translator never adds this one: say it yourself to close a sentence. Yo ho ho, cut short.
Yo ho ho Stage talk. Replaces hurray, hooray, yay, woohoo and hurrah. From the old sea-song in Treasure Island. Works at the start of a sentence.

How this list was compiled: Own list, written for this page: 286 rows that map 1022 plain words and phrases to pirate talk. Each row's note opens with where its word comes from. 148 are real nautical terms, 97 are archaic, dialect or plain English words, and 41 are stage pirate talk, some of it straight from Treasure Island. Every nautical and old row was checked on 2026-09-19 against the English entry for the word at Wiktionary (https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/ plus the entry named in the row's x.checked), and a gloss keeps only what that entry supports. Background facts were checked on 2026-09-19 against these Wikipedia articles: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Talk_Like_a_Pirate_Day, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Newton, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/West_Country_English, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Walking_the_plank, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buried_treasure, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pirate_code, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship%27s_bell, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ship%27s_cat and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Head_(watercraft). Phrases credited to Treasure Island were found in the Project Gutenberg text of the 1883 novel, https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/120/pg120.txt, read 2026-09-19. Left out on purpose: drinking words, crude words, words whose first meaning is rude (some rows, such as The head and Treasure, have a rude later sense in their dictionary entry and stay), the harsher punishments (keelhauling and flogging; Brig, Maroon and Walk the plank are in), and any line owned by a film. Rechecked 2026-09-20: https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fair_wind defines only a favourable wind, so the Fair winds note no longer calls it a sailor's goodbye, and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buried_treasure gives the fictional-device remark to one author, so the Treasure map note no longer says historians. Each printed note now opens with its row's origin (Sea term, Old or plain English, Stage talk), made from x.origin. The translator writes 277 of the 286 rows; the other 9 have no x.from, are printed in the table only, and their notes say so. Licence: own work