British address term for a friend or stranger — "bro" / "mate." Heavy in London and spread via UK drill and grime.
British address term for a friend or stranger — "bro" / "mate." Heavy in London and spread via UK drill and grime. "Bruv, you can't just queue-jump at Pret" lands exactly as punchy in print as it does in person. MLE staple since the 2000s.
"Bruv, you can't just queue-jump at Pret."
bruv means British address term for a friend or stranger — "bro" / "mate." Heavy in London and spread via UK drill and grime. It's mostly used in British informal speech. It's casual and generally safe with friends and online. It's standard online vocabulary; nothing inherently concerning about hearing it.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "bruv".
UK and Irish slang — Cockney, Scouse, Geordie, Yorkshire, Glaswegian, Brummie, Welsh, West Country, plus Irish English. Centuries of regional dialects feeding into modern British and Irish street talk.
See all British & Irish slang slang on Slangora.
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A slightly more elongated, affectionate form of 'bruv' — used to address a close friend with a little extra warmth or emphasis. Bruver has the same meaning as bruv but carries a softer, more playful tone, often deployed sarcastically or in moments where you're pretending to be more street than you are. It's the kind of word that sounds funnier the more posh the person saying it is.
(Cockney, MLE, slang) Brother.
When someone flips into full UK street register — clipped sentences, constant 'bruv' drops, that particular blend of baffled outrage and unearned confidence. You don't choose to enter bruv mode; the situation summons it. A mate does something spectacularly dumb and suddenly you're channelling every roadman you've ever seen on a viral clip, staring into the distance, muttering to yourself. It's part dialect cosplay, part genuine exasperation. Non-Brits attempting bruv mode rarely survive the cringe intact.
so many ppl I gotta talk to for finals week but aaaughhhh “do it scared” bruv i have disorders, the baseline for anything is “terrified for my life”
bruv means British address term for a friend or stranger — "bro" / "mate." Heavy in London and spread via UK drill and grime. It's mostly used in British informal speech. It's casual and generally safe with friends and online. It's standard online vocabulary; nothing inherently concerning about hearing it.
"bruv" is slang. It means: British address term for a friend or stranger — "bro" / "mate." Heavy in London and spread via UK drill and grime. Register: casual. Use it in: casual conversation and online posts. Avoid in: formal writing and professional emails.
“this train station is Chopped bruv”
“Editorial Manager Building PDF, any time now, just another couple of hours to put those two files together in a PDF, soon bruv, soon...”
“so many ppl I gotta talk to for finals week but aaaughhhh “do it scared” bruv i have disorders, the baseline for anything is “terrified for my life””
“This bloke screams "oi bruv can I 'ave pie & mash plees?"”
(slang) , mate, friend.