Craic - Word o' the Week

Definition: Craic

Noun: Good times, a party, good news or fun

Pronunciation: "Krak/Crack"

Example: "What's the craic?" (meaning "What's new?"), "Where's the craic?" ("Where's the party?"), or in American slang, "What's cracking?" ("What's going on?").

With St. Paddy's Day right around the corner, we thought we'd look at an Irish word that most English speakers use - sometimes without even knowing it!

Craic is a word you might not have seen written, but you have definitely heard it in films and on television. That's because of the way it's spelled.  Craic is an Irish-style word, but it actually comes from an Old English word, "crak", which means loud talking.

The word has made its way into films, TV and hip-hop culture.  Now, it's common to hear the phrase, "what's cracking?", which means, "what's going on?", or "what's happening?".

In the USA, you won't hear people say, "where's the craic?" very often.  But you will hear people say, "what's cracking?".  Phrases like, "where's the craic?" and "how was the craic last night?" are used much more in England, Scotland and Ireland.

Did you know that Kaplan's English School in Dublin is hosting a big St. Patrick's Day tour of Ireland?  If you hurry, you can book your spot on our 3-day Ireland tour that ends in Dublin for St. Patrick's Day!

If you're already at one of our schools in the UK, talk to your social organiser to book.