Avast ye, hearties: September 19 is National Talk Like a Pirate Day and you don’t want to look like a scallywag. Captain Syntax shares a few useful phrases in this video so your pirate lingo will sound like that of an old salt, matey. And don’t forget the rum… er, grog.

Pirate Phrases:

Abandon Ship: An order to leave the vessel immediately, usually in the face of some imminent danger

Ahoy: Hello

Avast Ye: A command meaning pay attention or listen

Aye, Aye: Yes, I understand

Batten Down the Hatches: When everything on a ship is tied down to prepare for an approaching storm

Booty: Refers to any ill-gotten goods swiped from another party

Bounty: The reward for capturing a criminal

Briny Deep: The ocean

Carouser: A reckless person who drinks too much

Chantey: A song that sailors sing in unison while working

Clap of Thunder: A strong alcoholic beverage, usually referring to a shot

Davy Jones’ Locker: Graveyard at the bottom of the sea for those killed or drowned

Dead Men Tell No Tales: An expression that means dead people will not betray any secrets. Used as a threat to kill someone, or a way of saying there were no survivors.

Doubloons: Types of gold coins

Fire in the Hole: A cannon is about to be fired

Grog: Diluted rum, but can be used to refer to any alcoholic concoction

Hang the Jib: To pout or frown

Hearties: Friends, comrades

Hornswaggle: To swindle something, usually money, out of someone else

Jolly Roger: The name for the iconic black pirate flag featuring a white skull and crossbones

Lad, lass, lassie: A child or young person

Landlubber: Someone without sailing ability

Loot: Stolen money or possessions

Marooned: To be abandoned with no food, drink or possessions

Me: My

Old Salt: Experienced pirate or sailor

Plunder: To steal

Run a Rig: Play a joke on someone

Scallywag: What an experienced pirate would call a newbie

Scurvy: A derogatory adjective meaning lowly or disgusting

Seadog: A veteran sailor

Shiver Me Timbers: An exclamation of surprise

Sink Me: An exclamation of surprise

Son of a Biscuit Eater: An insult

Thar She Blows: A whale sighting

Three Sheets to the Wind: Someone who is very drunk. One sheet is mildly drunk, and four sheets is passed out.

Walk the Plank: When someone is forcibly ordered to walk off a wooden board into the sea, resulting in drowning

Wench: A woman

Ye: You

Yo Ho Ho: A jolly expression

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