21 sayings you'll only understand if you're Irish

Greetings like "Any craic?" and "How's the craic?" most likely confuse tourists because craic is pronounced like "crack."

The most straightforward definition of "craic" is fun or enjoyment, but the phrase "What's the craic?" can be a substitute for "How are you?" A typical response is "divil a bit," which means "not much."

This phrase got its origin thanks to the folk tales about fairies picking people up and taking them away.

This phrase could also be used to talk about anything that isn't acting properly, like if your phone is on the fritz or the trains are running way behind schedule.

People will say this when they're going out alone or just alone in a general sense.

It is said to come from Tod Sloane, an American jockey whose parents were out of the picture, leaving him a lone wolf during his childhood. He was a successful horse racer in the West, but when he moved across the pond he was harshly made fun of for his riding style, and therefore "alone" once more.

It's a popular exclamation used in inner Dublin. One might also describe his drinking companion as being in a "bleedin' state" if he gets "wrecked" at the pub.

While this saying may have originated in New Zealand, it has grown popular halfway across the globe in Ireland.

It's a less breezy greeting than its American counterpart and invites the other person to really dive into what's been going on in life.

This is a playful phrase that Northern Irelanders often use when calling out their friends for being silly, drunk, or foolish.

This slang saying is quite popular and often used as a reply to questions like, "What were you thinking?" or "How are you?"

It can be used when you want to avoid decision-making or a lengthy explanation.

Ireland is a big country for football. When talking about the sport, this idiom means that players should take any shot they might get, preferably the easiest one.

The Bible proposes that when Adam ate the forbidden fruit, he cast a state of sin on all mankind. Today, if a child is particularly mischievous, he's said to have been twice cursed by Adam's slip-up.

The phrase became popular in the 1880s when proponents of British rule over Ireland attributed what they saw as Irishmen's depravity of character (and the famine, some argued) to their second helping of original sin.

In an Irish accent, it might sound more like "fine ting."

"Mot" derives from "maith," the Irish word for "good," "well," or "like" and is used to refer to someone's girlfriend.

This one is a tad unfair to stepmothers everywhere. It basically means there's no need to be embarrassed or feel bad about committing a small offense, especially if the deed is so insignificant that only a jealous, belittling stepmother could find fault with you.

When you've fallen into good fortune thanks to your own hard work — not the good ol' luck of the Irish — you'd say that you are "sucking diesel now."

This phrase is a way to pat yourself on the back about things going well in your life.

You may recognize this popular blessing (in Irish Gaelic: Go n-éirí an bóthar leat) from Catholic weddings or on cross-stitched pillows in your nan's house.

One of the main characteristics of Celtic Christianity is the use of images of nature to show how God interacts with people. "May the road rise up to meet you/ May the wind be always at your back/ May the sun shine warm upon your face ..." uses everyday images to mean may God remove obstacles in your journey through life.

This phrase is pretty misogynistic. Basically, it means a man is only a son until he takes a wife, but as a daughter gets older, she will stay near the family, draining it of money and time for years to come.

In Irish Gaelic, it's Is é do mhac do mhac inniú, ach is í d'iníon d'iníon go deo.

This refers to a pint of Guinness, which in reality is a deep ruby red color and not black.

This could be a major risk, or simply something you call your friend who's chatting up someone who's out of his league.

The phrase was popularized by Irish radio host Gay Byrne on his morning radio show.

Any true Irish person will tell you that it's St. Paddy's, not St. Patty's. Many are pretty passionate about putting an end to the misspelling and mispronunciation, so on St. Patrick's Day, don't be surprised if you hear people at the local pub having a heated discussion about it.