Albanian mini-note: “As për skrap s’bën” & Central Albanian Slang Pack

Type or paste Albanian to hear it: O vëlla, pse e ndërpreve videon? E shtype apo jo?

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Note: final ë is silenced by the script so it isn’t pronounced.

Central Albanian is the everyday speech around Tirana, Durrës, Elbasan, Kavajë, Peqin, Lushnjë, and parts of Fier, Berat, near the historic Gheg–Tosk divide (Shkumbin). It’s Tosk-based like the standard, but more casual, with slang and some Gheg-like shortcuts.

• Progressive: colloquial tu + verb (e.g., tu bo) vs. standard duke bërë.
• Pronunciation: often drops final ë in casual writing (punë → pun).
• Contractions & slang: naj (ndonjë), s’ka gjo (s’ka gjë), Italian/English loans (fratello, boy).
• Idioms: as për skrap s’bën (worthless), dashka letra (crazy).

Progressive form

Gheg tu ba

Central tu bo

Standard duke bërë

“Nothing”

Gheg s’ka sen

Central s’ka gjo

Standard s’ka gjë

“What are you doing?”

Gheg Çka po ban?

Central Ça po bën?

Standard Çfarë po bën?

• fratello – bro (Italian loan, urban slang)
• tu + verb – colloquial progressive (e.g., tu kerku, tu bo)
• naj – some / any (colloq. for ndonjë)
• s’ka gjo – there’s nothing / it’s fine (colloq.)
• as për skrap s’bën – not even good for scrap (worthless)
• dashka letra – “needs papers” → crazy (idiom)
• mushqerra – “mosquitoes” (jokey form for mushkonjat)
• zogëzë – little bird
• bytha e pishës – literally “the pine’s bottom” (playful imagery)
• të lumtë – well done
• emision – TV show
• vid(e)o – video (often spelled “vidion” colloquially)

Colloquial progressive: tu + verb (e.g., tu bo) ↔ duke bërë (standard).

Contractions: naj = ndonjë; s’ka gjo = s’ka gjë.

Borrowings: Italian/English words appear in urban slang (e.g., fratello, boy).

Orthography online: diacritics often omitted (e.g., per for për).

• Colloquial: dreq o pun 3 or tu kerku lopen pffff ja ku paska ik tu u nderzy
  Standard: Dreq o punë, tre orë duke kërkuar lopën, pffff ja ku kishte ikur duke u ngrohur.
  Damn job—three hours looking for the cow; there it was, off warming itself.
• Colloquial: A ke pasqyre moj vajze te shikohesh kur vishesh?
  Standard: A ke pasqyrë vajzë që të shikosh veten kur vishesh?
  Do you have a mirror, girl, to see yourself when you get dressed?
• Colloquial: o fratello pse nderpreve vidion. a e shtype a jo
  Standard: O vëlla, pse e ndërpreve videon? E shtype apo jo?
  Bro, why did you stop the video? Did you press it or not?
• Colloquial: A shkunde Bablok ta lumsha
  Standard: E shkund mirë, Bablok, të lumtë!
  You shook it well, Bablok—good job!
• Colloquial: Permende zocken bane gati rrocken
  Standard: Përmende “zocken”, bëre gati “rrocken”.
  You mentioned “zocken” and almost turned it into “rocking”.
• Colloquial: Behar mera Rita lati
  Standard: Behar, merre Ritën, lëre!
  Behar, take Rita and leave it! (teasing)
• Colloquial: ja te doli nje zogze push verdhe perplase njher aty ne bythe te pishes me stil kanguri
  Standard: Ja, të doli një zogëzë me pupla të verdha, e përplase njëherë te bytha e pishës me stil kanguri.
  A little yellow bird popped out; you hit it once by the pine’s bottom with kangaroo style.
• Colloquial: Mushqerra
  Standard: Mushkonjat (ose mushqerrat).
  Mosquitoes (joking form).
• Colloquial: Isha tu bo shurren
  Standard: Isha duke bërë shurrën.
  I was about to pee from laughing.
• Colloquial: E tmerrshme!!
  Standard: E tmerrshme!!
  Terrible!!
• Colloquial: Dashka letra ky
  Standard: Ky dashka letra.
  This guy needs papers (he’s crazy).
• Colloquial: dashka letra
  Standard: Ky dashka letra.
  He needs papers (crazy).
• Colloquial: po shikoje Ate inen ne emisjon o fratelo se kjo as per skrap zben
  Standard: Po shikoje atë në emision, o vëlla, se kjo as për skrap nuk bën.
  Look at that one on the show, bro—this one isn’t even good for scrap.
• Colloquial: SA doja ti thoja..! Duket vetja naj p... i bukur. Veshje skandaloze
  Standard: Sa doja t’i thoja! I duket vetja ndonjë i bukur. Veshje skandaloze.
  I really wanted to tell her! She thinks she’s beautiful. Scandalous outfit.
• Colloquial: o fratello pse nderpreve vidion. a e shtype a jo
  Standard: O vëlla, pse e ndërpreve videon? E shtype apo jo?
  Bro, why did you stop the video? Did you press it or not?
• Colloquial: isha tu bo shurren, bravo boy
  Standard: Isha duke bërë shurrën, bravo djalë!
  I was about to pee from laughing—good job, man!
• Colloquial: Si te Tirana TV
  Standard: Si në televizionin Tirana TV.
  Just like on Tirana TV.
• Colloquial: Hahaha keta jan lot
  Standard: Këta janë për të qeshur me lot.
  These people make you laugh to tears.