A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away, George Lucas brought us the phenomenal world of Star Wars. The one-time independent film has since blossomed into a multimedia franchise that now has become one of the highest-grossing movie franchises ever, and even has its own theme park with rides and attractions revolving around the world within the films and TV shows. Star Wars is now one of the most popular franchises on the planet, which has triggered the release of a great deal of fresh stories, including The Mandalorian, The Book of Boba Fett, and Andor.

Being that Star Warsis set in a completely different galaxy, a lot of things are bound to be both familiar and unfamiliar. One particular difference that is a nice reminder of the Star Wars setting is the language used throughout the galaxy. While there are innumerable languages throughout the franchise, the use of slang is universal, though still unique to the Star Wars universe. Here are the best slang and phrases used in Star Wars.

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7 Bantha Poodoo / Bantha Fodder

     Lucasfilm

This was first used by Jabba the Hutt in Return of the Jedi when he was speaking to Luke about the fate of him and his friends, using the term “bantha poodoo,” which implies that, when he is done with them, they will be nothing more than food for the banthas. The exact phrase translates to “bantha fodder.” Banthas, being the massive, mammoth-like creatures that they are, are like cows, and graze on food regularly. Calling someone “bantha poodoo” is essentially saying that they are worthless and serve only as food for the giant animals. This phrase is used throughout the franchise and is a classic insult in the Star Wars movies.

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY

6 Nerf-herder

Undoubtedly the best insult in the entire franchise comes to us in Empire Strikes Back, when Leia has had enough of Han’s smart mouth and decides to give him what he deserves by shooting off a long-winded insult. Her words are full of understandable insults until she calls him a “nerf-herder.” A nerf-herder is a person who herds nerfs, a historically low-class of people. The phrase eventually became used as an insult throughout the galaxy. The best part about Leia’s insult is that the only thing that Han finds issue with is that she calls him “scruffy-looking,” which is arguably not the worst name she called him.

5 E Chu Ta

     Disney

Lucas had a lot of fun throwing in galactic swearing, and this one is arguably the best. “E Chu Ta” is first heard in Cloud City when C-3P0 tried to say hello to a fellow protocol droid, who responded with this. At first, it seems that this droid is simply responding to 3P0’s greeting until he says, “How rude,” at which point it is clear that this was a curse. More recently, we’ve heard the phrase in The Book of Boba Fett by the Night Wind Assassin, and Boba replies with, “We spared your life after you tried to take mine. And you curse me?” While the exact translation of “E Chu Ta” is unknown, it’s clear that it is definitely not positive.

4 Poodoo

     Lucasfilm Ltd.

While this phrase does technically translate to “fodder,” “poodoo” is often used as a curse word on its own. “Poodoo” can be heard all throughout the franchise, said by everyone from Anakin to Jabba the Hutt, but the best time we hear a frustrated “poodoo” is when Sebulba’s pod racer explodes, and he slides across the track, letting out a loud “POODOO!” as he realizes he’s lost the race. Usually “poodoo” is used in a moment where a curse is needed out of frustration, or perhaps when a situation goes awry. The galactic equivalent of pretty much every four-letter curse word in English, Star Wars has certainly gotten creative with their slang expletives.

3 Womp Rat

     Lucasfilm / Disney

A womp rat is a type of rodent in the Star Wars galaxy, and is often used as slang for somebody who displays rodent-like behavior, such as scrounging for food or just being shady as a whole. This phrase is used as an insult in The Mandalorian when Din calls Grogu a “womp rat” when he asked him if he was ready to lie low for months. The phrase is also used by Peli, who called him a womp rat after he threatened her droids. While being called a womp rat is not the worst thing you can be called in the galaxy, it is still a uniquely Star Wars insult.

2 Sleemo

     Lucasfilm Animation

Another Huttese addition to the list is the ever popular “sleemo.” Used by a young Anakin in The Phantom Menace to get back at a smug Sebulba, “sleemo” translates to “slimeball.” Unlike Poodoo, sleemo is a more direct insult with an immediate meaning. This insult is also used throughout The Clone Wars by Ahsoka Tano when dealing with the people who are betraying the Republic, particularly thieves and criminals she comes across. While this insult may be a bit juvenile, it still makes it clear how you feel about the target of the insult.

1 Dank Farrik

A common phrase heard in The Mandalorian is “dank farrik.” Unlike the others on this list, “dank ferrik” is a unique phrase. First heard from Din Djarin on his ship when he must let out his frustration, this phrase has begun to saturate the Star Wars Disney+ series as the newest slang for fans to use in their waking lives. Used in times of frustration, this phrase’s exact translation is unknown, but based on contextual clues, we can assume that it is an exclamation similar to “poodoo.”