# Thieve [thief] in slang



## CharlieOT

Hi.
How do you say "thieve" in slang? Snitch? The opposite of cop in real slang language.
Thank you.


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## Rover_KE

Nick, filch, pinch.


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## Dimcl

CharlieOT said:


> Hi.
> How do you say "thieve" in slang? Snitch? The opposite of cop in real slang language.
> Thank you.


 
Do you mean "thieve" or "thief"? Rover has given you slang synonyms for "thieve"...

If you actually mean "thief", try a thesaurus. This site is probably what you're looking for.

P.S.  A "snitch" is not a "thief", per se.  It's someone who "tells on" someone else to the authorities.


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## JamesM

CharlieOT said:


> Hi.
> How do you say "thieve" in slang? Snitch? The opposite of cop in real slang language.
> Thank you.


 
The opposite of "cop"?  "Cop" would be one of the words I would suggest  for stealing.  "Thieve" is a verb, and Rover_KE's synonyms work very well as substitutes for "thieve".  Did you mean "thief", a person who steals?

Have you tried a thesaurus for this?


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## mjscott

thieve (v.):
rip off
walk away with
walk off with
walk with
heist
steal
nab
snatch
rob
lift
pickpocket
pocket


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## CharlieOT

I apoligise for my mistake.

I meant "thief" and wrote "thieve" (which I think it's the plural). 
A petty thief. A robber. But I need the _slang_ version as I need to translate "chorro" which is the slang version of a low life thief here in Argentina.

Thank you to all for your kind help.


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## panjandrum

You must give context.
Where is this particular thief operating?
What is his particular kind of crime?
It is very difficult to offer a natural suggestion without a lot more information.  You risk using a slang term that is completely incongruous to a native speaker unless you tell us more.


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## mjscott

thief, thieves (plural) (n.):
pickpocket
robber
heister
nabber
lifter

I can't think of anything more derogatory than just a thief, knowing that "chorro" in other Spanish countries means quite another thing altogether.


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## CharlieOT

panjandrum said:


> You must give context.
> Where is this particular thief operating?
> What is his particular kind of crime?
> It is very difficult to offer a natural suggestion without a lot more information.  You risk using a slang term that is completely incongruous to a native speaker unless you tell us more.



One undecover cop picks a woman in a low-life bar. She gropes him and feels his gun. _"You're a cop!"_ she says angry at the discovery. He answers: _"No, I'm a thief"_ (but he has to say it in slang, would never say "thief").
It's a screenplay.


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## CharlieOT

mjscott said:


> thief, thieves (plural) (n.):
> pickpocket
> robber
> heister
> nabber
> lifter
> 
> I can't think of anything more  than just a thief, knowing that "chorro" in other Spanish countries means quite another thing altogether.



But it does in Argentina where "chorro" it's very derogatory indeed.


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## Dimcl

CharlieOT said:


> But it does in Argentina where "chorro" it's *is* very derogatory indeed.


 
Well, if we knew what the meaning of "chorro" is in Argentina, perhaps we would be able to help. As it is, we are left to guess.

You post #6 explained that "chorro" is a low-life thief.  What I wanted was an explanation of just how derogatory "chorro" is.  Although they don't necessarily define "thief", how about "sleaze-ball" or "scum-bag"?  In AE, these would define anyone of no moral character who would stop at nothing to get what he wants.


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## CharlieOT

Dimcl said:


> Well, if we knew what the meaning of "chorro" is in Argentina, perhaps we would be able to help.  As it is, we are left to guess.



I explained it in #6 post.
Thank you anyway.


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## mjscott

I think thief is the most derogatory term I can think of. I'll address the Spanish word in another forum.


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## CharlieOT

mjscott said:


> I think thief is the most derogatory term I can think of. I'll address the Spanish word in another forum.



Thank you for your help but I think I know my local culture. An undercover cop in the situation I'm describing would _never_ say "ladrón" (thief) he would use slang.


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## panjandrum

Where, Charlie, where?
You need a different word if the action is in Buenos Aires, New York, London ... ... ...
And where's the undercover cop from?

I don't know any of them


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## abenr

CharlieOT said:


> One undecover cop picks a woman in a low-life bar. She gropes him and feels his gun. _"You're a cop!"_ she says angry at the discovery. He answers: _"No, I'm a thief"_ (but he has to say it in slang, would never say "thief").
> It's a screenplay.


 
How about "ganif," which is Yiddish slang often used in English?

Cheers,
Abenr


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## CharlieOT

panjandrum said:


> Where, Charlie, where?
> You need a different word if the action is in Buenos Aires, New York, London ... ... ...
> And where's the undercover cop from?
> 
> I don't know any of them



Action is in Buenos Aires. But let me say this is a _screenplay_ not literature and it's only being translated for a UK producer to have an idea of the screenplay he intend to co-produce which is in Spanish and will be shot in Spanish. So it's important the fact that the action is spoken in low-life environment style. No one would say "thief" but would use the _slang_ term for it. Believe me. So I need the equivalent slang word for "thief". That's all. The UK version will be OK. Thank you.


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## Alisterio

If this is going for a UK readership, you could perhaps use "tea leaf" - it's rhyming slang for "thief" and fairly universally understood in that country, I would say.


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## Kevin Beach

Alisterio said:


> If this is going for a UK readership, you could perhaps use "tea leaf" - it's rhyming slang for "thief" and fairly universally understood in that country, I would say.


That's exactly right,except that it is more common in London and the south of England than in the rest of the country, because it is specifically Cockney Rhyming Slang.

But I do wonder whether this is something that just cannot translate because it is a cultural issue. "Thief" is both the formal word and the common word in England. there would be nothing unusual in a thief using the word himself.


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## panjandrum

I would stick with thief.
As the actual dialogue will be in Spanish, the term you use here in English is not critical to the integrity of the film.  All you need is a term that can be understood by the UK producer.


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## ewie

I'd say _tea leaf_ has pretty well passed from CRS into common parlance by now ~ it must have if _I_ know it (which I do).


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## johndot

If an undercover cop were challenged by a tart: “You’re a cop!”, he might reply, “Wrong side of the fence, darling—I’m with the villains.”


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## Loob

CharlieOT said:


> No one would say "thief" but would use the _slang_ term for it. Believe me. So I need the equivalent slang word for "thief". That's all. The UK version will be OK. Thank you.


We believe you, Charlie, that in Argentina and in Spanish, the slang term would have to be used. That doesn't necessarily mean that a slang tem would have to be used in similar circumstances in an English-speaking country...

That said, I agree with others that Cockney rhyming slang "tea-leaf" could be a good option. The connotations are very much London ones, but most BrE speakers would understand the term.

It may be slightly old-fashioned: I don't know.


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## mjscott

Tea-leaf? It would not even register as a Cockney rhyming deal that they do across the pond! It would fly over AE heads entirely.

As johndot so creatively answered, somehow there's not a derogatory term for a thief in my know English. Usually if someone were to divulge his occupation of thievery, he would make light of it, or just come out and say, "I'm a thief." The worst word I know for _thief_ is *thief*.


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## Loob

The more I think about this, the more I like johndot's answer:



> “Wrong side of the fence, darling—I’m with the villains.”


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## ewie

Or how about: _"I'm not *cops* ~ I'm *robbers*!"_?


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## Meeracat

In a similar context I used the term 'villain' to translate _choro_. However, this was a third party description rather than a claim in the first person. The truth is there is no neat way to translate that evocative word into english. Personally I would stick with 'thief' in the context as described.


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## Full Tilt Boogie

You could also use the BE slang 'blag' (to thieve) or 'blagger' (a thief):

"Last night the jewellery shop got _blagged_ (broken in to/robbed), by a _blagger_ (thief/robber) - apparently it was one of the biggest _blags_ (robberies) in recent years..."

Also, 'to blag' can also mean to lie or try and pass yourself off as something which you're not (i.e. to give a deliberately false impression).


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## Meeracat

Full Tilt Boogie, I love your suggestions  of 'blag' and 'blagged'. 'Blagger' doesn't seem to have the same resonance though. Or is it just me?


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## Full Tilt Boogie

Meeracat said:


> Full Tilt Boogie, I love your suggestions  of 'blag' and 'blagged'. 'Blagger' doesn't seem to have the same resonance though. Or is it just me?



I think you're right mate - to my knowledge, they are terms mostly used by the police and criminal fraternity of our 'southern brethren' in London and its environs


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## mjscott

Full Tilt Boogie said:


> You could also use the BE slang 'blag' (to thieve) or 'blagger' (a thief):
> 
> "Last night the jewellery shop got _blagged_ (broken in to/robbed), by a _blagger_ (thief/robber) - apparently it was one of the biggest _blags_ (robberies) in recent years..."
> 
> Also, 'to blag' can also mean to lie or try and pass yourself off as something which you're not (i.e. to give a deliberately false impression).


 
You'd not have a universal audience. Blagger doesn't work over here.


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## Broccolicious

Hi there

I vote for 'thief' too, and I'm afraid I'd steer clear of 'villain' or 'tea-leaf' unless the film is set in the 1930s or 1970s respectively - sorry all!

I like JohnDot's suggestion of the thief saying that he's 'on the other side' - that sounds more natural to me. 

By the way, 'cop' wouldn't sound like natural BrE either - we would be more likely to use 'copper'.

Hope that helps!

Broc


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## Kevin Beach

I think I prefer "villain":

"Are you a cop?"

"Naaah - I'm one of the villains!"


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## Broccolicious

Villain? Really? If it's set in 2008?

How about 'Naah - I'm one of the bad guys'?


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## Kevin Beach

Broccolicious said:


> Villain? Really? If it's set in 2008?
> 
> How about 'Naah - I'm one of the bad guys'?


 
Believe me, the Police and the criminal fraternity, at least in the south of England, still use "villains" from time to time.

But your version is very good too!


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## liliput

I would suggest thief or pickpocket as a direct translation. However, in the context of the gun "pickpocket" is hardly appropriate. I agree with panj that "thief" is the best option, especially since it won't even be performed in English.

"Robber" would add an element of cheeky charm - bringing to mind the childhood game of "cops and robbers".


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## Meeracat

CharlieOT said:


> Thank you for your help but I think I know my local culture. An undercover cop in the situation I'm describing would _never_ say "ladrón" (thief) he would use slang.


Having struggled myself to find a good way of translating the word "chorro" can I suggest to CharlieOT that you will never find an equivalence of that expresses the same 'feeling'. My advice: cut your losses and go with '*thief*' or '*crook*'.


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## liliput

Full Tilt Boogie said:


> You could also use the BE slang 'blag' (to thieve) or 'blagger' (a thief):
> 
> "Last night the jewellery shop got _blagged_ (broken in to/robbed), by a _blagger_ (thief/robber) - apparently it was one of the biggest _blags_ (robberies) in recent years..."
> 
> Also, 'to blag' can also mean to lie or try and pass yourself off as something which you're not (i.e. to give a deliberately false impression).


 
In the BE slang I'm familiar with "to blag" usually means to get something for free using charm, lies etc: 
"I've just blagged a free holiday from my mate who works in the travel agents" 
or 
"I'm gonna try and blag the car off my Dad so we can go to the beach". 

I've never come across the other definition before so this would not be universally understood even amongst a UK audience.


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## ADCS

Maybe "street thug" might be a better translation of what you're looking for.


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## Full Tilt Boogie

mjscott said:


> You'd not have a universal audience. Blagger doesn't work over here.



I don't doubt you, as I've never heard the terms used outside a UK context 

In Australia, they have similar words (though not as harsh of 'thief'), e.g. 'Bludger', meaning a scrounger, or idler (cf. lazy). To 'bludge' off someone else is to take advantage of them, e.g. "Tony's been staying in our spare room for 7 weeks now and hasn't paid a penny in rent...the bludger."



liliput said:


> In the BE slang I'm familiar with "to blag" usually means to get something for free using charm, lies etc:
> "I've just blagged a free holiday from my mate who works in the travel agents"
> or
> "I'm gonna try and blag the car off my Dad so we can go to the beach".
> 
> *I've never come across the other definition before so this would not be universally understood even amongst a UK audience.*



If you think about it, both the 'thieving/robbing' and getting something [e.g. a holiday] _gratis_ references mean the same - to acquire something without having to pay for it.

You're right about the manner of it having passed into the [UK] vernacular though: whilst 'to blag' is widely used, countrywide, in the context of your example (i.e. a free holiday, or an upgrade to business class from economy/coach on a airline), it's reference/context to robbing (usually violently, with firearms), is mostly used in the London and south of the country, and there largely amongst older coppers (police) and their criminal targets/prey.


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## out2lnch

CharlieOT said:


> One undecover cop picks a woman in a low-life bar. She gropes him and feels his gun. _"You're a cop!"_ she says angry at the discovery. He answers: _"No, I'm a thief"_ (but he has to say it in slang, would never say "thief").
> It's a screenplay.


 
I wonder about the thief characterising himself as such, regardless of the term he uses. I get that you want a word that can be used in the English version, but what about:

_"You're a cop!"_ she says angry at the discovery. He answers: _"No, guess again"_. The implication is clear and the criminal wouldn't have to brand himself that way. 

As an aside, I can't help thinking of the joke that could be adopted to fit here: "nope, I'm just happy to see you."


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## CharlieOT

out2lnch said:


> _"You're a cop!"_ she says angry at the discovery. He answers: _"No, guess again"_. The implication is clear and the criminal wouldn't have to brand himself that way.
> 
> As an aside, I can't help thinking of the joke that could be adopted to fit here: "nope, I'm just happy to see you."



Both suggestions are *great*, thank you. Thing is, for the latter, male character is depressed about _another woman_ and wouldn't fit for him to say that witty, famous phrase.

Regarding the previous one, quite a good suggestion indeed, then _I_ must find the translation into Spanish!


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