This word is used two ways. Its confusing to newcomers, especially if English isnt your first language. WebCanadian Slang Words 1 Eh? Not quite; although its not easy to locate a Canadian in the US. Essentially gitr done means finish it. It is a 375 ml alcohol bottle that can fit in a ladys purse perfectly. Its name comes from the Loon (a bird) on the Tails side of the coin. WebThe Canadian 'accent' can be heard most easily in the following words: out, about, house, and others with 'ou'. 2. Finna has no specific word it is replacing, it's just basically a filler word. This guide to over 100 Canadian slang words initially started out as 20 words, but I kept remembering other terms from my friends and travels around the country. A term popularized in the early 80s on Great White North, a comedy sketch by Rick Moranis and Dave Thomas on the television show SCTV. However, there are French-speaking people in other provinces such as Ontario. They are the Canadian version of the FBI and deal with a lot of serious crimes. In my experience, it's pronounced as Zed about 95% of the time. This is not a slip of tongue. While you can still find them on Canadian slang posts or the Wikipedia about Canadian language, Ive genuinely never heard them used before. Example Its too hot outside right now for a toque. Americans pronounce it VITE-a-min, vite rhyming with bite. Technically this isnt slang since its a translation, but it means thank you. A common way for a Canadian to order their coffeedouble cream, double sugar. Its most used when referring to the Vancouver Canucks hockey team rather than individuals nowadays. The term comes from the French les habitants, but I guess we decided thats too long and shortened it. Even though all of our population is gathered towards the south of the country, theres still a lot of country there. Though it originated as a term referring to horses, whose teeth continue to grow as they age, a non-English speaker hearing it for the first time an imagine the speaker is referring to someone who literally has long teeth. Classic potato chips covered in a salty ketchup seasoning that leaves a red stain on everything it touchesfingers, tongues, clothing, and upholstery. As one redditor says about hearing the expression, "I actually answered, until I figured it out. Nina Clapperton is the founder of Nina Out and About. Learn more. Mike Myers. Klick is slang for kilometre. To discover more amazing secrets about living your best life,click hereto sign up for our FREE dailynewsletter! Example All I need is a Mickey, am keeping it low-key tonight. If you eat the toe, youll be fined HEAVILY. This word refers to a commotion or fuss caused by disagreement. While Minnesotans may be recognized across the country for their accents, much more important than the pronunciation are the words being said. She has lived in 18 countries in the past 10 years, explored more than 30 countries, and has done most of it solo. That's interesting During a conversation, Minnesotans are too nice to actually voice their opinion. This word refers to a cap with a small brim or no Participate in meat raffles. Edmonton. The GTA stands for the Greater Toronto Area. The delicious beverage that mummy rarely allow you to have. These abbreviations are for the longer form government names for our liquor stores. It doesn't help that pretty much no countries outside the U.S. are that into baseball and so terms pulled from that sport leave non-Americans clueless. "And I just thought 'What? 43 'Canadian Slang Words' Translated For Americans - MTL Blog "I frequently get too literal with my sayings," a Korean redditor writes. Plenty of Americans don't totally get why we use this phrase to describe when a TV show or some other work goes on longer than it should. 30 American Activities That Are Bizarre to Foreigners. 50 Most Popular Canadian Slang Words and Sayings, Short for Kraft Dinner; the non-perishable, cardboard box-packaged macaroni and cheese which many consider the. Todd Bridges and Gary Coleman played brothers. My go-to for Canadian hotels is Booking.com. Calgary, due to the stampede and its cattle history. This is an older Canadian term. This is an often-used exclamation among most millennials, but used frequently by older Minnesotans. "In Britain, they speak of a gifted gardener having 'green fingers,'" says the Word Detective. Although the term we use most often is sorry, Im not sorry for the changes I made. This word is one of the Canadian slang words used when referring to a multi-level parking structure. This is actually a strain of wind, like the El Nio, but people dont usually say it to refer to the weather phenomenon. "Who looked at a particularly boring, fun-sucking person at a party, equated them to being smothered in a sodden piece of fabric, and let the idiom be born?" Our Sasquatch is said to be in British Columbia. The name changes based on the significant body of water near you. So named because of the famous Canadian coffeehouse Tim Hortons, lovingly known as Tim Hortons, Canadas largestand favoritefast food restaurant chain specializing in coffee and doughnuts. If you lose one in a lawn mowing accident or to frostbite, send it over to the Yukon and theyll put it to good use. It can be a hockey parent who is always watching their kid practice and play, or a youth who has no social life outside of the rinkplaying hockey or not. Canadian 2023 Galvanized Media. Understand Canadian Slang Words This means "do not anger me". A skijor is a sport that involves dogs pulling people on skis. asks Huffington Post reader Jaclyn Currie. Some women enjoy the term and self-identify as puck bunnies (especially wives of famous hockey players). So where other countries get electrical bills, we get hydro bills. As a Canadian, too, you may find some of these "Tdot" If you're from Toronto and over the It is in fact a real human toe thats been mummified or preserved. A two-four is a 24 (2 and 4) pack of beer. Find the best local tours with this search engine (and the best deals)! We dont have a lot of free WIFI in Canada, so youll need your phone for maps. Pencil crayons are pencils that feature coloured graphite. Whenever a Minnesotan says "goodbye," it's a long and drawn-out process often taking multiple hours and many hugs and handshakes. Now its become more synonymous with nerd, but it has an affectionate sound to it so its less offensive. Chesterfields are sofas or couches. Although Newfoundland isnt technically a Maritime province because it joined Canada after the Maritime treaty, it tends to be included. So you went to a local buffet and your friend came back saying" yo they had bare food at that place" that would be correct use of the word. This was a term I hoped died when I left high school, but unfortunately, its stuck around. Usually, its not used to refer to a physical fight, but that varies. Cowboy boots or a heavy pair of shoes you dont mind getting covered in dirt and mud. WebSynonyms for weird include bizarre, odd, queer, strange, offbeat, outlandish, crazy, curious, eccentric and peculiar. Besides Eh, another word Canadians use a lot is sorry. However, that can often be followed up with an eh. Also like eh, sorry is a versatile word to Canadians. Translated literally as troubleshooter, the abbreviation has also joined the lexicon of anglophones in reference to corner stores across the country. Get out on the ice and giver.. There are so many more Canadina expressions that I couldnt fit into the post. What could be confusing about that? If there is something in abundance, then you've got bare amount of it. Anyone with pool-playing experience knows this means being in a tough spot with a practically impossible-to-bank shot. Generally speaking, these are Canadian slang terms used across the country. They can claim different accents. It can be used whenever feeling overwhelmed, disgruntled, surprised, tired, or relieved among others. Buzzin Meaning: To be slightly drunk or to be excited Example of usage: Johns had a couple of pints; hes buzzin' / Evies passed her exams; shes buzzin' Its chucking it down Translation: Its raining heavily All rights reserved, This refers to the oil industries in Alberta. On the weekends I'm usually exploring the North Shore or making my way through the list of Minnesota's State Parks. "I was talking to some Spanish people a while back, and they were shocked by the term 'keeper' to refer to a good [significant other] (e.g. "Heard an American say 'he ate [it]' when someone fell overit baffled me," says a user on Reddit. We now use it to refer to any energy bill. Even from Toronto, we refer to out west as everything west of us. There is no way an American wont be confused when Canadians use it; as Roger is a name. For us, it might seem like a powerful statement, but for outsiders, it can just seem weird. I'm aware there are several American accents, but there is one that tends to be in every American movie. "Is this what Americans mean by 'bacon?' WebCanadians will be agreeing with you, but they say yeah, no. A Canadian native, she also shares her favourite things to do in the True North. All Rights Reserved. American Phrases That Confuse Visitors From Abroad - Insider A situation or event that is a disaster or gets way too out of control. Serviettes are napkins. If something is really cool, or if you simply lack a better reaction to something someone is saying, then a simple "that's wild" works in expressing yourself. For the most part, we sound pretty similar. Normally it refers to girls who have a bad repuation, otherwise known in common slang as "thots". British Columbia is the southwesternmost Canadian province, known for its warmer winters, laidback lifestyle, and high-quality marijuana. 1. It refers to the 6 neighbourhoods that merged to make up Toronto. It insinuates that shes only interested in the game due to attraction to the players or attempting to date the players. 2. Its a lot more fun when youre of legal drinking age. Its a doughnut filled with jam. Some words I've noticed I pronounce differently than many Americans are sure (shore), organization (organ I zeyshun), and video (videyoh). I dont know which came first: Americas obsession with it or our general use. A cat? It doesn't matter the actual direction. You'll receive your first newsletter soon! Love Minnesota? The alternative word for this is powdered sugar. This slang simply means Take left. Vitamin = In the U.K. its pronounced how it is spelled VIT-a-min, vit rhymes with wit. This is actually the most versatile of them all. if( 'moc.enilnoefiltseb' !== location.hostname.split('').reverse().join('') ) { 1. ", When someone is being a downer or ruining everyone else's good time, we may use this expression, leaving foreigners to ask, "What's that have to do with blankets?" If people have a housecoat, its often nicer than your simple plush bathrobe. If you don't know what this word means, you've never been to Minnesota. Its a word gotten from the British Columbia. Its basically two loonies, so we came up with toonie. This set the stage less than a decade later, when it came time to name the newly released two dollar cointhe toonie. It jars me a bit when I hear Zee. What I hate though, is how Americans say anti as ant-eye, whereas most Canadians say ant-eee (e.g. Now you can use it to deke out of a meeting or deke around traffic through shortcuts. I genuinely thought everyone had this term. Sub How to Speak Like a Canadian with The Planet D. Born in Canada, raised in America, educated in England, and living in Israel. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. But the word said incorrectly the most is voluptuous. Timbits are essentially a doughnut hole (as Americans would know them). The common name for soda, a soft drink, or any flavored carbonated beverage. Source: www.canadamemes.com. However, we ONLY do this if it makes it easier to say. The Land of 10,000 Lakes has its very own language, which is quite unique. var xhr = new XMLHttpRequest(); The truth is Canadians actually cherish and pride in their linguistic diversity and cultural heritage, and there are a lot of Canadian slang words that show this heritage. In Canada, our liquor stores are government-run and cannot be in grocery stores. When directly translated, this American phrase sounds to a non-English speaker that the speaker is wishing them ill will or putting some kind of curse on them. Alex is a writer and expert excavator of fascinating facts. Funny WebBased on what I've researched, Canadians say a few words differently from Americans. It refers to the citys Ukrainian population apparently. Oddly, we dont think of Quebec as east its sort of its own thing. Americans often mock them on television, treating them more like camp rangers, when in fact that do a lot of very difficult work. "When you say to table something you mean to shelve it. Rink rat is a term for someone who spends a lot of time at hockey arenas. It seems to relate to their Irish ancestry. Example Get me a chocolate bar with the homo milk. An expression used when referring to something, or someone, exceptionally good. Not the name of the iconic Disney mouse, but a flask-sized bottle of liquor (usually Canadian whiskey) that easily fits into a persons hand, purse, or pocket. 20 Common Canadian Slang Words Americans Should Know 3. To be sloshed is to be drunk. Thats a dicey history that I wont get into here, but I wanted to include the term since its very common amongst Canadians. No matter how hard Minnesotans may fight it, it still happens. How to pronounce WEIRD in English - Cambridge Dictionary Nowadays, weve become properly American-ized and call then bathrobes or robes. But those accents are different from immigrant accents, in which speakers of such accents do not know how to pronounce words, and they imitate and/or guess them. Northern Canadians use ever before words to add emphasis, sort of like saying very. Listed below are 13 of the most unique things Minnesotans say. In 1987, when the Canadian dollar bill was replaced by a coin stamped with an image of a birdthe common loonit wasnt long before the nickname loonie took hold. An example would be saying something like "yo my ex is being a mix up ting dawg". Normally all guys in Sauga fight for the title, but finding an actual sweetermans there is scarce. "It's ingenuity like that which makes America the home of so many start-up founders, I'm sure of it.". Not referring to the popular soft drink, ting is a largely interchangeable term used across the GTA. If something is lame or not up to par with your certain 6ix standards, then it is considered weak. In Canada, it is used for all bars that have any amount of chocolate in them. So I told him how I prepared for the trip, packing and moving stuff, included driving around LA to find his new apartment. Typically its an outdoor structure, but we use it interchangeably to refer to an underground parking garage as well. (Read more). "Where else would you sit?" They just confuse you. How to Speak Like a Canadian - 21 Funny Canada Slang Words Its not the same as whole milk, so we came up with a short form. Its simple math: Beer + Belly = Molson + Muscle. A bunnyhug is a pullover sweatshirt with no zipper. Keener: A person who is extremely eager or keen. This one will make your mouth water. A savory dish that originated in the French Canadian province of Quebec, made of french fries and cheese curds covered in gravy. It is a common phrase said to order a coffee with two creams and two sugars. This term comes from the reservations that our Indigenous people live on across the country. Hence the nickname snowbirds. Toronto. Example Darling, you look so skookum in that dress, Mickey is a word referring to a bottle of liquor that is flask-sized, such as rum or Canadian rye whiskey. A person who spends most of their time at the skating rink. The words that most often caused Americans to take notice of my accent were those that involved Kevin Pollock, Writer and Manager of Content at Wix. I didnt know this was a Canadian thing for a long time. 4. It means homogenized milk, or milk with 3.25% fat thats blended in differently than in 2% milk. When almost every Canadian you meet say something like I am going to Timmies You cant but wonder who is this Tim guy, must be very popular. By Timmies, they are actually referring to Tim Hortons coffee shop, which is the most popular coffee shop in Canada. Example Grab your runners and follow me, Pop is a common name for soda. Usage of the Homo in the US refers to homosexuality. Seemy Disclosure Policyfor more information. Im guessing something about the coziness of a hoodie led to the name, but I couldnt find a good explanation. By clicking Sign up, you agree to receive marketing emails from Insider So no, all Canadians dont use hoser as classic slang. I often use this to describe going cottaging in Muskoka, which is barely halfway up Ontario. Instead, we usually say this to mean "I know what you mean." Example Get me a homo milk at the store, This slang is known as colored pencil in the US. Your champagne birthday is when you turn the same age as your birthdate. You can have the alcohol of your choice, drink it fast or slow, but your lips must touch the toe. Minnesotans might be the only Americans to use the real meaning of the word "cold.". Canadian Slang Words You Need to Know - Culture Trip WebTo Americans, The Gong Show is an intentionally awful talent show hosted by a heavily disguised (and proudly Canadian!) Its become so ubiquitous that you can now order your coffee this way across Canada, even outside of a Tim Hortons! 2. It still does, but sweatpants have become more prominent. WebOur latest travel vlog shows you how Canadians Talk with the best Canadian slang words and weird phrases. I live near Cook Nuclear Power Plant, "nuke-yuh-ler." The holiday is essentially the Canadian version of America's Independence Day. You'll never run out of things to do while exploring the "Land of 10,000 Lakes," so don't forget to add Minnesota to your outdoor bucket list. A toque is a knit winter hat like a beanie. See you next time and happy Canada day, eh? This slang means make a right turn. Play outside in the snow wearing shorts, a t-shirt, and flip-flops. Phrase of encouragement when trying to finish something, as in: Youve got a bit more beer left in your glass, gitr done., Another phrase of encouragement to give it all you got, particularly when it comes to sports and athletics. An example would be if you're going to McDonald's you'd say "it's a McDonald's flex". What are five phrases from Minnesota that seem strange to everyone else? This region includes Qubec and Ontario. There are some that I genuinely didnt know were Canadian phrases and judged friends Ive met around the world for not knowing them. Save more in booking your flights and accommodations by using this platform! and "Oh for fun!" A-boat would actually The best hidden gems and little known destinations - straight to your inbox. An alternative for this word is kilometer. They find it hilarious for reasons I cant quite figure out. A Molson Muscle refers to a beer belly, typically acquired by drinking too much Molson beer. Initially, this referred to Vancouver. Just turn right. ", This American phrase seems to mean the opposite of what actually means, according to Huffington Post reader Mary Shirley. Not sure where this comes from, but it usually brings to mind the imagery of an ice cream scoop. This is one of my favourite terms, more so now that I know its Canadian specific. 3. I dont believe that those words are appropriate for the world I want to live in or for the future Canada is moving towards. 3. Two-four A case WebSometimes in Michigan, we like to add things to words to make them longer. Not literally. An example would be "You finna better check yourself. 35 things Canadians say that Americans don't understand Suzie lives about 10 clicks away.. Slang Terms Canadians Say That Americans Don't Understand Well its true what they say, Canadians are the kindest people in the world. This comes from the famous Blue Nose ship that used to fish and race in Nova Scotia. I dont know why we broke away from the two places that we get a lot of our language, but its sort of a fun rebellion on our part. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is the federal and national police service of Canada. Not sure why cheese and anger are used interchangeably, but if someone from Toronto tells you they're feeling cheesed, don't take it as a joke. Take forever to say goodbye.