It is so simple to use and anyone can do it. This refers to anyone from the Maritime provinces in Atlantic Canada. our Beloved Smarties, how could you Shannon??? , Whats up with your body hair, you big shoots? If you dont know how beer is supposed to taste, please keep your comments to yourself. Note: this is not to be confused with May two-four (24) weekend, which is a holiday in Canada. The American pronunciation ismore like a-bow-t. (as in take a bow). "Cuzo". I had to include this term with the insane heat and humidity were currently getting in Toronto. All these phrases start somewhere (sometimes, like good ideas, they might pop up simultaneously in a population pressed by the same daily stresses), one of my own concoctions was slender vittles for tall lanky women. lol. In Saskatchewan, people call hoodies bunnyhugs. A Mountie is a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Boy, its a newphie term for boys. Tell the bys Im cooking dinner. Quebec French profanities, [1] known as sacres (singular: sacre; French: sacrer, "to consecrate"), are words and expressions related to Catholicism and its liturgy that are used as strong profanities in Quebec French (the main variety of Canadian French) and in Acadian French (spoken in Maritime Provinces, east of Quebec, and a small portion of It's the native language of approximately 7.3 million Canadians, comprising 20.6% of the Canadian population. Thanks for sharing Robert and I totally know all of them. (This applies to most provinces, but not Quebec, which has a slightly different school system. When you become a Newfoundlander, you have to drink Screech and kiss a cod (a dead fish theyve got sitting around at the bar). It refers to the bedrock in Vancouver that prevents basements and the insane housing prices that mean people need to rent. , Well, Id say give your balls a tug, but it looks like yer pants are doin it for ya. Eh This is our most popular Canadian saying that we receive the most flack about from the rest of the world. toronto slang insults. That would be giving someone his or her "due.". Theyll love it. Help fellow Canadians! Or Im a student at the university of Cincinnati. states like pennsylvania, new york and maryland they pronounce water as Wo-der and in the southern states like florida , georgia and alabama we say Wa-ter even though its the same word Water. Pineback: Canadians It comes from the gold rush days when people had to live through harsh winters. That is until you see the coin. If you want to go on road trips or adventures outside of the major cities, youll need to rent a car. And these 13 surprising things are actually madein Canada! Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. Its more likely that if you hear someone say they are going north, they mean north of their current location. You have probably heard the following phrases if you are a regular. Hmmm, kinda hard to sound it outkinda like boy without the o. Shaded provisions are not in force. I linked to it from my site, Living Abroad in Canada, that provides advice for people relocating to Canada: http://www.livingabroadincanada.com/2009/07/03/speaking-canadian-tips-from-canadas-adventure-couple/. "Canuck, that very same term of endearment Canadians use now," was used by racist southern Americans to insult French Canadians with dark skins, said Stefan Dollinger, editor in chief of Dictionary of Canadianisms on Historical Principles. No waywe ended up calling it a Toonie, because Toonie rhymes with Loonie, and we Canadians like things that rhyme. This is our phrase we use when we go to buy beer at the beer store. Ok, I am kidding, it doesnt make sense at all. If your phone doesnt work in Canada, I recommend getting a Canadian SIM card so you can get around and stay in contact with loved ones. Either way, I hope you laugh and learn while reading this guide to 100+ Canadian slang words. Canadian slang isn't as obvious as other country's. We use the terms so simply that people barely register them. Toque A type of knit hat with no brim, worn in the winter time. Yes In all major cities in Canada, you can drink the tap water. All rights reserved. It refers to the 6 neighbourhoods that merged to make up Toronto. Incidentally, anyone wanting a primer is Scots, I recommend watching Rab C Nesbitt on Youtube. After familiarizing yourself with the actual slang terms, practice speaking and listening to those terms until they come more naturally to you. Americans called it Zee 28 and thats just weird. Well, theres nothing better than a fart. ke:/RE!yABZ AlahmE;Gc$TE"j rj!\Uf_V+neeEfK,#nOtb\B2C4%i'.rz +O"? 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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. If only Id known I was mimicking Canadians, I could have had a much happier childhood. . If you eat the toe, youll be fined HEAVILY. And I believe my grandparents in kansas also used to call them that. Practicing Canadian Slang Download Article 1 Find a language buddy online. Instead of saying Lets go!, we say lets go lah. Well, it is simple, a tuque is a knitted hat is used to keep the head warm. Now its become more synonymous with nerd, but it has an affectionate sound to it so its less offensive. % The name changes based on the significant body of water near you. Its usually screamed, which is why its abbreviated. Beaver tail , There are probably more but so far I can not think of any. Not all Canadians use it but Ive only ever heard Canadians say it. Here, a recent Canadian immigrant shares what he wishes hed known before moving to Canada. Ive been saying it for years and annoying my dad that I wont just say shoes, but apparently I was being patriotic the whole time! My grandma also calls her sofa a Davenport. It used to refer more to the French-Canadians but nowadays its a general term. 2. The following is a list of colloquial terms and expressions used in the Canadian Armed Forces . My wife and I are getting ready to move to Canada after leaving 5 years ago. Being recognized as top travel bloggers and influencers by the likes of Forbes Magazine, the Society of American Travel Writers and USA Today has allowed them to become leaders in their field. I genuinely thought everyone had this term. . _+t!BN]G^l.oH t&N$f +/\K6Z A]o~RfV>s o`Y{450tuUP"d=z$\:Mwr%RTGD! We dont call it our electric bill. A right of passage in Canada was bringing timbits into your school classes. Theres happiness calling my name from the bottom of a bottle of Puppers. My parents always used the term chesterfield instead of couch/sofa. Hillbilly Slang. Were definitely living room people. Although we have many islands, this term is meant for people from Prince Edward Island in the Maritimes. There are many online services that are dedicated to helping language learners find native speakers to talk with. I like the post, I just might find some problems with the picture. Vomit on your moms spaghetti, or whatever that talking singer says. Its part of their tradition (much like the sour toe shot). . However other provinces have different arrangments. Canadians (or at least southern Ontarians) say it like soe-ry and I know that some other places say it like sah-ry. So true! A two-four is a 24 (2 and 4) pack of beer. Dinner, backpack, Robe (my household says robe, but others respond with Ooohh.. you mean a house coat?) . It's one more typical Canadian insult. Clicks is much better. This is a Commonwealth trait that we have leftover from Britain, as its just as rampant in New Zealand. Enjoyed this post! To use these services you will need a computer and a microphone. One of my favourite phrases that is uniquely Canadian is Two-Four. Americans looking to take a trip across their country's northern border might find themselves bewildered by some Canadian turns of phrase. We call them Smarties and we like to eat the red ones last. We catch ourselves saying it all the time. Means go for it or help yourself, especially when referring to food. A double double is a coffee order from Tim Hortons. We dont have a lot of free WIFI in Canada, so youll need your phone for maps. I kind of like comfort room. My mom and dad love to tell the story of a pair of boots that my grandmother sent to them to keep warm in the winter. One win. Starlight, star bright, why the f**k you got earrings on? They also like pumpkin pie.thats 2 for Canada!). POPi dunno if this is accurate but i notice most americans and ppl from other countries call it sodaPOP! However, its very commonly referred to, even by Canadians, as being Canadian slang. F**k, I could watch kids fall off bikes all day, I dont give a sh*t about your kids. Thats not to say we dont have our own unique way of speaking, its just that were a lot more Wayne Gretzky than Doug Mackenzie. You should be ashamed of yourself!!!!!!! And yeah, pop! For example, if we disagree, well say no lah. Great suggestion. It seems to relate to their Irish ancestry. But we do call ZZ Top Zee Zee Top, that would just be wrong to change their name. Drinking Miller you pussy!!!!! I have heard Americans say that they dont like Smarties and I cant understand why. Thanks k.c. Many of the above I had forgotten, but they come flooding back. Its a bit like someone who grew up on cheese-in-a-can screwing up their nose at free-range, organic chvre. Here you will learn about the most important words in this part of the language. And thats your whole world right there. Just ran across this article and had to respond to pop. Commonly shortened to hali. Your mom just liked my Instagram post from 2 years ago in Puerto Vallarta. The word pop to refer to what we know as soft drinks is traceable back to Faygo, a Detroit, Michigan company. Speaking of booze, we also have something that is called a Mickey in Canada. When I was in the southern US and said pilon, no one knew what I meant. Canadians have a lot of interesting mannerisms, but not all are technically slang. I often think one thing and then write another. I watch several Canadian YouTubers and have always wondered why they leave certain small words out of certain statements. Cant go to work if you dont have a crummy! This refers to the oil industries in Alberta. Do they serve ice-cream? Another funny one a grader/back hoe. endobj Haha, yes you do see a lot of the Molson Muscle cutting lawns in the summer time Corbin. This is a BC-specific term that means impressive or exceptional. We now use it to refer to any energy bill. Toronto. Lil Peeps girlfriend's timeline: who has the late rapper dated? 3 0 obj Im definitely one to say, dont know me from Adam And I love the Beer Store. No this isnt a derogatory term or anything. These are Canadas most unique restaurants. And I love to converse with my college mates from up north British Columbia and Alberta, just to listen to them use the eh word. Montreal Canadiens insults, on the other hand, can get you in trouble whether youre in Beaver Creek, Yukon, or Blackhead, Newfoundland. Here are a few of the staple Canadian slang words used daily. , Its like algebrawhy you gotta put numbers and letters together? Its most used when referring to the Vancouver Canucks hockey team rather than individuals nowadays. In Canada, our liquor stores are government-run and cannot be in grocery stores. Americans say About like it is A-Baow-T with a more open ah sound. And that makes sense cuz you want a real big truck and got a real little d**k. , I see the muscle shirt came today. A half-sack of beer is half a dozen. 2m Because of that, many Michiganders and people from the upper Midwest say Pop. And I like the way we say about.Canadians should start embracing the way we say about. That would be weird! As cute and quaint as it might sound, the Canadian accent sounds nothing at all like how actual Canadians speak. To understand Canadian slang, master uniquely Canadian expressions, like eh? to ask something like, That movie was great, eh? Additionally, work on learning longer phrases, such as book off work, which means to take time off from work. <> Hahaha, theres also several ways you can use it. During the Mongol Rally our team mates were American and they asked us why we kept saying clicks. I dont know if its uniquely Canadian but Ive heard clicks used quite a bit instead of kilometres. That comes from our history fur trading. Yes, but only if you live north of Hwy. Nobody can do without their Timmies. There you have it. My favourite Canadian slang term that I use all the time even though I dont often wear them! There are so many more Canadina expressions that I couldnt fit into the post. Perhaps you could offer cross-cultural courses around the world for Canadian companies . Generally speaking, these are Canadian slang terms used across the country. "1) Where 14-year-old girls can walk home alone at 11:00pm. So Im Canadian as well, Ontario raised. Someone from New Brunswick. If you are one of those people who get adult jokes, then this should be a show you purpose to watch, especially because it is relatable and easy to identify with all the characters. 4) Hella great place." , And I suggest you let that one marinate. Im not saying Canadians cant be vulgar or crude, but Canada doesnt quite have that raunch culture element that America does (and Im glad of that). However, the holiday does tend to involve a lot of beer, so do with that what you will. Think Hermoine Granger shed be a classic keener. Now you know. Initially, this referred to Vancouver. The lexicography team for the Canadian Oxford Dictionary tell me the . The $1 Canadian coin. Very funny. Can often replace 'Pardon' or 'Excuse Me'. I think I will keep using washroom. They are changing to convenience stores, but in small town Alberta you will still see a Confectionary store. My dads family uses pop only when our aunt from Canada visits. Any ideas ? Otherwise, you can just say "please.". yes, I think that Dante may have thought this was about words in general, which is ok with us. And lets not forget donairs! 99% of Canadians will use washroom or bathroom, but very rarely will they use toilet. And yes, after you answer natures call, you do go there to wash, hopefully. Similarly, you can order a single single or a triple triple (although that sounds like a lot of dairy and sugar). However we do say About different from Americans. Specifically, in Canada, Smarties are a version of the M&M. Ive been ever-curious about them for years!! It may be a holdover from our British colonialism or due to the French populations of Canada. Masi - Thank you, from the French word "Merci." Masi! Our trained team of editors and researchers validate articles for accuracy and comprehensiveness. 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. <>>> What about the old Zed and Zee. So, come lah, come visit Malaysia and see for yourself. Canadian Slang, Unique Phrases and Canadian Sayings, Strange and Funny names of Canadian Cities, Great Things to do in Borneo Malaysias Wild Jungle Island, Interview with World Travelers, Uncornered Market, Three-line book review: Stardust Neil Gaiman. For hostels, I use Hostel World. We get a lot of flack due to the fact that were drinking Miller in the photograph:), and idk of candians pronouce it the same way but in northern us. A Vancouver special is a type of house with no basement where the first floor is rented out. For the Maritimes, the rest of the country is out west. How about hoser from the MacKenzie brothers? Habs fans are everywhere and theres nothing funny about the most storied team in NHL history. And for the word route, Canadians would often pronounce it like root. The original name of Ottawa and now a common nickname. They come in a variety of flavours and are sold individually or by the box. If youre 1, then its sort of a letdown. Initially, the term referred to French Canadian settlers of Quebec. Canadians call our Candy Bars Chocolate Bars and I like it like that. Be the first to get hottest news from our Editor-in-Chief, Check your email and confirm your subscription. Thanks for sharing! Other popular swear words include os-tee (the communion wafer) and ka-lees (the cup from which you drink the holy wine). Having worked in NYC, I was surprised how many unique Canadian words and references exist. A few days ago a friend and me spotted a guy going for a jog in some short shorts, rocking an Ipod & a very athletic Gut. (CC and Coke) to drink at parties. Much like it sounds, tof means something is tough or difficult. Although the term we use most often is sorry, Im not sorry for the changes I made. Greasy is a term that Maritimers use to refer to someone who is sketchy or seems untrustworthy. % of people told us that this article helped them. So, Ive got that going for me. I like in Ontario and never do we use that word. It was the uniform of the lumbermen working in Canada, but is now more popular in the grunge fashion movement. 7. Its a very old term that has mostly fallen out of fashion. By the great horned spoon, youve grown so tall! Typically its an outdoor structure, but we use it interchangeably to refer to an underground parking garage as well. , Buddy, you couldnt wheel a f**kin tire down a hill. And of course, when the two-dollar coin came out with a picture of a Polar Bear on it we called it a Bearie or a Polie right? If you're thirsty for more, a mickey is a small (usually 375ml) flask-shaped bottle of liquor, while the lesser-used twenty sixer is a larger (750ml) bottle. Timbits are essentially a doughnut hole (as Americans would know them). , Call me a cake, cause Ill go straight to your a** cowboy. That is what they are made out of. But seriously, is there a slang insult for really bad situations, beyond calling some a "hoser?" I'm writing a story and one of my characters is Canadian and has a thick accent, and for one part, I want him to use an insult that would be reserved for only truly bad guys. Excellent contributions Carolyn. This term is starting to gain traction in Ontario, but its got its roots in the East Coast. For pronunciation, more Canadians would say AN-TEE instead of AN-TIE in words like anti-biotics. [5] 82% of Canadians outside the province of Quebec reported speaking English natively, but with in Quebec the figure was just 7.7% as most of its residents are native speakers of Quebec French. They asked. Now it's a synonym for "loser" but with a particularly Canadian flavour. All Canadians know that we have a vast northern landscape, but hardly any of us actually visit it. The thing about zed and zee is it makes more sense to pronounce it zee when singing the alphabet song, otherwise it sounds ridiculous. A term for an anglophone in Quebec. the other thing small difference im canadian living in the US and people make fun of me for saying Im having a shower or Im gonna have a nap they only use taking for showers and naps. However, going south is a whole other thing. Can you think of any other Canadian sayingsthat are unique to your region or the country? These are all the names of the liquor stores across Canada. Im American but my parents are from Canada and I went to grade school in that country. Check out Grammar Girl. Here are a few examples of his sayings that you can easily relate with.