20 Canadian slang words Flashcards
Eh?
Add at the end of your sentence as a friendly short-cut for “don’t you agree?”
Eh?
Session 5 of TEDActive was mind-blowing, awesome, crazy cool, phenomenal, eh?
pronounced “ey”, as in “hey” or “hay”) A suffix some Canadians add to the ends of sentences, to ask for a response of agreement or disagreement, similar in meaning to “don’t you think” or “right?”(Similar to the word “Huh?” Used in the states.) (eg. “Looks like a storm comin’ in, eh?”). It is a way of being polite - to ensure that the other people in the conversation are feeling included. It is also sometimes used with “I know,” as in, “Wow, the Calgary Flames really kicked butt tonight!” -“I know, eh?”
Double-double
Coffee with two creams and two sugars. A triple-triple is cream and sugar times three. Made popular by famous Canadian staple, Tim Hortons.
I stayed up till 3am at the Welcome Home Party; I desperately need a double-double.
Pop
If you’re craving a Coke, don’t say “soda” or you’ll find yourself with a glass of carbonated water. “Pop” refers to the bubbly soft drinks you love.
I could use a cool refreshing pop right now — Sprite, Diet Coke or Pepsi — anything that will rev me up during the breaks.
Many Canadians use the term “pop” to describe sweet, carbonated beverages.(Soda in the states.)
Loonie (Toonie)
A loon on the Canadian dollar coin led to it being nicknamed the “loonie.” The toonie or twoonie is the tongue-in-cheek nickname for the two dollar coin.
Do you happen to have a toonie on you? I forgot my wallet and I want to buy a postcard.
Queue
A line of people.
The queue for coffee goes out the door! Good thing I’m surrounded by cool TEDActivators to talk to
Poutine(pronounced poo-TEEN)
An amazing Canadian dish of fries + gravy + curd cheese.
That Translator’s workshop made me so hungry. I need to eat a big plate of poutine to recharge and get ready for more brainstorms.
French fries served with cheese curds, and covered in gravy. Originated in Quebec but now prevalent across Canada.(Awesome delicious heart attack in a bowl. You aren’t Canadian until you’ve played some hockey and stopped for some poutine and beer.)
Washroom
bathroom, loo, potty
Is there a washroom on the first floor of the Fairmont?
Housecoat
bathrobe
Don’t forget to wear your housecoats for PJ Morning for tomorrow’s 8:30 session.
Zed
the last letter of the alphabet (Z)
The program is organized in alphabetical order of speaker last names, it goes from A to Zed.
Serviette
napkin
Do you have any serviettes? I spilled a coffee as I jumped to my feet to give a standing ovation.
A paper napkin. Not slang, simply ‘napkin’ in French
Toque
Pronounced “took” is a knitted winter cap or beanie. See our list of reasons why Whistler is awesome.
Back-bacon: Peameal or Back bacon
Or “peameal bacon” is cured bacon rolled in cornmeal. Yummy.
Good thing I woke up early for breakfast. This back-bacon is life-changing.
Bacon obtained from the flesh of the back of a pig, rather than the more common side bacon. It is pickled in brine and then rolled in cornmeal. Originally, peameal was used, but it was found to go rancid, so cornmeal was substituted. But the name “peameal” stuck.
Van:
Short for “Vancouver.” Locals use it to refer to different areas: East Van, West Van, North Van.
Are you hanging out in Van after the conference is over?
Chinook
an warm wind that blows from west to east during late winter to early spring.
A chinook blew through and melted all of the snow.
(Pronounced “shinook” in some areas) A warm, dry wind blowing down the eastern slopes of the Rockies across Alberta and the prairies. Chinooks can cause the temperature to rise by 20°F (11°C) to 40°F (22°C) within 15 minutes.
Hydro
electricity
Watch out for the hydro pole when you’re on your scooter.
A reference to electricity, not water. Synonymous with electrical service in provinces where most of the power is supplied through hydroelectricity. “The hydro is out,” means there’s no power, not that there’s no water. This phrase extends to things like ‘hydro poles,’ ‘hydro wires,’ and having a ‘hydro bill.’
Whale’s Tail
Fried dough pastry. Also known as elephant ears or beaver tails.
Snacks at TEDActive are healthy and delicious … but I’m craving a whale’s tail.
Giv’n her
an act carried out to it’s fullest potential. Short for “Given her hell.”
We’re gonna giv’n her at TEDActive this year!
Kerfuffle
awkward or stressful situation, commotion.
If you’re ever in a kerfuffle, go talk to Rives or Kelly. They’ll be sure to help you out!
Similar to brouhaha; a chaotic situation which is usually negative in nature; a loud or heated dispute
Knapsack
Backpack or bookbag.
Did you check out the TED Gift Bag? It’s a knapsack that glows in the dark and has a hundred pockets.
Decal
Is pronounced “deck-ul.”
I love the deck-uls (not dee-kals) adorning the walls of the Theater.
adorning
تزئین کردن
Canuck
A nickname for Canadian
The writer of this blog post is not a Canuck. But she loved learning these new words :)
Garberator-
Electric grinding device meant for the drain of a kitchen sink, to finely grind biodegradable substances, so they can be washed down the drain. Commonly referred to in the US as a “garbage disposal.”
Homo Milk
Homogenized whole milk; 3% milk
Beauty
An expression used to refer to something done well or someone who is exceptional. The vast majority of Canadians only know the term from the SCTV characters Bob and Doug, in a series of satirical sketch comedies entitled, “The Great White North.”
Timmy’s or Tim’s or Timmy Ho’s or Up the Horton’s
Slang for Tim Horton’s, a chain of doughnut and coffee shops named after a famous hockey player
Brutal
Something excessively harsh or unfair. ex. “Oh man, that fall was brutal.”
Gorp
Trail mix, taken on hiking/camping trips. May include assorted nuts, chocolate chips, dried fruit, Smarties or other candies. (used at least in BC). Actually an acronym from “Good Old Raisins and Peanuts”.
Scoff
used mainly on the east coast to describe a large meal. e.g a pot-luck dinner could be a scoff.
Two-Four
A blue-collar term for a case of twenty-four beers.
Fifty and Cinquante
Labatt 50, a Canadian brand of beer. Cinquante is fifty in French. This term is limited to frequent beer drinkers. Canadians who don’t drink beer frequently would not know this “term” at all.
Mickey
A flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.
Toboggan
A long, typically wooden, sled, used in winter recreation, to carry one or more people down a snow-covered hill
Klick
A slang term for “kilometer
The States
The United States of America is often referred to as “the States,” except in writing, when it becomes “the US.”
Rattled
When someone is embarrassed or angry. A term hardly unique to Canada.
Snake
Someone who is unkind or does something in the interest of themselves. Portraying snake like qualities.
Sook, sookie or sookie baby
Oftens means a weak, self-pitying person; a person who won’t go along, especially out of spite; a crybaby or sore loser. Can also be a term of endearment for pets or children who are extremely affectionate. Pronounced to rhyme with “took” in Atlantic Canada. In Ontario, they pronounce and spell it “suck” but use it in the same ways.
Beaver Tail
A pastry, most commonly sold by the chain Beaver Tail Canada Inc., indicating a flat, flaky, fried pastry in the general shape of a beaver’s tail. It is often served with a variety of toppings: ice-cream, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and fruits. Originated in Ottawa.
Pencil Crayon
a coloured pencil
