20 Canadian slang words

Question 1

Eh?

Answer 1

Add at the end of your sentence as a friendly short-cut for “don’t you agree?”

Question 2

Eh?

Answer 2

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?”

Question 3

Double-double

Answer 3

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.

Question 4

Pop

Answer 4

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.)

Question 5

Loonie (Toonie)

Answer 5

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.

Question 6

Queue

Answer 6

A line of people.

The queue for coffee goes out the door! Good thing I’m surrounded by cool TEDActivators to talk to

Question 7

Poutine(pronounced poo-TEEN)

Answer 7

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.)

Question 8

Washroom

Answer 8

bathroom, loo, potty

Is there a washroom on the first floor of the Fairmont?

Question 9

Housecoat

Answer 9

bathrobe

Don’t forget to wear your housecoats for PJ Morning for tomorrow’s 8:30 session.

Question 10

Zed

Answer 10

the last letter of the alphabet (Z)

The program is organized in alphabetical order of speaker last names, it goes from A to Zed.

Question 11

Serviette

Answer 11

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

Question 12

Toque

Answer 12

Pronounced “took” is a knitted winter cap or beanie. See our list of reasons why Whistler is awesome.

Question 13

Back-bacon: Peameal or Back bacon

Answer 13

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.

Question 14

Van:

Answer 14

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?

Question 15

Chinook

Answer 15

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.

Question 16

Hydro

Answer 16

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.’

Question 17

Whale’s Tail

Answer 17

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.

Question 18

Giv’n her

Answer 18

an act carried out to it’s fullest potential. Short for “Given her hell.”

We’re gonna giv’n her at TEDActive this year!

Question 19

Kerfuffle

Answer 19

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

Question 20

Knapsack

Answer 20

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.

Question 21

Decal

Answer 21

Is pronounced “deck-ul.”

I love the deck-uls (not dee-kals) adorning the walls of the Theater.

Question 22

adorning

Answer 22

تزئین کردن

Question 23

Canuck

Answer 23

A nickname for Canadian

The writer of this blog post is not a Canuck. But she loved learning these new words :)

Question 24

Garberator-

Answer 24

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.”

Question 25

Homo Milk

Answer 25

Homogenized whole milk; 3% milk

Question 26

Beauty

Answer 26

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.”

Question 27

Timmy’s or Tim’s or Timmy Ho’s or Up the Horton’s

Answer 27

Slang for Tim Horton’s, a chain of doughnut and coffee shops named after a famous hockey player

Question 28

Brutal

Answer 28

Something excessively harsh or unfair. ex. “Oh man, that fall was brutal.”

Question 29

Gorp

Answer 29

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”.

Question 30

Scoff

Answer 30

used mainly on the east coast to describe a large meal. e.g a pot-luck dinner could be a scoff.

Question 31

Two-Four

Answer 31

A blue-collar term for a case of twenty-four beers.

Question 32

Fifty and Cinquante

Answer 32

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.

Question 33

Mickey

Answer 33

A flask-sized bottle of hard liquor.

Question 34

Toboggan

Answer 34

A long, typically wooden, sled, used in winter recreation, to carry one or more people down a snow-covered hill

Question 35

Klick

Answer 35

A slang term for “kilometer

Question 36

The States

Answer 36

The United States of America is often referred to as “the States,” except in writing, when it becomes “the US.”

Question 37

Rattled

Answer 37

When someone is embarrassed or angry. A term hardly unique to Canada.

Question 38

Snake

Answer 38

Someone who is unkind or does something in the interest of themselves. Portraying snake like qualities.

Question 39

Sook, sookie or sookie baby

Answer 39

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.

Question 40

Beaver Tail

Answer 40

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.

Question 41

Pencil Crayon

Answer 41

a coloured pencil