Feeling Confused about Canadian slang terms?
You’re not alone…
When you go to Canada, there may be some words spoken that leave you in the dark. We’ve put together some Canadian slang terms so you can tell your mickey from your two-four!
Well, now you know at least a few words that might otherwise leave you scratching your head!
It’s also important to note that slang can often differ by region so, for example, a word you hear in Montreal may not mean anything or could mean something entirely different in Vancouver. Happy travelling!
If you’re new to Canada you’ll want to learn some Canadian slang terms so you will fit in with the Canucks!
Did you know?
- #1 The GTA is divided into 5 regions – Toronto, Durham, York, Peel and Halton.
- #2 The RCMP is 100 years old this year – founded in 1920!
- #3 Toques were very popular in Europe between the 13th and 16th century!
- #4 Keaner is a slang term that is often used as a lighter insult than nerd or geek.
- #5 The twoonie possesses the highest monetary value of any Canadian coin.
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FACTS ABOUT CANADA YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW
Did you know?
- #6 Ice Hockey is Canada’s most popular spectator sport.
- #7 The slang term pop covers a whole range of drinks, including Sprite and Coca-Cola.
- #8 According to Statista, approximately 19.1 percent of Canadians aged 12 years and over were reported as heavy alcohol drinkers!
- #9 Tim Hortons was named after hockey player Tim Horton, who played for the Toronto Maple Leafs for a whopping 17 seasons!
- #10 KD, or Kraft Dinner, was founded in 1937.
Did you know?
- #13 Snowbird is slang often used to describe retirees who may wish to leave where they live during harsh winter months to the sunshine!
- #15 Yarn is not necessarily unique to Canada, and it’s hard to track the origins of the word, as it is used in many countries.
Did you know?
- #17 The slang term ‘Boonies’ is often used to describe very remote towns or villages.
- #18 Parkade sounds like a great video game/park combination! Unfortunately, it is just a multistory carpark.
- #19 There are nearly 5,000 Tim Hortons in Canada (4,286 to be precise) – it’s often seen as their national treasure!
- #20 The slang term 6ix was made popular by artist Drake, who began coining it some years ago.
Did you know?
- #25 You may be wondering why Canadians say pencil crayon. Well, that is because of how similar the French translation is for coloured pencil. And because a lot of Canadians speak French!
Here are ten MORE slang terms!
26) Skookum – Something impressive or strong – this can be a person or animal
27) Click – A measure of a kilometre
28) Darts – Another slang term for cigarettes
29) Git’r Done – Encouraging someone to ‘get it finished’!
30) Fill yer boots – Used when telling someone to ‘enjoy yourself’!
31) Biffed – To hit someone, or if someone clatters themselves in a fall.
32) Freezies – A summer classic – an Ice Pop!
33) Bucks – A slang term for dollars.
34) The Muni – The municipal government.
35) The Peg – Slang term for Winnipeg.
Need more slang terms?
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