All Aboot Canada

Our North American neighbor, Canada, is often the butt of American jokes. I’m no better than my countrymen when Canadian relatives visit and their slang evokes pure hilarity. Fortunately, my relatives and most Canadians could care less about American’s poking fun at them. Because French and English are the two official languages, Canada has it’s very own slang:

Here are a few popular slang terms Canadians use:

Aboot: Canada’s pronunciation for the word “about.” – “What’s all your hollering aboot?”

Canuck: a nickname for Canadians. – “I have only love for my fellow Canucks.”

Washroom: bathroom without a bath in the room. –“Excuse me, can I use your washroom?”

Loonie: Canadian dollar coin. As a hilarious accompaniment, Toonie is their two dollar coin. – “Since my cookie cost just one loonie, I decided to purchase a second with a toonie.”

Eh?: you’re a true Canadian when this word is added to the end of a sentence. It means “don’t you agree?” – “Americans are quite crazy, eh?”

Pop: soft drinks like Coke or Pepsi. – “Waitress, I’d like a pop to drink please.”

Hydro: electricity – “No lights today so the hydro is probably off.”

Serviette: napkin – “I spilled a glass of pop all over me, so a serviette would be helpful!”

Most slang originated from Canadians speaking both English and French. In Toronto, a city in the province of Ontario, Canadians fluent in French benefit from the mix of slang terms because those who solely speak English can understand them easier. Why not try some English classes the next time you visit Toronto? Canucks will surely appreciate your ability to understand their slang!