38 Canadian Slang Terms
Oh, Canada. The land of maple syrup, hockey, and some truly breathtaking natural beauty.
And just as famous as its cuisine and sights, is the Canadian slang (you’ll known if you’ve ever been down a local bar!). But how do you know your loonie from your hoser?
Well, the team at SlangHub is here to help you, with a guide to the most common Canadian slang.
SlangHub’s Top Picks
The team at SlangHub has carefully hand-selected their favorite 10 Canadian slang terms. Think of this as a starter!:
- Eh – A phrase tacked onto the end of a sentence, often to seek agreement or clarity.
Example: “It’s cold out today, eh?” - Loonie – A one-dollar coin, named after the loon bird on one side.
Example: “Got a loonie for the parking meter?” - Toque – A winter hat, often knitted.
Example: “Don’t forget your toque, it’s freezing outside!” - Double-double – A coffee with two creams and two sugars, popular at Tim Hortons.
Example: “I’ll grab a double-double from Timmies on my way.” - Timmies – Short for Tim Hortons, the beloved Canadian coffee chain.
Example: “Let’s meet at Timmies for a coffee.” - Keener – Someone who’s overly enthusiastic or eager, often about school or work.
Example: “He’s such a keener, always finishing assignments early.” - Hoser – A good-natured insult, referring to someone uncool or unsophisticated.
Example: “Stop being such a hoser and grab me a beer.” - Poutine – A dish of fries, cheese curds, and gravy.
Example: “Nothing beats a late-night poutine after a hockey game.” - Chinook – A warm wind that blows through the prairies, especially in Alberta.
Example: “Thank goodness for the chinook, it’s finally warming up!” - Rink rat – Someone who spends a lot of time at the ice rink, often playing hockey.
Example: “He’s such a rink rat, always practicing his slap shot.”
28 Popular Canadian Slang Terms
Now for the main course – 28 more distinctly Candian slang phrases to add to your vocabulary:
- Beauty – Used to describe something or someone that’s awesome or great.
Example: “That play was a beauty, eh?” - Skookum – Something strong, impressive, or powerful, often used in British Columbia.
Example: “That truck is skookum, it can haul anything.” - Mountie – Short for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP).
Example: “A Mountie came to our school today for a talk.” - Pop – What Canadians call soda or soft drinks.
Example: “Do you want a pop with your burger?” - The 6ix – A nickname for Toronto, coined by rapper Drake.
Example: “I’m heading to the 6ix this weekend to visit friends.” - Molson muscle – A beer belly, often referring to overconsumption of Molson beer.
Example: “Looks like you’ve been working on your Molson muscle!” - Kerfuffle – A commotion or fuss.
Example: “There was a bit of a kerfuffle at the hockey game last night.” - Two-four – A case of 24 beers.
Example: “Let’s pick up a two-four for the long weekend.” - Chesterfield – A sofa or couch.
Example: “Come have a seat on the chesterfield and relax.” - Hang a Larry – To make a left turn while driving.
Example: “Hang a Larry at the next light.” - Hang a Roger – To make a right turn while driving.
Example: “Hang a Roger after the stop sign.” - Gong show – A situation that’s chaotic or out of control.
Example: “That party was a total gong show!” - Hogtown – A nickname for Toronto, referencing its history in the pork industry.
Example: “I’m heading to Hogtown for a concert next week.” - Canuck – A slang term for a Canadian person.
Example: “He’s a proud Canuck, always wearing red and white.” - Newfie – A colloquial term for someone from Newfoundland.
Example: “He’s a Newfie, always telling the best stories.” - Give’r – To go all out or work hard at something.
Example: “Just give’r and get the job done!” - Snowbird – A Canadian who spends the winters in a warmer climate, like Florida.
Example: “My grandparents are snowbirds; they’re in Arizona for the winter.” - Stag/Stagette – The Canadian equivalent of a bachelor or bachelorette party.
Example: “We’re planning a wild stagette for her wedding.” - Zed – The Canadian pronunciation of the letter “Z.”
Example: “The last letter of the alphabet is zed, not zee.” - Hydro – Refers to electricity or electrical utilities.
Example: “I need to pay my hydro bill this month.” - Washroom – A polite term for the bathroom or restroom.
Example: “Where’s the washroom? I need to freshen up.” - Clicks – Short for kilometers, referring to distance.
Example: “We’re only a few clicks away from the next town.” - Dart – A slang term for a cigarette.
Example: “He’s out back having a dart.” - Mickey – A small bottle of liquor, typically 375ml.
Example: “I picked up a mickey for the party tonight.” - Peameal – Canadian bacon, often rolled in cornmeal.
Example: “I had a peameal bacon sandwich for breakfast.” - Bunnyhug – What people in Saskatchewan call a hoodie.
Example: “It’s chilly, better grab your bunnyhug!” - Out for a rip – Going for a drive, often aimlessly, just for fun.
Example: “We’re just going out for a rip around town.” - Toboggan – A sled used for sliding down snow-covered hills.
Example: “Grab your toboggan, let’s hit the slopes!”
The SlangHub team has a soft spot for Canadian slang and this page is one of our favorite additions to the slang dictionary. But if you still have an appetite for more regional slang, check out our other guides:
