Canadian Slang: 40+ Words and Funny Sayings, Explained

Canadians have a whole vocabulary that quietly confuses everyone else: coins named after birds, beer measured by the case, and a single syllable that can turn any sentence into a question. Here is a friendly guide to Canadian slang, more than forty words and funny sayings explained, grouped so you can find what you need.

Everyday Canadian slang

• Eh - the national tag word, tacked on the end to invite agreement. "Nice day, eh?"
• Toque - a knit winter hat. Rhymes with "kook", not "toke".
• Double-double - a coffee with two creams and two sugars, ordered by the millions at Tim Hortons.
• Timbits - bite-sized donut holes, also from Tim Hortons.
• Pop - a soft drink. Never "soda".
• Runners - running shoes or sneakers.
• Washroom - the bathroom or restroom.
• Klick - a kilometre. "The lake is about ten klicks up the road."
• Dart - a cigarette.
• Chesterfield - an older word for a couch or sofa.
• Garburator - the garbage disposal unit in a kitchen sink.
• Loonie - the one dollar coin, named for the loon on it.
• Toonie - the two dollar coin. Yes, it follows the loonie.

Canadian slang for people

• Hoser - a good-natured word for a goofy, unsophisticated person, made famous by Bob and Doug McKenzie.
• Keener - someone a bit too eager or enthusiastic, the kid with their hand up first.
• Beauty - high praise for a person or thing. "He is a beauty." "She is a beaut."
• Goof - a foolish person. Worth knowing that in Canada this is a surprisingly strong insult, so use it carefully.
• Canuck - a Canadian, worn as a badge of pride.

Beer, bottles and the two-four

• Two-four - a case of 24 beers. The May long weekend is even nicknamed the May two-four.
• Mickey - a small 375 millilitre bottle of liquor, curved to fit a pocket.
• Twenty-sixer - a 750 millilitre bottle.
• Molson muscle - a beer belly.
• Dep - in Quebec, the corner convenience store, from the French depanneur.

Funny Canadian sayings

The expressions that make Canadians sound like Canadians.

• Give'r - go all out, put in maximum effort. "Just give'r."
• Out for a rip - heading out for a drive or a good time.
• Take off, eh - a light, joking "get out of here".
• Keep your stick on the ice - stay ready, take care of yourself.
• Gong show - a chaotic, out-of-control situation.
• Kerfuffle - a commotion or fuss.
• Beauty, eh - all-purpose approval, roughly "that is excellent".
• Sorry - technically English, but Canadians deploy it as punctuation.

A quick regional note

Slang shifts across the country. Quebec French has its own rich set, from dep to depanneur runs, and the East Coast and Prairies each add their own colour. If you only remember one thing: "eh" travels everywhere, and so does "sorry".

Put it on a shirt

If this list made you homesick or just made you laugh, we print original Canadian pride designs in Canada, on soft tees and hoodies in every size from S to 3XL, sent from within the country so no customs charges apply. A few favourites: The Great White North, the We Are Canada maple flag tee, and vintage collegiate city tees for Toronto, Vancouver and Mississauga. Want your own town on a tee? Build one with the custom city tee. See more in the Canada pride collection.

Craving more true north trivia? Read 22 fun facts about Canada, or plan your July 1 fit with what to wear on Canada Day.

Quick answers

What is the most Canadian saying? "Eh" is the classic, used to turn a statement into a question or invite agreement. "Beauty" and "give'r" are close behind.

What does eh mean in Canada? It is a tag word added to the end of a sentence to check for agreement, like "right?" in "cold out today, eh?"

What is a two-four? A case of 24 beers. The Victoria Day long weekend in May is nicknamed the May two-four.

What is a hoser? A playful term for a goofy, unpolished person. It is teasing rather than truly mean, unlike "goof", which in Canada is a serious insult.

Can I get Canadian designs shipped in Canada? Yes. The Canada pride collection is printed and shipped inside Canada with no customs, flat $9.99 shipping and free over $120.