15 Funny Words And Phrases That People From Ohio Say

Ohio sayings are often misunderstood, and that's because they're part of a language that's all our own. From strange sports-related references to mispronunciations, we keep our Ohio slang pretty distinct. We like to think the things Ohioans say are what make us so special. If you're ever wondering how to know someone is from Ohio, these Ohio phrases are a pretty good clue. So unload the warsh and take off your tennis shoes (keep reading if you're confused), and enjoy the following list of funny Ohio words (and take note of which ones you say):

1. “O-H” means we desire an “I-O” reply.

This is basically our version of Marco Polo.

2. “Sweeper” refers to a vacuum cleaner.

Don’t act so confused... unless, that is, you're trying to get out of doing chores.

3. “Warsh” is just “wash” — with style.

Similarly, "crown" is what we call those multi-colored writing utensils kids use.

4. “The boot” refers to the trunk of a car.

(But that doesn’t mean we’re trying to be all fancy European or anything.)

5. "The Three C’s” are: Columbus, Cleveland, and Cincinnati.

(You'll probably order them based on where you live.)

6. "JC Penney’s," “Kroger’s,” and “Meijer’s” are what you think they are.

We just like to make our Ohio words possessive.

7. B-Dub’s = BW3’s = Buffalo Wild Wings.

(And we love our wings here in Ohio.)

8. "Who Dey” is simply how Bengals fans cheer.

This Ohio slang is pretty much part of our everyday vernacular during football season.

9. "The Shoe" is a proper noun here.

And just another one of those things Ohioans say.

10. Also, "The Jake" is not a person.

11. When you ask us *where* somewhere or something is, we won’t actually tell you where it is.

We’ll tell you something like, "Oh, it's 30 minutes outside of Cleveland."

12. “You’re fine,” means “No problem” or “No worries.”

(We’re not complimenting you.)

13. Sneakers and athletic footwear are strictly “tennis shoes” here.

(Whether you play tennis or not.)

14. When we say “Put that up,” we don’t always mean you need to physically place the object in an upward direction.

We actually just mean, "Put that away."

15. “Pop” is the dead giveaway of an Ohioan.

(We know that "soda" is really just a fancy way of saying "pop." You're not fooling us!)

Did you know about all of these funny Ohio sayings? If you knew 15 out of 15 of the above Ohio words, congratulations - you're from Ohio! What are some other fun pieces of Ohio slang? If you're looking for more signs you're from Ohio, these Ohio mannerisms will have you cracking up.

In addition to our unique language, the Buckeye State's abundance of natural wonders sets us apart from everyone else. Ash Cave Waterfall in Hocking Hills State Park, for example, is such a gem, and if you're interested in hiking to Ash Cave, check out the half-mile trail on AllTrails.