Ohioans are often misunderstood, and that’s because we essentially have a language that’s all our own. From strange sports-related references to mispronunciations, we keep our lingo pretty distinct. We like to think the Ohio language is what makes us so special. If you’re ever wondering how to know someone is from Ohio, these 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.
Peas/Flickr
This is basically our version of Marco Polo.
2. “Sweeper” refers to a vacuum cleaner.
Svein Halvor Halvorsen/Flickr
Don’t act so confused... unless, that is, you're trying to get out of doing chores.
3. “Warsh” is just “wash” -- with style.
Dejan Krsmanovic/Flickr
Similarly, "crown" is what we call those multi-colored writing utensils kids use.
4. “The boot” refers to the trunk of a car.
Paulo O/Flickr
(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.
Noé Alfaro/Flickr
(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.
Nicholas Eckhart/Flickr
We just like to make our Ohio words possessive.
7. B-Dub’s = BW3’s = Buffalo Wild Wings.
Mike Mozart/Flickr
(And we love our wings here in Ohio.)
8. "Who Dey” is simply how Bengals fans cheer.
Tony Alter/Flickr
This Ohio slang is pretty much part of our everyday vernacular during football season.
9. "The Shoe" is a proper noun here.
Dan Keck/Flickr
And just another one of those things Ohioans say.
10. Also, "The Jake" is not a person.
Michelle/Flickr
11. When you ask us *where* somewhere or something is, we won’t actually tell you where it is.
Mr.TinDC/Flickr
We’ll tell you something like, "Oh, it's 30 minutes outside of Cleveland."
12. “You’re fine,” means “No problem” or “No worries.”
Michael Coghlan/Flickr
(We’re not complimenting you.)
13. Sneakers and athletic footwear are strictly “tennis shoes” here.
RC!/Flickr
(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.
Decaf/Flickr
We actually just mean, "Put that away."
15. “Pop” is the dead giveaway of an Ohioan.
Rex Sorgatz/Flickr
(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 15/15, congratulations! You’re from Ohio. What are some other fun pieces of Ohio slang? Let us know in the comments below! And if you’re looking for more signs you’re from Ohio, these Ohio mannerisms will have you cracking up.

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Phrases People From Ohio Say

Sarah | February 15, 2021

What are some fun facts about Ohio?

Take a look at some of the coolest fun facts about Ohio!

  • The first professional city fire department was in Cincinnati.
  • Cleveland was the first city to be lighted by electricity.
  • Ohio has the largest Amish population in the U.S.
  • Ohio, it is illegal to get a fish drunk.

 

What's the deal with people spelling out O-H-I-O?

There is a ton of state pride here in Ohio, and yes, Ohioans often randomly yell out “O-H” and fully anticipate an “I-O” reply. And most of the time, they get it! The citizens want to know where their fellow Buckeyes are at! (To that end, locals also like to spell out O-H-I-O with our arms. It's just what we do.)

Where is the oldest town in Ohio?

One of the things we love best about the Buckeye state is its rich, vibrant history, and there are plenty of historic towns in Ohio. Located in the eastern part of the state, Marietta is Ohio’s oldest town. Marietta was founded in 1788 by General Rufus Putnam and a group of Revolutionary War veterans.

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