Here Are 20 Words That You’ll Only Understand If You’re From Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania has one of the most varied vocabularies in the entire country, representing five distinct dialects. You could even say we have our own dictionary. Our Pennsylvania slang is deeply ingrained in our roots. Most non-Pennsylvanians probably look at us a bit funny when we use these 20 popular Pennsylvania words.

1. Buggy

In some places it’s a shopping cart, but often in PA we put our groceries in a buggy. Which do you say – shopping cart, cart, or buggy?

2. Crick

This isn’t something that happens to your neck, rather it’s a small stream. Most people called it a creek, but not Pennsylvanians. We refer to those lazy bodies of water as "crick."

3. Gum Bands

How many times has someone asked you for a gum band, and you just looked at them funny? While we all probably know what gum bands are, we call them rubber bands in Pennsylvania. They’re helpful and handy, but don’t chew on them.

4. Hoagie

There seems to be a great debate as to whether these delicious sandwiches are hoagies, subs, or gyros. All I know is that, no matter what you might call it, I wish I had one right now.

5. Jagoff

Jagoff is an especially disparaging Pittsburghese word used to convey a feeling of someone being generally stupid, inconsiderate, or inept. If you’re driving down the parkway, for example, and someone slams on their brakes right before the Squirrel Hill Tunnel, you’re likely to yell or at least mutter "jagoff" under your breath.

6. Philly

Philadelphia is referred to as Philly by almost everyone in Pennsylvania. It’s also the home of the Philly cheesesteak. (If you hear someone call it a Philadelphia cheesesteak, chances are they’re not from Pennsylvania.)

7. Djeetyet?

Did you eat yet? We tend to cram all of the words of a sentence into a single word, especially those of us who live in Western Pennsylvania.

8. Yinz, yinzer, yous, you guys

Depending on where you are in the state, you might encounter yinz (in Pittsburgh) or you guys (closer to Philly.) The term is so prevalent in Pittsburgh that residents of the city are referred to as Yinzers.

9. Mummer

The Mummers Parade is held in Philadelphia every year on New Year’s Day. It is believed to be the oldest folk festival in the country.

10. State Store

Not so long ago, here in Pennsylvania, we couldn't buy liquor at grocery stores or convenience stores, so we went to state stores to purchase our booze instead. Some of us still do.

11. Dippy Eggs

Referred to as eggs over easy most other places, dippy eggs hold a special place in Pennsylvanians’ hearts.

12. Wooder

Water! This is a variation found more commonly in the eastern part of the state.

13. Wawa

Another eastern PA thing, Wawa fulfills all of our hoagie and quick snacking needs. We feel sorry for anyone who doesn’t recognize the name. However, if you live on the other side of the state, you probably frequent Sheetz.

14. Dahntahn

Downtown, and that’s pretty much how you’ll hear every Pittsburgher refer to downtown Pittsburgh. Just dahntahn.

15. ‘N at

A Pittsburghese staple, n'at means "and that." It's usually thrown onto the end of a sentence, as in, "We're going down to the Steelers game n'at."

16. Down the shore

It just means we’re going to The Jersey shore.

17. Gesundheit

This one comes straight from Pennsylvania’s Germanic roots. Gesundheit is the German version of "bless you," said after someone sneezes, and it’s more prevalent in Pennsylvania than anywhere else in the U.S.

18. Slippy

Slippery. When we’re putting out our parking chairs in the dead of winter, to save our freshly shoveled parking space, we probably remark at just how slippy the ice has made the road.

19. Babushka

A headscarf tied under the chin, worn by Russian or Polish women. Pennsylvania’s Polish roots brought the term to the region.

20. Scrapple

Yummmm. Scrapple is the one Pennsylvania food, maybe along with peeps, that you either love or you hate. Which side do you fall on? Fan or no?

There you have it… Your own Pennsylvania slang dictionary. These PA words are just one of the ways that we Pennsylvanians wear our roots. Which are your favorite slang words from Pennsylvania? What words or phrases have we left out? Join the conversation in the comments! Did you know these are nine words that only Pennsylvanians can pronounce?