Common phrases & expressions in Ontario

Ontario English is the same language as other English, with a few local lines. Most of them are short. A visitor hears them at a counter, in a car, and on a dock.

Sorry

• It is said when you bump someone, and also when they bump you.
• It is not always a real apology. It is a small softener.
• A door held, a tight aisle, a near miss: sorry covers them.
• It does not mean you were wrong.
• Leaving it out can sound sharp.

Eh

• It is a tag at the end of a line. It asks if you follow.
• “Cold out, eh?” means the speaker wants a small yes.
• It is less common in a formal room.
• A visitor does not need to copy it.
• Hearing it is normal. It is not a joke on its own.

Not too bad

• It means fine, or even good. It does not mean poor.
• “How are you?” often gets this, not a long answer.
• Praise is kept small. “Not bad” can be a compliment.
• A real complaint sounds different. This one is mild.
• It fits the habit of not making a fuss.

Double-double

• It is a coffee with two creams and two sugars.
• The line comes from the doughnut counter. It is still used.
• You can order it that way and be understood.
• A “regular” in some shops means one cream and one sugar.
• It is a drink order, not a proverb.

Give’er

• It means try hard, or go ahead.
• A stuck door, a last hill, a job to finish: give’er.
• It is casual. A meeting does not use it.
• The point is effort, not carelessness.
• A friend says it. A stranger may not.

Out for a rip

• A rip is a short drive with no real errand.
• It is often in a truck, on a back road, or to the cottage.
• The point is the drive itself.
• It is a weekend line more than a work line.
• You are invited, or you are not. Both are fine.

A two-four

• It is a case of 24 beers.
• The name is the count, not a brand.
• It shows up at a cottage, a barbecue, and a long weekend.
• A six-pack is smaller. A two-four is the party size.
• It is a shopping word, not a toast.

Toque

• It is a knit winter hat.
• Ontario says toque. Other places say beanie.
• You need one from November on.
• Losing it is a small winter story.
• The word is local. The hat is not optional.