Want to learn Canadian English? Here are 13 unique idioms you must know

BySpokenEnglishPractice Team

Canada is a large country in North America, just above the United States. Although Canadian people speak English, the culture of Canada is slightly different than the culture in the USA. Because of this, unique sayings and idioms have developed in Canadian English. Learning these are important so that you can fully understand what people are trying to say.

Below are 13 idioms and sayings, along with examples, that you will hear if ever visit or move to Canada!

 

  1. Walk the Green Mile

 

This saying means to move towards the inevitable (If you don’t know the definition of inevitable, it means “something that is going to happen no matter what you do”).

 

An example would be: “The boy who purposely didn’t try in school was walking the green mile toward (it was inevitable that he would end up) failing his classes.

 

  1. Warm the Cockles of Your Heart

To warm the cockles of your heart is when something or someone who makes you very happy.

Here’s an example: “My sight of my young grandchildren playing together warms the cockles of my heart (makes me very happy),” said the elderly woman.

 

  1. Whale’s Tail

This isn’t literally the tail of a whale. It is a saying for a Canadian pastry made from fried dough. It is also called a beaver’s tail or elephant ears (again, these aren’t the actual parts of animals!).

“That whale’s tail (beaver’s tail; fried pastry) was delicious! The fried dough taste so good.”

 

  1. Double-Double

In English, “double” means having twice of something. But in Canadian English, “double-double” doesn’t add up to the number four. It is actually an idiom for a regular coffee with two creams and two sugars.

An example would be: “The sleepy man waited online in the coffee shop so he could order this daily double-double (regular coffee with two creams and two sugars)

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  1. Wide of the mark 

This idiom means giving a very wrong answer. “The girl tried doing the math problem over and over again, but she was still wide of the mark (getting completely wrong answers).”

 

  1. What you sayin’?

You would think this phrase would mean “What are you saying?” but it is usually used in Canadian English to ask what someone is doing. It is similar to the American phrase, “What are you up to?” or “What’s poppin?”

 

Here’s an example: “My friends asked me ‘What you sayin’’ (What are you doing?) but I had to tell them I couldn’t go out tonight because I was feeling sick.”

 

  1. Wrong side of the tracks

“Wrong side of the tracks” refers to being in or from an area that is either poor or dangerous.

An example would be: “He was a good person, but people often judged him because was from the wrong side of the tracks (a poor and dangerous area).”

 

  1. Two-Four

Again, this isn’t some sort of math problem. A two-four is another way of saying a case of 24 beers.

“My friends asked me to pick up a two-four (a case of 24 beers) for the party tonight.”

 

  1. Snowbirds

Many birds fly south for the winter and travel to warmer places. The same thing is true for Canadians! Because Canada gets so cold, many people go south during winter to escape the freezing temperatures. These people are called snowbirds. Here’s an example: “I am a total snowbird. I can’t deal with the cold, so I go to Florida every winter where it’s warm.”

 

  1. Pencil Crayons

This sounds like a cool combination of a pencil and a crayon, but it is really just another name for colored pencils.

An example would be: “The students used pencil crayons (colored pencils) to decorate their posters.”

 

  1. Mickey

This saying has nothing to do with Mickey Mouse. It refers to a small, bottle of liquor, usually the size of a flask.

“That drink in the mickey (small bottle of liquor) is really good! What is it called?”

 

  1. Chesterfield

You won’t find any grass or chestnuts on a chesterfield because in Canada English, a chesterfield is another name for a couch or sofa.

Here’s an example: “I was so tired last night, I fell asleep on the chesterfield (couch/sofa) while watching TV.”

 

  1. When the cat’s away, the mice will play

This saying refers to when people take advantage of a situation when someone in authority (like a boss or parent) isn’t around.

“The manager’s favorite saying was ‘When the cat’s away, the mice will play’ because her employees always goofed off when she wasn’t around.”
Now you know some idioms and sayings from Canada! This will be very helpful for learning and improving your Canadian English. If you want to take your English to the next level, though, you should visit Spoken English Practice where you can take lessons with a native English tutor!

 

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