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English Canada

flow

Word USED On Occasion BY Ice hockey players

Long hair that sticks out of a hockey player's helmet

"Jagr has the best flow in hockey history."

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French | Québécois Québec, Canada

tomber dans sa semaine

Expression USED Very frequently BY Usually younger people

(to fall in one's week) • Used as a euphemism to mean “starting your period”.

“As-tu un tampon? Je viens de tomber dans ma semaine.”

“Do you have a tampon? I just fell in my week.”

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French | French Canadian Québec, Canada

Saint-Clin-Clin-des-Meuh-Meuh

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everybody

(n.) • It is used to refer to a remote location, most often than not, a far away village, "in the middle of nowhere", because in Québec, a lot of small villages are named "Saint-(something)".

"Mon cousin habite à Saint-Clin-Clin-des-Meuh-Meuh."

"My cousin lives In-the-middle-of-nowhere."

French | Joual Québec, Canada

siffleux

Word USED On Occasion BY Older Generations, Countryside people

(n.) • (whistler) • Used to refer to a groundhog, mostly because of the sounds they make when angry (that sounds like a sharp whistle).

"J'ai fini par attraper le siffleux qui détruisait mon jardin !"

"I finally caught the whistler that was destroying my garden!"

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English Canada

fits like a gunny sack

Expression USED Frequently BY Some People

Expression used to describe how poorly a garment fits to the body of the person wearing it.

"What do you think of my dress?" "Sorry but it fits like a gunny sack."

English Canada

fits like a glove

Expression USED Frequently BY Everyone

It is a standard and frequently used way to say that something fits extremely well.

"That's a beautiful jacket and it fits him like a glove."

Confirmed by 7 people

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French Québec (Canada)

frette

Slang USED Frequently BY Everybody

Used to describe something that is very cold. Mostly used to talk about the weather, but can also be used to talk about anything that is very cold. It is a variation of the word "froid", which means cold. But, since Québec and Canada are very up north, "froid" was not cold enough, hence came another level of cold: "frette". This expression can be transformed in other expressions, like "tite frette", which translates to "a cold one", meaning a beer.

"Wow, il fait tellement froid ici." "Il fait pas froid, il fait frette." "Wow, c'est vraiment de l'eau frette."

"Wow, it is so cold here." "It is not cold, it is frette." "Wow, this is really frette water."

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English Canada, United States

thanks, Captain Obvious

Expression USED On Occasion BY Everyone

Used sarcastically when someone points out the obvious. Can be used in jest between friends or scathingly sarcastic as an insult.

“The sign says “pull” the door open.” “Thanks, Captain Obvious!”

Confirmed by 4 people

English Canada

double-double

Slang USED Frequently BY Canadians

(n.) • Common way to drink coffee in Canada. 2 milk and 2 sugar.

“Hi, can I order a double-double please?”

Confirmed by 2 people

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French Québec, Canada

piastre

Word USED Frequently BY everyone

(n.) • In Québec French, "piastre" means dollar. Pronounced as "piasse", and often missheard as "pièce" by European French speakers.

"Combien t'a coûté ta nouvelle chemise ?" "20 piastres!"

"How much did you pay for your shirt?" "20 bucks!"

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French | Canadian French Quebec, Canada

être habillé comme la chienne à Jacques

Expression USED On Occasion BY Almost Everyone

(to be dressed like Jacques' female dog. ) • Used to describe a person dressed poorly. Apparently, a man named Jacques Aubert, who lived during the 19th century, was known as single all his life and only had one companion: a female dog that lost all of its fur because of some disease. During cold winter times, he would dress up his dog with old clothes and rags.

"On a beau être en vacances, ce n'est pas une raison pour s'habiller comme la chienne à Jacques."

"Even if we're on a vacation, it's not a reason to be dressed like Jacques' female dog."

Confirmed by 2 people

French Québec, Canada

tire-toi une bûche

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(pull yourself a log) • Used to tell someone to take a seat. Usually informal and used with people you are somewhat familiar with.

"Reste pas debout, tire-toi une bûche!"

"Don't just stand there, pull yourself a log!"

French Québec, Canada

avoir son voyage

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(to have your holiday trip) • to be fed up with something, annoyed or disgusted. can also be used to mark astonishment ("I can't believe it!")

"Ma soeur vole toujours mes vêtements, j'en ai mon voyage!!"

"My sister always steals my clothes, I've had enough of it!"

Confirmed by 2 people

French Québec, Canada

cogner des clous

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(banging nails) • Used to describe the behavior of someone trying to stay awake despite being very obviously tired.

"J'ai pas dormi de la nuit, alors j'ai passé la journée à cogner des clous."

"I didn't sleep at all last night, so I spent the day struggling to stay awake"

Confirmed by 3 people

French Québec, Canada

NRV

Abbreviation USED Frequently BY Teens

Abbreviation for "énervé", which translates to being "annoyed" or "angry". Used in text messages by teenagers and young adults.

"Ouf, ma mère me fatigue aujourd'hui, je suis NRV!"

"Ugh my mom's getting on my nerves today, I'm so annoyed!"

Confirmed by 7 people

French Québec, Canada

avoir la chienne

Expression USED Very frequently BY Everyone

(to have the (female) dog) • Synonymous with being afraid, it designates a state of anxiety or fear.

"Je dois faire un discours devant l'école demain. J'ai la chienne."

"I need to do a speech in front of the school tomorrow. I'm terrified."

French Québec, Canada

ne pas lâcher la patate

Expression USED Frequently BY Almost Everyone

(don't let go of the potato) • An invitation to persevere, to not give up.

"Je serai incapable de réussir mon examen de math." "Lâche pas la patate! Tu peux y arriver!"

"There's no way I'll pass my math exam." "Don't let go of the potato! You can do it!"

Confirmed by 2 people

French Québec, Canada

faire du train

Expression USED Very frequently BY Almost Everyone

(to make a train) • To make a lot of noise, to make a racket. Usually used to call out people who are annoying you by making too much noise in your surroundings.

"Arrête donc de faire du train!"

"Stop making so much noise!"

Confirmed by 3 people