Most of us Pennsylvanians would likely agree that we live in a pretty diverse state. Our diversity is what makes PA so special, but we also share some commonalities. Take language. Most of us use words and phrases that might confuse those from other states. Here are 13 things people say in Pennsylvania.
*Disclosure: PA is such a diverse place that some of these words/phrases may only be used in one city or section of the state. Share your favorite purely PA words and phrases in the comments below!
- The laundry needs folded.
Flickr/Kelly The dishes need washed. The bills need paid. Notice anything missing in each of those statements? To be. Although it’s not just one phrase, we Pennsylvanians tend to omit the “to be” from our sentences.
- Rid/red up your room.
Flickr/elCapitanBSC Do parents tell their kids to “rid/red” up their room in your corner of PA? How many of us have been told or have told someone else to rid/red up (clean) their sloppy room?
- The sidewalk is slippy.
Flickr/David Fulmer Watch out! The sidewalk is slippy! It’s been snowing, and the roads are getting slippy. Some of us say slippy instead of slippery. It’s a PA thing.
- Outen the lights.
Flickr/Brian Turner Time for bed. Outen the lights. The common Pennsylvania phrase simply means to turn out the lights.
- Yinz/youse/youns/you-ins going out?
Flickr/Noe Alfaro PA’s a pretty big state. Throughout the state, Pennsylvanians have their very own version of you. Some of those versions include yinz, youse, youns, and you-ins. Any other favorite ways to say you in PA?
- Stop being so nebby.
Flickr/Miki Yoshihito Sometimes a stranger’s conversation is just too riveting. Or, you really want to hear what someone is saying in another room, so you stick your ear to the wall. (C’mon admit it. We’ve all done it.) If you’re caught in PA, the other person might tell you to stop being so nebby (nosy).
- Where’s the nearest MAC machine?
Flickr/Miranda The rest of the world might withdraw their money from an ATM machine. But, most of us in PA still ask for the nearest MAC machine when we need cash.
- Put the sweeper away.
Flickr/William Clifford I’m going to sweep the rugs. Put the sweeper away. That’s how some of us from PA refer to our vacuum cleaner and what we do with it.
- Scootch over!
Flickr/Robin Zebrowski You’re intruding on my personal space. Scootch over!
- Worsh your hair.
Flickr/beverlyislike Some use the excuse, when asked out, that they can’t go because they have to wash their hair. Uh-huh. In PA, we have to worsh our hair. Worsh the car. Worsh the clothes. We worsh, not wash.
- Darescent do that!
Flickr/Nathan LeClair Go ahead. Do something to make one of your elders unhappy. Just don’t be surprised when you get scolded with a “darescent do that!”
- You jagoff!
Flickr/stina Johnson Don’t annoy a Pittsburgher. Don’t cut in front of us in traffic, especially without your turn signal on, and don’t insult our sports teams. Otherwise, you’re likely to hear those two biting words, “you jagoff.”
- Beautiful day, hainna?
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli PA scores plenty of beautiful days throughout the year. Instead of saying beautiful day, isn’t it, some ponder, “beautiful day, hainna?”
These are just some of the things people say in Pennsylvania. What other phrases that are unique to PA would you add to the list? Let us know in the comments! Then check out the 20 words you’ll only understand if you’re from Pennsylvania.
Flickr/Kelly
The dishes need washed. The bills need paid. Notice anything missing in each of those statements? To be. Although it’s not just one phrase, we Pennsylvanians tend to omit the “to be” from our sentences.
Flickr/elCapitanBSC
Do parents tell their kids to “rid/red” up their room in your corner of PA? How many of us have been told or have told someone else to rid/red up (clean) their sloppy room?
Flickr/David Fulmer
Watch out! The sidewalk is slippy! It’s been snowing, and the roads are getting slippy. Some of us say slippy instead of slippery. It’s a PA thing.
Flickr/Brian Turner
Time for bed. Outen the lights. The common Pennsylvania phrase simply means to turn out the lights.
Flickr/Noe Alfaro
PA’s a pretty big state. Throughout the state, Pennsylvanians have their very own version of you. Some of those versions include yinz, youse, youns, and you-ins. Any other favorite ways to say you in PA?
Flickr/Miki Yoshihito
Sometimes a stranger’s conversation is just too riveting. Or, you really want to hear what someone is saying in another room, so you stick your ear to the wall. (C’mon admit it. We’ve all done it.) If you’re caught in PA, the other person might tell you to stop being so nebby (nosy).
Flickr/Miranda
The rest of the world might withdraw their money from an ATM machine. But, most of us in PA still ask for the nearest MAC machine when we need cash.
Flickr/William Clifford
I’m going to sweep the rugs. Put the sweeper away. That’s how some of us from PA refer to our vacuum cleaner and what we do with it.
Flickr/Robin Zebrowski
You’re intruding on my personal space. Scootch over!
Flickr/beverlyislike
Some use the excuse, when asked out, that they can’t go because they have to wash their hair. Uh-huh. In PA, we have to worsh our hair. Worsh the car. Worsh the clothes. We worsh, not wash.
Flickr/Nathan LeClair
Go ahead. Do something to make one of your elders unhappy. Just don’t be surprised when you get scolded with a “darescent do that!”
Flickr/stina Johnson
Don’t annoy a Pittsburgher. Don’t cut in front of us in traffic, especially without your turn signal on, and don’t insult our sports teams. Otherwise, you’re likely to hear those two biting words, “you jagoff.”
Flickr/Nicholas A. Tonelli
PA scores plenty of beautiful days throughout the year. Instead of saying beautiful day, isn’t it, some ponder, “beautiful day, hainna?”
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Address: Pennsylvania, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
things people say in Pennsylvania November 01, 2020 Beth Price-Williams What stereotypes are there about Pennsylvania? It’s not too big of a surprise that people have some stereotypes when it comes to Pennsylvania and her residents. However, some of those Pennsylvania stereotypes are absolutely true, and we certainly don’t mind that. As the home (Philly) of the cheesesteak sandwich, we can always tell a real cheesesteak from, well, a fake one. We live in PA and that means some wacky weather, so some days we use the heater and the A/C in the same 24-hour period. We also do some weird things – join in on lawn mower races, cheer on outhouse races, and call it PA, not Pennsylvania. Do Pennsylvanians have any strange habits? Pennsylvanians have strange habits? Really? Okay, living in Pennsylvania does mean you develop some habits that may appear strange to those who don’t live here. We like, for example, to put fries on our sandwiches and our fries. (Have you ever tried those combos? Simply delicious.) New Year’s Eve in PA also means the dropping of some really interesting items – a wrench, a Hershey kiss, a pickle, and a mushroom. Ready for really strange? The ball goes up, not down, in Pittsburgh. Some of us eat scrapple (you either love it or hate it), and we’ve all been to a wedding or a celebration at our local fire hall. Is Pennsylvania a great place to live? We, Pennsylvanians, may be a bit biased, but of course PA is a great place to live. After all, our beautiful state is brimming with natural beauty – waterfalls, 121 state parks, countless county and city parks, and natural and manmade lakes. If you’re a fan of the past or of the paranormal, you’re in the home of Gettysburg, the most haunted and one of the most historic towns in the United States. Pennsylvania is known for its sports and its fierce rivalry – Philadelphia versus Pittsburgh. You either root for the Eagles or the Steelers. And, you either stop at Wawa or at Sheetz.
The OIYS Visitor Center
things people say in Pennsylvania
November 01, 2020
Beth Price-Williams
What stereotypes are there about Pennsylvania? It’s not too big of a surprise that people have some stereotypes when it comes to Pennsylvania and her residents. However, some of those Pennsylvania stereotypes are absolutely true, and we certainly don’t mind that. As the home (Philly) of the cheesesteak sandwich, we can always tell a real cheesesteak from, well, a fake one. We live in PA and that means some wacky weather, so some days we use the heater and the A/C in the same 24-hour period. We also do some weird things – join in on lawn mower races, cheer on outhouse races, and call it PA, not Pennsylvania. Do Pennsylvanians have any strange habits? Pennsylvanians have strange habits? Really? Okay, living in Pennsylvania does mean you develop some habits that may appear strange to those who don’t live here. We like, for example, to put fries on our sandwiches and our fries. (Have you ever tried those combos? Simply delicious.) New Year’s Eve in PA also means the dropping of some really interesting items – a wrench, a Hershey kiss, a pickle, and a mushroom. Ready for really strange? The ball goes up, not down, in Pittsburgh. Some of us eat scrapple (you either love it or hate it), and we’ve all been to a wedding or a celebration at our local fire hall. Is Pennsylvania a great place to live? We, Pennsylvanians, may be a bit biased, but of course PA is a great place to live. After all, our beautiful state is brimming with natural beauty – waterfalls, 121 state parks, countless county and city parks, and natural and manmade lakes. If you’re a fan of the past or of the paranormal, you’re in the home of Gettysburg, the most haunted and one of the most historic towns in the United States. Pennsylvania is known for its sports and its fierce rivalry – Philadelphia versus Pittsburgh. You either root for the Eagles or the Steelers. And, you either stop at Wawa or at Sheetz.
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
It’s not too big of a surprise that people have some stereotypes when it comes to Pennsylvania and her residents. However, some of those Pennsylvania stereotypes are absolutely true, and we certainly don’t mind that. As the home (Philly) of the cheesesteak sandwich, we can always tell a real cheesesteak from, well, a fake one. We live in PA and that means some wacky weather, so some days we use the heater and the A/C in the same 24-hour period. We also do some weird things – join in on lawn mower races, cheer on outhouse races, and call it PA, not Pennsylvania.
Do Pennsylvanians have any strange habits?
Pennsylvanians have strange habits? Really? Okay, living in Pennsylvania does mean you develop some habits that may appear strange to those who don’t live here. We like, for example, to put fries on our sandwiches and our fries. (Have you ever tried those combos? Simply delicious.) New Year’s Eve in PA also means the dropping of some really interesting items – a wrench, a Hershey kiss, a pickle, and a mushroom. Ready for really strange? The ball goes up, not down, in Pittsburgh. Some of us eat scrapple (you either love it or hate it), and we’ve all been to a wedding or a celebration at our local fire hall.
Is Pennsylvania a great place to live?
We, Pennsylvanians, may be a bit biased, but of course PA is a great place to live. After all, our beautiful state is brimming with natural beauty – waterfalls, 121 state parks, countless county and city parks, and natural and manmade lakes. If you’re a fan of the past or of the paranormal, you’re in the home of Gettysburg, the most haunted and one of the most historic towns in the United States. Pennsylvania is known for its sports and its fierce rivalry – Philadelphia versus Pittsburgh. You either root for the Eagles or the Steelers. And, you either stop at Wawa or at Sheetz.
