As a native Coloradan, I pride myself on knowing all the things about this great state (or so I like to think!) as well as how to pronounce all the things and different locales around Colorado. If you are new here and are still trying to figure out the jargon, what it means, and how to pronounce it, here is a quick cheat sheet with 9 of these must-learn, Only-in-Colorado words:
- Casa Bonita
Trebz/Wikimedia Commons I have never heard any two Coloradans pronounce “Casa” the same (I pronounce it “cass-uh” and have friends who say “cause-uh”), but we must all agree that Bonita is pronounced “bone-eat-uh.” If you hear ANYONE say “Bonnet-uh” or the like, they are a fake and must be corrected.
- FoCo
Citycommunications/Wikimedia Commons A popular nickname/abbreviation for the equally popular city of Fort Collins is FoCo, which is pronounced “foe-coe” and not “fah-cah.” (Trust me; I have heard it.)
- LoDo and LoHi
Gtj82/Wikimedia Commons Two of Denver’s hippest and most trendy of neighborhoods are Lower Downtown and the Highlands, which are lovingly called LoDo (“low-doh,” not “law-doh”) and LoHi (“low-high” vs. “law-he”).
- Ouray
Bede735/Wikimedia Commons Did you know that there is such a place as the “Switzerland of America” and that it is right here in Colorado? To see this charming mountain town for yourself, head to Ouray (“yer-ay,” which rhymes with hooray).
- Gapers
Keflavich/Wikimedia Commons Not to be confused with gappers, gapers (“gape-ers”) are novice skiers who take up precious space by standing atop the hill, not knowing what to do.
- Trustafarians
Flickr/Oliver DelaCruz What in the world is a Trustafarian, you ask? Well, OBVIOUSLY, it is a mix between a trust fund baby and a rastafari, and is pronounced “trust-uh-farian.”
- Poudre
Oneliketadow/Wikimedia Commons Arguably the most beautiful river in northern Colorado, the Cache la Poudre (“cash / la / pooh-der”) is billed as being Colorado’s only nationally designated “Wild & Scenic” river.
- Blucifer
Flickr/Mike Sinko He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, and he knows if you will catch your flight on time as he stands guard outside of Denver International Airport! Who am I talking about? Why, the terrifying Blucifer (“blue-sif-fur), of course!
- Chinook
Federal Aviation Administration/Wikimedia Commons Last but certainly not least on our list of hard-to-pronounce Colorado words is Chinook (“chin-nuke”), which, according to Wikipedia, is “where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.”
For even more Only in Colorado humor, check out The 11 Puns About Colorado That Are So Bad They Are Good.
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Address: Colorado, USA
- Casa Bonita
Trebz/Wikimedia Commons I have never heard any two Coloradans pronounce “Casa” the same (I pronounce it “cass-uh” and have friends who say “cause-uh”), but we must all agree that Bonita is pronounced “bone-eat-uh.” If you hear ANYONE say “Bonnet-uh” or the like, they are a fake and must be corrected.
- FoCo
Citycommunications/Wikimedia Commons A popular nickname/abbreviation for the equally popular city of Fort Collins is FoCo, which is pronounced “foe-coe” and not “fah-cah.” (Trust me; I have heard it.)
- LoDo and LoHi
Gtj82/Wikimedia Commons Two of Denver’s hippest and most trendy of neighborhoods are Lower Downtown and the Highlands, which are lovingly called LoDo (“low-doh,” not “law-doh”) and LoHi (“low-high” vs. “law-he”).
- Ouray
Bede735/Wikimedia Commons Did you know that there is such a place as the “Switzerland of America” and that it is right here in Colorado? To see this charming mountain town for yourself, head to Ouray (“yer-ay,” which rhymes with hooray).
- Gapers
Keflavich/Wikimedia Commons Not to be confused with gappers, gapers (“gape-ers”) are novice skiers who take up precious space by standing atop the hill, not knowing what to do.
- Trustafarians
Flickr/Oliver DelaCruz What in the world is a Trustafarian, you ask? Well, OBVIOUSLY, it is a mix between a trust fund baby and a rastafari, and is pronounced “trust-uh-farian.”
- Poudre
Oneliketadow/Wikimedia Commons Arguably the most beautiful river in northern Colorado, the Cache la Poudre (“cash / la / pooh-der”) is billed as being Colorado’s only nationally designated “Wild & Scenic” river.
- Blucifer
Flickr/Mike Sinko He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, and he knows if you will catch your flight on time as he stands guard outside of Denver International Airport! Who am I talking about? Why, the terrifying Blucifer (“blue-sif-fur), of course!
- Chinook
Federal Aviation Administration/Wikimedia Commons Last but certainly not least on our list of hard-to-pronounce Colorado words is Chinook (“chin-nuke”), which, according to Wikipedia, is “where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.”
For even more Only in Colorado humor, check out The 11 Puns About Colorado That Are So Bad They Are Good.
Trebz/Wikimedia Commons
I have never heard any two Coloradans pronounce “Casa” the same (I pronounce it “cass-uh” and have friends who say “cause-uh”), but we must all agree that Bonita is pronounced “bone-eat-uh.” If you hear ANYONE say “Bonnet-uh” or the like, they are a fake and must be corrected.
Citycommunications/Wikimedia Commons
A popular nickname/abbreviation for the equally popular city of Fort Collins is FoCo, which is pronounced “foe-coe” and not “fah-cah.” (Trust me; I have heard it.)
Gtj82/Wikimedia Commons
Two of Denver’s hippest and most trendy of neighborhoods are Lower Downtown and the Highlands, which are lovingly called LoDo (“low-doh,” not “law-doh”) and LoHi (“low-high” vs. “law-he”).
Bede735/Wikimedia Commons
Did you know that there is such a place as the “Switzerland of America” and that it is right here in Colorado? To see this charming mountain town for yourself, head to Ouray (“yer-ay,” which rhymes with hooray).
Keflavich/Wikimedia Commons
Not to be confused with gappers, gapers (“gape-ers”) are novice skiers who take up precious space by standing atop the hill, not knowing what to do.
Flickr/Oliver DelaCruz
What in the world is a Trustafarian, you ask? Well, OBVIOUSLY, it is a mix between a trust fund baby and a rastafari, and is pronounced “trust-uh-farian.”
Oneliketadow/Wikimedia Commons
Arguably the most beautiful river in northern Colorado, the Cache la Poudre (“cash / la / pooh-der”) is billed as being Colorado’s only nationally designated “Wild & Scenic” river.
Flickr/Mike Sinko
He sees you when you’re sleeping, he knows when you’re awake, and he knows if you will catch your flight on time as he stands guard outside of Denver International Airport! Who am I talking about? Why, the terrifying Blucifer (“blue-sif-fur), of course!
Federal Aviation Administration/Wikimedia Commons
Last but certainly not least on our list of hard-to-pronounce Colorado words is Chinook (“chin-nuke”), which, according to Wikipedia, is “where the Canadian Prairies and Great Plains meet various mountain ranges, although the original usage is in reference to wet, warm coastal winds in the Pacific Northwest.”
