Speak Like a Native: 12 Canadian Slang Words CELPIP Takers Must Know

Are you preparing with an excellent CELPIP review center in Manila? Want to raise your chances of success even higher? Build up your Canadian English vocabulary!

Below are some of the most commonly used Canadian slang words. Integrate them into your review to gain a communicative advantage not only as a CELPIP test taker but also as a soon-to-be Canada resident.

      1.    Whitener – (n.) a non-dairy creamer for coffee 

Example:

She prefers her morning caffeine fix with a teaspoon of whitener (non-dairy creamer). 

      2.    Pop – (n.) a soda or carbonated beverage

Example:

He drank a pop (soda) to get rid of the medicine’s bitter taste.

      3.    Kerfuffle – (n.) an altercation or a commotion caused by a disagreement

Example:

The kerfuffle (commotion) down the street almost made me late for my class at the CELPIP review in Manila. Good thing the police were quick to intervene.

      4.    Pencil crayons – (n.) colored pencils or a pencil containing a colored marking substance

Example:

Her sister got her a brand new set of pencil crayons (colored pencils) for her birthday.

      5.    Keener– (n.) a person who is very excited or passionate about something

Example:

I’ve heard you finished the literature project weeks before its submission. I didn’t know you’re such a keener. (I didn’t know you were very excited about it).

      6.    Runners – (n.) shoes that are used for running and other athletic activities

Example:

Do you have any spare runners (running shoes) I can borrow? I left mine at home.

      7.    Parkade – (n.) a multistory parking garage or parking space

Example:

On what floor of the mall’s parkade (parking space) did you park the car?

      8.    Stag/Stagette – (n.) a bachelor or bachelorette party

Example:

Are you coming to Simon’s stag (bachelor party) this weekend?

      9.    Toque – (n.) a knitted cap similar to a beanie, typically used during the winter

Example:

It’s snowing! I guess it’s time to dig up my toques (knitted caps) and scarves from the back of the closet.

      10.  Skookum – (adj.) good, fantastic, or great

Example:

You will not believe the skookum (fantastic) deal I got on these shoes.

      11.  Chesterfield – (n.) a couch or sofa

Example:

Want to go furniture shopping with me? Our living room’s chesterfield (sofa) needs a replacement.

      12.  Homo milk – (n.) whole or homogenized milk

Example:

The homo milk (whole milk) we have has gone bad. I’ll pick some up on the way home from work later.

Supercharge your CELPIP test performance. Include these jargons to your English vocabulary to get to know the country’s cultural climate better and avoid communicative problems. Enroll in the CELPIP review center in Manila to learn more useful Canadian words and expressions.

REFERENCES:

Panin, Cyla. "15 Real Canadian Slang Terms And What They Actually Mean." BuzzFeed. Accessed September 4, 2018. https://www.buzzfeed.com/cylapanin/real-canadian-slang-and-what-they-mean?utm_term=.psDXdeov8#.isvx8X9Jg.

Toronto, Culture Trip. "28 Canadian Slang Words You Need To Know." Culture Trip. March 05, 2016. Accessed September 4, 2018. https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/canada/articles/how-to-speak-like-a-torontonian/.

Crowe, Portia. "35 things Canadians say that Americans don't understand." Business Insider. July 01, 2015. Accessed September 4, 2018. http://www.businessinsider.com/canadian-slang-terms-2015-7.