Like any region in the United States, the people of the Midwest have their own language, a subset of slang and sayings that tell anybody, "Oh yeah, this person's definitely from the Midwest."
Here is a look at 50+ of those phrases and sayings you might find while traversing around the Midwest.
Getting a Midwesterner Excited
If you rile up a Midwesterner one way or another, you're liable to hear one of these phrases:
- Ope!
- Uff da!
- For cryin' out loud
- Cheese and rice / Cheese and mice
- Oh, for cute! / Oh for fun!
- Heavens to Betsy! / Jeez Louise!
- Holy wah!
- Shucky darn!
The Social Midwesterner
In the typical day-to-day setting, these are the little phrases a Midwesterner will slip into a conversation:
- You betcha
- Don'tcha know
- Gonna sneak by ya / Gonna squeeze by ya
- I better not keep ya
- That's different / That's interesting
- Bless your heart
- Come with
- Or no? / er no?
- Whatcha thinkin' bout?
- Yeah, no, for sure
Then there is, of course, the Midwestern Goodbye. The Midwestern Goodbye essentially accounts for that hour or so period of time from initially saying goodbye to the slow march to the door, the additional goodbyes and side conversations, and the slight holding open of the door as you finally make your exit from a gathering.
More Midwestern Sayings
- If I had my druthers...: Another way to say "If I had my way..."
- Knee high by the Fourth of July: A traditional marker for a healthy corn crop
- Slow as molasses: Used to describe something moving with incredibly slow speed, whether it's a person, the never-ending winter, etc.
- He's got the holler tail: To describe someone who is sick or in a bad mood, originating from an old folk belief about cows.
- Puthergoin-eh!: A condensed version of "Let's get going!"
- Tough tomatoes! / Tough titties!: Another way to say "Tough luck!"
- Makes as much sense as government cheese: A way to describe a truly nonsensical idea.
- Frozen Chosen: A nickname for Presbyterians and Lutherans, known for being more formal or "chilly."
- Schnookered / Schnockered: If someone calls you this, you're either super drunk or you've been conned.
- The cold builds character: This is how we justify living in the Midwest during the harsh winters.
- Like a bat out of hell: Moving very fast.
- Snug as a bug in a rug: So very cozy.
- Full as a tick: Feeling very full after a big meal.
- Doesn't know beans: Calling someone stupid.
Other Regional Midwest Phrases and Terms
-
Duck Duck Gray Duck: A Minnesota-specific version of "Duck Duck Goose"
- Cornhole: Sometimes called "bags" as well
- Euchre slang: Pick it up, I'm going alone, In the barn, Bower
- TYME Machine: An ATM in Wisconsin.
- Stop-and-go lights: Traffic lights.
- Tenna shoes: A common mispronunciation of "tennis shoes," the same way you might hear someone in Northeast Ohio say "Menner" instead of "Mentor."
- Dibs: Laying claim to something.
- Frunchroom: The front room of a house.
- Kybo: Another term for a port-a-potty.
- Quakenado: An earthquake and tornado at the same time.
- Crick: A small stream or creek.
- Caddy Corner: Diagonal to something.
- Devil's strip / Tree lawn: That small strip of grass between the sidewalk and the street. While called a tree lawn throughout much of the Midwest, you'll also hear it called the "devil's strip" specifically in Akron, Ohio.
You might come across other Midwest phrases and slang out there, but if you hear any of the above, you'll know there's always a pretty good chance you're in the midst of a Midwesterner. Prepare yourself accordingly!