Social
Sorry
SOR-ee — said constantly, rarely an actual apology
Excuse me / pardon / mind you. The social lubricant of Canadian life.
Eh?
AY — tacked onto the end of a sentence
Right? / don't you think? A genuine tag question inviting agreement, not a stereotype.
Food
Double-double
At Tim Hortons — 'can I get a double-double'
Coffee with two creams and two sugars. Ordering one correctly is a small rite of passage.
Pop
Not 'soda', not 'fizzy drink'
Any soft drink.
Daily life
Loonie / toonie
LOO-nee, TOO-nee
The one- and two-dollar coins. Canada has no $1 or $2 note, so you'll carry heavy change.
Washroom
Never 'toilet', rarely 'bathroom' in public
The public restroom. Asking for the 'toilet' reads as blunt to Canadian ears.
Presto
'Tap your Presto'
The transit card for the TTC, GO Transit and most of the region's systems.
Hydro
'The hydro bill', 'is hydro included?'
Electricity — not water. Ontario's power was historically hydroelectric and the name stuck. Critical when reading a rental listing.
Toque
TOOK — rhymes with 'duke'
A knitted winter hat. You will own several by December.
The 401
'the four-oh-one'
The highway across the top of the city — one of the busiest in North America, and the default excuse for lateness.
Work
May two-four
'What are you doing for May two-four?'
The Victoria Day long weekend in late May — the unofficial start of summer. Also slang for a case of 24 beers.
Emergency
911
Dial 911 for police, fire or ambulance
The emergency number. 311 handles non-emergency city services and 211 community and social services.
Some of this may be out of date. Spotted something inaccurate? Help us keep it right for the next newcomer.