Hot take: Slang is what makes the city — and Toronto is a global icon for the way we speak.
My friends from the United Kingdom have all been messaging me hyper-specific Toronto memes and TikToks. Like, how did they find out about the “if you left your moms in the hood” girl?
I’m not sure, but what I do know is that Torontonians have come together to hate and love our slang listicles — debating in the comments whether my words are valid or not. News flash, they are.
From “8 Toronto slang words you’d hear on the TTC” to “Yallah, it’s time for 8 more slang words you’d hear in Toronto,” we just can’t wait to share more, so you know when people are talking crap about you on the streetcar.
If you want to learn more, you can check out the Dictionary of English in Multicultural Toronto from the Canadian Language Museum. I hope you haven’t forgotten that the study of Toronto slang words is a real thing.
But if you don’t remember Multicultural Toronto English (MTE), jog your memory with Derek Denis’ research — an assistant professor of linguistics at the University of Toronto Mississauga.
Now, here’s our pick of slang words you should know about.
MARVED
This word is pronounced like “MARV-d,” and originates from the English word “starved.” It means that someone is extremely hungry. If your friend says he’s marved, stay away and take shelter.
BARE
This word originates from Jamaican Patois and is used in contexts where you’re referring to quantity. For example, you might say that there are bare baddies (many attractive people) at the party. Can’t say I’ve ever seen a ton of baddies in one place, but fingers crossed for you.
DESS
The origins of this word aren’t known, but it means someone’s ugly or sketchy. I hope no one’s using it to describe you, but if they are, just know they’re insulting you. Keep your chin up and call them “dess” back.
MURKED
Pronounced “MERK-d,” this one also means ugly. I don’t know what it is about Torontonians calling each other unattractive, but there’s a ton of these words. Anyway, if your boy says you’re murked, you’re hard to look at. Add fuel to the fire and say they’re chopped.
BLESSED
“Are you blessed, fam?” means “are you good, my dear loved one?” I’m trolling. But blessed does refer to someone’s wellbeing. It can be used with genuine care or in a sarcastic way.
DEAFAZ
This word means a harsh slap that’s most likely going to leave some damage. You might hear someone say, “man, I’m going to give him a deafaz.” If you do, know that something’s about to go wrong and that it’s time for you to leave.
DUTTY
Pronounced “dut-TEE,” this word refers to something, someone or some behaviour that is gross or icky. “This guy is dutty” could mean he’s actually gross or he could’ve just done something that’s shady as hell.
BAG
This word is used to refer to someone’s money or wealth. When someone’s focusing on “that bag,” they mean they’re getting their money up. In a world that’s obsessed with wealth, I hate to say that I hear this word pretty frequently.
Ready to fight some more with me over what is actually Toronto slang or not? Reach out to aia@thegreenline.to. Feel free to tell me off, but please no hate, I’m sensitive, lol.
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