What are some Philly slang words?

Philly slang features unique words like "jawn" (anything), "wooder" (water), "'jeet yet?" (did you eat?), "boul/bul" (guy/dude), and "down the shore" (Jersey Shore), alongside specific pronunciations like "Schuylkill" (SKOO-kil) and ordering a cheesesteak "wit/witout" onions. Other common terms include "MAC machine" (ATM), "jimmies" (sprinkles), and "gravy" for tomato sauce.


What are some hood slangs?

Hip hop slang phrases
  • bust a nut – ejaculate.
  • bust a move – to act first in an altercation, to perform a dance step. ...
  • coolin' it – relaxing.
  • da bomb – the bomb; cool, appealing, or popular.
  • keep it trill – keep it true and real (true + real = trill)
  • off the hook – unbelievable, outrageous, wild, etc.


How do you say "hi" in Philly?

In Philly, "yo" is more than a word. It's a greeting, a warning, a question, an exclamation, and sometimes a full conversation. If you know, you know. Yo.


What words do people from Philly say differently?

Philly people say "weird" words like "jawn" (a thing/place), "wooder" (water), "youse" (you guys), "gravy" (red sauce), "down the shore" (the Jersey shore), and have unique pronunciations like "Schuylkill" (SKOO-kil) or "Eagles" (IG-gles). They also use terms like "wit/witout" for cheesesteaks (with/without onions) and "drawlin'" (acting out). 

How do people from Philly talk?

To speak Philadelphian, master unique slang like "jawn" (thing) and "wooder" (water), adopt distinct vowel sounds (like "oawn" for "on"), drop 'h's in some words, and use key phrases like "Yo!" (hello) and "Jeet?" (did you eat?), focusing on rapid, direct communication rather than perfect grammar, notes Lingoda and YouTube.


Philly Slang: Words you should know in Philadelphia



How do Philly say water?

Philadelphians famously say "water" as "wooder," pronounced like "WOO-der," with the first syllable rhyming with "put," a distinctive feature of the local accent that's often a source of local pride and identity, as seen in shows like Mare of Easttown and even by the local mascot Gritty. 

Is "yo" a Philly word?

Yo is a slang interjection, commonly associated with North American English. It was popularized by Italian Americans in Philadelphia during the 1940s.

What does Ocky mean in Philly?

Ocky - meaning fake or inauthentic.


What does Yurp mean in Philly?

In Philly (Philadelphia) slang, "Yurp" (or "Yerp") is a versatile expression meaning "what's up," "yes," "you heard?", or a general call to get attention, often used excitedly or as a casual affirmative, similar to "Yup" but with regional flair from the Philly/Baltimore area. It's a friendly way to greet, confirm, or acknowledge someone, showing it's a key part of local dialect alongside terms like "Jawn" or "Ard". 

How to talk with a Philly accent?

To do a Philly accent, bring sounds to the front of your mouth, avoid enunciating clearly, and use a "rounded," slightly slower, and more monotone delivery than New York; key features include pronouncing "water" as "wooder," tensing the short "a" sound (like "bad" becoming "bed"), and using slang like "jawn" (thing) and "jeet?" (did you eat?).
 

How does Gen Z say "hi"?

Gen Z slang for "hello" includes informal greetings like "What's up?," "Sup?," "Yo," "Hey," or simply a nod/stare for a low-key vibe, with some using "Hewwo" ironically or "Suh" (short for "what's up"), though authenticity often trumps elaborate greetings, so sometimes no words are used at all. 


What do they call ATMs in Philly?

It started right here back in 1977, Philadelphia National Bank dropped one of the first ATM networks in the whole country and called it the Money Access Center. Boom. The MAC was born. Everyone else calls it an ATM now, but not us.

What is a Bul in Philly?

In Philly slang, "bull" (often spelled boul, bul, or bol) means a boy or young man, used affectionately or as a general term for a guy, similar to "dude," but can also refer to testicles in some contexts, and "calling bull" means calling out a lie or something ridiculous. It's a key part of the local dialect, pronounced to rhyme with "pool," and can be seen in phrases like "young boul". 

What are 5 slang words?

American Slang
  • ASAP - "As Soon As Possible." A task you should complete immediately.
  • At One's Fingertips - Easily recalled or available.
  • Bar - A place where alcoholic beverages are served.
  • Big Deal - Anything important or exciting.
  • Blown Away - To be really surprised or shocked about something.


What is 12 in hood slang?

In "the hood" (urban slang for a neighborhood, often referring to inner-city or marginalized communities), "12" is slang for the police or law enforcement, used as a warning or derogatory term, stemming from the TV show Adam-12 or possibly police radio codes, to alert people that cops are nearby. 

What is 39 in slang?

"39" slang primarily means "Thank You" in Japanese (as san-kyu) and is used in online culture, especially for the character Hatsune Miku (Miku = 39) or as a gaming term for character builds (like "Borrowed Time" + "Broken Windows" in Identity V). In Afghanistan, however, "39" carries a negative connotation, associated with pimps and bad luck, known as the "Curse of 39".
 

What is a bub in Philly?

Bub or bubbing Bub is another word for fight, and bubbing is another word for fighting. Someone from Philadelphia who is trying to fight you would say “you tryna bub?!”


What is a Shyste?

Shyster (/ˈʃaɪstər/; also spelled schiester, scheister, etc.) is a slang word for someone who acts in a disreputable, unethical, or unscrupulous way, especially in the practice of law, sometimes also politics or finance.

What does yawn mean in Philly?

Jawn is a slang term local to Philadelphia and, by extension, the Delaware Valley. It is a placeholder word that may refer to a thing, place, person, or event, substituting for a specific word/name. Jawn is a context-dependent substitute noun; a noun that substitutes for other nouns.

What does cockie mean?

"Cocky" (often spelled "cockie") means overly confident, arrogant, or boastful, swaggering with excessive self-assurance, like a "jauntily conceited" person. In Australian and New Zealand slang, "cocky" can also refer to a cockatoo bird or a farmer, while in older British/Irish usage, it was a term of endearment.
 


What does OTC mean in texting?

In text slang, OTC most commonly means "Over The Counter," referring to medicine bought without a prescription, but can also mean "on the cheek" for playful flirting, or even "off the clock" for work-related chats, though the context usually clarifies if it's medical, flirty, or work-related. 

What is a Philly accent called?

The Philly accent is officially called Philadelphia English, part of the broader Delaware Valley English dialect, and is famous for unique vowel shifts (like "wooder" for water, "Iggles" for Eagles, "jeet" for did you eat), dropping consonants, and slang like "jawn," though it's evolving and harder to pin down due to neighborhood and generational differences. It's studied extensively as a unique Mid-Atlantic dialect with Northern and Southern influences, often summarized as a distinct local American English. 

What if a girl says "yo"?

It's just a term of friendly Endearment and is nothing more than that so whatever you do don't extrapolate more than what's there.


What drug is Yola slang for?

"yola": Slang for a mixture, especially cocaine - OneLook. Usually means: Slang for a mixture, especially cocaine.