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About This Quiz
Howdy, y'all! Ain't no better time to brush up on your Texas lingo than the present. The Lone Star state is full of personality, and much of it is shown through the lingo that is used. One trip there will have you learnin' all types of new words and phrases that you never knew existed! Do you think you can talk like a true Texan?
Many folks have a way with words, and you can say the same about those who live in Texas. Since the state's beginnings as their own country, the lingo has developed into the words and phrases you hear there today. You'll find that many Texans have an accent that, in turn, gives their words an interesting flair. It may be a "wing" to you, but in this state, it's a "wang!" If you've got the accent mastered, then you're not far from being completely fluent in the slang. Learning a few Texas terms will have you sounding like you live there rather than being a tourist.
Hey y'all, ain't it time to get down to business? Get yourself ready and answer all of these questions right quick. There are more than you can shake a stick at!
May
Tank
Big'o
Everything's bigger in Texas as they say, so it's no wonder that they have a word that involves this! A Texan might say, "That's a big'o burger," meaning that the burger is pretty big. It's simple, but definitely effective.
Yer
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You're about to do something.
If a Texan is "fixin'" for something, then you know they're getting ready to do it. One might say they're "fixin' to watch the football game," or "fixin' to go to work." When they say this, they'll be sure to do it soon!
You think something is bad.
You found something.
You are doing something.
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Y'all
Blue Northern
Hoot
Git
In Texas, pronunciation is usually much different. So instead of telling someone to "get out," a Texan would most likely tell them to "git out." It's a Texasism that is pretty common to hear when you're in the state.
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Folks
It's not uncommon to hear the "folks" used in Texas. If you visit the website for the State Fair of Texas, you'll even find yourself greeted with the phrase, "Howdy, folks, this is Big Tex!" What could be more fitting for this?
Peeps
Kin
Tump
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Git
May
Done
Reckon
If a Texan "reckons" that something will happen, you can be sure that it probably will! It can also be used to say that something did happen, like in the sentence, "I reckon that Rebecca did make it home from her trip last week, but we should call anyway."
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Ain't
"I ain't doin' that," is a phrase you might hear a Texan say. The contraction is one of the more common words to hear, and it can be used in countless different ways. Being so versatile, using it will also make you sound like you're from Texas, even if you're not.
Reckon
Whup
Folks
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Reckon
Ruckus
Tump
Dad gum it
Keeping in line with Texans often being courteous and polite, it's no wonder that there's a substitute for swear words. "Dad gum it" is something they say when things don't go their way or someone angers them.
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They're mean.
They're new to the area.
They're clumsy.
A "clodhopper" means that the person is a bit clumsy. Did you know that the dictionary meaning for the word is used for a shoe rather than a person? Texans took this word and gave it a new meaning!
They're a good driver.
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A can of beer
A new coat
A large amount of rain
Texas isn't exactly known for torrential rainfall, but a gully washer is what they call it when there's a whole lot of rain falling. You might hear someone say, "That was one big gully washer we had yesterday."
A bit of trouble
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Git it going!
It's a gullywasher.
That's a piddle.
It's a hoot!
When it's a hoot in Texas, you know that they're having a great time. It can even be used when speaking about a person. "Y'all, Steven is such a hoot. Check him out!" is something you might hear in this state.
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They're angry.
They're tired.
While you can hear this term in other places as well, it's a common one when it comes to Texas. After a hard day's work, it's not uncommon to hear a Texan say "I'm tuckered out, folks," when they get back home.
They're sad.
They're happy.
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Party
A shindig in Texas is just a fancy way of saying "party." You might find yourself line dancing at a party in this state, but it's not always that way! There's events are held for every type of partier, whether you're a country music fan or pop fan.
Restaurant
Trip
Movie
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To sing
To grow
To protect
To beat up
A Texan watching a wrestling match might yell for someone to "whup" someone else. This can be also said as "whupped" in the past tense. There's no doubt that Texas lingo is quite versatile.
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How is your happy persnickety?
Wanna head over to the persnickety?
Persnickety, man!
Mindy is persnickety.
"Persnickety" is a Texan's fancy way of saying "snob," or referring to someone as such. Y'all, this descriptor is probably not one to use lightly, but it's an interesting one at that! Texans are usually quite humble, after all.
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Check it out!
Hey, y'all!
Look yonder!
You've probably heard this term a time or two, especially if you're watching a Western genre movie. This slang term still exists today with many Texans using it as a descriptor or as a direction. It's one word that you'll want to know if you visit the Lone Star State.
Y'all look!
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Leave
Help them out
Come back in a bit
Get it done quick
"Right quick" to a Texan means to do it fast, and right away! When used in a sentence, you might hear someone say, "Grab that bucket for me right quick." When you hear this, it's time to get movin', y'all!
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Stop it.
Can you tone it down?
Be quiet
Hush
If you visit Texas, you'll probably notice that most people are very polite. You probably won't hear the words "shut up," if you're being disruptive, but instead, a polite, "hush." It's simple, but effective.
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Friends
Cottage
Farm
Family
The word "family" is usually replaced by "kin" in Texas. You'll often also hear the similar word "kinfolk," which means almost the same thing. If you have kin in Texas, chances are you already knew this one!
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I ain't takin' the heat.
Git 'er done.
All shook up
This ain't my first rodeo.
Rodeos are important in Texas, so there's no surprise that they have a term that involves them. If it ain't someone's first rodeo, it means they've done something before, and they're telling you they can handle doing it again.
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To get something
"Fetching" something is probably something that you associate with a dog, but Texans use it as a way to say that they'll grab something. It can also be used in a question when asking another person to grab it instead.
To be famous
To be cool
To gossip with others
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How are ya?
Hey, partner!
Howdy!
One standard Texas greeting is "Howdy," which you've definitely heard in the movies. Did you know that before it became a greeting in Texas, this word was used in England for the same purpose?
Howzit?
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They know a Canadian.
The cold is coming.
A "blue norther" is slang for a cold front in Texas. While it's usually quite hot in the Lone Star State, cold fronts still happen there as well. Being prepared for one of these is very helpful when you live in Texas.
They're going to the mountains.
It's time for vacation.
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They are leaving.
They are ordering.
They love something.
They want something.
If you've got a hankering, you'll want to have whatever it is that is making you feel that way right quick! This is often used in relation to food or drink. communicating that someone really wants to have some. It's kind of like a craving!
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A lot
If you have "more of something than you can shake a stick at," then you definitely have a lot. Did you know that the first appearance of this phrase is from 1818 in a Pennsylvania newspaper? It made its way to the south as well!
To believe
Act
Make amends with
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Sure'nuff
"Are you going to be riding in the rodeo?" one might ask you. You can respond as a true Texan by saying, "Sure'nuff." It's not uncommon for Texas slang to be shortened versions of the original term. Just look at "y'all!"
Sure'n
Sure'thang
Sure'lie
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All get out
"This movie is as good as all get out" might sound odd to others, but to Texans, it's a term used in appreciation in this case. They're saying that the movie isn't just good, it's really good.
Dangit
Ain't
Right quick
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Dang it
All get out
Bless your heart
When a Texan says "bless your heart," they're ridiculing you in a way, though in a loving way, of course! It can be said if you've done something clumsy and reaped the consequences, or if you did something funny.
Howdy
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Git
Raising cane
All hat and no cattle
Tump
In place of "dump" or "tip," this word comes along and combines both of them! One phrase that the word would work in is, "John was riding his bicycle and he tumped over on the side of the road."
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Might could
Blue norther
Clodhopper
Vittles
Vittles is the fancy word for saying "food" in Texas. This word comes from another called "victuals," which has the same meaning. The two words have been used for years, but "vittles" is the one you'll most commonly hear today.
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Come hell or high water
"Come hell or high water" means that the speaker will get it done no matter what. For people who always hold themselves up to their promises, there's no better phrase to show someone else your true intentions.
Vittles
Pitch a hissy fit
Blue norther
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All announcer, no rodeo
All hat, no cattle
When someone is like this in Texas, they're described as being "all hat, no cattle." It's not really a good thing for the recipient of the comment, but the phrase itself sticks true to Texas, which is known for its rodeos and cattle drives.
All cluck, no chicken
All fun, no games
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Conniption fit
Rather than using an expletive or words like "temper tantrum," a Texan would use conniption fit, which is a little more polite. It can also be used when someone is experiencing fear and being vocal about it.
All git out
Right quick
Howdy
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Y'all
Kin
Pidlee'o
Instead of using "little," a Texan would say "pidlee'o" to refer to something small or unimportant. If you heard them say it in a sentence, it might sound like this: "John is getting rid of that pidlee'o thing."
Sure'nuff
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Kicker
When telling someone about a story, it's common to hear a Texan say, "And here's the kicker." It can sometimes preface something unbelievable or funny, and other times it can come before disappointing news.
Sweeper
Quarterback
Linebackers
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Noghthin'
Nothin'
Nothang
Nuttin'
Shortening the word and making the sound of the "T" more prominent, the word "nuttin'" is what you'll most commonly hear. Used in a sentence, you might hear a Texan say, "I got nuttin' from the insurance company."
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