Louisiana is famous for its vibrant culture, unique food, and especially its colorful local language. Many sayings and expressions are so distinctively Louisianan that outsiders might be left scratching their heads-or laughing out loud. Here are some hilarious and iconic sayings you’ll only hear in Louisiana:
Classic Louisiana Sayings
- “That food was so good, it’d make you wanna slap ya mama!” Used to describe food that’s unbelievably delicious.
- “First you make a roux.” The essential opening line for any traditional Cajun or Creole recipe, as if everyone should just know what comes next.
- “Laissez les bon temps rouler.” French for “Let the good times roll,” this is the unofficial motto of Louisiana, especially during Mardi Gras.
- “Pass a good time.” Meaning to have a great time-because in Louisiana, you don’t just have fun, you pass it around.
- “Throw me somethin’, Mister!” Heard during Mardi Gras parades when locals (and visitors) beg for beads and trinkets from parade floats.
- “How’s ya mama an’ them?” A friendly way of asking about someone’s whole family, not just their mother.
- “Lagniappe.” Pronounced “lan-yap,” it means a little something extra, like a baker’s dozen or a bonus treat.
- “Geaux Tigers!” A rallying cry for LSU fans, using the French spelling of “go” to reflect the state’s heritage.
- “Where y’at?” A New Orleans greeting meaning “How are you?” or “What’s up?” The proper response: “Awrite!”.
Uniquely Local Phrases
- “Do-do” (pronounced dough-dough): In Louisiana, this means to go to sleep-not what you might think elsewhere.
- “Brake tag”: Refers to an inspection sticker for your vehicle, not something to do with your car’s brakes.
- “Neutral ground”: What locals call the median strip in the middle of a road.
- “Rodier” (pronounced row-dee-yay): Means to wander around aimlessly.
- “Padookie/badookie”: A ponytail holder, especially used in New Iberia.
- “Fais-do-do”: A Cajun dance party, literally meaning “to go to sleep,” because kids would fall asleep during the all-night festivities.
- “Gris gris”: Refers to a voodoo spell or charm, often used in jest: “You better do what your grandma says or she’ll put that gris gris on you!”.
Things You’ll Never Hear in Louisiana (Because They’re Just Not True)
- “It’s a dry heat.”
- “I should’ve bought a heavier jacket.”
- “You can’t eat that.”
- “Let’s go snowboarding.”
- “I’ll never eat crawfish.”
- “The humidity here is wonderful.”
- “No thanks, I don’t need any Tony Chachere’s.”
- “Three pounds is enough.”
- “Drive-thru daiquiris, that’s a dumb idea.”
Food and Fun
- “Pinch the tail and suck the head.” The proper way to eat crawfish-no explanation needed for locals.
- “Dressed”: When ordering a po’boy, “dressed” means with lettuce, tomato, pickles, and mayo.
- “Make a grocery bill”: Means to go grocery shopping.
- “Going up da bayou”: Traveling further inland or upstream from the coast.
Sources:
- https://mykisscountry937.com/funny-expressions-down-south/
- https://mykisscountry937.com/expressions-you-only-hear-in-louisiana-thatll-make-you-laugh/
- https://kenwheatonwrites.com/2014/07/15/talkin-funny-louisiana-style/
- https://973thedawg.com/7-louisiana-sayings-that-outsiders-probably-wont-get/
- https://973thedawg.com/things-youll-never-hear-said-in-south-louisiana/
- https://matadornetwork.com/read/19-words-expressions-learn-traveling-louisiana/