Updated September 2026
You betcha, Minnesota has its own way of talking.
From “ope” and “uff da” to hotdish, pop and the famous Minnesota goodbye, there are plenty of words, sayings and phrases that can make a conversation sound unmistakably Minnesotan.
Some Minnesota slang comes from the state’s Scandinavian heritage. Other expressions are common throughout the Upper Midwest, while a few are simply pieces of Minnesota culture that locals immediately understand.
Whether you’re new to Minnesota, visiting the state or just wondering what “I’m gonna squeeze right past ya” actually means, this Minnesota slang dictionary can help.
Below you’ll find Minnesota words, sayings and expressions — along with definitions and examples of how Minnesotans use them.
Most popular Minnesota slang and sayings
Ope: A quick exclamation often used when you bump into someone, make a small mistake or need to squeeze past someone.
Uff da: An expression of surprise, exhaustion, frustration, relief or dismay. It has Norwegian roots and is strongly associated with Minnesota and the Upper Midwest.
You betcha: An enthusiastic way of saying “yes,” “absolutely” or “you bet.”
Hotdish: Minnesota’s term for a casserole, often made with meat, vegetables, condensed soup and tater tots.
Minnesota nice: The stereotype that Minnesotans are polite, reserved and nonconfrontational; depending on who’s using the phrase, it can also carry a suggestion of indirectness or passive-aggressive behavior.
Minnesota goodbye: A goodbye that takes considerably longer than expected because everyone keeps talking on the way out.
Up north: The general Minnesota destination for cabins, lakes and weekends away — regardless of whether you’re actually traveling straight north.
Duck, duck, gray duck: Minnesota’s version of “Duck, Duck, Goose.”
Minnesota slang dictionary: words, sayings and phrases A-Z
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94, 35W, 62
Minnesotans commonly drop “Interstate” and “Highway” when giving directions. You take 94 to 35W, not “Interstate 94 to Interstate 35 West.”
“A scissors”
A regional way of saying “a pair of scissors” or simply “the scissors.”
“Can you hand me a scissors?”
Anyhoo
A casual way of saying “anyhow” or “anyway,” usually when changing the subject or getting a conversation back on track. Not exclusively Minnesotan.
Aquatennial
Minneapolis’ annual summer celebration, known as the “Best Days of Summer,” featuring events throughout the city.
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“Borrow me”
Using “borrow” when you really mean “lend,” a regional speech pattern heard in Minnesota and other parts of the Upper Midwest.
“Will you borrow me a dollar?”
Breezers
Hockey pants. If you grew up around Minnesota hockey, you probably know exactly what someone means when they tell you to grab your breezers.
Broasted chicken
Chicken cooked using a trademarked pressure-frying process. Genuine Broasted Chicken is prepared in a Broaster pressure fryer using the company’s specific process and ingredients.
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Camp Snoopy
The former name of the amusement park inside Mall of America, back when it was themed around Snoopy and the Peanuts gang. Longtime Minnesotans may still accidentally call Nickelodeon Universe “Camp Snoopy.”
“Could be worse”
Classic Minnesota understatement. Even after something goes wrong, a Minnesotan can usually find a reason it could have been worse.
Bob: “Barb, I got in a car accident. The headlight is smashed, but that’s about it.”
Barb: “Could be worse.”
Crosstown
The local nickname for Highway 62, the east-west freeway that runs through the southern part of Minneapolis and near Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.
“Darn tootin!”
An old-fashioned but enthusiastic way of saying “absolutely,” “you’re right” or, if you want to be less Minnesota nice, “damn right.”
“Didn’t care for it”
A polite and understated way to say you definitely did not like something.
“Judy, what did you think of the hotdish?”
Judy: “I didn’t care for it.”
Dinkytown
The neighborhood and business district next to the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus, filled with restaurants, bars, shops and plenty of college students.
“Dontcha know”
A shortened version of “don’t you know” that has become part of the stereotypical Minnesota accent. You may hear it in real life, but movies and TV have made it sound much more common than it actually is.
“Barb and her husband just moved from Brainerd to Bemidji, dontcha know.”
Duck, duck, gray duck
Minnesota’s version of “Duck, Duck, Goose.” Depending on how you learned the game, players may call out different colors of ducks before finally choosing the “gray duck.”
Eat Street
A stretch of Nicollet Avenue south of downtown Minneapolis known for its wide variety of restaurants and cuisines.
“Fer cute”
Another way of saying “Oh, for cute!” when something is especially adorable.
“For cripes sake!”
An exclamation of frustration or disbelief when you need something stronger than “gosh darn it” but still want to keep things relatively Minnesota nice.
“For Pete’s sake!”
An exclamation of frustration, disbelief or annoyance — and usually not related to anyone actually named Pete.
“Geez” or “Geez Louise”
An expression of surprise, annoyance or disbelief without resorting to anything that would make Grandma uncomfortable.
“Good gravy”
A family-friendly exclamation of surprise, annoyance or disbelief when profanity seems a little excessive.
“Good grief”
An expression of frustration, disappointment or exasperation. Charlie Brown helped make it famous, which feels especially appropriate since Peanuts creator Charles Schulz was a Minnesotan.
“Gosh darn it”
A Minnesota-nice way to express disappointment or frustration without actually swearing.
Great Minnesota Get-Together
The nickname for the Minnesota State Fair, the 12-day end-of-summer tradition that runs through Labor Day.
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Halloween blizzard of ’91
The legendary Oct. 31-Nov. 3, 1991, storm that dumped 28.4 inches of snow at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. Decades later, Minnesotans who experienced it will still happily tell you exactly where they were.
Hotdish
Minnesota’s beloved name for the kind of baked, one-dish meal much of the country calls a casserole. Tater tot hotdish is probably the state’s most famous version.
“I didn’t hate it” or “I don’t hate it”
Minnesota understatement that can actually be a compliment. If a Minnesotan says, “I didn’t hate it,” there’s a decent chance they kind of liked it.
“Hank, what did you think of the concert?”
Hank: “I didn’t hate it.”
“I’m just gonna squeeze right past ya there”
The Minnesota way of saying “excuse me” while trying to get around someone, usually in a grocery store aisle.
“I’ma just scoot right past ya there”
Yet another polite warning that a Minnesotan is about to squeeze past you.
“Interesting” or “that’s interesting”
Sometimes it genuinely means something is interesting. Other times, it’s the Minnesota-nice way of saying, “I have opinions about this, but I’m going to keep them to myself.”
“Ish”
An expression of disgust. Something described as “ish” is gross, unpleasant or just plain yucky.
“It’s fine” or “It was fine”
It might actually be fine. Or it might mean a Minnesotan was unimpressed but doesn’t want to say anything mean about it.
“Barb, how’s my Jell-O salad?”
Barb: “It’s fine.”
Jell-O salad
A potluck staple made with flavored gelatin and any number of additions, including fruit, marshmallows, nuts, whipped topping or even cottage cheese. Calling it a “salad” does not necessarily make it healthy.
“Jesus, Mary and Joseph!”
An exclamation used to express surprise, fear or frustration. Kirstie Alley’s character uses the expression in the Minnesota-set mockumentary “Drop Dead Gorgeous.”
Juicy (or Jucy) Lucy
A cheese-stuffed hamburger closely associated with Minneapolis. The spelling depends on where you order one, and Minnesotans have strong opinions about which restaurant makes the original — and the best.
“Kinda spendy”
A polite way of saying something costs more than you expected — or more than you think it should.
“Gosh, Barb, that hat is kinda spendy.”
Kitty-corner
Diagonally across from something. You’ll hear it in Minnesota, although the expression is definitely not exclusive to the state.
“Kranz”
How some Minnesotans pronounce “crayons.” You may even hear “color kranz.”
Lindau or Killebrew
The roads along the north and south sides of Mall of America. Regular MOA visitors can develop surprisingly strong opinions about which one is the better way in or out.
The Loop
The Interstate 494/694 beltway surrounding much of the Twin Cities. Not to be confused with Minneapolis’ North Loop neighborhood.
Loosey-goosey
Relaxed, casual or not especially strict. It’s used in Minnesota, although there is nothing uniquely Minnesotan about the expression.
Submission by Farhad Barukzoy
Lutefisk
Dried whitefish — traditionally cod — that is rehydrated using water and lye before being thoroughly rinsed and cooked. The Scandinavian dish remains a holiday tradition for some Minnesota families, usually served with plenty of butter.
Meat market
A butcher shop specializing in fresh and processed meats. In smaller Minnesota communities, meat markets may also make their own sausages, smoke meats and process deer and other wild game.
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Meat raffle
A bar, VFW and supper-club tradition where people buy chances to win packages of steaks, bacon, chops and other cuts of meat. A wheel is typically spun to select the winner.
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The 5 best meat raffles in Minnesota
MOA
Mall of America. Some longtime Minnesotans may also call it the MegaMall.
McGolden or Mich Golden
Informal Minnesota nicknames for Michelob Golden Light, a beer with an especially devoted following in the state.
Midtown Greenway
A heavily used bicycle and pedestrian trail running through Minneapolis, connecting the Mississippi River area with trails heading toward the western suburbs.
Minnesota goodbye
A famously drawn-out goodbye in which you announce you’re leaving, continue talking inside, talk some more at the door and possibly keep the conversation going all the way to the car. It’s essentially the opposite of an Irish goodbye.
Minnesota nice
The stereotype that Minnesotans are unusually friendly, polite and helpful. The phrase can also have a less flattering meaning: avoiding direct disagreement and expressing frustration in a very polite — and occasionally passive-aggressive — way.
Minnesota standoff
What happens when two or more drivers reach a four-way stop at about the same time and everyone is too polite to go first.
Nicollet Mall
A pedestrian-oriented stretch of Nicollet Avenue through downtown Minneapolis known for offices, restaurants, shopping, transit and public events.
Northeast
The part of Minneapolis northeast of downtown and the Mississippi River, known for restaurants, breweries, arts and historic neighborhoods. You may also hear it affectionately pronounced “Nordeast.”
North
Minnesota frequently embraces “The North” as part of its identity and branding. In Minneapolis, however, “North” can also mean North Minneapolis — so context matters.
North Loop
A neighborhood immediately northwest of downtown Minneapolis known for restaurants, bars, shops, apartments and converted warehouse buildings. It is not the same thing as North Minneapolis.
Nuker
An informal nickname for a microwave. Not exclusively Minnesotan, but you may still hear it here.
“Toss that in the nuker for a minute.”
“Oh fer crying out loud!”
An exclamation of frustration or exasperation for when “gosh darn it” just isn’t getting the job done.
“Oh for cute!” or “Fer cute!”
What you say when something is especially adorable.
“Oh for Pete’s sake!”
An exclamation of disbelief, annoyance or frustration — typically involving absolutely nobody named Pete.
“Oh gosh no”
An expression of surprise, disbelief or sympathy, particularly after hearing bad news.
“Bobbie, did you hear Larry died?”
“Oh gosh no.”
“Oh ya”
A casual “yes” or “yeah,” often used to show agreement or recognition.
“Okie dokie”
A cheerful way of saying “OK,” “yes” or “sounds good.”
“Hey, Barb, can you send me those documents?”
“Okie dokie!”
“Ope!”
That tiny sound you make when you bump into someone, drop something, discover something or need to sneak past another person.
“Ope! So that’s where I left my car keys.”
“Ope! Sorry, I just need to sneak past ya there.”
“Out and about”
Away from home and doing things, whether that means running errands, shopping or just wandering around. Common in Minnesota, but hardly exclusive to the state.
“Hun, I’m going out and about.”
Outstate
A common Minnesota term for areas of the state outside the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
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Pop
The Minnesota and Upper Midwestern word for a carbonated soft drink. Elsewhere you may hear “soda,” but around here, it’s pop.
Princess Kay of the Milky Way
Minnesota’s dairy ambassador. Each year at the Minnesota State Fair, Princess Kay and the other finalists have their likenesses carved into 90-pound blocks of butter inside the Dairy Building.
Rapala
A well-known fishing-lure brand with Finnish roots that has long been popular with Minnesota anglers. If there’s a tackle box at the cabin, there’s a decent chance there’s a Rapala inside it.
Ruff or roof
Some Minnesotans pronounce “roof” closer to “ruff,” as in the sound a dog makes. Like many accent quirks, this definitely does not apply to everyone.
Submission by Vaughn
Ski-U-Mah
A University of Minnesota cheer dating back to 1884. University tradition says it was inspired by something heard during a Dakota canoe race, although Dakota language experts have said “Ski-U-Mah” itself is not a Dakota phrase.
Skol
A familiar Minnesota Vikings rallying cry. It comes from the Scandinavian word “skål,” a toast similar to saying “cheers.”
Skyway
An enclosed pedestrian bridge connecting buildings above street level. Downtown Minneapolis is especially known for its extensive skyway system, and there’s a system in downtown St. Paul, too.
Stadium Village
An area near the University of Minnesota’s Minneapolis campus that includes Huntington Bank Stadium, 3M Arena at Mariucci and Williams Arena, better known as “The Barn.”
Strib
A longtime nickname for the Minnesota Star Tribune newspaper.
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Supper club
A classic Upper Midwestern restaurant experience, often featuring steaks, fish, cocktails and a menu that feels delightfully old-school. Wood paneling, relish trays and multiple potato options are always a bonus.
“The cabin”
Your Minnesota escape from everyday life, usually somewhere near a lake or “up north.” It may actually be a cabin — or a house, trailer, condo or anything else your family has decided qualifies.
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“The Cities”
Short for the Twin Cities — Minneapolis and St. Paul — and sometimes used more broadly to refer to the surrounding metro area.
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Top the Tater
A seasoned sour cream dip with a particularly loyal following in Minnesota. It is most often paired with potato chips.
U of M
The University of Minnesota. Around Minnesota, you’ll also frequently hear it called simply “The U.”
“Uff da” (also spelled oofda or oofdah)
A Scandinavian-derived expression heard throughout Minnesota and the Upper Midwest. “Uff da” can convey exhaustion, surprise, frustration, dismay or relief — sometimes all at once.
“Uff da! Listening to Barb talk about her Florida vacation for an hour was exhausting.”
“Unthaw”
A regional and technically contradictory way of saying “thaw” or “defrost.” Despite what the prefix suggests, someone who says they need to “unthaw” the hamburger probably wants it less frozen, not more.
Up north
The wonderfully imprecise Minnesota destination for cabins, lakes, fishing and weekends away. There is no universally agreed-upon boundary — you just know when you’re going “up north.”
Uptown
A Minneapolis district southwest of downtown, centered around the Lake Street and Hennepin Avenue area. Yes, despite the name, Uptown is south of downtown.
Warsh
A regional pronunciation of “wash” with an extra “r” sound thrown in. You may hear it in Minnesota, although certainly not from every Minnesotan.
“I’m gonna go warsh the clothes.”
Submission by J.R. Jepsen
“What fer?”
A regional pronunciation of “what for?” or “why?”
“Gladys, can you go to the grocery store?”
“Ya sure, what fer?”
Submission by J.R. Jepsen
Welp
A casual version of “well,” often used to transition to a new thought — or to signal that it’s finally time to start the Minnesota goodbye.
“Welp, I suppose I should get going…”
Submission by Anna Anderson
“What the heck?”
A mild exclamation of confusion, surprise or annoyance. Definitely not exclusive to Minnesota, but nicely compatible with Minnesota-nice vocabulary.
“Who wants to come with?”
A common Upper Midwestern way of asking who wants to come along, without adding “me” or “us” after “with.”
“I’m headed to the store. Who wants to come with?”
Wisconsin
Minnesota’s neighbor to the east — and the source of a long-running, mostly good-natured rivalry between Minnesotans and Wisconsinites.
“Ya” or “ya sure”
“Ya” is simply “yes.” “Ya sure” can also mean yes — although the right pause, tone of voice or facial expression can turn it into skepticism or sarcasm.
“Ya know”
A conversational filler similar to “you know,” often tossed into a sentence without requiring an actual answer.
“You betcha”
A distinctly Upper Midwestern way of saying “yes,” “absolutely” or “you bet.” It can be enthusiastic — “You betcha!” — or simply a casual way to agree.
“You don’t say”
An expression of surprise or disbelief. Depending on the tone, it can also mean, “Yes, I already knew that.”
Submission by Gary Lee Brooks
“You wanna go with?”
A Minnesota and Upper Midwestern way to ask whether someone wants to come along, leaving the object after “with” unsaid.
“I’m headed to Target. You wanna go with?”
Submission by Sharon Dexheimer
“Yous guys”
A plural form of “you guys” used to address a group of people. You may hear it in Minnesota, although it is not uniquely Minnesotan.
Frequently asked questions about Minnesota slang
What are some common Minnesota slang words?
Common Minnesota slang includes ope, uff da, you betcha, hotdish, pop, Minnesota nice and Minnesota goodbye. Minnesotans are also known for phrases such as “up north” and “duck, duck, gray duck.” Some of these expressions are unique to Minnesota, while others are heard throughout the Upper Midwest.
Why do Minnesotans say “ope”?
“Ope” is a quick exclamation often used when someone bumps into another person, drops something, makes a small mistake or needs to squeeze past someone. You might hear, “Ope, sorry!” or “Ope, let me sneak right past ya.” Although it is strongly associated with Minnesota, “ope” is used throughout the Midwest and is not uniquely Minnesotan.
What does “uff da” mean in Minnesota?
“Uff da” is an expression that can communicate surprise, exhaustion, frustration, dismay or relief. It comes from Scandinavian language and culture and became especially common in Minnesota and other parts of the Upper Midwest with strong Scandinavian heritage. Depending on the situation, “uff da” can mean anything from “oh no” to “wow” or “that was exhausting.”
What does “you betcha” mean?
“You betcha” is an enthusiastic way of saying yes, absolutely or you bet. The expression is closely associated with Minnesota and the Upper Midwest, although popular culture has exaggerated how frequently Minnesotans actually use it.
What is a Minnesota goodbye?
A Minnesota goodbye is a famously long departure. Someone announces that they are leaving, but the conversation continues — perhaps while putting on a coat, standing at the door and walking to the car. It is essentially the opposite of an Irish goodbye.
What does Minnesota nice mean?
Minnesota nice describes the stereotype that Minnesotans are especially polite, friendly, reserved and reluctant to create conflict. The phrase can be complimentary, but it can also suggest indirect communication or passive-aggressive behavior instead of openly disagreeing with someone.
Why do Minnesotans call a casserole hotdish?
In Minnesota, hotdish is the traditional name for a baked, one-dish meal that people elsewhere might call a casserole. Hotdish became especially associated with church suppers, potlucks and family gatherings because it was inexpensive, filling and easy to serve to a crowd. One of the earliest documented uses of the term appeared in a 1930 cookbook from Grace Lutheran Church in Mankato, Minnesota.
Do Minnesotans really say “dontcha know”?
Some do, but “dontcha know” is more of a Minnesota stereotype than an expression you will constantly hear in everyday conversation. Movies, television and exaggerated Minnesota accents helped make it famous. Phrases such as “ope” and “uff da” tend to be more recognizable examples of how Minnesotans actually speak today.
Can you think of Minnesota slang that should be on this list? Tell me!
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The best one of all is “Minnesota Standoff” When two or more people pull up to a 4-way stop, and then proceed to wait/argue about who should go. Usually precipitated by the person who just barely had the right of way, but didn’t want to risk angering the other motorist
Love this! Thanks for the suggestion.