You may have grown up with some of these sayings your entire life. Maybe some are brand new to you. But if you say some of these silly sayings outside of Louisiana, you may raise a few eyebrows. How many of these Louisiana sayings have you said before?
- Make Groceries
Rich Johnstone/Flickr No, you won’t literally be making them. This funny phrase just means you need to go to the grocery store.
- Dressed
Nolamaven/Flickr No, we’re not talking about your clothes. In Louisiana, this phrase is referring to how you’d like your po’boy: with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayo.
- Save the dishes
Andrew Eason/Flickr Put them away, or do the dishes. You may have also heard “save the clothes” which means the same thing.
- Pass a good time
Rosefirerising/Flickr Having a great time!
- Fixin’ To
Jeffreyw/Flickr As in, “I’m fixing to eat some of that gumbo…”
- Minou
Coffeespiral/Facebook You may have heard this word if you’re deep in Cajun Country, and it refers to a cat.
- Laissez les bon temps rouler.
jc.winkler/Flickr Let the good times roll!
- Pinch the tail and suck the head
Hilton Lieberum/Flickr Crawfish eating 101.
- Lagniappe
Nathan/Flickr It means “a little something extra”. Like when you purchase something at a store and they throw in some free samples.
- Throw me somethin’, Mister!
Mike Connor/Flickr You’ll hear this phrase around Mardi Gras from spectators at parades hoping to catch some beads from the people on the floats.
- Envie
Karie Nodalo/Flickr You’ve got an envie if you’re craving something.
- Gris Gris
Kathryn/Flickr This voodoo term is used to describe a curse.
- Cher
Farid Iqbal Ibrahim/Flickr A term traditionally used to by Cajuns that’s similar to calling someone “love” or “dear”.
- Neutral Ground
Scott Beale/Flickr Everywhere else, it’s called a median, but in New Orleans, the grassy area diving the streets is referred to at the neutral ground.
- Fais-do-do
Jim Hobbs/Flickr A good old fashioned Cajun dance party! The phrase literally means “to go to sleep” and it originated from dance parties lasting so late that the children in attendance would fall asleep at the party.
How many phrases are you guilty of saying? Can you add to the list? Add any other silly sayings in the comments below, and maybe we’ll do a part two!
Rich Johnstone/Flickr
No, you won’t literally be making them. This funny phrase just means you need to go to the grocery store.
Nolamaven/Flickr
No, we’re not talking about your clothes. In Louisiana, this phrase is referring to how you’d like your po’boy: with lettuce, tomatoes, pickles, and mayo.
Andrew Eason/Flickr
Put them away, or do the dishes. You may have also heard “save the clothes” which means the same thing.
Rosefirerising/Flickr
Having a great time!
Jeffreyw/Flickr
As in, “I’m fixing to eat some of that gumbo…”
Coffeespiral/Facebook
You may have heard this word if you’re deep in Cajun Country, and it refers to a cat.
jc.winkler/Flickr
Let the good times roll!
Hilton Lieberum/Flickr
Crawfish eating 101.
Nathan/Flickr
It means “a little something extra”. Like when you purchase something at a store and they throw in some free samples.
Mike Connor/Flickr
You’ll hear this phrase around Mardi Gras from spectators at parades hoping to catch some beads from the people on the floats.
Karie Nodalo/Flickr
You’ve got an envie if you’re craving something.
Kathryn/Flickr
This voodoo term is used to describe a curse.
Farid Iqbal Ibrahim/Flickr
A term traditionally used to by Cajuns that’s similar to calling someone “love” or “dear”.
Scott Beale/Flickr
Everywhere else, it’s called a median, but in New Orleans, the grassy area diving the streets is referred to at the neutral ground.
Jim Hobbs/Flickr
A good old fashioned Cajun dance party! The phrase literally means “to go to sleep” and it originated from dance parties lasting so late that the children in attendance would fall asleep at the party.
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