Talk Like a
Californian
CONTENTS
STATEWIDE 9
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA 25
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 55
HOLLYWOOD SPEAK 91
SURF SLANG 121
TECH TALK 137
THE REAL
CALIFORNIANS
Despite what you see on SNL, there’s more to
talking like a legit Californian than freeway names
and “dude”—although don’t get us wrong, those are
essential. But California-speak is so much richer.
If you’re going to live in LA, for instance, you’re
going to hear Hollywood slang, even if you never
set foot on a studio lot. If you’ll be spending any
time in Silicon Valley, Silicon Beach, or the Mission,
you’ll want a basic knowledge of tech talk. And surf
speak is so pervasive that it’s influenced how peo-
ple talk nationwide.
Then, of course, there’s the popular slang that
has its roots in either Northern or Southern Cal-
ifornia, from hella and grippa to fresh and no
bueno. And then there are all the places and things
to know about! What’s the difference between the
Delta breeze and June gloom? Who plays at the
Stick or the Roaracle? Where are OB, PV, DP, and
SC? And, perhaps most importantly, how do you
pronounce Jamacha, Sepulveda, and San Rafael?
All this knowledge is found within this little
book. Please explore and enjoy. Yee!
5
SAY IT RIGHT
The Golden State is rich with Spanish names, and
most are pronounced the way they’d be in Spanish:
El Cajon (CA-hone), Santa Ynez (EE-nez), Mojave
(moe-HAH-vay), San Clemente (kleh-MEN-tay).
Exceptions abound, however, and there are plenty
of other unusual pronunciations. If you want to
sound like a legit local, study this list.
BERNAL (HEIGHTS): BURR-nul
CABRILLO: Cah-BRILLO in San Francisco,
but Cah-BREE-oh everywhere else
CLEMENT (STREET): Kluh-MENT
CONCORD: KON-kerd
CUYAMACA: Kwee-ah-mahk-uh
DUBOCE: Duh-BOWS
ESTUDILLO (AVENUE): Ess-stew-DILL-oh
GOUGH (STREET): Goff
GUERNEVILLE: GERN-vill,
although some say GERN-ee-vill
JAMACHA: HAM-ah-shaw
JUNIPERO: You-NIP-err-oh
KEARNY: Kern-ee
LA JOLLA: Lah HOY-ah
LOS FELIZ: Lahs FEE-liss
LOS GATOS: Lahs GAA-toes
MARIN: Mah-RIN
LOMPOC: LOHM-poke
NICASIO: Nih-KASH-oh
NOE: NOH-ee
OTAY: Oh-tai
PHELAN: FEEL-ihn
PLACENTIA: Plah-CENT-cha
POINT REYES: Point Rayz
PORT HUENEME: Port why-NEE-mee
POWAY: POW-way
RODEO (DRIVE & BEACH): Roh-DAY-oh
SAN LUIS OBISPO: San LEW-iss Oh-bis-poh
SAN RAFAEL: San RAH-fell
SEPULVEDA: Se-PUL-veh-duh
SUISUN CITY: Soo-SOON (leave out the “City”)
VALENCIA: Vah-LEN-cha
7
A WORD ABOUT
FREEWAYS
First of all, if it has on-ramps and off-ramps, it’s
a freeway, not a highway. Pacific Coast Highway
(PCH) has no ramps, so it’s a highway; the 101 is a
freeway in many sections, but in some parts of the
state it becomes a highway. New to parts of Califor-
nia are toll roads, which are freeways that are not
free. They’re called simply “toll roads.”
Secondly, it’s essential to know that in Southern
California, all freeways are preceded by the word
“the”: the 101, the 5, the 605, the toll road. And yet
you should never ever call PCH “the PCH.”
This changes in Central and Northern California.
People will say “Highway 99” in the San Joaquin
Valley, and somewhere north of Goleta, the 101
becomes simply 101. In the Bay Area, you do not
put a “the” before a freeway number—you’d say, “Go
south on 101, and then take 156 to Highway 1.”
ANIMAL
STYLE
Perhaps the most popular term from
In ‘n Out’s secret menu: an animal-
style burger has mustard-grilled
patties and extra dressing and pickles.
Animal-style fries have Thousand
Island dressing, cheese, and grilled
onions.
I’ll take a
3x3 animal
style.
My husband
wants us
to move to
Portland
before the
Big One
hits.
THE
BIG