Some of these go way back to the '80s and way before my time. Hopefully this will help you navigate the city of Philadelphia with ease without getting your ass kicked, schooled, ridiculed, laughed at, etc. There is absolutely nothing online until now that is this chock full of Philly slang — guaranteed. I leave you this with Brotherly Love.
When music is moving your body and pleasurable to the ears.
“Yo dis song is bangin’.”
“We should go dere, dey got Bangin cheesesteaks.”
“Ay yo, you hear dat new LSD featurin' Freeway jawn ‘Fuck Dis Jawn Up.’? Dat jawn is bangin’.”
A raggedy pair of sneakers that will probably get you teased on a regular basis if you are forced to wear them because of your economical situation, and no one will care. Elementary school kids are ruthless in Philadelphia. At least they were back in a day.
“Dats why you got da bo-bo’s” — followed by laughter.
“My mom wouldn’t get me Jordan’s. She got me da bo-bo’s from Payless.”
HEADS UPBo-bo is always plural. It’s never one bo-bo.
“Who Mike? Yeah I know him, dat bol from back in da day.”
HEADS UPWe say dis mostly because we do not call anybody “boy” — dat’s madd disrespectful, especially to a Black man or child. TOO MANY PEOPLE MESS DIS ONE UP. You do NOT pronounce da L. Focus on da “U” sound and poke your lips out a little at da end. Say it wrong and dey’ll think you’re from Lancaster County or some shit.
“Da cops came from around da corner so we had to book.”
“Da cops came from round Da corner so we started bookin’.”
“I got shook man so I was out — straight Bookin.”
“I think da Eagles are gonna lose to da Cowgirls on Sunday.” — “YOU’RE FUCKIN BUGGIN’.”
“Yo bro, dis weed got me high as hell, I’m Buggin’.”
“Yo man I’m sorry about last night, I was Buggin’.”
HEADS UPMost often it is used when makin' a mistake or usin' bad judgment. Used in Philly as much as salt and mustard on soft pretzels. Popularity rose when A Tribe Called Quest came out with “Buggin’ Out.” Makes sense — NYC is only an hour and a half away if you drive like a maniac Philadelphian.
It is the act of asking for something. Your hand is out. It’s usually used in a request.
“Can I bum a cigarette?”
“Can I bum a ride?”
HEADS UPIt’s not necessarily callin' somebody a bum — even dough, yes, you are a bum if you’re bummin’ all da time. Dat’s what it comes from. See “Ol’ Head.”
A sandwich on a long Amoroso’s roll (hoagie roll) that consists of diced steak and cheese. Cheese options usually consist of provolone, American, or Cheez Whiz.
“Let me get a cheesesteak, yo.”
HEADS UPWe don’t call it a Philly cheesesteak, because we are in Philly. We don’t have to call it a Philly cheesesteak. Dere are different versions of cheesesteaks. One is a cheesesteak hoagie — a combination of a cheesesteak and a hoagie, which includes da vegetables from an Italian hoagie: oregano, pepper, fresh onions, tomato, lettuce, and oil and vinegar. See “Hoagie” — same roll.
“You” — but only after a word that ends in a T. The T and the Y crash together and come out as a CH.
“I got choo.”
“I ain’t forget choo.”
“Don’t let me catch choo out here.”
HEADS UPGot you → got choo. Its partner is “Joo,” which does da same job after a D. Core Philly rule #7.
It is a noun, an object or thing — pretty much exclusively used for small handheld objects.
“Pass me dat Chumpy right dere.”
“Pass me Dat chumpie Right dere.”
HEADS UPCHUMPY IS NEVER A PERSON. Never. Fun Fact: “Chumpies” is known as a popular potato chip brand dat could be found in small convenient stores, a.k.a. “papi” stores, around Philadelphia along with “Rap Snacks.”
Lame. Not cool, out of style, not popular. Describes a thing, a vibe, a party — anything that ain’t it. A Cornball is the spin-off: a person who IS corny — a compressed clump of corn and corniness. Corny is the quality; a Cornball is the dude walking around with it.
“Man, dat party was corny as fuck.”
“Dat bol is a straight cornball.”
HEADS UPCorny for da thing, Cornball for da person. Don’t mix dem up. Same family as “Joe” and “Nut.”
“Da Birds are gonna kick da shit outta da cowgirl dis Sunday.”
“Stop cryin about da refs, cowgirl.”
HEADS UPMostly aimed at Dallas fans — amongst other things we call dem.
“Stop bein' a crumbum.”
“Get outta here, you crumbum.”
“Look at you with your dirty, disheveled self, lookin’ like a crumbum.”
“Why would a lady like her talk to you? You’re a crumbum.”
“If you weren’t such a crumbum, maybe somebody would give you a chance in life.”
HEADS UPReal old-school terminology. Made famous by our interview with Frank Rizzo, when he’s bein' asked somethin' on da street and he just goes on a crumbum rant. Da expression is older dan dat clip, but da Rizzo moment gives it a special Philly connection. Dictionary spellin': C-R-U-M-B-U-M, one word. See “Bum” and “Sucka.”
“Stop d*ck eatin’.”
“Yo bro, you d*ckeatin’.”
HEADS UPOften pivoted with da phrase “Get off my d*ck.” More extreme dan “D*ck Ridin’.” Synonym: “Sweatin’.”
“Stop d*ck riddin.”
“As Soon as Eric come around, here he go D*ck Ridin.”
HEADS UPCan pivot into a flip-flop, i.e. “Stop Ridin’ Ma D*ck.” Not as extreme as “D*ck Eatin’.”
“Yoos a D*ckhead.”
“YOOS a D*ckhead.”
HEADS UPOften said after somebody does somethin' dumb — like droppin' dere cheesesteak in a pile of dog poop. A dumbass, plain and simple. Not necessarily a Philadelphia exclusive term, but we are known to use it more often dan other cities so people attribute it to us. You can call someone a DH for short.
“Dem jawns is Deecent!”
HEADS UPMost often used for sneakers, clothin' and apparel. You definitely gotta say it wit da long “e” sound.
“It’s mos Deflee gon’ be jawns at da party!”
HEADS UPYou gotta put da accent on da FIRST “e” or you Deflee gonna sound like a dickhead LOL!
“You got da Dookie touch!”
“Dat bol got da Dookie Touch!”
HEADS UPA little kid prank. You walk up, touch somebody, say “You got da Dookie touch,” and all da kids run away from you. Usually at recess. Bad reputations spread like wildfire in Philadelphia — da city can get small fast.
“Bro You Drawn!”
“You Was Deflee Drawlin yo!”
The elevated blue line train in Philadelphia.
“Bout to hop on da EL.”
“I’m Salty, Da El aint runnin yo.”
HEADS UPWe call it da L train because it is an elevated train. It is in da air above da traffic and it goes down Market Street and also Front Street. Da route is actually shaped like an L. Rhymes with hell — and dat’s where you feel like you are at if you get off da train too late at Kensington and Allegheny and you don’t know where you goin'. You might get Vicked.
“I gave da bol a Eye Jammy cuz he was talkin' shit.”
HEADS UPDis is OG — definitely somethin' we said in grade school.
A one-on-one fight. No jumping in or rolling on someone.
“Why don’t you stop talkin' shit and give me a fair one right now.”
HEADS UPDefinitely not a Philly exclusive, but it was very commonly used back in da day, before all dese guns came into play. It’s a form of respect to offer someone a fair one.
“Don’t try to finesse me, bro.”
“Da Bol tried to finesse me.”
HEADS UPA finesser is always goin' to try to get da bigger end of da stick. A finesser is goin' to try to one-up everybody. A finesser never wants anythin' to be even.
A cheap store, like Woolworth’s or Dollar Tree.
“Run down da Five and Dime and get me some Candy.”
HEADS UPDis is very oldschool — pretty much prehistoric O.G.
“Yo man dose sneakers are fly.”
“I’m tryna go to da mall to get some fly gear, I got a date wit dis bad ass jawn.”
HEADS UPIt does not mean an insect. It does not mean dat you have wings. You got da clothes, you got da girls, you got da glow like Bruce Leroy. Definitely not a native Philly term — possibly has New York origins — but we use fly a lot. Probably got very famous with da Fly Girls from da In Livin' Color TV show, but I know we were sayin' fly in da beginnin'. Also made popular by a song Da Roots put out called “You Ain’t Fly.” Synonym: “Thoro.”
“It’s Hawkin’ out dere.”
“Da Hawk is out.”
“Dat’s a hike, bol.”
“Roxborough to Penn’s Landin’? Dat’s a hike.”
HEADS UPLike you goin' from Mount Airy to South Street, or you goin' from Roxborough to Penn’s Landin'. It’s probably not what you’re gonna do on foot — you’re probably gonna have to take a bus or a car or somethin'. It’s a long ass way — Mount Airy to Manayunk. In da younger years, you might be out dere hikin'. Da act of hikin' is known as troopin. See “Troopin’.”
“I’m tryna go down to da store to get a hoagie.”
HEADS UPYou can go to any Wawa or a corner deli in Philly and get a hoagie. Most people have heard of dis one. No matter what, we don’t say hero. We don’t care what city we’re in. We’re gonna say hoagie and try to make people say it our way. And we’re always gonna be pissed no matter what city we’re in, because dere’s no city dat has da right type roll to make a proper cheesesteak or hoagie, period — unless dey import da bread from Philly. I worked in a bar restaurant called Skinner’s in Old City and I was told dat dere’s somethin' about da water and da altitude of Philly — when you make da bread it has a chewy texture dat you just can’t get anywhere else. And da main roll dat everyone buys is Amoroso’s. · When you say “I’m tryna,” it’s not literal. It’s more of a funny, sarcastic way of sayin' “I’m goin' to.”
A male person, usually a comrade.
“What up Holmes.”
HEADS UPDis is definitely somethin' from back in da day. Dis may have come from Sherlock Holmes. Dis can pivot into “Holmes Slice.”
“Damn. Dat JAWN is a hoopty.”
“Yo come scoop me in a da hoopty.”
HEADS UPProbably smoke a lot of blunts in da back with your homies, hotbox it all da time. You don’t really care about da wear and tear. It’s just a hoopty. Nothin' special. It’s not a flex.
The act of stinking or smelling really bad.
“Your armpits is hummin’.”
“Yo Fam you need a Tic Tac ya Bref is Hummin.”
HEADS UPInstead of sayin' your armpits ARE hummin’, we just say your armpits IS hummin’. We skip right through da “are.” It’s all about speed. Same meanin' as “Wing Ballin’.”
To strike someone in the mouth or jaw with a fist, with the intentions of breaking their jaw.
“Yo shut up ’fore I jaw you Homie.”
HEADS UPCousin to “Slide” and “Eye Jammy.” Note da ’fore in dat sentence — see da entry for “’Fore.”
THIS IS THE BIG ONE. The most recognized, celebrated and imitated. The granddaddy of them all. (1) An object that may or may not be within eyesight or arm’s reach, that is referred to, spoken about, or requested. (2) An event, a location, a concept, or an idea you are referring to. (3) A female — but not your mother, not your auntie, nothing like that. It’s very generic. Jawn is freely and effortlessly used with a PHILADELPHIAN’S own discretion and creativity. But if you’re not a Philadelphian, do not attempt to make up your own Jawn improvisations. Please keep it simple and adhere to the context in the examples that I have given you. Because it just won’t hit right and you will be humiliated.
“Ay yo, can you pass me dat Jawn right dere.”
“Yo man, did you go to dat party last night?” “Nah man, I didn’t go to dat Jawn.”
“Yo bro you missed da party last night — it was so many Jawns dere.”
HEADS UPOften we say “I’m on my Jawn,” which means I’m feelin' myself — or it could mean you’re in a mood, a specific mood; it could be angry or happy. · Often mispronounced as “joint,” “jon” or “jarn.” Dis is all bad. Foul ball. You do not pass Go, you do not get invited to parties. You are a transplant — possibly from Jersey or Delco.
A derivative of the word Jawn; a play on the word Jawn.
“Hand me dat Jawny Jawn.”
HEADS UPI know two Jawns in a row sounds like overkill, but if you know how to emphasize it and you put it in proper context, it can make a whole lot of sense — and necessary. Dis is an example of da wordplay dat comes out of havin' fun with da word Jawn. It’s just hard to do, because you have to sound authentic when you do it.
“Pass me dat Jimmy Jawn right dere.”
The candy sprinkles that are put on the top of Mr. Softee ice cream.
“Ay yo, put some jimmies on dat jawn.”
HEADS UPIn Boston it’s brown sprinkles only for some reason. In Philly, jimmies are multicolored — any color. Often used when da Mr. Softee truck rolls up.
“Yo dat’s some Joe ass shit.”
“Bro you actin Joe as shit.”
HEADS UPComes off “an average Joe” — dat’s da derivative. Rhymes with FLOW. Said flat and short — one syllable, no stretch on it.
This is the past tense action of getting into a physical altercation. Two or more people initiated an assault on you — you were outnumbered. Same as getting “Rolled On.”
“I got Jumped at da party last night.”
A person that is from a neighborhood in Philly that’s called Kensington.
“Dis crazy youngbol was wildin out, I think he was a Kenzo but he go to Mastbaum.”
HEADS UPKensington is known for bein', you know, kind of a rough area to live in and grow up in. And more recently it’s known for extreme amounts of fentanyl use on da streets underneath da EL train, centerin' around an intersection called K&A, which is Kensington and Allegheny. Kenzo could be worn as a badge of honor because it’s a tough neighborhood — it’s gonna give you some street cred, because if you made it through high school in Kensington, you got a thick skin. See “El.”
Athletic footwear.
“Dem Kicks is Deecent.”
“Da line was madd long at da movie theater.”
“You took madd long to get here.”
“Dere was madd people at da party.”
“Dat’s madd disrespectful.”
HEADS UPDa extra D is for extra damage — because it’s sayin' whatever you’re doin', you’re doin' it in a way dat is out of pocket. A lot of times madd is used when somethin' is definitely drawn. Drop it in front of just about anythin' and it turns da dial up.
Referring to the greater part of the whole.
“It’s mos Deflee gon’ be jawns at da party!”
“I be chillin mossa da time.”
HEADS UP“Most.” When you need to use da phrase, da two words melt together into “mossa.” It can pivot into “mossa.” “Mossa” is Core Philly rule #5 REVEALED — “of” turns into “a” and den gets swallowed whole by da word in front of it. Most of → mossa. See “A (for ‘of’).”
The ice cream truck that rolls through the neighborhoods in the summertime with a very distinct tune playing out of a megaphone speaker.
“Ay, Mr. Softee outside!”
HEADS UPMr. Softee is most known for da nostalgic tune dat plays out of dat megaphone speaker on da back of it. When kids hear dat sound dey run outside for da ice cream man — just like Eddie Murphy was talkin' about in Delirious. Dat tune is da soundtrack of da summertime in Philadelphia, just like dat tune from Jazzy Jeff and da Fresh Prince, “Summertime.”
This means: “Know what I mean?” / “Do you know what I mean?” It’s a question. Pretty straightforward.
“I’m tryna get dis paper out here, Nameen.”
HEADS UPPhiladelphia has used dis without even realizin' it — it’s all over da place. We might say it before and afterward: “I mean, I’m tryna… you know, I mean… you know what I mean… I went to my job, you know what I mean… it really, I mean, a lot too.”
North Philly, usually the toughest parts.
“Yo. I’m down norf at ma mom’s.”
HEADS UPWhen you say you down norf dat means you probably down 23rd and Cambria, you down Erie, Strawberry Mansion, Diamond St, etc. Not Logan or Olney. You are in da deep depths of neighborhoods dat could be unsafe to walk unless you know how to walk da Philly walk. For some reason, no matter where you are or where da person you’re talkin' to about your location is at, you always say “down norf.” Sometimes you could say “up norf,” it would be understood, but it’s usually down norf. And yes, also South Philly would be souf (S-O-U-F). Core Philly rule #2 — see “Mouf.”
“Dat was some nut ass shit.”
“Yooz a nut bol.”
“Nut ass n**ga.” (da common one)
“He a nut Bol.”
HEADS UPClose cousin to “Joe,” but Joe is just corny — Nut carries a track record behind it. Dis often pivots into “nut ass” for some reason… pause. Remember: “Bol” is said BUH-oo, no L.
“What up Ockee.”
“What up Ock.”
HEADS UPNot gender neutral — dis is for dudes. Dis is a derivative of da prevalent Muslim population in Philly, and it rubs off on a lot of non-Muslims as a common term to use. Da accent lands on da SECOND syllable — right on da “k” sound. ah-KEE, NOT AH-kee. In da IPA da ˈ mark sits just before da k for exactly dat reason. “Ock” is by far da most commonly used of da three.
“Dat’s your ol’ head.”
“Yo, ol’ head, let me bum a cigarette.”
HEADS UPIt’s relative to da age gap — it doesn’t mean dat you’re old in age, it means you’re old based on da difference in age. If you’re like eighteen years old, your youngbols are 15 and under. You are dere ol’ head. It’s about da position you’re in to help dem learn. See “Youngbol” and “Bol.”
“Ain’t no jawns at dis party man, I’m Outee 5000.”
HEADS UPCame from da Audi 5000; a rapper said “Audi 5000” and everybody said it after dat. We used to say “we out, we out” — so it derived from “we out” → “we outie” → Audi.
It’s a play on the word filthy. This is just slang for the city’s name. Instead of saying Philly, some people say Philthy.
“I’m from Norf filthy.”
HEADS UPFirst time I heard dis was seein' it on a popular T-shirt dat was a mock version of da Phillies baseball team jersey. We have a lot of pride in da grit, in da grime, and da harsh austerity of our climate and people dat are raised here. Thirteen colonies, baby. See “Norf.”
Someone who is seen as weak, feeble, yellow-bellied and heartless.
“You ain’t gonna do nothin’, P*SS-EE.”
HEADS UPIf someone calls you dis in front of your friends, you pretty much have to fight, or walk away and get dem another day. But you gotta do somethin' — because dis word is weaponized in order to humiliate you and make your friends think dat you are scared to fight. Everyone knows dis word. In Philly it means coward — and da way we say it is like a kiss of death. We put da emphasis on both syllables in a way dat can take a grown man’s heart.
The past tense of the word saw.
“I seent dem at da party.”
“I seent eem walkin' down da street.”
HEADS UPHonestly, I don’t know why we say “saw” like dis. I think it’s just smooth and it’s fun, and we like to say shit da wrong way on purpose. For some reason it sounds more definitive dan “saw.”
The sewer — the opening on the sidewalk where the rain water drains.
“Oh shit, it went down da Sewey hole.”
HEADS UPDat’s where da ball would go if we were playin' a game with a tennis ball or a racquetball.
“I got shook man so I was out — straight Bookin.”
“Dat bol was shook.”
HEADS UPShook people are usually walkin' around with dere head down, tryna avoid attention or a confrontation. Mobb Deep out of Queensbridge made it famous with “Shook Ones” — but we was sayin shook in Philly before dat record ever dropped. Same story as “Early.”
To leave a location expeditiously.
“Wasn’t no jawns at da party so I Skated.”
HEADS UPObviously dis comes from da act of slidin' — skateboardin', roller skates. I don’t know what came first, da word skatin' for skateboards or skatin' on your feet, but roller skates and skateboardin' are an influence on dis word. It kind of means you’re movin' fast — you’re not just walkin' away slowly.
“Yo man, stop poppin shit ’fore I Slide you.”
HEADS UPIt probably comes from da concept of hittin' someone with an impact dat will make dem lose dere footin' — hence dere feet “Slidin'” from underneath dem. In other cities — and in Philly as well — “slide” means to pull up on someone’s location. But dat is not da context in which I’m talkin' about it here.
Athletic footwear. Bam.
“Dose some fly ass sneaks.”
HEADS UPWe call sneakers sneaks. We call everythin' sneaks pretty much. If dey have a rubber sole, it’s called sneaks. Dis has nothin' to do with sneakin' around, even dough sneaks are probably good to wear if you’re tryna sneak around because dey got rubber soles — unless you walkin’ on squeaky ass floors. I wasn’t aware dis was a Philly thing, but somebody told me dey don’t say “sneaks” everywhere. A lot of places call dem kicks, or basketball shoes. We do say kicks, but oldschool started sneaks. See “Kicks,” “Bo-Bo’s” and “Fly.”
“He got stole on.”
“I’m a steal on you.”
“He saw da bol and he stole on em.”
“You got stole.”
HEADS UPSomebody just flips out on you and steals your face. Different from a Slide — with a Slide you might get told to your face first. When you get stole on dere’s no warnin', and whatever you was talkin shit about is over. See “Slide,” “Jumped” and “Eye Jammy.”
“Oh yeah, he always be on some sucka shit.”
“Dat was some sucka ass shit.”
“Yoos a Sucka.”
HEADS UPYou don’t wanna be called a suckA. It’s not gonna work out for you if dat’s what happens. It means you’re very close to bein' called a nut or a nut bOL — which is da bottom of da barrel. IT MEANS YOU ON SOME NUT ASS SHIT. Dis is not exclusively Philadelphia SLANG but we throw it in DA mix a lot without even knowin' it.
“Bruh, why you sweatin dat bol so hard?”
HEADS UPDa cleaner way to say it.
“Did you see da Batman movie?” “Yeah, dat jawn was Thoro.”
HEADS UP“Thurl” is da interchangeable form — same meanin', different sound.
Same as Thoro — thorough, awesome, dope, flawless, fly.
“Yo, dem Jawns is Thurl.” (referrin' to sneakers)
HEADS UPPronounced exactly like da word GIRL with a TH on da front.
An excursion, usually with a few friends, and you’re headed a long way.
“We was troopin all da way downtown.”
“I ain’t got no car, so I’ll be troopin all da time.”
HEADS UPOften a perilous route through snow, rain or dangerous neighborhoods while smokin' blunts… lol. When you’re troopin’ nobody cares, because dey’re just gonna be havin’ fun da whole way, shootin da breeze, talkin shit. Usually when you’re a youngbol — you do a lot of troopin because you don’t got no car. Core Philly rule #3, da G comes off da end. See “Hike” and “Youngbol.”
“She got a Turkey.”
HEADS UPIf a girl’s walkin' down da street and you see her from da back, you’d be like, wow — she got da butterball. Jive turkey is OG — a seventies phrase. It means you’re full of shit. Da posterior one is fairly new. We might have called somebody a turkey back in da day, but definitely not referrin' to a woman’s posterior. Dat part is new slang, not oldschool. A jive turkey is a foolish person, or someone who’s always talkin' shit or foolish shit — full of it. See “Corny.” Dis is very popular now. Definitely wasn’t big in da nineties.
To commit an act of theft. It’s usually a one on one, like a stick up kid.
“He got vicked.”
“Ay yo he vicked him.”
“I got vicked yesterday, somebody got me for ma wallet.”
“I got Vicked down K&A.”
HEADS UPIt seems obvious to me dat it comes from da word victim. So if you say it in a sentence with da word him in da past tense, it’ll sound like da word victim — “ay yo he vicked him” — which means dat he robbed someone.
The liquid that we all drink and are made of. That is H2O.
“Can I get a cup a warder?”
HEADS UPWater. We replace da T with an R-D. I never realized we say water different dan everybody else ’til I moved out west. And notice da example — it’s “a cup A warder,” not “a cup OF warder.” Dat’s Core Philly rule #4 and rule #5 in one breath. See “A (for ‘of’).”
A car, or main vehicle — your trustworthy main way of transportation.
“Come scoop me in da whip, bro.”
“Dat’s a fly ass whip, sun.”
HEADS UPIt’s your trustworthy jawn. It usually got a name — I’m not gonna lie, we usually name it, because dat’s what we need. It is of a necessity, it’s like our best friend. If we lose dat one, we gonna be on da El train or on SEPTA. Dat’s, like, gold. Da other end of da lot from a hoopty. See “Hoopty,” “JAWN,” “Fly” and “El.”
“Bro, go take a shower, you Wing Ballin’ out here.”
HEADS UPUsually referrin' to armpit stank. Same meanin' as “Hummin’.”
“Yo bro you Woofin’, go get a cut.”
“Da bol been Woofin’ since da shop closed.”
HEADS UPSpelled WOOFIN because dat’s how we actually say it — but it comes from WOLF. Like wolfin’ out, Teen Wolf. You write da double O, you say da double O. Don’t put an L in your mouth.
It refers to a woman sharing her goodness with you. If you’re really tryna get with a jawn.
“She might give you dem yamz.”
“I’m tryna see wuss up wit da Yamz Doe.”
HEADS UPYams with an S is an alternate spellin'. Dis may not be fully exclusive to Philly, but I’ve been sayin' yamz since high school, definitely early twenties. And dat’s a long time ago.
The act of making a U-turn.
“Yo, you gotta buss a youie right quick — you see any cops?”
“I left my shit back at da spot, I gotta buss a youie right quick.”
HEADS UPWe usually say “buss a youie.” We never say “make a U-turn.”
“Who Mike?” “Yeah I know him, he was ma youngbol from back in da day.”
HEADS UPJust like Ol’ Head, dis is not always about age. If someone is relatively younger dan you, dey could be 45 — but if you got 10 years on dem, you might call dem youngbol as a joke, or in jest.
Alright. Copy that. I got choo. Agreement, acknowledgment and confirmation all packed into one sound.
“You gonna meet me at 8?” “Aaard.”
“Aaard, I’m on my way.”
HEADS UPCore Philly rule #6 taken all da way to da end of da line: alright → a’ight → Aaard. Three syllables squeezed down to one.
Hey.
“Ay yo, imma smack you in da mouf.”
“Bet.”
“Alright. Bet. Okay.”
HEADS UPOften phrased as “dat’s a bet” in response to someone offerin' you somethin'. See “Aaard” — da other way Philadelphia says yes.
Kid-safe substitute for “Damn,” used to avoid cursing in front of an elder.
“Dag, I ain’t know it was like dat.”
HEADS UPEven so — I remember sayin' it to my grandfather (Pop-Pop) and he was not feelin dat shit at all.
“Hey man, you gonna handle dat shit I told you to do?” “Early.”
HEADS UPVery similar to “Already.” We were sayin' Early way before people started sayin' Already.
A prank word. You offer someone something, and when they reach for it you take it away and simultaneously say “Sike.” Or you give someone false information, and after they respond as if they believe it, you say “Sike.”
“Yo bro, your breath is hummin’, you need a tic tac or sumthin’ … Siiike.”
HEADS UPYou pause, wait for dem to react, and as soon as dey start to get mad you emphatically say it — with exaggeration on da “i” sound.
“Oh, word?”
“Word, I feel you.”
HEADS UPIt pretty much means “copy dat.” Like you copy what dey’re sayin'. See “Bet” and “Nameen.”
“Yo I’m tired as shit yo.”
HEADS UPYou’re about to say somethin' and you’re tryna get someone’s attention. Used everywhere, not just Philly — but we use it everywhere, and often we put it at da END of a statement for spice.
“Yo da yungbol was outta pocket.”
“Yo, homie, you outta pocket for real, I should go up in ya mouf for real.”
HEADS UPDere are many ways to be found outta pocket in Philly. Trust me. Someone will let you know immediately — and dat usually comes with harsh words first, followed by violence. So if someone says you’re out of pocket, be on high alert and prepare to either stand your ground, retreat, or explain yourself. Core Philly rules #5 and #6 both firin' at once. See “Drawlin’.”
“Da party was poppin off.” (good)
“He was poppin off at da mouf so I had to jaw eem.” (bad)
HEADS UPGenerally “poppin’” is talkin' about sound comin' out of your mouth — poppin’ off, like you’re just screamin', yellin', talkin' loud. Context tells you which one you’re gettin'. “Poppin’ shit” is da same idea — talkin trash.
“I’m tryna go talk to dis jawn right quick.”
“Let me hold you right quick.”
HEADS UPNine times out of ten it’s not somethin' dat happens really quickly. It means you’re gonna just do it your way. We just tell people dat to give dem a peace of mind. Dat’s probably not goin' to happen real quick. Example: You’re tryna do somethin' real fast and you’re goin' through it without takin' too much time.
“Rill talk, I’m about to bust you in da mouf right now.”
HEADS UPVery similar to “Straight Lace.”
The act of several people attacking one person. Usually the victim is unaware and it happens unexpectedly.
“Da bol Jarvis is a sucka ass n**ga, we should go roll on him.”
HEADS UPIt’s very disrespectful and some would say cowardly — unless it was well deserved, like if he put hands on a female or on a male weaklin' dat can’t defend hisself.
“I ain’t playin no games — Straight Lace.”
HEADS UPIt’s very interestin' dat it makes me think of perfectly tied shoelaces.
Referring to a masculine person.
“I seent eem walkin' down da street.”
“He was poppin off at da mouf so I had to jaw eem.”
HEADS UPCore Philly rule #6 doin' its thing — da H gets chopped off da front and “him” flattens all da way down to eem.
“J'eet yet?”
“Give me ya number, yo.”
“What’s ya address, yo?”
HEADS UPWe very rarely fully pronounce da word Y-O-U-R. We say ya. See “Da” — same flattened vowel, same job of gettin' a small word out of da way fast.
“You are” — or, said to a group, “you all are.”
“Yooz an asshole.”
“Yooz a bunch of assholes.”
A male or masculine friend.
“What up Homie Slice.”
“What up Holmes Skillet.”
HEADS UPUsed mostly when greetin' someone with a handshake — someone you look out for and possibly hold in high regard. Skillet reminds me of another phrase my Uncle Bubba used to say back in da day — see “My Man Pots and Pans.”
Somebody that you are really cool with and you think that he is a cool motherfucker.
“What up now, my man Pots and Pans!”
HEADS UPA greetin' my Uncle Bubba used to say to me back in da day. My man, Pots and Pans is a sentence all by itself — it don’t need another one. Dat is some super duper O.G. shit. · It’s a pivot for me, because it reminds me of an oldschool handshake I learned from my Uncle William or my father: give me five on da black hand side, den up high, den down low — and den too slow, because dey pull da hand away. Dat was back in da sixties.
A greeting when you’re trying to say hello to someone. Usually when they’re being hollered at from a distance — across the street, down the block, or out a car window.
“YERP!!” (from across da street)
“Yerp! Where you headed?”
HEADS UPDis is a greetin' dat is usually said from far away, across da street. It has a chirpy sound to it. It has a quick, sharp way dat we say it dat is unique. You say it quick, sharp, and in a stabbin' type of way in order to get someone’s attention from far away.
Philadelphians alter the word “of.” It turns into “a,” pronounced “ah.” This shows up often when “of” is sandwiched between two nouns — i.e. “a cup of soup” morphs into “acupasoup.” This is why people think Philadelphians talk fast: we smush words together.
“Can I get a cupawarder?”
“Hand me dat bagadirt.”
“He drank a whole canasoda.”
HEADS UPIt’s never “of.” A bagadirt — never a bag OF dirt. Core Philly rule #5.
To replace “the.”
“Open da door.”
HEADS UPWe don’t really pronounce da TH sound, we make it a D sound instead — it’s easier. Core Philly rule #1.
To be chronologically previous to another event.
“Yo shut up ’fore I jaw you.”
“Stop poppin shit ’fore I Slide you.”
“I’m ’bout to skate.”
“’Cause I said so.”
“I skated on Em”
HEADS UPWe chop da front off words. Before becomes ’fore. We do not annunciate all of our syllables — especially when we’re tryna get somethin' across quick and effective. We chop off da front of a lot of words: about, because, dem → ’bout, ’cause, ’em. Core Philly rule #6. Fewer syllables, more impact.
We often don’t pronounce the “g” at the end of an “-ing” word.
“You got somethin’ to say??”
“It’s snowin’ outside.”
“You trippin’.”
HEADS UPFully pronouncin' words dat end in I-N-G can often sound snooty in Philadelphia, like you’re puttin' on airs. Somebody with a PhD will drop it as soon as dey get around dere peoples. Core Philly rule #3.
The second person.
“I had joo.”
“Did joo see dat?”
“I told joo already.”
HEADS UPOnly after a word dat ends in a D — da D and da Y crash together and come out as a J. Not referrin' to any religious or cultural group. Had you → had joo. Its partner is “Choo,” which does da same job after a T. Core Philly rule #7.
When “th” lands at the END of a word, we often turn it into an “f” sound. Mouth becomes mouf, with becomes wif, both becomes bof.
“Imma punch you in da mouf.”
HEADS UPCore Philly rule #2.
Salty, Disappointed, Bitter, Embarrased, Feelings Hurt
I'm mad saldee my whip broke down yo.
She just saldee she got called out on some dumb shit.
HEADS UPProbably comes from the idea that tears were shed, hence the salt.
Submitted by Cosmic - Mt. Airy
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The state of suffering from a significant emotional or physical upset. Consequences.
Da bol got rolled on and caught a hurt piece.
Damn his moms died? Das a hurt piece.
HEADS UPOften misheard as “herpes”; not the same but you can still “catch” one.
Submitted by Cosmic - Mt. Airy
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To throw up, vomit.
Feelin madd sick yo, straight up might earl.
Yooz seent the bol who earled at the party?
HEADS UPSubmitter notes this is Pittsburgh hood slang too, but used in Philly as well.
Submitted by Cosmic - Mt. Airy
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This is an ATM, formerly a Money Access Center which in Philly we will forever call the MAC.
I need a couple dollas, bout to go tap Mac.
Submitted by Franky Fingers - Philly wide
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at minimum, beat someone up, to take someone out.
Young Bol trippin and imabout to put his head out...nahmeen?
Submitted by (anonymous) - All city
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You should have already done something
Do you want me to make some Kool aid? "You shouldabindundiddit dickhead!"
Submitted by Franky Fingers - West Philly 64th and Callowhill
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Sneaky, filthy, tricky woman.
Look at that sleazy Skank!
Submitted by Poeticaj - Logan
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Poorly made, low-quality, dilapidated, raggedy, or unreliable.
“Yeah, I bought dis item off of Temu. It was janky. It was, like, really not well made.”
“Dis crackhead tried to sell me dis janky-ass television. I told him to keep it movin'.”
“You tryna sell dem shoes? Ain't nobody gonna try to buy dem janky-ass shoes you got on.”
HEADS UPUsed for somethin' dat looks cheap, raggedy, poorly constructed, unreliable, or just not up to standard.
Submitted by PSD -
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To display or wear clothing as a form of expression.
“Yo, I like how you rockin' dem Chuck Taylors with da Dickies.”
“Yo, man, you rockin' da butter Timbs with da white tee, sun? Fresh.”
“Yo, da party is gonna be dope tonight. What you rockin'?”
HEADS UPRockin' is more dan simply havin' clothes on; it can imply wearin' somethin' with style or as part of your personal expression.
Submitted by PSD -
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['Somewhere far outside the city limits; somewhere very rural.', 'Somewhere too far to walk, inconvenient to drive to, boring, or far removed from city activity.', 'A video-game controller or joystick.']
“Oh yeah, I met dis girl, but I'm kind of worried about hollerin' at her because she live out in da sticks.”
“I got dis brand new job, but I don't know if I can take it because da SEPTA bus don't go all da way out to da sticks.”
“You lost da game. Pass me da sticks.”
HEADS UPWe also refer to da sticks as da boondocks or da boonies. In Philly terms, somebody might jokingly act like anythin' way out past da city - places out toward Hatboro-Horsham, Montgomeryville, or even somewhere dat simply feels far away - is da sticks.
Submitted by PSD -
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['To give someone a lot of attention, often more than they deserve.', 'To annoy someone by questioning their actions or their ways.', "To persistently try to get into someone's business."]
“Stop jockin' me, man. Let me do me.”
“Yo, I met dis girl at da party, sun. She was definitely jockin' me.”
“Yo, why is da bol always jockin' somebody?”
HEADS UPIn dis dictionary, words endin' in -ing are written da way we say dem: drop da G and add an apostrophe.
Submitted by PSD -
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["How are you doing? What's been going on?", "A greeting asking what's going on in your life.", "A greeting that can ask whether there is a problem or what's wrong.", 'In a confrontational situation, a challenge asking whether somebody wants action or is ready for something to pop off.']
“Whaddup? What's good?”
“Whaddup, bro? Everythin' straight?”
“Whaddup? You got a problem or somethin'?”
HEADS UPA lot of people use some version of dis, but it stays in heavy rotation in Philly. Tone and context tell you whether it is friendly or confrontational.
Submitted by PSD -
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['The human facial region; the face.', 'The human mouth.', "Used in the expression 'as a mug' to enhance the extremity of something; very or extremely."]
“Yo, it's cold as a mug in here.”
“How many people was up in dat mug?”
“I'm about to smash you in da mug.”
HEADS UPIn da intensifier sense, mug is basically a cleaned-up shortenin' of m*th*rf*kr: cold as a mug, hot as a mug, crowded as a mug.
Submitted by PSD -
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["When someone's actions or ways consistently look suspect.", 'When you feel like somebody is a liar or is always trying to scam you.', 'When somebody behaves like a manipulator or handles situations in a way that makes you distrust their motives.']
“Oh yeah, I don't like dat dude. He be movin' funny.”
“Yeah, she's cool, but da way she handles certain things, I just think she move funny.”
“Yeah, he's a cool promoter and he does a lot of stuff, but I don't really get it because he be movin' funny.”
HEADS UPDis belongs in da phrases section. It is about somebody's pattern of behavior givin' you a shady or suspicious feelin'.
Submitted by PSD -
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['Trying to do something in a sneaky or secretive way.', 'Trying to elude someone, get away from someone, or hide something.', 'Avoiding someone because you do not want a confrontation.', 'To be scared of confrontation.']
“Da cops was comin' around da corner, so I had to get real ducky right quick.”
“Yo, I seen da bol up in da party. I wasn't tryin' to have no situation, so I had to get ducky.”
“Oh, da bol, he don't want to see me now, so he actin' all ducky.”
HEADS UPOld-school Philly slang with hide-and-seek energy: duckin' behind da bushes, hidin', avoidin' somebody, or actin' scared of confrontation.
Submitted by PSD -
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['To throw something onto a roof.', 'To dispose of something expeditiously by throwing it onto a roof where nobody can get to it.']
“Yo, I hit da tennis ball so hard with da stick, I roofed dat jawn.”
“Yo, da older kids from down da street took our basketball and kicked it. Dey roofed dat jawn.”
“If you hit my car one more time with dat tennis ball, I'm roofin' it.”
HEADS UPIn a street ball game, once da ball gets roofed, da game is basically over. Everybody has to go look for another tennis ball, kickball, or whatever you were playin' with.
Submitted by PSD -
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['Trying to be low-key or inconspicuous.', 'Physically positioning yourself where other people cannot easily see you.', 'Staying in the house for the night and not trying to go anywhere.', 'Being laid back, tired, quiet, or not particularly hype.']
“Yo, what you doin' tonight? Nah, I'm good. I'm chillin' in da cut.”
“Why don't you stop chillin' in da cut and come outside, sun?”
“He couldn't see me 'cause I was in da cut, and den I just came up on him, like boom.”
HEADS UPDefinitely East Coast and not just Philly. Back in da day, 'I'm chillin' in da cut' or 'I'm in da cut' was extremely common.
Submitted by PSD -
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['Your cousin.', 'A friend or associate.', 'A shortened form of because.']
“What's up, cuz?”
“Yo, cuz, I'm tryin' to get a bliz real quick.”
“What you tryin' to do, cuz? What's up, Cuddy?”
HEADS UPCuz, Cuddy, and McGilla Cuddy can all be used for da same friendly idea. Da exact path from cuz to Cuddy or McGilla Cuddy is unclear, so da dictionary should treat dat as local wordplay rather dan a proven etymology.
Submitted by PSD -
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['Angry or upset.', 'Highly frustrated, especially because of a missed opportunity or something that did not go your way.']
“Yo, I got a C-minus on my paper, sun. I'm mad tight.”
“Yo, my mom won't let me come out today. She actin' all tight. I don't know why.”
“For some reason my girlfriend got an attitude, like she tight for some reason, but she won't say nothin'.”
HEADS UPUsually expresses a high level of frustration. It does not necessarily mean somebody is physically angry or ready to fight.
Submitted by PSD -
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['A way of saying that a woman is extremely attractive or good-looking.', 'A woman who carries herself with confidence, has a strong presence, and appears well put together.', 'A woman who immediately catches your eye and leaves you intrigued or highly attracted to her.']
“You see dat jawn over dere? She bad.”
“Damn, she bad.”
“Yo, she bad. I'm really tryin' to talk to her. I gots to have her.”
HEADS UPBad means good here. It is a compliment about looks, confidence, style, presence, or da whole package.
Submitted by PSD -
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['An imaginary place used to describe somewhere far outside the city, especially the suburbs or somewhere that feels distant from Philly.', 'A joking way of saying somebody is from way out somewhere, especially if they seem suburban, sheltered, or unfamiliar with city ways.']
“Yo, da bol cool, even dough he from East Jablip.”
“Where you from, East Jablip?”
“Yo, da dude was actin' corny as hell, like he from East Jablip or somethin'.”
HEADS UPEast Jablip is not a real place. It is a funny way of sayin' somebody lives way out somewhere. It overlaps with da sticks, da boonies, and da boondocks.
Submitted by PSD -
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['A dumbass; somebody who is not too bright or consistently makes stupid decisions.', 'Somebody who keeps making the same mistakes even though they should know better.', 'Somebody who gets on your nerves, gets in the way, or does something unnecessarily stupid.']
“Yo, you a bonehead. Why would you even do dat?”
“Dis bonehead made da same mistake again after I just told him.”
“Get out da way, bonehead. You gettin' on my nerves.”
HEADS UPOld-school Philly talk. Bonehead sits in da same family as d*ckhead: an insult for somebody bein' stupid, irritatin', or in da way.
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['To be heavily under the influence of liquor or marijuana to the point where you are quiet, planted in one spot, zoned out, cerebral, or wearing a blank expression.', 'To be so surprised, shocked, or caught off guard that you temporarily freeze up, like a deer in headlights.', "To rob somebody, particularly in expressions like 'he stuck me' or 'got stuck up.'"]
“Yo, look at you sittin' on dat couch. You stuck.”
“Da cops pulled up on me outta nowhere. I was stuck.”
“Yo, he stuck me. Took everythin' I had.”
HEADS UPStuck can be physical, mental, or situational: stuck after smokin' somethin' strong, stuck because somethin' caught you off guard, or stuck up because somebody robbed you.
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['A condition where somebody starts talking excessively, usually after getting intoxicated or smoking marijuana, and keeps going without really listening.', 'Talking nonstop without giving other people much opportunity to respond.', 'Yapping endlessly, jumping from thought to thought, and talking just to hear yourself talk.']
“Man, dis bol got da raps. He been talkin' for like an hour.”
“Every time he smoke, he get da raps and won't let nobody else talk.”
“Yo, you got da raps tonight. You ain't even listenin' to what nobody else sayin'.”
HEADS UPBack in da '90s, after people smoked blunts, somebody might start thinkin' and den just start talkin'. 'He got da raps' means he is just goin' and goin', maybe without even knowin' where da conversation is headed.
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['When a blunt, joint, or other rolled smoke burns unevenly, with one side burning faster than the other.', 'The result of the contents not being crumbled properly or the blunt not being rolled correctly, causing it to burn sideways.', 'The uneven burn can create a curved shape that resembles the side of a boat.']
“Ayo, man, you can't roll. Somebody re-roll dat blunt, man. It's boatin'.”
“Every time you roll a blunt, it's boatin', fam.”
“Yo, why is dis blunt boatin' dough? Who rolled dis shit?”
HEADS UPOld-school weed and blunt terminology. If one side burns while da other side stays intact, dat jawn is boatin'.
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["The act of one person blowing marijuana smoke directly toward or into another person's mouth.", 'A smoking technique where one person blows through a blunt so smoke comes out the other end for another person to inhale.', 'To sit in the passenger seat of a car.']
“Yo, I did like three shotguns, fam. I'm high as hell.”
“I don't like to do shotguns with dudes. I mostly like to do shotguns with girls.”
“Yo, bro, give me a shotgun.”
“I got shotgun.”
HEADS UPOld-school smokin' terminology. In dis context, shotgun is not about a firearm; it is about one person blowin' smoke for somebody else to inhale.
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['A substitute for the name of a person, place, or object when you cannot remember - or do not feel like saying - the actual name.', 'Used when the person you are talking to already knows what you mean and is expected to fill in the blank.', 'A covert way of referring to something without naming it aloud because you do not want everybody around you to know what you mean.']
“Yo, I gave it to wassaname.”
“Where was y'all at? We was down at da wassaname, and den it got active. Cops got crazy, so we ran out.”
“Yo, you was supposed to give me da wassaname yesterday, but you never gave it to me.”
HEADS UPAnother example of Philly condensin' a whole phrase into one quick word. Sometimes you did not forget da name at all; you are deliberately sayin' wassaname because da person you are talkin' to already knows.
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['No; a negative response.', 'A casual or dismissive way of saying no.', "When emphasized, a sarcastic, forceful, or extreme rejection, especially in 'hell nah' or 'hell to the nah.'"]
“You tryin' to go to da party? Hell nah, ain't gonna be no jawns dere.”
“Are you tired yet? Nah, I ain't tired yet.”
“You tryin' to work at McDonald's? Hell to da nah.”
HEADS UPNah can stretch into other playful forms, includin' nizzaw (N-I-Z-Z-A-W). 'Nahmean' is another compressed expression heard in casual speech. When a regular nah is not strong enough, dere is always 'hell to da nah.'
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['To aggressively take something from somebody by force or overpower them.', 'To manipulate, control, exploit, or take advantage of somebody.', 'To rob somebody or take all of their belongings; to stick somebody up.', "To plot on somebody's downfall or demise - to set them up, take advantage of them, or do them dirty."]
“I went to da job, I had to quit. Dey tryin' to Brodie me. Honestly, I don't like da way dey treatin' me.”
“Yo, I feel like he tryin' to Brodie me, bro.”
“Yo, he came home salty. He got Brodied, sun.”
HEADS UPDa exact Philly origin is unclear. Da important feel is dat somebody is tryna overpower, exploit, manipulate, rob, or plot on you.
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['Wearing clothing or apparel that is inappropriate for the occasion or shows a lack of style.', 'Saying or doing something inappropriate that shows you do not understand the expected rules of decorum.', 'Behaving in a way that shows a lack of manners, class, taste, or social awareness.']
“My mom told me to wear da shoes with da slacks instead of da sneakers because da sneakers look tacky.”
“Comin' to a housewarmin' and not bringin' anythin' is tacky.”
“I wouldn't wear dat shirt. It looks tacky.”
HEADS UPOld-school mama terminology: poor taste, poor manners, or subpar behavior dat makes it look like it is your first time at da rodeo.
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['A bad decision made when everything was already lined up for you to succeed, but you unnecessarily did something that led to failure or defeat.', 'Getting greedy instead of being satisfied with what you already obtained, causing you to lose what you had - especially while gambling.', 'Getting overconfident, underestimating your opponent or the situation, and then losing because of it.', 'An action that clearly was not thought through, resulting in an outcome that could probably have been avoided with common sense.']
“Yo, I can't believe you put your money on da Cowboys. Dat was a dummy move.”
“Yo, you know dat girl got like three baby daddies? I knew it was gonna go bad. Dat was a dummy move.”
“Oh, you paid to get into da party, bro? We got in da back door. Dat was da dummy move.”
HEADS UPSucker move, dummy move, and move funny live in da same neighborhood, dough da meanings can vary. A dummy move often has dat 'you had dis jawn in da bag and messed it up yourself' quality.
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['Large, heavy, or physically imposing.', 'Acting confrontational or deliberately trying to intimidate somebody, regardless of your actual size.', 'Acting like you have authority over somebody, whether you actually have that authority or not.']
“Why you gettin' all husky on me?”
“Oh, now you tryin' to be all husky?”
“At my job, my manager always on my head, tryin' to be husky all da time. Just ask nicely.”
HEADS UPNot necessarily Philly slang, but we throw it around when somebody comes with too much chest and too much bass in dere voice.
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['In the neighborhood or general area where somebody lives, hangs out, or is currently located.', "To be close to or in proximity to somebody's current location.", 'Somewhere nearby or within a short distance - close enough that somebody can easily come through or pull up.']
“Oh, you around da way? Come through.”
“Where you at? Oh, you around da way? Pull up.”
“Yo, it's gonna be a dope party around da corner. It's right around da way. We gotta go.”
HEADS UPNot exclusive to Philly, but used constantly. If somebody asks 'You around da way?' dey are basically askin' whether you are close enough to come through.
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['One hundred dollars; a hundred-dollar bill.', 'One hundred percent; completely or in totality.', "Complete honesty or being completely truthful, especially in the phrase 'keep it a bean.'", 'The head or brain.']
“Yo, I'ma keep it a bean. I'ma tell you, you need to leave dat jawn right now.”
“Yo, fam, can I hold somethin' like a bean till I get up on my feet?”
“Yo, he got hit in da bean.”
HEADS UPPeople say 'keep it a buck' to mean keep it one hundred. In Philly you might hear 'keep it a bean.' Context matters because bean can also mean your head or brain.
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['Angrily talking about a situation uncontrollably, often going in circles and repeating yourself.', 'Talking continuously without listening to anybody else because you are determined to get everything you want to say out.', 'Going on an angry, aggressive, long-winded rant.']
“I had to leave da house. My mom keep on rammin'.”
“You always gotta start an argument. You always be rammin'.”
“I gotta leave, man. I can't take all dis rammin'. I'm out.”
HEADS UPThink about a ram comin' at you with its horns - pushin', pushin', pushin'. 'Rammin' at da mouf' is a common phrase for somebody aggressively runnin' dere mouth.
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['Mentally deranged, irrational, or acting like you have lost your mind.', 'Confused, unreasonable, or holding ideas that seem out of step with what everybody else considers normal or sensible.', 'Unpredictable, chaotic, or prone to causing an uproar and turning a good situation into a bad one.']
“I can't deal with dat jawn. She is batty.”
“My manager at my job is always on top of my head, actin' batty.”
“Oh, you really think I'm gonna do extra work and not get paid for it, like I'm batty or somethin'?”
HEADS UPThink 'bats in da belfry.' Dis was used a lot in da author's friend group. Dere is also a memorable 'batty, batty, batty' reference associated with da movie I'm Gonna Git You Sucka.
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['Brolic, muscular, stocky, or noticeably large in size.', 'Looking significantly bigger or more muscular as a result of consistently working out.', 'Emotionally sore, hurt, or in your feelings about something.']
“Yo, I've been in da gym, sun. I'm swole.”
“Yo, I ain't tryin' to rumble none of dem bols. You see how swole dey is?”
“Yeah, she say she like da muscle dudes, so she ain't fuckin' with me. She like dem swole niggas.”
HEADS UPOld-school East Coast talk, includin' Philly. Swole takes note of somebody's size: muscular, stocky, or physically imposin'. Size does not automatically mean somebody can fight, but you still know what you are dealin' with.
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['To ask somebody a question.', 'To inquire about somebody or something in order to get information.']
“I'm tryin' to ax you a question.”
“I'm a hustler. Ax about me.”
“Why you keep on axin' da same old questions?”
HEADS UPExtremely common and not exclusive to Philly. Around here it fits naturally into quick speech. Although people sometimes label ax as improper, da ax/ask pronunciation has a long history in English.
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['The small neighborhood convenience store where you grab candy, snacks, drinks, household basics, and whatever else you need without going to the supermarket.', 'A local neighborhood store that might have limited produce, a freezer section, deli meats and sandwiches, and sometimes cheesesteaks or other hot food.', 'The closest neighborhood store - the spot you can usually walk to right around the corner when you need something quick.']
“Yo, I'm runnin' to da corna store. You want somethin'?”
“Go down da corna store and grab me a juice and some chips.”
“I ain't goin' to da supermarket for all dat. I'm just hittin' da corna store.”
HEADS UPOld-school Philly, we called it da corna store. We generally did not say bodega. Papi store may be heard more now, but corna store is classic Philly. It is da convenience spot you can hit in a bonnet, flip-flops, whatever - you just came around da corner.
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['To take somebody out; to kill or possibly murder somebody.', 'To aggressively go after or eliminate somebody.', 'Merked describes somebody who has been taken out or killed.']
“Yo, did you hear what happened to so-and-so at da party? He got merked out, man. It was crazy.”
“My cousin got merked last year, man. I never got over it.”
“Yo, my man got back from Afghanistan. He said he was merkin' niggas.”
HEADS UPOften heard as 'merked out,' similar to taken out, crossed out, or X'd out. It is sometimes associated with mercenary, but dat origin should not be presented as certain without verification.
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["A warning telling somebody to talk to, calm down, or control their friend before that person's behavior causes a confrontation.", 'A suggestion that you need to intervene before the situation escalates into an argument or somebody gets hurt.', 'A red-alert phrase meaning somebody you brought around is causing a problem and you need to handle it before their problem becomes your problem too.']
“Yo, look at dis cornball over here. Get ya yung bol.”
“Yo, get ya yung bol outta here, man. He causin' too much bullshit.”
“Yo, whose mans is dis? Get ya yung bol.”
HEADS UPDis holds you accountable for da people you bring into da circle. Related phrase: 'Hoos yung bol is dis?' - 'Whose young bol is dis?' - callin' attention to somebody actin' out and askin' who is responsible for dem.
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Short for The Gallery, the downtown Philadelphia shopping mall on Market Street East, including its underground-connected areas.
“Yo, where y'all gonna be? Meet us at Da Gal. We're gonna have a cipher.”
“Yo, where you goin' shoppin'? I'm goin' to Da Gal.”
“Yo, da cops was chasin' us, so we had to run down da subway tunnel to Da Gal and hide in da bathrooms.”
HEADS UPBack in da day, Da Gal was a major hangout spot for Philly kids after school. Rappers and MCs would meet, cipher, hang out, and look for girls. Along with South Street, it was one of dose places where young people from different parts of da city crossed paths.
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Downtown Philadelphia - the central part of the city where City Hall and much of Philly's downtown business, shopping, and nightlife are located.
“I work in Sinna City, so I always gotta drive home through traffic when I get off.”
“I'm tryin' to go downtown. Sinna City is poppin'.”
“I like Sinna City for da clubs and da shoppin'.”
HEADS UPOther places may say downtown or city center. In Philadelphia da official name is Center City, but da dictionary headword captures da spoken pronunciation: Sinna City.
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['In all honesty; truthfully and sincerely.', 'An emphatic way of letting somebody know you genuinely mean what you are saying. You are not joking or exaggerating.', 'When said angrily, a warning that a situation is becoming serious and could escalate if somebody keeps pushing you.', 'An expression used when you have tolerated enough and reached the point where enough is enough.']
“Fa rill fa rill, I'm not even tryin' to be up in dis movie. I didn't even wanna see da movie, so let's go.”
“Why you lookin' at me like dat? Fa rill fa rill, you can catch dese hands.”
“What's up, girl? I'm tryin' to talk to you fa rill fa rill, dough.”
HEADS UPWhy say it twice? Emphasis. One fa rill means you are serious; fa rill fa rill means you are really serious. Said Philly-fast, da whole phrase rolls off da tongue.
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A sink - the basin with a faucet found in a kitchen, bathroom, or similar area where water drains.
“Put dem dishes in da zink.”
“Don't leave dat sittin' in da zink all night.”
“Go wash your hands in da zink.”
HEADS UPOld-school family terminology. Da author's grandmom, who was from da South, said zink instead of sink. Many Philadelphians have Southern family roots. Not to be confused with zinc, da mineral: dis entry is spelled Z-I-N-K.
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A shortened, quicker way of saying remember or asking somebody whether they remember something.
“Member da time we was at da party and it was all dem jawns dere?”
“Member da time dat dude punched you in da mouf at da party and you was actin' like a nut-ass nigga?”
“Member da time you slipped and bust your ass when you was tryin' to talk to dem bad-ass jawns?”
HEADS UPIt speaks for itself: instead of sayin' da whole word remember, member gets dere quicker. Not exclusive to Philly, but it fits naturally into da quick, simple way we talk.
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['Making fun of somebody by hitting them with jokes, insults, or ridiculous put-downs, often expecting them to come right back at you.', 'To hit somebody with a flurry of insults, usually in a playful back-and-forth where everybody tries to outdo each other.', 'Relentlessly insulting somebody in a repetitive way to embarrass them, tear them down, or make them feel smaller.']
“Yo, man, we just bussin'.”
“I was just bussin'. Stop takin' everythin' so serious.”
“What is you cryin' for? We was just bussin'.”
HEADS UPDis can sound very different today if you do not know da context. Back when we were kids, bussin' or bustin' on somebody meant hittin' dem with jokes - round for round. Think old-school 'Ya Mama' jokes and verbal one-upmanship.
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['Most likely; something is expected to happen although it is not certain.', 'A shortened way of saying probably when you think something is likely to occur or be true.']
“You gonna make it to work today? Prolly.”
“I'm prolly not gonna make it to practice because my knee hurts.”
“She gave me her number, but I'm prolly not gonna call her.”
HEADS UPIt cuts out a syllable and makes probably quicker and easier to say.
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The classic tan Timberland work boots - the wheat-colored Timbs that became a staple of East Coast street fashion.
“Yo, I just grabbed a fresh pair of Buttas.”
“Throw on da crispy white tee with da Buttas. You good.”
“Yo, don't wear da Buttas tonight. Dat club ain't lettin' nobody in with tan Timbs.”
HEADS UPBack in da '90s and 2000s, Buttas with a crispy white tee was a staple. Some Philly clubs had dress-code rules bannin' tan Timbs and white tees. New York is famously heavy on Timberlands, but Philly rocked dem too. We also used to call da smooth, thin leather waist jackets buttas, because it was dat smooth type of leather.
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['Potato chips, shortened in casual speech.', 'More loosely, almost any bag of crunchy snack food, especially salty corn- or potato-based junk food. They do not necessarily have to be actual potato chips.']
“Yo, pass me da tata chips.”
“Yo, you got da tata chips, yo?”
“Yo, lemme see dat bag of tata chips. What's up?”
HEADS UPWe do not always say potato chips; somethin' about a bag of chips turns potato into tata. Potato salad might stay potato salad, but a snack bag becomes tata chips.
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['Grappling or rolling around on the ground with somebody during a fight or physical confrontation.', "Trying to pin, restrain, overpower, or gain leverage over somebody's body instead of standing up and boxing.", 'Turning what was supposed to be a regular fistfight into a grappling match.']
“Yo, a fight broke out at da party. It was crazy. Niggas was wrasslin'.”
“Yo, I asked you for a fair one, but you tryin' to wrassle me?”
“Yo, I'm tryin' to box. Is you tryin' to wrassle dough? 'Cause if you is, I'm not with it. You too big for dat shit.”
HEADS UPWe know da standard word is wrestlin'. Wrasslin' is da down-country, playful pronunciation: grapplin', grabbin', rollin' around - no clean boxin' match anymore.
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A casual pronunciation of specific, meaning clearly identified, particular, or directed toward one exact person or thing rather than everybody generally.
“Yo, you tryin' to be Pacific or what?”
“I wasn't pacifically talkin' to you, but I could talk to you now.”
“Excuse me, are you talkin' to me pacifically, or you talkin' to everybody generally?”
HEADS UPSpelled just like Pacific Ocean, but context tells you what is meant. Not necessarily Philly-born, but it is somethin' we throw around.
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["A situation, decision, or arrangement that works in somebody's favor or best interest.", "When used negatively as 'not a good look,' something that is a bad deal, bad transaction, or not in your best interest.", "'Not a good look' can describe being put in a position where you are set up to fail or where everybody else benefits while you get the short end of the stick.", "'Good lookin' out' is an expression of appreciation - basically, thank you for looking out for me."]
“I got hired at dis spot, but da position dey gave me was not a good look considerin' all da other positions I applied for.”
“Yo, we went on a blind date, and trust me, da girl dey put me with was not a good look.”
“Yo, I'm scared of roller coasters, and dey had to put me in da front row. Dat was not a good look.”
HEADS UPGood look can go in different directions. 'Not a good look' means it did not work in your favor. Flip it positive and 'good lookin' out' means thank you; 'good lookin', bro' can be a shortened version.
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['To engage in a physical confrontation or fight.', 'A wild, chaotic fight that can quickly involve other people because of its hazardous and uncontrolled nature.', "A direct challenge to fight somebody, especially in the phrase 'You tryin' to rumble?'"]
“We went to da party, and all of a sudden everybody started rumblin'. It was a free-for-all.”
“You tryin' to talk, or you tryin' to rumble?”
“If you tryin' to rumble, we can rumble.”
HEADS UPEverybody knows rumble, includin' 'Rumble in da Jungle,' but in Philly we often reach for rumble instead of fight. Squabble is folded into dis entry as a synonym.
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Your hands or fists, particularly when referring to them in a fight or when challenging somebody to fight.
“Put up ya dukes.”
“If you really wanna rumble, put up ya dukes.”
“He put his dukes up, so I knew he was ready to fight.”
HEADS UPOld-school fight terminology. 'Put up ya dukes' basically means put your fists up - I am ready to fight you. Da expression is much older dan Philly.
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['Literally, a young female cow.', 'An old-school insult or dismissive way of referring to a woman, usually when somebody is irritated with her, talking trash, or describing somebody they do not particularly like.']
“Ain't nobody worried about you, you old heifer.”
“Oh, he was runnin' around with dat heifer.”
“Dat heifer come up in dis house tryin' to start some mess.”
HEADS UPOld-school auntie terminology. Da literal definition is a female cow, but when Auntie calls somebody a heifer, she is definitely not talkin' about livestock.
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['Somebody who is always running game, scheming, or trying to scam somebody.', 'Somebody who thinks they can get over on you and is constantly trying to finesse people.', 'A liar, bullshitter, jerk, or goofy person who talks a lot of shit and should not necessarily be taken seriously.']
“Come on, man, get outta here, you jive turkey.”
“Dis jive turkey tried to sell me a lemon.”
“Don't nobody listen to no jive turkey like you.”
HEADS UPOld-school as hell. Jive turkey goes beyond Philly, but it lived comfortably in old-school Philly vocabulary. Bottom line: you are sayin' somebody is full of shit - talkin', lyin', schemin', or tryna get over.
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The Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia's National Football League team.
HEADS UPDis is here because of da beloved Philadelphia moment when da mayor spelled Eagles wrong. It does not matter: da Eagles are da Eagles are da Eagles, and we know exactly what you mean no matter how you spell it. Dat is part of da essence of da city - context. E-L-G-L-E-S. Eagles. Fly, Eagles, Fly.
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Send it up. If the city says it’s official, it goes in the book — and yes, there’s an actual book coming. You get the credit.
Words already in the book but never formally defined. Sound-alikes still needed — use the form above.
I’m giving it a few months to build. The more the city sends in, the fatter it gets — and every word that makes the cut goes in the book with the name of whoever brought it.
A real one you can leave on the coffee table — not a PDF nobody opens.
One word per page, nine pronunciation rules up front, 30 pieces of Philadelphia trivia in the back — and The Graffiti Wall: six blank pages for people to sign, because true Philadelphians know about graffiti, read graffiti, or write graffiti.
So if you got one, now’s the time. Get your name in the book.
One email when the book is ready, and that’s it. No spam, no selling your info, no nonsense. Unsubscribe whenever.
I’m a Philadelphian.
I spent the first thirty years of my life in Philadelphia, and I didn’t experience the city from just one neighborhood.
I grew up in and around North Philly, Strawberry Mansion, Mount Airy and Germantown. I lived on the 1900 block of North 25th Street between Berks and Norris, around 23rd and Allegheny, near 5th and Cecil B. Moore, around Front and Girard, and in different parts of Mount Airy. I went to Catholic schools in North Philly and Germantown and later attended high school in East Falls.
So my Philadelphia was always changing. Different neighborhoods. Different schools. Different groups of people. Different ways of talking.
As I got older, the city opened up even more. I was a bike messenger downtown. I was an artist, dancer, rapper, musician, guitar player and bass player. I came up through Philly’s hip-hop scene doing freestyle cyphers and performing with Mind Over Matter, and later co-created the band Philmoore Browne. We played everywhere from little clubs and underground spaces to the First Unitarian Church, the TLA and the Warped Tour. I spent years around rappers, DJs, poets, dancers, musicians, artists, messengers, record-store people and just about every other kind of Philadelphian you could run into.
I didn’t realize at the time that I was collecting language.
When I finally started writing this dictionary, roughly 80% of the original words came straight out of my own memory. Things I’d heard on blocks, in schoolyards, at shows, in cyphers, at work, from family, from friends and just living in Philadelphia for thirty years.
Then I started digging.
I compared memories, researched origins, talked to other Philadelphians and started documenting words that sometimes traveled across the entire city—and others that barely made it a few blocks from where they started.
That’s what this book is.
Not every Philadelphian knows every word in here. That’s part of the point. Philadelphia is a city of neighborhoods, and its language traveled the same way its people did.
There is no other collection of Philadelphia slang like this one. I looked.
So I made it.
I don’t live there anymore. Philly is still in my heart and always will be. This book is the piece I can give back to the city that made me.
Put it on the coffee table. Leave it in the bathroom. Keep a stack behind the bar or up front at the restaurant. Hand them out in front of the Visitor Center.
However this thing gets around, I hope it ends up becoming an iconic piece of Philadelphia culture.
— Dale Ray McMillian
Thanks for coming through. We’re kind of in the beta stage here, so let us know what you see and what you like. Give us a star rating, we will compile feedback privately via email. Once we get enough, they’ll go up on the Peanut Gallery Billboard for all to see. (emails will not be published)