Living in Buffalo means access to some special things. You get the history, the lake, the nature, and the absolute best food in the country. However, it also comes with a language that people from other places might find challenging. If you want to make it here in the Nickel City, you’re going to need to brush up on your language skills. To help you out, here are some words you’ll want to master if you want to have a strong Buffalo vocabulary. Learn these and then try to blend in!
- Loganberry
Crystal Beach Loganberry / Facebook If you’re from Sweden, you might know it as a jam. Here in Buffalo, it’s the quintessential soda.
- Weather
walmart3 / Flickr It might be easy to just say “snow” for this one, but things are probably best summed up with simply “weather.” As in, “have you seen the weather,” “what’s with this weather?” and " I hate the weather."
- Southtowns
dougtone / Flickr This is a bit of a confusing one, but you’ll want to know this word when referring to places like Orchard Park, Hamburg, East Aurora, and Elma. Southtowns might be different for a lot of people. Just knowing that it’s a thing will help your cred as a Buffalonian.
- Sunday
Buffalo Bills / Facebook Sunday is the day that all things stop in the name of football. We can’t promise the day will always have a happy ending, but that almost doesn’t matter. Almost.
- Weck
andynash / Flickr As in, “beef on weck.” This word can be hard to guess the meaning when not used in context. Weck comes from the longer “Kimmelweck” roll. It’s similar to a Kaiser roll, but it comes with caraway seeds and salt.
- Schwabl’s
yovwmon / TripAdvisor While we’re talking about “weck,” we might as well mention Schwabl’s. This is a word you’ll need to learn when you want to find one of the best versions of beef on weck in western New York. This family spot has been feeding hungry folks since 1837, so they’ve pretty much perfected things. Visit them at 789 Center Rd. in West Seneca.
- Tailgate
Buffalo Bills / Facebook You’ll be doing this every single Sunday once you live in Buffalo, so it’s best to perfect your pronunciation now. Tail. Gate. Tailgate.
- Winter
quintanomedia / Flickr In other places, this means the season where life gets colder for a few months. Maybe even just a few weeks. In Buffalo, it means something else entirely. Try MANY months of cold and FEET of snow, not to mention outrageous heating bills. Yep, winter just means something different here.
- Pop
sevestjude / Flickr While Buffalo might not be the only city to refer to the bubbly drink in a can as “pop,” it’s certainly a word that draws a line between those from here and those just visiting. This is a photo of pop. Not soda. Remember that.
- Wings
saechang / Flickr Not “Buffalo wings,” just “wings.” The Nickel City is the birthplace of the best wings in the world and we’re pretty proud of it. Eat them anytime you want, but whatever you do, don’t call them “Buffalo wings.”
- Beauty
danielmennerich / Flickr The beauty of western New York is unrivaled. Get used to this word because you’ll be using it a lot around here.
If you want to live in Buffalo, you’re going to need to be prepared for the 8 ways it just might ruin you for life.
Crystal Beach Loganberry / Facebook
If you’re from Sweden, you might know it as a jam. Here in Buffalo, it’s the quintessential soda.
walmart3 / Flickr
It might be easy to just say “snow” for this one, but things are probably best summed up with simply “weather.” As in, “have you seen the weather,” “what’s with this weather?” and " I hate the weather."
dougtone / Flickr
This is a bit of a confusing one, but you’ll want to know this word when referring to places like Orchard Park, Hamburg, East Aurora, and Elma. Southtowns might be different for a lot of people. Just knowing that it’s a thing will help your cred as a Buffalonian.
Buffalo Bills / Facebook
Sunday is the day that all things stop in the name of football. We can’t promise the day will always have a happy ending, but that almost doesn’t matter. Almost.
andynash / Flickr
As in, “beef on weck.” This word can be hard to guess the meaning when not used in context. Weck comes from the longer “Kimmelweck” roll. It’s similar to a Kaiser roll, but it comes with caraway seeds and salt.
yovwmon / TripAdvisor
While we’re talking about “weck,” we might as well mention Schwabl’s. This is a word you’ll need to learn when you want to find one of the best versions of beef on weck in western New York. This family spot has been feeding hungry folks since 1837, so they’ve pretty much perfected things. Visit them at 789 Center Rd. in West Seneca.
You’ll be doing this every single Sunday once you live in Buffalo, so it’s best to perfect your pronunciation now. Tail. Gate. Tailgate.
quintanomedia / Flickr
In other places, this means the season where life gets colder for a few months. Maybe even just a few weeks. In Buffalo, it means something else entirely. Try MANY months of cold and FEET of snow, not to mention outrageous heating bills. Yep, winter just means something different here.
sevestjude / Flickr
While Buffalo might not be the only city to refer to the bubbly drink in a can as “pop,” it’s certainly a word that draws a line between those from here and those just visiting. This is a photo of pop. Not soda. Remember that.
saechang / Flickr
Not “Buffalo wings,” just “wings.” The Nickel City is the birthplace of the best wings in the world and we’re pretty proud of it. Eat them anytime you want, but whatever you do, don’t call them “Buffalo wings.”
danielmennerich / Flickr
The beauty of western New York is unrivaled. Get used to this word because you’ll be using it a lot around here.
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