bonjour-hi
Pronunciation: bohn-ZHOOR hi
Meaning: A bilingual greeting used in some service encounters
Language choice in Montréal is socially and politically sensitive; follow the speaker’s preference.
Québec French, Montréal English, and multilingual city usage
Montréal slang and local language guide
Montréal local language explained through Québec French, English code-switching, transport, food, neighbourhood life, and everyday social situations. Learn meaning, pronunciation, register, cultural context, and when neutral language is safer.
12 high-interest local terms
dep / dépanneur
Pronunciation: dep / day-pan-UR
Meaning: Convenience store
Dépanneur is standard Québec French; dep is a very informal shortening.
metro
Pronunciation: may-TRO
Meaning: The Montréal subway
Local French normally uses métro; station and line names matter more than translating the system name.
STM
Pronunciation: ess-tay-em
Meaning: Montréal public transit agency
The abbreviation covers métro and bus services.
5 à 7
Pronunciation: sank ah set
Meaning: After-work drinks or social time
Usually an early-evening social gathering, not a literal two-hour rule.
terrasse
Pronunciation: teh-RASS
Meaning: Patio or outdoor seating area
A common restaurant and café term in Québec French.
poutine
Pronunciation: poo-TEEN
Meaning: Fries with cheese curds and gravy
A culturally important Québec dish whose pronunciation is often anglicized outside Québec.
all-dressed
Pronunciation: all dressed
Meaning: A pizza or chip flavour with several toppings or seasonings
A Montréal and Canadian English food-ordering term.
chum
Pronunciation: chum
Meaning: Boyfriend or male friend
In Québec French, chum often means boyfriend; context decides.
blonde
Pronunciation: blond
Meaning: Girlfriend
Québec French informal usage; it does not necessarily refer to hair colour.
magasiner
Pronunciation: mah-gah-zee-NAY
Meaning: To shop
A standard Québec French verb where European French often uses faire les magasins.
c’est correct
Pronunciation: say koh-REKT
Meaning: That is fine / no problem
Common Québec reassurance; tone can also signal closure or mild impatience.
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More Montreal slang and local expressions
Useful terms with pronunciation, context, examples, and cautions.
day-pan-UR
Meaning: Je vais au dépanneur.
SANK ah SET
Meaning: On se voit au cinq à sept.
mah-gah-zee-NAY
Meaning: On va magasiner au centre-ville.
tah-bar-NAK
Meaning: Tabarnak, il fait froid!
More Montréal slang and local expressions
Pronunciation, natural examples, neutral alternatives, and responsible-use guidance.
Char
Meaning: In Montréal, char is common everyday speech when discussing driving, parking, repairs, traffic, or giving someone a ride.
Blonde
Meaning: The word appears naturally in informal Montréal conversation regardless of the partner’s hair colour. The masculine counterpart is chum.
Tiguidou
Meaning: This playful Quebec expression can confirm that a plan is settled or that a situation is going well. Frequency varies by generation and speaker.