Here are 17 hilarious sayings you’ll only hear in California, capturing the unique vibe and slang from Northern to Southern California:
- Hella – Means “very” or “a lot,” especially popular in Northern California.
“That concert was hella fun!” - Gnarly – Originally surfer slang meaning “twisted,” now used for anything extreme, good or bad.
“Those waves are hella gnarly today.” - Stoked – Excited or pumped up.
“I’m so stoked for the beach trip!” - Sigalert – A traffic alert for major jams or accidents.
“There’s a sigalert on the 405, avoid it!” - Ballin’ – Living large or being wealthy and cool.
“Look at him with that new car, he’s ballin’.” - Bust – Something that’s a total failure or waste of time.
“That party was a bust.” - Marinating – Just chilling or relaxing.
“I’m marinating at home this weekend.” - The Industry – Refers to the film and TV business.
“She’s trying to make it in the industry.” - Get in where you fit in – A cheeky excuse for cutting into traffic.
“I had to cut off three cars-get in where you fit in!” - Dub – Slang for a $20 bill.
“Can you spot me a dub?” - Spot – To lend or borrow money.
“Can you spot me for lunch?” - Yadadamean – “You know what I mean?”
“That movie was awesome, yadadamean?” - No “the” before freeway – Locals say “Take 101,” not “the 101.”
“Take 101 up to San Francisco.” - Down – Being okay with something or agreeing.
“You down to hit the beach later?” - Bro/Bruh/Brah – Casual terms for a friend or exclamation.
“What’s up, bruh?” - Snagged – To get or grab something quickly.
“I snagged the last taco at the food truck.” - Legit – Something real or authentic.
“That In-N-Out burger is legit.”
These sayings reflect California’s laid-back, surfer, and entertainment culture, peppered with regional twists from SoCal to NorCal.