The Language and Slang of Chicago

Go to most any state in America and children are called kids, but hit the south and they’re called young-uns. That’s just one example of how the vernacular can change depending upon which state you’re visiting. Language peculiarities are found from town to town or state to state. Chicago is no different. Don’t feel like a tourist when you visit Chicago; speak the same language as the locals with these language tips.

Slang can range from referring to animals, to commenting on the view, to what the locals call the main street in town. Foods can be called different things in different places. In Michigan, for example, the word ‘hamburger’ is almost always shortened to ‘hamburg’, when ordering. In Chicago, one of the popular sandwiches in town is an Italian beef sandwich. “Gimme a beef” is the popular terminology for ordering such a sandwich.

Want a beer? Call for a ‘brewski’ and that’s what you’ll get. Ordering a bratwurst? Ask for a brat and pronounce it ‘brought’. Want a polish sausage? Just call it a polish. Some places offer grilled wieners, but the local vernacular for such is called a ‘char-dog’. A cheeseburger is pronounced ‘cheeseborger’. Note that if you order some sandwiches with ‘everything’, you’ll get literally everything, including sauerkraut. Many sandwiches don’t feature ketchup, however, and you’ll have to specify that particular condiment.