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50 People Share Sayings They Grew Up With Only To Later Find Out They Were Unique To Their Family

Interview With Author

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Every family has a wealth of wisdom to share. Eventually, the sayings that our loved ones use become such an integral part of our everyday lives that it feels like the entire world should know what they’re talking about. Which can lead to a lot of fun.

Reddit user Tysmily asked the internet a very poignant question about what sayings people grew up with only to later find out that they were actually unique to their families. Check out the best, funniest, and most unexpected sayings below, dear Pandas. Remember to show the sayings you love the most your appreciation by giving them an upvote (we’re huge fans of the ‘we can’t afford monsters’ one) and let us know in the comment section if your family has any unique sayings, too!

Tysmily’s thread got over 49.9k upvotes and a whopping 149 awards which just goes to show that their fellow redditors really enjoyed the topic. We reached out to Tysmily to talk about their viral thread and Bored Panda also spoke about sayings and idioms with Mike Rock from the 'Know Your Phrase' website. "Idiomatic phrases can form at any time, including today. However, not all of them will reach popularity levels to where they become a part of everyday conversations," Mike said. Read on for our full interviews with him and with redditor Tysmily!

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#1

Growing up my working-class English mum used to cheerfully call me Lizzie from the Boneyard, especially if I was being sort of grubby or rascally. My name is not Elizabeth. One day I finally asked her why she called me that. She wondered for a minute and said "I don't know, it's what my mum used to call me."

One day we visited grandma in the home, and asked her why she used to call my mum - Sue - Lizzie from the Boneyard.

"I don't know," said Grandma, whose name was Brenda. "It's what my mum used to call me!"

Pippin4242 Report

Final score:

150points

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#2

I used to run a pub. I had to refuse to serve a rather inebriated young man. Rather than say ‘you think you’re the best thing since sliced bread’ he actually said: ‘ you think you’re a slice of bread’.

Since then, in our family, anytime one of us does something rather clever, we are accused of thinking we are a slice of bread.

Mancsnotlancs Report

Final score:

133points

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#3

Younger Me: “Dad I don’t want to walk downstairs at night. It’s too dark.”

Dad: “There’s no monsters. We can’t afford monsters.”

Final score:

128points

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According to Mike from 'Know Your Phrase,' it's possible that some popular sayings that we all use nowadays may have started in a family home.

"After all, these phrases had to have come from somewhere, so a family home is certainly a possibility. When you think of the people who coined certain phrases—for example, the 33rd president of the United States, Harry S. Truman is said to have coined the phrase, 'If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen'—you might wonder if they came up with that themselves, or if maybe they heard it from within their family home. Maybe they heard it from a friend! Who knows?"

#4

Growing up with an Asian mom that was working on perfecting her English, she would often say “Aw that is the suck” instead of, you know, “that sucks”. Didn’t take long for us to catch on and correct her but it was so funny we just kinda stuck to it, so when something is sh**ty now I’ll instinctively say in my head “well that is the suck”

slothbarns7 Report

Final score:

125points

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#5

As a kid whenever I would say 'I don't know what to wear!' my Grandma would say 'Put a raisin in your belly button and go as a cookie'

Nashmimi Report

Final score:

125points

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#6

My mom would always say "don't think about penguins!" when we got hurt, and we would obviously and immediately start thinking about penguins and why we shouldn't be thinking about them, and we would stop crying

lanaabananaa Report

Final score:

123points

BusLady 4 years ago

Hey, it worked!

44points

WilvanderHeijden 4 years ago

"Don't laugh" they said in my family.

5points

Grace DuBose 4 years ago

Same here

0points

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Louloubelle 4 years ago

Clever lady.

2points

Lord Mysticlaw 4 years ago

That is genius

0points

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Mike stated that, in his opinion, an important factor that increases how likely a saying or an idiom is to spread or become common had to do with the popularity of its source. The more popular the source, the higher the likelihood.

"For example, several common idioms today originated from sports like baseball, boxing, and horse racing. Lots of eyes are on sporting events like these, so if a particular term is said frequently enough by, say, the sports commentators, then the many people watching and listening in might pick up on it and thus that particular phrase spreads."

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#7

Whenever I didn't like something, my dad would say, "Well it likes you. It called the other day and said so". It could be anything: broccoli, a hamburger, the neighbor's cat. Whatever I didn't like or want to try, he had always gotten a call.

Final score:

109points

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#8

'Get your poop in a group!' Ya know, instead of 'Get your s**t together'

BushaPalooza Report

Final score:

99points

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#9

My dad always used "it's broke with a capital F" - as his way of saying "it's completely f**ked" but without swearing in front of us as kids.

McNamee93SAFC Report

Final score:

94points

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The majority of idioms that Mike writes about on 'Know Your Phrase' are from the early 1900s, the 1800s, and some are even older. However, this doesn't mean that there aren't any modern idioms; but we do have to widen our gaze a bit and look further back than we'd expect to.

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"The closest 'modern-day' idioms I can think of are: 'It's not brain surgery' and 'It's not rocket science.' I believe the former dates back to around the 1960s, while the latter dates back to the 1980s," Mike shared, adding that there are most likely newer examples, but he focuses mostly on older phrases himself.

#10

“Just like downtown” My immigrant dad has picked up a lot of American idioms, but some of them he’s made up. He uses this whenever he thinks he done something really well, like a perfect parking job.

He also uses actual phrases excessively. Like he’ll also say “call it a day” after a perfect parking job. Really, he’s just super proud of his parking skills.

arwenorange Report

Final score:

78points

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#11

Any time I’d ask my mom where she was going she’d shout, “Crazy! Want to go with me?”

Also, if you asked her to make you a sandwich she’d always say “Poof! You’re a sandwich!”

My Dad also used the word ‘dumberd’ a lot. Like his own personal synonym for dumbass.

Carpe_Musicam Report

Final score:

67points

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#12

When pulling out of the driveway for a trip:

“And we’re off, like a heard of turtles!”

boxinafox Report

Final score:

63points

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"The world and families are becoming increasingly diverse," redditor Tysmily told Bored Panda, adding that new languages and idioms have driven new sayings and adaptations as people look to translate their mother tongue sayings to match their new environments. The redditor also revealed that in their family, their mom would say "little birdie" and "little frog" to refer to their and their sister's private parts, respectively, when they were kids. "I haven’t heard anyone else use that," Tysmily shared.

The redditor said that they started the thread out of boredom. "I grew up in a multilingual household, so I was curious about the kind of responses I’d see from across the world," they explained.

While the redditor didn't expect the thread to be a success when they first posed the question, they believe that people like platforms that allow them to share more about themselves and their stories that wouldn't make sense to share with stranger online otherwise. Tysmily believes that this is what lies behind the thread's roaring success.

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#13

When something new turned up and we'd ask my dad where it came from his reply was always "stole it from a blind man down on the corner"

MyThrOHAcct Report

Final score:

58points

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#14

"She's got an arse like a harvest frog." From my Irish Grandad. I still don't know what it means, though I do know it wasn't a compliment

Mikkle80 Report

Final score:

57points

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#15

Me: “What are you doing?” Dad, obviously just watching TV: “I’m digging a hole.”

scottsmith7 Report

Final score:

57points

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Whether you call them sayings, idioms, expressions, phrases, or proverbs, they all overlap at some point and it all boils down to having some pearls of wisdom, information, and small lessons to share with someone else in a poetic, metaphorical way. That’s the beauty of language! And once you realize just how much humankind relies on metaphors, there’s no putting that particular genie back in the bottle.

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Some of the most popular sayings have very interesting, even mythical, origins. For instance, the phrase ‘turn a blind eye,’ which means willingly refusing to acknowledge reality, supposedly dates back to the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801 when Horatio Nelson brought his telescope to his bad eye and refused to withdraw when ordered to.

Nelson won the engagement, but History.com explains that some historians have dismissed what happened as a battlefield myth. Regardless, the phrase persists to this very day!

#16

When Mom was angry about something and we'd ask her "what's for lunch?", she'd put her hands on her hips and exclaim:

"Fried As**oles!"

Back2Bach Report

Final score:

55points

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#17

English is not my moms first language. She’s Asian so she kind of messes up English, especially her cursing.

“Shut the f**k mouth.” “Hole of an ass” “No you f**k you.”

My sister and I have a good laugh when we hear it.

twerksavesarrhythmia Report

Final score:

55points

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#18

My dad spoke exclusively in movie quotes. So imagine my surprise when I found out people don't say "Feed me Seymour! Feeeeed meeeeee!" In response to dinner being ready or any food related conversation. Doesn't stop me from still saying it and all the other quotes though.

slinkorswim Report

Final score:

55points

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Meanwhile, another popular saying, ‘crocodile tears,’ which talks about someone pretending to be sad, comes from the 14th-century belief that crocodiles shed tears of sadness when they ate their prey. The myth was outlined in a book called ‘The Travels of Sir John Mandeville’ and 2 centuries later wound its way into Shakespeare’s plays where the phrase ‘crocodile tears’ became an idiom.

It’s hard to say which sayings will become universal, but one thing’s almost for sure—someone somewhere is already uttering the next popular idiom in their family kitchen, unaware that they might change literary history forever.

#19

Whenever we were to fend for ourselves for dinner, my mom called it "getchuroni" (getchu-your-oni)

Not_Used_To_People Report

Final score:

54points

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#20

My mom would always say "it's behind the milk!" when we would look for something and couldn't find it. Inevitably whatever we were looking for one day was simply behind the milk in the fridge and we couldn't find it. My mom exclaimed this from across the house in frustration and it became the exclamation for anything someone is trying to find. Meaning look harder, actually move other objects instead of just blankly staring.

savetheaglet Report

Final score:

50points

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#21

My dad sang opera so when he came to pick me up from grade school, he'd always sing my name for everyone to hear. Builds character, I guess.

renahlee Report

Final score:

50points

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#22

I have yet to hear anyone else say it and I stole it from my dad but if something was broken he would say "it's bucking fusted"

Miss you dad

TheLazyHippy Report

Final score:

45points

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#23

My dad is a neurologist. Anytime I complained that I was bored he would ask me “board certified?”. Took years for me to finally get it.

Modyn21413 Report

Final score:

45points

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#24

I'm sure this is actually super common, but it comes from my Great Grandma. She only spoke Hungarian and what little english she did know were translations of her favorite Hungarian swears. She would often call people, especially my father, "b**ch-bastard" in both languages. It stuck and most of my family on that side refer to each other as "b**ch-bastards", which does cover most bases.

Final score:

44points

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#25

When we’d go to restaurants and it came time to pay my dad, without fail, would always look in his wallet and say “ Well looks like we’re washing dishes tonight” as our means to pay.

Witchway22 Report

Final score:

44points

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#26

I'm going to start drinking, and I don't mean diet coke!

My mom when angry

ooo-ooo-oooyea Report

Final score:

43points

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#27

My nan and mum would always say "you're nosey for a cabbage", when I would try to ask about stuff that wasn't my business, not sure if it's unique to us but I've never heard anyone else say it

maryhallie Report

Final score:

41points

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#28

"What time dark" was something we would say to ask like the general question of when was like dinner and down time.

Turns out my parents were ass face drunk on vacation in a different part of the world before me and my sister were born when my mom turned to my dad and proclaimed "what time dark". Because she wanted to see the sun set but couldn't get the thoughts together.

So from 1-16 I thought it was a common saying, and from 16-24 when my mom passed everytime she said something stupid we would just go "WhAt TiMe dArK???"

something98123 Report

Final score:

40points

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#29

My mom said something really funny once while we were getting ready to run out. She said, “Mirror mirror on the wall, you better f**king lie to me!” Since then it’s stuck and we say it before we leave to go out.

iwiwdascsttaraf Report

Final score:

39points

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#30

When my grandma would say " I got a bone in my leg" when she asked us kids to fetch stuff for her. It was her reason for not doing it herself. I felt so bad for her when I was super small. I really thought she'd hurt her leg or something. Like "would you bring me an iced tea? I got a bone in my leg"

coffee-jnky Report

Final score:

39points

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#31

My southern grandmother had some good ones:

“Lord willing and the creek don’t rise” = if all goes according to plan. As in “We’ll see y’all in a week, lord willing and the creek don’t rise.”

“Too much sugar for a dime” = trying to do too much with too little. As in “You want to cook twelve side dishes, four desserts, and a turkey for four people? That’s too much sugar for a dime.”

She would also sign off on emails and cards the same way: “loveyousogranma” all one word like that. Some of the family have adopted it now, and I love that.

My granddad had some good ones too. I remember playing a game with him as a kid where I’d try to get him to say his name and he’d always respond “Puddin Cane. Ask me again I’ll tell you the same.” Makes no sense but I loved it.

OhWhatPun Report

Final score:

33points

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#32

my nan used to say 'who's she, the cat's mother?' whenever you told a story with too many pronouns and she lost track of characters

slappythejedi Report

Final score:

33points

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#33

When being asked a question he couldn't possibly know, my dad would always respond "Do I have holes in my hands?" referring to (not) being Jesus and thus knowing everything.

ilikepenguinsalottt Report

Final score:

33points

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#34

My late grandma would tell us to go do some chores and my brothers, cousin and I would pretend we weren't listening so when one of us asked what she wanted again she would angrily say, "You heard me, you ain't blind!"

Brother_Moloch_969 Report

Final score:

30points

#35

“You got goats”

My family’s way of saying you had a wedgie, because it looked like there was a goat in your crack eating your pants. Quite embarrasing when I found out that wasn’t a common phrase

theothersoul Report

Final score:

29points

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#36

"Born up a tree" is my family version of Bon Appétit

Poes_Laaitie Report

Final score:

28points

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#37

My mum often says "they have a face like a slapped arse" whenever she is talking about co workers who aren't taking her constructive criticism well. They often have a pinched expression, lips pressed tightly together/puckered like an actual arse hole...

When my dad is done eating and is asked if he wants more food, he will often reply "mate, I'm full as a zoo keepers boot!" (I'm Australian)

He also says "they were giving out brains, you thought they said trains and you missed it" when I didn't listen to instructions.

My personal one is "they're a few skittles/crayola short of a rainbow" if someone is a bit off mark on something.

HailCrystals Report

Final score:

25points

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#38

When I would stand in front of the TV and my mom couldnt see, she would always say: Your father is not a glassmaker! Meaning I wasnt see-through and would have to move.

MiyaviBolton Report

Final score:

24points

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#39

Mom: You'd never notice on a galloping horse.

No one really looks closely at you.

Ibenthinkin2much Report

Final score:

23points

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#40

One I still don't understand is "What are you doing? Posing for animal crackers?"

I mean, I understood the meaning but the reference was beyond me. Basically when I was standing around during work and not doing anything.

Dad had a lot of weird ones.

iBelieveInSpace Report

Final score:

23points

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#41

My dad doesn’t swear so he always uses the word “suck”. “What the suck is going on here?” “You’re all sucked up” It would always make me and my friends laugh.

He also uses the word bunghole. “That guys a real bunghole” he has a ton of other phrases I can’t think of right now.

blitherblather425 Report

Final score:

23points

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#42

My mum used to give us cereal bars in the supermarket to keep us entertained while she was grocery shopping.

Apparently 'trolley bars' isn't a universal term.

Lilzhazskillz Report

Final score:

23points

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#43

My dad always said “Life is like a bowl of cherries but you just gotta watch out for the sh*t underneath.” And to this day I have no fu**ing clue what it means. I asked him and he said one day you’ll get it. Well Dad I’m 36 and have no clue.

Thatdewd57 Report

Final score:

22points

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#44

My favourite one is:

"You can f**k a rock all year, and it still won't love you."

Levitus01 Report

Final score:

22points

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#45

My dad would tell us to “ cough it up it could be a gold watch “ if you were coughing. I never understand it.

Skinnybet Report

Final score:

21points

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#46

when my great grandpa would be asked if he was ready he would say "well i aint freddy, Im freddy's brother, Killowatt." no one understood, but when im the ancient person in the family Im gonna start saying it too, to bewilder my younger family members.

derwood1992 Report

Final score:

21points

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#47

All the codes for pooping. Poop jokes seem to be a thing in our family.

"Train coming down the tracks" "Fishing for brown trout" "Dropping the kids off at the pool" "Letting the prairie dogs run free" "Regular system maintenance"

There are a lot more but these are just a few

Bri70_vengeance Report

Final score:

21points

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#48

Dad would always say, “hotter than a garlic fart.” Never heard anyone else say that.

DuxofOregon Report

Final score:

20points

#49

1) Whenever I'd get in trouble, my mom always used to say "Girl, you must think fat meat ain't greasy. Imma show you." Never understood what it meant and to this day, I barely understand. Looked it up recently though, and apparently it's a phrase that is pretty much exclusively used by African Americans.

2) Almost forgot about this one, but when I'd ask my mom what was for dinner, one of her favorite responses used to be, "Air pie and wind pudding." Never heard anyone else in my life say this lmao

monikitiki98 Report

Final score:

19points

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#50

I would make some kind of remark, my dad would say “well, aren’t you a fart smeller! I mean, a smart feller!”

Doc-in-a-box Report

Final score:

19points

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#51

My step-father would point at his head and say “kidneys man, kidneys” when he got credit for stuff (answering a trivia question for example). I use it with my students all the time .

TheSouthsideSlacker Report

Final score:

18points

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#52

My moms say

" You filled up with your eyes instead of your stomach."

Meaning we ordered or put too much food on our plates, then we couldn't even finish half of it.

giancarlox21 Report

Final score:

18points

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#53

If we were having a hard time doing a puzzle or something, mom would tell us “you gotta hold your teeth right”. Whenever she bought us presents they came from “the gettin place”.

willowgrl Report

Final score:

17points

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#54

“Whoa Jackson!” Was something my dad always said. He swore it was a thing in the 70’s, which my mom would always shake her head behind him and mouth, “it was never a thing.”

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17points

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#55

The term 'to disconcur' meaning to disagree. Tried using it once in a class and got some serious sideways looks. Teacher had to break it to me that it is not a valid word.

Final score:

16points

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#56

If someone said "Where is my (random item)?" My dad would always say "If it was up your ass you'd know." Still have never heard anyone else say that lol

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16points

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#57

Whenever someone would say "great minds think alike" my dad would ALWAYS respond with "but lesser ones rarely differ". I was a little confused when I said that and people were surprised

Oh, not to forget his golden quote: You can pick your friends, and you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friends nose.

DerkDragonfly Report

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16points

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#58

My father has a bunch of them, but my favorites are: “You’re shaking (or shivering) like you’re sh*tting peach pits” - he’d say this me whenever I would exhibit the slightest sign that I was cold, which he never seemed to be even on the coldest days “Slower than blue molasses” = slower than slow, even slower than regular molasses, usually said about a slow driver in front of him, or to me when I was taking too long to do something (usually getting ready for school) “More useless than tits on a boat” = even more useless than tits on a bull or boar. I’m convinced he used this because he once read the phrase wrong and mistook “boar” as “boat”.

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15points

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#59

My dad, to this day, would refer to someone f**king up as, "they sh*t the stick". Example: my dad is an "essential worker", and did not experience a furlough from his job because of COVID...I, however, was furloughed from my job when our state shut down...so when I told my parents that I was "out of a job", my dad looked me in the eye and asked, "was it because of COVID...or did you s**t the stick?" COVID, dad. No sh*tting of sticks for me.

Final score:

15points

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#60

When I was a kid and it was raining with the sun out my mom would always say,

"Ah the devil is beating his wife again."

The first time I said it around my wife she just looked at me like I'd grown a second head.

Final score:

15points

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#61

C’est la vie. C’est la guerre. C’est la pomme de terre. (Such is life. Such is war. Such are potatoes. I know this isn’t the correct translation exactly but this is how we said it as well) I was very disappointed going on foreign exchange to France and my host family had never heard of this family favorite.

I still love potatoes though.

wafflequeen123 Report

Final score:

15points

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#62

When I was upset or complaining about something my mom would say “go tell it to the Marines.”

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14points

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#63

When full from a good dinner, we would say "My sufficiency is suffoncified". Lol came from my grandpa on my dad's side.

portlandspudnic Report

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14points

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#64

“Well that’s dumber than my last name!”

Literally thought all families said this, or at least it was a southern thing. Googled it. Nope.

Talked to my grandpa. Apparently our family’s last name had a “typo” and the worker at Ellis island wrote our last name incorrectly when my family migrated here hundreds of years ago.

He said he remembers HIS grandpa said the phrase too, so pretty sure it goes back hundreds of years and is my bloodlines oldest joke.

MountainLizard Report

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14points

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#65

My grandma has a million of these, and my husband always has to remind me that normal people don't know wtf I'm talking about when I use them. "Lord help us in a pile", "Crooked as a dog's hind leg", "Redder than a fox's ass in pokeberry time." And if you were having a bad hair day, it looked like you "crawled through a bush backwards."

yer__mom_islovely Report

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14points

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#66

To this day, my dad says chow when saying good bye, which is probablyvery common. One day, we were ordering Chinese, and he saw chicken chow mein. Now he says "chow mein man" to my brother and I whenever we say good bye.

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13points

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#67

If my Mom didn’t want us to touch something, she would say, “Don’t touch that! It’s icky poos!”. Me and my brother still laugh when one of us uses “icky poos” in front of each other.

Wolf_of_Seattle Report

Final score:

13points

#68

"Red shoes, no knickers."

My mum said this, that there's an implication women wearing red shoes weren't wearing any undies. Still haven't met anyone who has ever heard of it.

BPD_whut Report

Final score:

12points

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#69

My dad would say “I don’t give a flying f**k on a rolling donut”.

Sirnando138 Report

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12points

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Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

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#70

My kids would say, “HAVE WE ALL LEARNED A VALUABLE LESSON??”

I used to say that all the time when they were growing up (I still do.) A good way to acknowledge that something went wrong without people getting all,tense about it.

Wishyouamerry Report

Final score:

12points

#71

My grandfather had a few.

“Well, I’ll be Jim Brown” meant he was impressed by how f**ked up something could get. Frustrated

“When you were knee-high to a grasshopper” meant, when you were a little kid.

“Yeah, and if a frog had wings it wouldn’t bump its ass every time it hopped” when you theorized “if” something would happen that obviously wouldn’t.

He also pronounced Miami as “Myamma”, Wash as “Warsh” and Mosquitoes as “Skeeters”.

DoctorDeath Report

Final score:

12points

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#72

"Better to be safe than a sardine."

PrinceValyn Report

Final score:

12points

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College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

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#73

My best friend's Dad has some interesting ones, the most memorable being : Wish in one hand, sh*t in the other, see which one fills up first - as a way of saying that you're being unrealistic

Autumnanox Report

Final score:

12points

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#74

IDK, anybody else call farts "barking spiders"?

gr8artist Report

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11points

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#75

Answering for my kids...

When they ask me where something of theirs is, I say, "I sold it...on eBay."

dataminer-x Report

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11points

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#76

"Let's went!" My parents lived in Holland for a few years before we were born, and I guess the translation of "let's go" in Dutch is "let's went" in English. They thought it was funny, so they just kept using it and we used it, too. I'm not 100% sure if the translation is right, but it just meant that every time we left the house, it was "okay, let's went!"

BrinaElka Report

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10points

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#77

My mom used to say one of the following when we were about to leave a family gathering.

“We are gonna make like a tree and leaf”

“Let’s make like a baby and head out”

We also used to call Walmart walsmart not sure why.

My dad when he would get upset or be frustrated at something he would say well that’s a pisser. He also would talk about himself in the third person if he was upset at himself mostly calling himself by our last name telling himself to get it together or “come on stupid” Lol.

mattiramos Report

Final score:

10points

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#78

Whenever asked how you did something on the farm, the standard reply is "brute strength and awkwardness."

TheJadedJoker Report

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10points

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#79

Growing up whenever me or one of our siblings annoyed our parents we’d ask them if they loved us, my mom of course would always say yes but my dad would look us straight in the eye and say “Do I love you yes... do I like you absolutely not.” Then walk away. As we all got older we thought this was the funniest thing in the world but one time in my senior year of highschool I had my friends over and they heard it and go so concerned that my father was emotionally mistreating me

Panda_Anna Report

Final score:

9points

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#80

When I say "fair enough" to my mum sometimes she responds with "there once was a fairy, called nuff"

Don't know if actually unique but I've never heard anyone else say it but her

Flyingwithbirbs Report

Final score:

9points

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#81

“If there was work in the bed, you’d sleep on the floor”

Final score:

9points

#82

A million o’clock to express “very late.”

When did he call you? At like a million o’clock!

Wishyouamerry Report

Final score:

8points

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#83

My grandpa, the jokester that he is, has one that I’ve never heard anywhere else. If he thinks someone’s lying, he’ll ask them to stick out their tongue. He’ll then say “it’s black, like the ace of spades”, which to him means that you’re lying.

Lethality0 Report

Final score:

8points

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#84

Whenever my grandfather heard of someone passing away, he’d be incredulous and say “people dying today that never died before”

ViolentEastCoastCity Report

Final score:

8points

#85

Whenever me and my brothers would refuse to eat some sort of food at the dinner table my dad would say "You don't eat, you don't s**t. You don't s**t, ya die!"

Always cracked us up.

TrukThunder Report

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8points

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#86

Dad used to call me "snicklefritz" not sure how to spell it. Basically means naughty child in German. We live in the US midwest but family is very German.

MNConcerto Report

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8points

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#87

Ungowa. Not sure if that is how it is spelled, but that is how it is said. My dad always said it when he wanted us to get out if the room and go play. Said it was something they say in Aruba.

My mom also says "it isn't gossip if it is true" which I wholeheartedly disagree with.

lbrayake Report

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8points

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#88

I didn't have any family "sayings" growing up. When I married my wife, though, dayum!

"At a hundred yards on a galloping horse, they ain't gonna notice." Obvious mistakes to you aren't obvious to anyone else.

The answer to how're you doing? "Fair in the middle, better'n some, worse'n others."

And instead of saying Um or Uh, or other follow on "fillers", they'd use "Well, what I'm gettin' at is:" or "With that..."

cwjbrownict Report

Final score:

8points

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#89

My Nana always used to say “going for a big job” as her way of saying having a poo. In fairness, my jobs were rather big.

TannedCroissant Report

Final score:

7points

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#90

“Happy anniversary” in the context of “f**k you”

arielrecon Report

Final score:

7points

#91

Whenever my grandfather and I went out shopping or whatever and we'd hit a red light he'd say "One of us isn't living right."

Meaning; only a bad person gets red lights and certainly HE is a good person, so it must be ME!

mattcolville Report

Final score:

7points

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#92

I grew up with my family calling farts “bottypops” I didn’t realise it wasn’t a universal saying until a few years back & when I asked my mum she told me it’s “pops from your bottom” like it was the most normal thing in the world

redrabbit144 Report

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6points

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#93

Others may say these, but I've only heard my parents say them:

"Put a glass-eye in a duck's ass and you could see that" = you're blind as a bat or stupid

"We gotta douche this place" = thoroughly clean

Unknown_system_error Report

Final score:

6points

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#94

"Slicker than deer guts on a gear shift" Is probably the most unique one.

HeckinEvilBBEG Report

Final score:

6points

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#95

My dads favorite saying when we would ask him a yes or no question would be “Does a frog have a watertight asshole?” To this day I’m still not sure because I’m afraid to google it.

Final score:

6points

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#96

Probably not unique, but I always remember when someone would fail at at anything ‘graceful’ just say “smooth move, ex-lax”

ETSC_Jester Report

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#97

When my brother and I would do anything stupid and/or clumsy, we'd snarkily say "swift move, swiftless."

So random and stupid.. It seems like it would have come off of some TV show or movie, but I have no idea which one.

non_clever_username Report

Final score:

5points

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#98

My grandpa would always say "scratch your ass and get glad" or "a hard head makes a soft ass."

TheEmpress24 Report

Final score:

5points

#99

When my great grandma would fry up some chicken, my great grandpa would always say “chicken ain’t nothin but a bird.”

Final score:

5points

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#100

"Not Kicking The Arse Off" generally meaning 'about' and 'around'. E.g "It's not kicking the arse off 10 o'clock" My mum made it up many years ago and we've always used it, however the full saying is "Not kicking the arse of a donkeys back" Didn't know it wasn't an actual term until a few years ago.

Final score:

4points

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Jonas Grinevičius

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Storytelling, journalism, and art are a core part of who I am. I've been writing and drawing ever since I could walk—there is nothing else I'd rather do. My formal education, however, is focused on politics, philosophy, and economics because I've always been curious about the gap between the ideal and the real. At work, I'm a Senior Writer and I cover a broad range of topics that I'm passionate about: from psychology and changes in work culture to healthy living, relationships, and design. In my spare time, I'm an avid hiker and reader, enjoy writing short stories, and love to doodle. I thrive when I'm outdoors, going on small adventures in nature. However, you can also find me enjoying a big mug of coffee with a good book (or ten) and entertaining friends with fantasy tabletop games and sci-fi movies.

Mindaugas Balčiauskas

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

I'm a visual editor at Bored Panda. I kickstart my day with a mug of coffee bigger than my head, ready to tackle Photoshop. I navigate through the digital jungle with finesse, fueled by bamboo breaks and caffeine kicks. When the workday winds down, you might catch me devouring bamboo snacks while binging on the latest TV show, gaming or I could be out in nature, soaking up the tranquility and communing with my inner panda.

Share your unique family saying

Sara Rosen 4 years ago

My husband is Danish and his English is pretty perfect but every once in a while there is something that just isn't quite right. Early in our relationship he did something nice and then asked "So have the points been added to my muffin account?" Took me a while to realize he meant "brownie points." Now and forever, we use the "muffin accounting system"

10points

N G 4 years ago

One phrase that sticks in my mind is, for when someone is a bit discombobulated (isn't THAT a wonderful word!) is that they "can't tell if its bum or breakfast time". I've since read it in a couple of Terry Pratchett books, where, annoyingly HE doesn't explain what it means either!

7points

Mimi777 4 years ago

I use that word too!! No idea where it came from but been using it forever!

2points

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BusLady 4 years ago

If we asked our dad where he was going, he said "I gotta see a man about a dog." Translation: You don't need to know.

5points

kate h 4 years ago

In our house it was "I'm going to see a man about a horse."

3points

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Miss Milinky 4 years ago

Ha - this was pretty common in my house too!

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

See that always meant dad needed to go do #2 in our house! His was of announcing when he left the room without being too crude. Gotta go see a fella about a dog. Of course we still got grossed out. Kids.

0points

Bonnie Galloway 4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

A.M. Pierre 4 years ago

My family has one that's an inside joke. We were at a hotel when a random stranger called our room. They didn't say hi, hello, whatever. It was just "Joan, let's rock!!!" said with great enthusiasm and a slight accent, so it was more like "Joan, lezz rock!!!" It was a wrong number, but it became our rallying cry from that day on whenever we're ready to go somewhere.

3points

Julie 4 years ago (edited)

These were fun to read. Here's one for ya. Whenever we passed a herd of cows in a field, my dad would yell out the window "Get out of the mud with your mother's slippers on!". It makes me laugh. I have no idea why he said that every time, never heard it from anyone else. I like to think it holds some profound meaning that will reveal itself to me one day. Sometimes he would say bathrobe.

2points

Stephanie Anne 4 years ago

In my family whenever you **ck up instructions we say "you turned on the shower" It comes from me explaining to my autistic son that he needs to listen to instructions because he often did something related to what was asked, instead of following directions. I used the example "it's like if I ask you to fill up the tub and you instead turn on the shower" It stuck, and we still use it to describe the situation.

2points

kate h 4 years ago

My mom was German and often mixed up American idioms. Our favorite, which we all still use today: "I'm running around like a chicken cut of with its head!" :)

2points

Kaiserfranzgirl 4 years ago

Running around like a headless chicken is the saying I know

0points

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Miss Milinky 4 years ago

My mum and nan used to say "There's more ways of killing a cat than choking it with custard" meaning "you don't have to always do it the hard way - sometimes the simplest way is the best" ...I thought this was a normal saying until multiple friends and partners were like "da f**k did she just say????!"

2points

Kaiserfranzgirl 4 years ago

There's more than one way to kill a cat is what I've heard

1point

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BusLady 4 years ago

Really enjoyed this. Some of them brought back good memories of loved ones who are no longer with me.

2points

K Feeley 4 years ago

My grandma always sits in the same place on the couch. Any time I'd jump in there as a kid just to be cheeky she'd say "Would you jump in my grave as fast?" I've never heard anyone but her use it and I'm still not exactly sure what it means lmao

1point

Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

My parents were married in 1941. Back then, if someone was starting to get anxious and about to freak out, the older folks would tell them “Don’t get your bowels in an uproar”. Well, one day my oldest brother, who was maybe four or five at the time, was playing in the backyard with his friends, who were getting pretty wound up. My parents overheard my brother tell them “Don’t get your balls in a drawer”! From then on, they said it to all us kids when we were getting overly upset over something really unimportant. BTW, the only other time I ever heard “Don’t get your bowels in an uproar”, outside of my family, was in the Woody Allen movie “Radio Days”, which was set just before and during WWII.

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

That’s always been pretty common in my family. Don’t get your bowels in an uproar, or Don’t get your panties in a crack or a bunch.

1point

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IlovemydogShilo 4 years ago

Back in the days of the early 70s we had a non satellite TV. If we lost a signal the screen would just show static. My Dad used to call the static "Bionic Ants" because it did look like ants jumping around the screen. Pretty soon we all called it that, to the point that by the time I came along that was all it was ever called so I actually thought it was called Bionic Ants. It wasn't until years later that I learned that it was called Static.

1point

Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

You’re lucky your parents didn’t have you get up to change the channel (TVs with remotes were too expensive back in the sixties), or hold the bunny ears (antenna) in just the right place so the picture was clear—-even if it meant you couldn’t see the TV screen.

1point

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GFSTaylor 4 years ago

I lived alittle while in an old building divided into flats. The landlord installed an intercom system at the front door, so people on the upper floors could speak to visitors without having to go downstairs just to see who it was (a novelty in cheap flats in the mid-80's). My flat was close to the front door, so I could sometimes hear the visitor's side of the conversation. One enthusiastic guy was suprised to hear his friend's voice answer through the box on the wall. He got an explanation of the new system and how it made life easier, and promptly exclaimed "Well, rock and roll to that !" Ever since then, I've called a door intercom system a Rock and Roll.

1point

Freya the Wanderer 4 years ago

Could my family ever add to this list! My brother and I used to say "It ain't a hockey game till there's a fight." If you were doing nothing, you were "buttering helicopters." My aunt supposedly once called my grandmother an "Irish frog."

1point

Lesley Relph 4 years ago

I have a few - 'A nod's as good as a wink to a blind man' and 'A blind man would be glad to see that (usually applied to a faint stain on clothing etc) from my mother. 'As much use as a chocolate fireguard/teapot' from a friend, and my SIL's 'Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick' All English sayings. Also 'It's a bit black over Bill's mother's' regarding rainclouds, apparently supposed to refer to William Shakespeare (Bill) so pretty specifically from around the West Midlands in England.

1point

tanith_coutinho 4 years ago

Lesley Relph -

0points

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Shelby P 4 years ago

one of my Dad's best was for when you had a runny nose.. "you're built upside down, your nose runs and your feet smell"

1point

jasper 4 years ago

When my little brother was little, some 40+ years ago now, he called wallets "walnuts". The family still calls them walnuts, including my husband now. :)

1point

Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

My parents did the same thing. When one of my brothers was little, for some reason he called the Christmas tree a “Goonkus tree”. That one came out Every. Single. Christmas. Afterward. You could practically set your clock by it.

1point

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Cori 4 years ago

I made up the swear word 'futher monkeys' when I started working at a daycare years ago. I knew I couldn't swear in front of the kids, but I also knew I would WANT to swear in front of the kids so... 🤷‍♀️.

1point

Cynthia Bonville 4 years ago

My sister and I saw a toddler get lightly teased in a grocery store by her poppy and uncle and when they saw her eyes get big and ask if she wanted something she'd say with a strong whine "Baby want!" It was so cute and appropriate for a toddler, not so with grown ups. Anyway our dad was having a hissy fit about not finding the remote controls so I replied "Baby want" with a good whine. Dad stopped and we laughed. So if someone is having a tantrum over wanting something that seems juvenile/juvenile in manner it is a good way to end it with an adult. Like right now I can think about some demands that need a similar response.

1point

JessG 4 years ago

Whenever we’d say “I have a headache” in front of my Step Dad, he’d say “if I had a head like yours and it didn’t hurt, I’d worry”

1point

BoredPundits 4 years ago

He sounds awful.

0points

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Patrick O'Harris 4 years ago

Whenever my Grandma saw stuff on TV that she liked, she told me to "grab in and get it out" and started to smile. Damn I'd love to hear her say that again.

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

That’s sweet. I miss my people too, and all their sayings. Be so nice to hear those voices again.

0points

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Mimi777 4 years ago

My mom says “gosh damp it!” Instead of “GD it.”

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

When someone leaves but comes right back because they forgot something I always say, “How the hell can I miss you if you won’t go away?” When someone whines about a minor thing my kids dad used to say, “Does your face hurt?” They’d say, “No, why?” He’d say, “Cuz it’s killing me man!” We still say it all the time. Course now they know what’s coming. He’s long dead but we carry it on to the new generations.

0points

bv7hearts 4 years ago

Whenever we'd get ready for bed, we would say "we're getting ready for W***y White's party"....my little cousin got SO ANGRY that we were going to a party without him, lol.

0points

Daune Jaimes Diaz Premium 4 years ago

Instead of sayongs 'good enough' I say ' if its good enough for fishes' Also our house is bilingual so when I want the kids to do something I ask 'Si or no si?' My husband (English is his 2nd language will says 'Take me a picture'

0points

Daune Jaimes Diaz Premium 4 years ago

I forgot to add my childhood favorite. If I asked my Mom what she was doing (when I could see exactly what she was doing) she would tell me she was making crutches for lame ducks

1point

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Sasy 4 years ago (edited)

One I hated as a kid.... when asking where we were going, the reply was "there and back to see how far it is" an add on if not going with, "when we get there we will come back and tell you how far it was." Hated even more catching myself saying it to friends kids as an adult.

0points

Janis Wise 4 years ago

I always just shrug, look pained and say, “If I tell you, you’ll tell others and then it won’t be a secret any longer.” Or “I hate to break it to you but I work for the CIA and if I tell you then I’ll just have to kill you. I’m protecting you baby.”

0points

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KombatBunni 4 years ago

My mother describing someone who had too much to drink as being “pie eyed”..took me a while to work out what she meant! Or my grandpa describing a big sandwich as a sore hand..we had some weird sayings in my family :D

0points

Cassizu 4 years ago

My family has some weird ones, mostly from my grandpa. My favorite is “you make a better door than a window.” It’s used when one is standing in the way of someone’s view of something, usually the TV. Another one is “for real life?” which my sister picked up from Bluey, but she was young and impressionable when we first saw the show so it kinda stuck. Basically it means “for real?” or “really?” Another one is “speed down.” I was at the movie theater a few years ago with my friend. She was running to the car a lot faster than me and I meant to say “slow down!” But it came out as “speed down!”

0points

Colin Mochrie At Its Finest 4 years ago

My dad says these ones repeatedly, but they are not made up (except #3) "Kill it before it multiplies" -to a spider, bug, etc. "The horrors!" -to basically any minor 1st world complaint. "Does that hit the spot?" -afrer getting us McD's. And "Much ado about nothing" -to anything not really a problem.

0points

Robin DJW 4 years ago

My family loved Tom Swifties.

0points

Patti Vance 4 years ago

save me some steps is my phrase when asking someone to get something for me. started out as something to say when i was having trouble walking due to disability but was still uncomfortable about letting my family know how bad i was doing at the time. i am so fortunate for them as they now get mad if i get up for something that they could do just to save me discomfort. now i yell at them 'don't make me an invalid before my time' to which they responsed i need to be nice because they will pick out my nursing home for me. we are a salty bunch!

0points

Janis Wise 4 years ago

Thanks for reminding me of this, we’re a damn salty family too. But when my late mom was being a pain in my butt I’d say, while SMH, “All I got to say is Shady Acres ma, Shady Acres!” She’d crack up every time.

0points

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Laura Smith 4 years ago

My Dad has a million. If you say "I'll be right back" he always replies with "Thanks for the warning.". If you are heading to the bathroom he says "Mention my name - you'll get a good seat.". If it's cold outside he says "It's colder than a dead witch's tit" or "Colder than a well digger's ass". He's hilarious!

0points

Suzi Gauthier 4 years ago

Yes, "See you later" was answered with "Not if I see you first." And they loved to call us back after we walked away to ask "How far would you have gotten if I didn't call you back?"

0points

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Niffler_13 4 years ago

My family says "luff you" in place of "F**k you"

0points

Edgar Rops 4 years ago

Not a relative, but my good friend, when upset/angry about actions of e.g. politicians (in other words, when it isn't a personal offence) wishes a culprit to "grow [reproductive organ] on his or her heel, thus having to remove shoes in the toilet".

0points

Janis Wise 4 years ago

I wish various curses on their people and villages for several generations. The curses usually have to do with their ability to reproduce or what they reproduce or how fast or their style. It can get colorful depending on my mood. I have no filter on my mouth and I am usually just as surprised as others on what comes out of said mouth. Good times.

0points

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Petra Schaap 4 years ago

when we asked too much or difficult stuff; the reply was "I'll tell you when you're 18" my mom also had the most weird cursing words to yell at us when we were little :-D :-D for the dutch people "ben je nu helemaal belatafeld" of "besnaveld" of "ben je nu betoeterd" etc

0points

Sara Rosen 4 years ago

My husband is Danish and his English is pretty perfect but every once in a while there is something that just isn't quite right. Early in our relationship he did something nice and then asked "So have the points been added to my muffin account?" Took me a while to realize he meant "brownie points." Now and forever, we use the "muffin accounting system"

10points

N G 4 years ago

One phrase that sticks in my mind is, for when someone is a bit discombobulated (isn't THAT a wonderful word!) is that they "can't tell if its bum or breakfast time". I've since read it in a couple of Terry Pratchett books, where, annoyingly HE doesn't explain what it means either!

7points

Mimi777 4 years ago

I use that word too!! No idea where it came from but been using it forever!

2points

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BusLady 4 years ago

If we asked our dad where he was going, he said "I gotta see a man about a dog." Translation: You don't need to know.

5points

kate h 4 years ago

In our house it was "I'm going to see a man about a horse."

3points

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Miss Milinky 4 years ago

Ha - this was pretty common in my house too!

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

See that always meant dad needed to go do #2 in our house! His was of announcing when he left the room without being too crude. Gotta go see a fella about a dog. Of course we still got grossed out. Kids.

0points

Bonnie Galloway 4 years ago

This comment has been deleted.

0points

A.M. Pierre 4 years ago

My family has one that's an inside joke. We were at a hotel when a random stranger called our room. They didn't say hi, hello, whatever. It was just "Joan, let's rock!!!" said with great enthusiasm and a slight accent, so it was more like "Joan, lezz rock!!!" It was a wrong number, but it became our rallying cry from that day on whenever we're ready to go somewhere.

3points

Julie 4 years ago (edited)

These were fun to read. Here's one for ya. Whenever we passed a herd of cows in a field, my dad would yell out the window "Get out of the mud with your mother's slippers on!". It makes me laugh. I have no idea why he said that every time, never heard it from anyone else. I like to think it holds some profound meaning that will reveal itself to me one day. Sometimes he would say bathrobe.

2points

Stephanie Anne 4 years ago

In my family whenever you **ck up instructions we say "you turned on the shower" It comes from me explaining to my autistic son that he needs to listen to instructions because he often did something related to what was asked, instead of following directions. I used the example "it's like if I ask you to fill up the tub and you instead turn on the shower" It stuck, and we still use it to describe the situation.

2points

kate h 4 years ago

My mom was German and often mixed up American idioms. Our favorite, which we all still use today: "I'm running around like a chicken cut of with its head!" :)

2points

Kaiserfranzgirl 4 years ago

Running around like a headless chicken is the saying I know

0points

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Miss Milinky 4 years ago

My mum and nan used to say "There's more ways of killing a cat than choking it with custard" meaning "you don't have to always do it the hard way - sometimes the simplest way is the best" ...I thought this was a normal saying until multiple friends and partners were like "da f**k did she just say????!"

2points

Kaiserfranzgirl 4 years ago

There's more than one way to kill a cat is what I've heard

1point

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BusLady 4 years ago

Really enjoyed this. Some of them brought back good memories of loved ones who are no longer with me.

2points

K Feeley 4 years ago

My grandma always sits in the same place on the couch. Any time I'd jump in there as a kid just to be cheeky she'd say "Would you jump in my grave as fast?" I've never heard anyone but her use it and I'm still not exactly sure what it means lmao

1point

Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

My parents were married in 1941. Back then, if someone was starting to get anxious and about to freak out, the older folks would tell them “Don’t get your bowels in an uproar”. Well, one day my oldest brother, who was maybe four or five at the time, was playing in the backyard with his friends, who were getting pretty wound up. My parents overheard my brother tell them “Don’t get your balls in a drawer”! From then on, they said it to all us kids when we were getting overly upset over something really unimportant. BTW, the only other time I ever heard “Don’t get your bowels in an uproar”, outside of my family, was in the Woody Allen movie “Radio Days”, which was set just before and during WWII.

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

That’s always been pretty common in my family. Don’t get your bowels in an uproar, or Don’t get your panties in a crack or a bunch.

1point

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IlovemydogShilo 4 years ago

Back in the days of the early 70s we had a non satellite TV. If we lost a signal the screen would just show static. My Dad used to call the static "Bionic Ants" because it did look like ants jumping around the screen. Pretty soon we all called it that, to the point that by the time I came along that was all it was ever called so I actually thought it was called Bionic Ants. It wasn't until years later that I learned that it was called Static.

1point

Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

You’re lucky your parents didn’t have you get up to change the channel (TVs with remotes were too expensive back in the sixties), or hold the bunny ears (antenna) in just the right place so the picture was clear—-even if it meant you couldn’t see the TV screen.

1point

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GFSTaylor 4 years ago

I lived alittle while in an old building divided into flats. The landlord installed an intercom system at the front door, so people on the upper floors could speak to visitors without having to go downstairs just to see who it was (a novelty in cheap flats in the mid-80's). My flat was close to the front door, so I could sometimes hear the visitor's side of the conversation. One enthusiastic guy was suprised to hear his friend's voice answer through the box on the wall. He got an explanation of the new system and how it made life easier, and promptly exclaimed "Well, rock and roll to that !" Ever since then, I've called a door intercom system a Rock and Roll.

1point

Freya the Wanderer 4 years ago

Could my family ever add to this list! My brother and I used to say "It ain't a hockey game till there's a fight." If you were doing nothing, you were "buttering helicopters." My aunt supposedly once called my grandmother an "Irish frog."

1point

Lesley Relph 4 years ago

I have a few - 'A nod's as good as a wink to a blind man' and 'A blind man would be glad to see that (usually applied to a faint stain on clothing etc) from my mother. 'As much use as a chocolate fireguard/teapot' from a friend, and my SIL's 'Better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick' All English sayings. Also 'It's a bit black over Bill's mother's' regarding rainclouds, apparently supposed to refer to William Shakespeare (Bill) so pretty specifically from around the West Midlands in England.

1point

tanith_coutinho 4 years ago

Lesley Relph -

0points

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Shelby P 4 years ago

one of my Dad's best was for when you had a runny nose.. "you're built upside down, your nose runs and your feet smell"

1point

jasper 4 years ago

When my little brother was little, some 40+ years ago now, he called wallets "walnuts". The family still calls them walnuts, including my husband now. :)

1point

Kathryn Baylis 4 years ago (edited)

My parents did the same thing. When one of my brothers was little, for some reason he called the Christmas tree a “Goonkus tree”. That one came out Every. Single. Christmas. Afterward. You could practically set your clock by it.

1point

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Cori 4 years ago

I made up the swear word 'futher monkeys' when I started working at a daycare years ago. I knew I couldn't swear in front of the kids, but I also knew I would WANT to swear in front of the kids so... 🤷‍♀️.

1point

Cynthia Bonville 4 years ago

My sister and I saw a toddler get lightly teased in a grocery store by her poppy and uncle and when they saw her eyes get big and ask if she wanted something she'd say with a strong whine "Baby want!" It was so cute and appropriate for a toddler, not so with grown ups. Anyway our dad was having a hissy fit about not finding the remote controls so I replied "Baby want" with a good whine. Dad stopped and we laughed. So if someone is having a tantrum over wanting something that seems juvenile/juvenile in manner it is a good way to end it with an adult. Like right now I can think about some demands that need a similar response.

1point

JessG 4 years ago

Whenever we’d say “I have a headache” in front of my Step Dad, he’d say “if I had a head like yours and it didn’t hurt, I’d worry”

1point

BoredPundits 4 years ago

He sounds awful.

0points

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Patrick O'Harris 4 years ago

Whenever my Grandma saw stuff on TV that she liked, she told me to "grab in and get it out" and started to smile. Damn I'd love to hear her say that again.

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

That’s sweet. I miss my people too, and all their sayings. Be so nice to hear those voices again.

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Mimi777 4 years ago

My mom says “gosh damp it!” Instead of “GD it.”

1point

Janis Wise 4 years ago

When someone leaves but comes right back because they forgot something I always say, “How the hell can I miss you if you won’t go away?” When someone whines about a minor thing my kids dad used to say, “Does your face hurt?” They’d say, “No, why?” He’d say, “Cuz it’s killing me man!” We still say it all the time. Course now they know what’s coming. He’s long dead but we carry it on to the new generations.

0points

bv7hearts 4 years ago

Whenever we'd get ready for bed, we would say "we're getting ready for W***y White's party"....my little cousin got SO ANGRY that we were going to a party without him, lol.

0points

Daune Jaimes Diaz Premium 4 years ago

Instead of sayongs 'good enough' I say ' if its good enough for fishes' Also our house is bilingual so when I want the kids to do something I ask 'Si or no si?' My husband (English is his 2nd language will says 'Take me a picture'

0points

Daune Jaimes Diaz Premium 4 years ago

I forgot to add my childhood favorite. If I asked my Mom what she was doing (when I could see exactly what she was doing) she would tell me she was making crutches for lame ducks

1point

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Sasy 4 years ago (edited)

One I hated as a kid.... when asking where we were going, the reply was "there and back to see how far it is" an add on if not going with, "when we get there we will come back and tell you how far it was." Hated even more catching myself saying it to friends kids as an adult.

0points

Janis Wise 4 years ago

I always just shrug, look pained and say, “If I tell you, you’ll tell others and then it won’t be a secret any longer.” Or “I hate to break it to you but I work for the CIA and if I tell you then I’ll just have to kill you. I’m protecting you baby.”

0points

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KombatBunni 4 years ago

My mother describing someone who had too much to drink as being “pie eyed”..took me a while to work out what she meant! Or my grandpa describing a big sandwich as a sore hand..we had some weird sayings in my family :D

0points

Cassizu 4 years ago

My family has some weird ones, mostly from my grandpa. My favorite is “you make a better door than a window.” It’s used when one is standing in the way of someone’s view of something, usually the TV. Another one is “for real life?” which my sister picked up from Bluey, but she was young and impressionable when we first saw the show so it kinda stuck. Basically it means “for real?” or “really?” Another one is “speed down.” I was at the movie theater a few years ago with my friend. She was running to the car a lot faster than me and I meant to say “slow down!” But it came out as “speed down!”

0points

Colin Mochrie At Its Finest 4 years ago

My dad says these ones repeatedly, but they are not made up (except #3) "Kill it before it multiplies" -to a spider, bug, etc. "The horrors!" -to basically any minor 1st world complaint. "Does that hit the spot?" -afrer getting us McD's. And "Much ado about nothing" -to anything not really a problem.

0points

Robin DJW 4 years ago

My family loved Tom Swifties.

0points

Patti Vance 4 years ago

save me some steps is my phrase when asking someone to get something for me. started out as something to say when i was having trouble walking due to disability but was still uncomfortable about letting my family know how bad i was doing at the time. i am so fortunate for them as they now get mad if i get up for something that they could do just to save me discomfort. now i yell at them 'don't make me an invalid before my time' to which they responsed i need to be nice because they will pick out my nursing home for me. we are a salty bunch!

0points

Janis Wise 4 years ago

Thanks for reminding me of this, we’re a damn salty family too. But when my late mom was being a pain in my butt I’d say, while SMH, “All I got to say is Shady Acres ma, Shady Acres!” She’d crack up every time.

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Laura Smith 4 years ago

My Dad has a million. If you say "I'll be right back" he always replies with "Thanks for the warning.". If you are heading to the bathroom he says "Mention my name - you'll get a good seat.". If it's cold outside he says "It's colder than a dead witch's tit" or "Colder than a well digger's ass". He's hilarious!

0points

Suzi Gauthier 4 years ago

Yes, "See you later" was answered with "Not if I see you first." And they loved to call us back after we walked away to ask "How far would you have gotten if I didn't call you back?"

0points

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Niffler_13 4 years ago

My family says "luff you" in place of "F**k you"

0points

Edgar Rops 4 years ago

Not a relative, but my good friend, when upset/angry about actions of e.g. politicians (in other words, when it isn't a personal offence) wishes a culprit to "grow [reproductive organ] on his or her heel, thus having to remove shoes in the toilet".

0points

Janis Wise 4 years ago

I wish various curses on their people and villages for several generations. The curses usually have to do with their ability to reproduce or what they reproduce or how fast or their style. It can get colorful depending on my mood. I have no filter on my mouth and I am usually just as surprised as others on what comes out of said mouth. Good times.

0points

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Petra Schaap 4 years ago

when we asked too much or difficult stuff; the reply was "I'll tell you when you're 18" my mom also had the most weird cursing words to yell at us when we were little :-D :-D for the dutch people "ben je nu helemaal belatafeld" of "besnaveld" of "ben je nu betoeterd" etc

0points

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