North Dakotans kind of have their own lingo. Sure, residents will understand these North Dakota phrases, but they would probably confuse someone from another state. These silly North Dakota sayings and fun phrases all come from various parts of living here in the Peace Garden State. You may not get them if you’re not from here, but spend a bit of time around North Dakota residents and you’ll probably hear a few of these:

1. "The temperature outside today is below."

Geof Wilson/Flickr
When winter rolls around, this is a pretty common saying here, but when we say it we don't mean below freezing. Nope, we mean below zero. When it gets into the negative degrees we'll simply refer to it as below.

2. "Oh fer cute."

karamell/Flickr
This is more on the eastern side near our neighbor Minnesota, but if we see something adorable, you can expect to hear this. Yeah, it's kind of a funny North Dakota saying but just go with it!

3. "I can't come in today, I'm snow-stayed."

Jordan Green/Flickr
As strange North Dakota phrases go, this is definitely one of them. If the snow gets to be too much and you can't get out of your driveway, you are "snow-stayed." Hopefully, your neighbor with a plow attached to the front of his truck will come bail you out!

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4. "I love eating puppy chow."

tyle_r/Flickr
This will make an out-of-towner blink at you like you are crazy, but here we call "mud buddies" or whatever else they may be called "puppy chow," and it's delicious!

5. "Uff da!"

Darin/Flickr
A North Dakotan needs no explanation for this one. This saying can be applied to many situations and those of us from here tend to use it quite a bit. If this is one of those stereotypical things people think North Dakota residents do, then it is one that is absolutely true.

6. "I saw a sun dog in the sky this morning, it's gonna be a cold one today."

Rick Bohn/USFWS/Flickr
A sun dog is a natural phenomenon where a ring of light and a few beams surround the sun. It almost looks like a lens flare from a camera, but it isn't. When a sun dog shows up in the morning, it means it is very cold.

7. "Why not?" should immediately responded to with "Why not Minot?"

locosteve/Flickr
This is among the many things North Dakotans say that are just simply fun! Even if it is responding to something completely unrelated to the given answer, it just rolls off of the tongue so well!

Check out this YouTube video from Visit Fargo-Moorhead to see some non-Dakotans try their best Fargo accents:

What are some other North Dakota sayings that you or people you know use? Share them with us in the comment section below!

You can learn more about our beloved state by checking out these books about North Dakota. And if you’re wondering what other off-the-wall stuff we do here in this state, you’ll definitely want to look at these extremely weird things!

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North Dakota Sayings

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Are there any haunted attractions in North Dakota?

I don't know what it is about scary places, but people sure do like them. And if you're looking for haunted attractions in North Dakota you won't be disappointed. You will find them dotted all over the state, each one offering its own spooky atmosphere. The Harvey Public Library in the town of Harvey, the Children's Museum at Yunker Farm in Fargo, Chateau De Mores in Medora, and the Totten Trail Historic Inn in Saint Michael are just a few to get you started.

I’m looking for a good place to go fishing.

There are so many fantastic places and beautiful settings to go fishing in North Dakota. One of the most popular ones is at Lake Audubon. Located near the town of Coleharbor, it is recognized as one of the clearest lakes in the state. That will probably make it easier for you to see the fish coming, but keep in mind they'll probably see you coming too!

Where can I find a brewery in Fargo?

There are lots of great breweries all over the Fargo area. But if you want to tip your glass at a classic, then you definitely have to go to the namesake Fargo Brewery Company. located in the downtown area, it is the oldest and largest brewery in North Dakota.

Where did they film the movie Fargo?

You might be surprised to learn that they didn't actually film the movie Fargo in the town of Fargo. Parts of it were filmed in Pembina County, while other scenes were captured near Minneapolis-St. Paul, Minnesota. However, there are other movies that were filmed in North Dakota, including Jesus Camp and American Honey.

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