Here are fifteen classic, hilarious sayings you’ll only hear from true New Jerseyans, each packed with the local personality and offbeat Jersey humor that makes the Garden State so memorable.
“What exit?”
The most quintessential Jersey question, since everyone’s identity is tied to their Parkway or Turnpike exit.
“Down the Shore”
This means heading to the beach. It’s not “to the beach” or “at the shore”—it’s always “down the shore”.
“Jersey tomatoes are the best.”
If it’s not a tomato from Jersey, it’s not good enough—ask any local cook.
“Taylor ham or pork roll?”
A debate so fierce it divides the state. The answer depends on whether one’s from North or South Jersey—just don’t get it wrong at breakfast.
“I’m from Joisey.”
This is a playful take on what outsiders think Jerseyans sound like—no one from New Jersey actually says “Joisey,” but everyone jokes about it.
“Going to the city.”
Only one city matters—New York. If a Jersey local says “the city,” that’s the one they mean.
“Jughandle.”
A baffling traffic invention where you can’t make a normal left turn—visitors never get used to it.
“Bennies and Shoobies.”
Tourists to the shore get special nicknames depending on where they come from. Bennies hail from New York, Shoobies from Philadelphia, and locals say either with a grin or a groan.
“You from North or South Jersey?”
This question instantly tells a local which pizza to order, which bagel shop to visit, and how to pronounce “water”—it’s the ultimate NJ distinction.
“Wawa or QuickChek?”
A heated convenience store rivalry—everyone has a side, and picking the wrong one means losing lunch cred.
“You call that pizza?”
Jersey residents are notoriously critical of out-of-state pizza, and aren’t afraid to say it loudly when travel disappoints.
“PEC on a hard roll with SPK.”
When someone asks for this at a diner, what they want is “pork roll, egg and cheese with salt, pepper, and ketchup”—the official breakfast of New Jersey.
“The Jersey Slide.”
Swerving across two or three lanes at once to make an exit—no one does it better (or scarier) than someone from Jersey.
“Piney.”
A nickname for folks living out in the Pine Barrens, a legendary section of South Jersey—never used as an insult but as a point of pride.
“Djeetyet?”
Translation: “Did you eat yet?”—often blurted out lightning-fast by a Jersey local who’s ready to sit down for a meal.
These sayings reflect Jersey’s unfiltered humor, regional pride, and the kind of inside jokes that only make sense within the state’s borders. Whether heard at a diner, on the boardwalk, or yelled from a passing car, these phrases make New Jersey one-of-a-kind.
Sources
(https://1057thehawk.com/unique-nj-phrases/)
(https://wobm.com/new-jersey-8-words/)
(https://www.reddit.com/r/newjersey/comments/r2zzc4/favorite_nj_based_regional_slang_term_or_insult/)
(https://www.jerseysbest.com/community/the-language-of-n-j-an-a-to-z-guide-to-the-phrases-we-use-but-no-one-else-understands/)
(https://wheninyourstate.com/new-jersey/12-quirky-sayings-that-only-people-from-new-jersey-understand/)
