Intermediate · 30 min · 18 words

The Bay

The words that could only have come from up north

Northern California English is not a thicker version of Los Angeles English. It has its own intensifier, its own city nicknames, and a mid-2000s musical movement that put a dozen words into national circulation. If you want to understand Bay Area rap — or a conversation in Oakland — this is the set.

Learners who want the Bay Area specifically.

Lessons

1. 1

   Words that mark you as from up north

   These are the fastest way to hear the north–south split in the state.

   6 words

2. 2

   Hyphy

   A surprising amount of national slang still traces to this one scene.

   6 words

3. 3

   Bay Area places

   Lyrics, directions, and local pride all run on these names.

   6 words