General
da
What does da mean?
The Chicago-accent rendering of 'the,' famously in 'Da Bears' and 'Da Lake.'
"How 'bout da Bears?"
Origin
Chicago accent, immortalized by the 'Superfans' sketches on Saturday Night Live.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'da' mean in Chicago?
It is the Chicago-accent pronunciation of 'the,' most famously in phrases like 'Da Bears' and 'Da Lake.'
Where did 'Da Bears' come from?
The pronunciation was immortalized by the 'Superfans' sketches on Saturday Night Live, which parodied die-hard Chicago sports fans.
Do Chicagoans really say 'da'?
The thick local accent can flatten 'the' toward 'da,' and the phrase 'Da Bears' plays on that real pronunciation.
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