Here in Canada, you may hear some unusual names for things, like “chesterfield” and “toque”. One of the most unique and commonly used words in Canada is “loonie”. Has anyone ever asked you for a loonie and you didn`t know what to do? Well, next time hand them a 1-dollar coin.
Yes, we know, it’s a silly word for currency. But the 1- dollar coin has an image of a loon, so it’s only appropriate than to call it loonie, right? As a matter of fact, Canadians like the loonie so much that they call the 2-dollar coin something similar, the “toonie”, even though it has the image of a polar bear.
Here are the names of all the Canadian coins, so that you don’t get confused the next time you’re buying a coffee:
Penny – 1-cent coin
Nickel – 5-cent coin
Dime – 10-cent coin
Quarter – 25-cent coin
Loonie – 1-dollar coin
Toonie – 2-dollar coin
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If you’re interested in getting to know more about Canadian culture, you can learn English in Vancouver with EC!