The 8 Most Common Uses of “Ope” in Minnesota

If Minnesota had to be defined by one word, it wouldn't be "lakes" or "nice", it would be "Ope". It's that little noise that slips out of our mouths when we don't formulate words fast enough. It's most commonly followed by a short sentence. Here are the most common uses of "Ope" in the Minnesota language.

1. You're in someone's way - "Ope, sorry, excuse me."

2. You drop something you were holding - "Ope, my bad!"

3. You're running late - "Ope, we better get going!"

4. Finding something you were searching for - "Ope! Found it!"

5. Lifting a small child - "Ope, there you go."

6. Holding the door for someone - "Ope, let me get that for you."

7. Someone explains directions to you - "Ope, got it."

8. Someone passes you on the highway - "Ope, slow down buddy."

There are many more uses of "ope" in this neck of the woods. The list of the most common has been inspired by this tweet and thread from Midwest vs. Everybody (@midwestern_ope) on Twitter.