# What was/is your family's terminology for going out to buy groceries? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 11, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941 "2019-03-11T12:16:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ThelmaLou](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thelmalou/32/390_2.png) [@ThelmaLou](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThelmaLou)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/1 "2019-03-11T12:16:11Z")
My mother would always just say, “going to the store.” She never said, “going shopping.” She was the child of immigrants, and the word \*shopping \*wasn’t a word she ever used. Nowadays, I tend to say, “going grocery shopping.” I guess I picked that up from others and from tv/movies. In movies I’ll hear, “I’m going to the market,” or “going marketing,” or “doing the marketing,” although I can’t remember hearing anybody IRL say that. Sometimes in British shows, a person will say, “I’m going to the shops,” but that seems not to be limited to grocery shopping but just shopping in general. Like we recently used to say, “I’m going to the mall.” Do people still go to malls? It’s not a \*thing \*like it used to be, a destination all its own. What are the expressions/terms/idioms for grocery shopping in other languages? ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/2 "2019-03-11T12:30:54Z")
“Getting groceries” or “Going to the grocery store” (or the name of the store will be used - we have a lot of choices, and each implies a different focus of the mission.) “Going to the store” would be meaningless here, because that phrasing could mean any type of store. “Going shopping” means something other than groceries; you go shopping if you’re going to the mall, not a grocery store. Southern Ontario. ---
**Author:** ![Bayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bayaker/32/3454_2.png) [@Bayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/3 "2019-03-11T13:04:18Z")
“Going to the store” is my default because other kinds of stores are visited only infrequently and _they_ would be specified. “Going to (name of grocery store)” is a close second. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Medlo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hi\_Medlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Medlo)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/4 "2019-03-11T13:06:08Z")
“Going to the store” seems to be it in small town eastern Ohio/northern panhandle of West Virginia. ---
**Author:** ![BobLibDem](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/boblibdem/32/3149_2.png) [@BobLibDem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BobLibDem)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/5 "2019-03-11T13:11:40Z")
Going to (name of store), with the added “s”. “Going to Krogers”. “Going to Meijers”. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/6 "2019-03-11T13:14:02Z")
> [@ThelmaLou](#): > > In movies I’ll hear… “going marketing,” or “doing the marketing,”… I don’t think so. Marketing doesn’t mean shopping in any dialect that I’m aware of. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/7 "2019-03-11T13:28:28Z")
> [@Hi\_Medlo](#): > > “Going to the store” seems to be it in small town eastern Ohio/northern panhandle of West Virginia. I also say “going to the store”. I grew up in the northern panhandle of West Virginia, for what that’s worth. I will also occasionally say “going to Wally-world.” Walmart is our closest grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/8 "2019-03-11T13:30:40Z")
Yep, “Goin’ to the store.” Which was the Pavlovian phrase for, “I’m getting a pickle from the barrel at the A&P!!” ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/9 "2019-03-11T13:53:05Z")
Yeah, to me “going to the store” implies going to the supermarket for groceries, while “going shopping” means shopping for something else, like clothing or Christmas presents. “Going shopping” is a more leisurely activity that may involve visiting multiple stores. I would expect someone who was “going to the store” to be back in less than an hour, while “going shopping” might easily take several hours. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/10 "2019-03-11T13:58:20Z")
Going to krogers, Going to Sams Club etc. occasionally I say I’m getting groceries Some of my family members said Going to the Store. It was understood that meant a grocery store. ---
**Author:** ![LiveFree](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5e9695/32.png) [@LiveFree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LiveFree)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/11 "2019-03-11T13:59:22Z")
Going “grocery shopping”. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/12 "2019-03-11T14:05:19Z")
I generally say “going to Food Lion” because that’s where I get groceries most of the time. Occasionally, it’ll be “going to Aldi” but that’s usually combined with other errands since it’s farther away. ---
**Author:** ![kopek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kopek/32/337_2.png) [@kopek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kopek)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/13 "2019-03-11T14:11:25Z")
Mountains of north-eastern PA — “hit the store”. It went for anything we couldn’t grow or make on our own or get from a neighbor. Milk came from Potowski but for the cereal for our breakfast we had to “hit the store down Kingston” and for clothing we often “hit one of the shops in Plymouth”. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/14 "2019-03-11T14:11:51Z")
‘Going to the grocery store’ or ‘Going to \’ ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/15 "2019-03-11T14:15:29Z")
I’m single so if I say “I’m going grocery shopping”, they will come and take me away… That said, grocery shopping is my way of thinking about it. Generic shopping is for clothes, household items and the like. ---
**Author:** ![aceplace57](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aceplace57/32/3500_2.png) [@aceplace57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aceplace57)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/16 "2019-03-11T14:16:12Z")
Beer run means more than just beer. It can include snacks, candy, maybe even cold cuts, hamburger meat & buns. It implies getting ready for a small party with friends. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/17 "2019-03-11T14:24:01Z")
Usually “going to the store” for buying groceries, although sometimes it’s “going to the grocery” or “going to the grocery store”, if there’s a question of whether there’s another store involved. If it’s somewhere like a Target or Wal-Mart that sells more than just grocery store stuff, that’ll be called out specifically in most cases. ---
**Author:** ![Enola\_Gay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3ab097/32.png) [@Enola\_Gay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enola_Gay)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/18 "2019-03-11T14:28:40Z")
Huh I’ve always said ‘I’m going to the market’ but looks like I may be in the minority ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/19 "2019-03-11T15:49:51Z")
> [@Hi\_Medlo](#): > > “Going to the store” seems to be it in small town eastern Ohio/northern panhandle of West Virginia. “Going to the store” or “Stopping at the store” here in western PA. The name of the store is left out, because we usually get some stuff from the nearby farm market (whatever we need that they have), then the remainder of stuff from either Naser’s (for meat) or Giant Eagle (for most everything else). ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [March 11, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941/20 "2019-03-11T15:59:44Z")
My mother used “going to the store,” which could be confusing, since we ran a store. But she usually did both. I use “I’m going to \.” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-was-is-your-familys-terminology-for-going-out-to-buy-groceries/830941.md?page=2)