Welcome to the Boroughs Quiz

The Boroughs Quiz explores the common idea that New Yorkers can identify what borough other New Yorkers are from based on the way that they talk.


Each quiz consists of 3 native New Yorkers reading the same passage. You'll listen to each speaker and assign them to one of the five boroughs. As you go, you'll find out how other listeners have assigned the speakers. And at the end of each quiz, we'll reveal where each person is actually from.

We recommend you wear headphones to listen to the audio samples.

Finally, if you’re a native New Yorker, you can submit your own speech sample to see if people can accurately identify which borough you're from! All you need to contribute a sample is a phone, a quiet place and about 5 minutes.

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Each speaker will read the same passage of text:

Please call Don. Ask him to carry the things he bought back from the store: half a pound of coffee, six cans of sauce, a scoop of ice cream, five hats, a jumping robot for the kids, and a copy of “Career Source” magazine. He can hang the bags on the door before we go see his boss, arriving at dawn in Korea town. What time is he coming?