Wandering all through the streets of Manhattan each day, Brooklyn locals may escape detection by the naked eye. However, the trained viewer will be able to pick them out of a crowd in a heartbeat based on any of the following giveaways…

1. They Love To Gripe About The L Train

If they live off it, you will hear complaints, or at least detect an eye roll every time the dreaded letter “L” is mentioned.

2. They’re Speaking Russian

Meaning they probably reside in Bensonhurst, Sheedshead Bay, or, the obvious, Brighton Beach.

3. They’re Men With Huge, Furry Hats Or Women Wearing Wigs And Long Skirts

These are Hasidic Jews, and they almost certainly come from Williamsburg or Bushwick.

4. They’re 20 Minutes Later To Arrive Than Everybody Else

Public transit from Brooklyn just doesn’t compare to its Manhattan counterparts. Plus, when they’re meeting a bunch of people from their Manhattan office, they tend to have a longer journey to begin with.

5. They’re Wearing Brooklyn Paraphernalia

Brooklyn pride is very real. However, this might be a tricky indicator now that Brooklyn attire has become rather trendy.

6. They’re Constantly Trying To One-Up Manhattan

They might mention things like, “This new sushi place in Park Slope is better than any fish I’ve tasted in the city. You should really come out here and try it.”

7. They Push Their Own Kids’ Strollers

Manhattanites get Nannies to do this.

8. Their Hipster Attire Is Shaggier

While Manhattan hipsters may wear skinny jeans and shave the side of their heads, their clothes and hair have a sleek quality that the Brooklyn hipsters just…lack. Thrifting for Grandma sweaters happens a lot more when you live on the east side of the East River.

9. They’re More Likely To Wear Sports Garb

Brooklyn people often wear jerseys and hats representing their favorite sports teams. You don’t see as much team spirit in the other boroughs (excluding the fact that Yankees hats are such a New York staple).

10. They’re Into Buying Things “Locally”

Whether it’s Brooklyn-made charm bracelets or knitted scarves, they’re pleased to be sporting something created within their very own borough.

11. They Will Pretend To Know Manhattan Better Than They Do

When someone you’re walking with in Tribeca marches confidently in the exact wrong direction and makes excuses when you correct them, chances are they’re someone who lives in Brooklyn but likes to pretend that this makes them a true Manhattanite.

12. They Might Walk Just A Little Slower…

There tends to be less urgency (and less crowded sidewalks) in boroughs outside of Manhattan. This will be reflected in the Brooklyn dweller’s gait.

13. They’ll Refer To “Going into the City” As A Trek

People who live in the city don’t have to “go into” it. This is pretty straightforward.

14. The Brooklyn Accent

Think lip corners pushed forwards, lots of stress on first syllables…it’s harder to explain than it is to identify.

15. They’re Less Fashionably Dressed

Walking around Brooklyn, you’re going to see a lot more sweatpants than you would walking around Manhattan. Sometimes Brooklynites will carry this attire over the bridge with them.

16. They Can’t Hail A Taxi

They haven’t had enough practice, give ‘em a break.

17. They’re Wearing A Backpack Or A Large Purse

If they work in Manhattan, they might plan to stay there for a while to accomplish other errands and visit friends while in the city. This requires some extra layers (in case the weather changes during their long venture away from home) as well as additional supplies like snacks, which brings me to my next point…

18. They’ll Refuse To Dine Out With You More Than A Couple Of Times A Week

Unlike people in Manhattan, people who live in Brooklyn have not forgotten what it’s like to use their ovens.

19. They Might Not Have A Seamless App On Their Phones

Similar to the last reason, people in Brooklyn simply don’t participate in the ordering out culture as much as Manhattan locals do.

20. They Can Trace Their NYC Families Back Longer

Manhattanites are much more transient creatures than their Brooklyn counterparts. While many people have migrated to the city from places as remote as Kansas and LA, people who refer to their “Ma” who lives right down the block from them and caddy corner to their grandmother probably live in BK.