If I Had My Druthers

In Appalachian and Southern speech, "If I had my druthers" means if I had my choice or preference. It’s a folksy way of saying what you’d rather do.

#SouthernSayings #Appalachia #FoodandDrink #Southern

Hillbilly Dude Says...

Growin' up, my Momma would say, 'If I had my druthers...' and it's somethin' I still say myself. Don't hear it that much nowadays, though.

Hillbilly Dude Says...

Growin' up, my Momma would say, 'If I had my druthers...' and it's somethin' I still say myself. Don't hear it that much nowadays, though.

Pronunciation

[if ah had mah DRUTH-erz]

Meaning & Usage

- If I had my choice (conditional phrase)

Mae:

Where would you go?

Earl:

If I had my druthers, I’d head to the mountains.

- Expressing personal preference (figurative)

Mae:

Chicken or beans?

Earl:

Well, if I had my druthers, it’d be chicken.

variations: if I had my choice if I had my way if it were up to me if I had my druthers, I’d sleep in if I had my druthers, supper’d be pie we’d stay home if I had my druthers

★ "Druthers" is playful and lighthearted. Folks use it to show a wish or preference, even when they know they don’t really get to decide. ★

Origin and Etymology

From dialect forms of "I’d rather" → "I druther" → "druthers." Traced in American folk speech of the 19th century, especially in the South and Appalachia. Popularized in the comic strip *Li’l Abner* and old country songs, but rooted in rural dialect first.

Usage Notes

Still common in Southern/Appalachian storytelling and casual talk. Understood across the U.S., though it carries an old-time, rural flavor today.

Say It Like a Southerner

Said plain: "if I had my druthers." Comes from "I’d rather," blended down to "druther" and then "druthers."

Kin Topics

Common Questions

Does "druthers" mean something real?

It’s just a playful dialect word from "I’d rather."

Do people outside the South use it?

Yes - but it feels most natural in Southern/Appalachian speech.

Is it old-fashioned?

A little, but still alive, especially in country talk and humor.

How to Cite This Page

APA (7th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. (2025, September 4). If I Had My Druthers. HillbillySlang.com. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/if-i-had-my-druthers
MLA (9th edition)
"The Hillbilly Dude." "If I Had My Druthers." HillbillySlang.com, 4 Sept. 2025, https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/if-i-had-my-druthers.
Chicago (17th edition)
The Hillbilly Dude. "If I Had My Druthers." HillbillySlang.com. September 4, 2025. https://www.hillbillyslang.com/sayings/if-i-had-my-druthers.

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