Top 10 The Big Bang Theory Quotes We Use All The Time

Top 10 The Big Bang Theory Quotes We Use All The Time

Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the most quotable lines and catchphrases from “The Big Bang Theory” that have seeped into our everyday lives. We’re sticking to spoken dialogue, although “Soft Kitty” is purr purr purr-fectly quotable, too.

#10: “My Spot”
Various

Let’s be real: Sheldon Cooper isn’t the only one who’s partial to a particular spot; we all have ‘em! Maybe our reasons are a little—okay, a lot—less elaborate than his, but we can’t deny the frustration that bubbles up when someone else sits in our preferred place. Would we lecture them about why we need to sit exactly there? Probably not. Would we politely ask them to move? We might. Or we “TBBT” fans might just skip all that with a short and punchy, “That’s my spot.” Then, if they refuse to move, we might be tempted to hit them with a Sheldon-esque rant. Look, just don’t sit in our spot, alright?

#9: “A Non-optional Social Convention”
“The Peanut Reaction”

If you know someone who’d rather stay home and watch another “Big Bang Theory” rerun than engage in any social activity, you might have used this line once or twice. In the series, Howard offers Penny this one-liner to explain why he has to buy his friend a birthday present. However, we’d argue that this phrase can be used in a multitude of ways. For example, if someone had told Amy to use it, maybe she wouldn’t have had to attend her family event alone. Just a heads-up: if you use it, brace yourself for the chaos of dealing with a social convention newbie!

#8: Nerdy Insults
“The Middle Earth Paradigm” & “The Bat Jar Conjecture”

Besides some super quotable lines, “TBBT” dished out perfect insults we’re definitely ready to use when the moment calls for it. Like, remember when Leonard and Kurt face off at Penny’s Halloween party, and Leonard pulls out this whimsical zinger? It’s ideal for a sneaky dig at someone’s intelligence—just maybe make sure they can’t respond with brute force first! If you’re after something more playground yet intellectual, how about Sheldon’s twist on the ‘ol “I’m rubber, you’re glue.” Feel that burn, Leslie? Well, do ya? Sure, Leslie’s “inorganic adhesive” might’ve rebounded from Sheldon’s “polymerized tree sap,” but that won’t stop us from giving it a whirl.

#7: Penny Voices Disbelief or Shock
“The Cooper–Nowitzki Theorem”

Penny has a knack for expressing her thoughts without saying them outright. For example, when she drops a “Sweetie,” it’s normally not quite as sweet as you might think. Just ask Sheldon. However, when we’re in shock or utter disbelief, there’s another quote from Penny that we often turn to. A postgrad student called Ramona enters Sheldon’s life, and their relationship becomes a little, let’s call it, intense. Ramona’s quirks leave everyone puzzled, but Penny ends up in some seriously awkward situations that leave her utterly dumbfounded. Penny may not have coined the phrase, but since she first used it, we’ve found ourselves using it a whole lot more.

#6: Reasons One Cries
“The Gorilla Experiment”

We’ve all been in situations where someone’s sheer lack of sense leaves us utterly speechless; even the “opposable thumbs” insult wouldn’t cut it. Like that time when Penny just wanted to learn “a little physics,” and Sheldon made her feel like she was totally dim. Seriously, he didn’t need to be such a jerk about it. In Sheldon’s world, anyone who isn’t him or a fellow super genius is basically a moron, so poor Penny didn’t stand a chance. But let’s be honest, we’ve all been there—you’re so frustrated with someone’s cluelessness that you feel like you might just cry right there on the spot.

#5: “Who’s Calling at This Ungodly Hour?”
“The Pancake Batter Anomaly”

With the technology boom in recent years, it can be really hard to switch off. Nowadays, people can contact you at whatever ungodly hour they see fit. While sure, you could put your cell on silent, who here hasn’t forgotten only to have their sleep rudely interrupted by an early caller? If you’re a “TBBT” fan, you might find that as you groggily sit up and rub your eyes, you wonder to yourself, “Who’s calling at this ungodly hour?” Or maybe you’ll hear an irritable voice echoing it from another room. Hey, maybe you even skip the usual “Hello” and greet them with that line instead. Bonus points if you do it in Howard’s mom’s voice.

#4: “Your Ken Can Kiss My Barbie”
“The Panty Piñata Polarization”

This is proof that sometimes you don’t need to understand the context to deliver a killer comeback. Take Penny and Sheldon’s feud, for example—they trade some seriously memorable lines. But there’s one that really hits home for us, and we’d be lying if we said we hadn’t thought about using it in our own arguments. Penny really gets under Sheldon’s skin by messing with his laundry night. He snaps back, all fired up, claiming she doesn’t know who she’s dealing with. But then, in less than ten words, Penny fires back so brilliantly that you’d think Sheldon might turn pinker than Barbie’s Malibu Beach House!

#3: “Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock”
“The Lizard–Spock Expansion”

According to Sam Kass, co-creator of this game of chance, when you play the original Rock, Paper, Scissors with someone you know well, the chances of tying are pretty high. However, with more options, those odds are lowered—unless all the players are huge “Star Trek” fans. Still, we can’t deny that we’ve tried this version to settle disputes. We might have tried Missy’s version from “Young Sheldon” if she had elaborated on the rules a little more. Yes, the rules are hard to follow; in the bloopers, even Jim Parsons struggles to keep up. But once you get it down, it’s a handy time-saver.

#2: “Schrödinger's Friendship”
“The Russian Rocket Reaction”

Before “The Big Bang Theory” entered our lives, many of us likely hadn’t heard of Erwin Schrödinger. Thanks to the physicist—and surprisingly, Sheldon—we discovered a new equation to tackle some of life’s problems. Sheldon puts this theory to another use during a spat with Leonard over an invitation from Wil Wheaton. We’ve all been at odds with our friends, and wouldn’t it have been great to have such a simple way to handle it? Who needs full-on blowouts or underhanded jibes when you can just let physics do the fighting for you? Warning: Proceed with caution—you might just end up infuriating your buddies even more.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

“Jibber Jabber,” “The Engagement Reaction”
It’s Not That Penny Invented the Phrase, but We Sure Use It a Lot More Often After Hearing Her Say It

Three Knocks, Various
Don’t Tell Us You’ve Never Greeted Your Friends the Sheldon Cooper Way

“It’s a Saturnalia Miracle,” “The Bath Item Gift Hypothesis”
How to Spot a “The Big Bang Theory” Fan at Christmas!

#1: “Bazinga!”
Various

In “The Big Bang Theory” universe, the term “Bazinga!” originally started as an inside joke among the writers, notably Stephen Engel, who would use it while playing tricks on his colleagues. Though the term predates the show, today, it’s inseparable from Sheldon. In fact, it’s so iconic that its origins even get a nod in “Young Sheldon. ” It’s quite amazing how a simple inside joke among coworkers evolved into one of the most beloved catchphrases of the entire series. As huge “Big Bang” fans, who among us hasn’t bounced around a ball pit shouting “Bazinga!” at the top of our lungs? Well, maybe we have—or maybe not. Bazinga!

Which “TBBT” line do you often find yourself quoting? Let us know in the comments!