But even while being a part of youth culture (and the slang that defines it) when you’re young, it can get harder and harder to keep up with the latest teen jargon by the time you’re the parent of one.
Overview
Trying to figure out what teens are saying is increasingly challenging, as the explosion of social media, memes, digital communication, and the ever-present-cellphone means teen-speak is evolving faster than ever. Once you think you’ve mastered a few phrases, you’re probably already out of touch again. Some of this slang enters the mainstream vernacular—and by that point, is no longer cool—or “sic.” But most of these words simply disappear as they lose favor with kids and are almost instantaneously replaced with new ones. So, as “with it” and up to speed as we adults think we may be, most of us could benefit from a primer on the latest teen slang. We cover it all below, from social media acronyms and text message shorthand to code words for drugs, friends, and parties.
General
Teen slang words may be confusing to those not in the know, but most are harmless and a part of a teen’s identity. Kids use these words to exert independence, sound cool, and/or to fit in with their peers. They seek to differentiate themselves from their parents and want to feel unique, free, and even revolutionary. Using slang helps teens do that while also bonding with friends. Below are some common teen slang words you might hear:
AF - Stands for “as f**k,” used to emphasize a statement (i.e. “she’s cool AF”)Cheugy - Something that is out of date or a person who is trying too hardDead - Something is so funny that the speaker has “died” of laughterDope - Cool or awesomeExtra - Over-the-top, extremeFit - Short for outfitFire - Hot, trendy, amazing, or on point (formerly “straight fire”)GOAT - “Greatest of All Time"Go Off - A phrase said to encourage someone to continue, usually when they’re ranting about something (can also be sarcastic, as in, “but go off, I guess”)Gucci - Good, cool, or going wellHits Different - Something that “hits different” is a lot better than normalIYKYK - Stands for “if you know, you know"Lit - Amazing, cool, or excitingLow-Key - Added to a feeling or desire to downplay it (i.e. “I’m low-key freaking out”)Mood - A word to signify agreementOMG - An abbreviation for “Oh my gosh” or “Oh my God"ONG - Basically the equivalent of “I swear to God"Salty - Bitter, angry, agitatedSic/Sick - Cool or sweetSlay - To be extremely stylish or successfulSleep On - To be ignorant to something or someone’s value (i.e. “Don’t sleep on the new Ariana single”)Snatched - Looks good, perfect, or fashionable; the new “on fleek"TBH - To be honestTea - Gossip, situation, story, or newsThirsty - Trying to get attentionYassify - To apply several beauty filters to a picture until the person is totally unrecognizableYeet - To throw somethingYOLO - “You Only Live Once” (often used ironically)
People or Relationships
Relationships are an important aspect of adolescence. In the teen years, kids develop their own identities and explore who they are outside of their families. Interactions with their peers are a key component of this process—and they often create unique words to describe their friendships and romantic relationships. Here are some slang words your teen might use when talking about other people:
Bae - “Before anyone else,” babe, or baby; is used to describe a romantic partner or good friendBasic - Boring, average, or unoriginalBF/GF - Boyfriend or girlfriend (used when texting, not in conversation)BFF - “Best friends forever"Bruh - Bro or dude (all three terms are gender-neutral)Cap - Fake or a lieCEO - To be the “CEO of” something is to excel at itCurve - To reject someone romantically (related to “ghosting”)Emo - Someone who is emotional or a drama queenFam - Group of friendsFlex - To show offGhosted - To end a relationship by cutting off communicationA Karen - A disparaging way to describe a petty middle-aged woman, who is rude, especially to people who work in the service industry. (For example, saying, “What a Karen,” about someone who returns their drink at a restaurant for not having enough ice.)No cap - Totally true or no lieNoob/n00b - A person who doesn’t know what they’re doing or who is bad at something; in other words, a newbieOK, Boomer - Usually said in response to a person or idea that seems outdatedPeriodt - End of statement emphasizer. For example: “That’s the best ice cream, periodt.”Ship - You might “ship” two people together, as in you think they should be a couple; derived from the word relationshipShook - To be incredibly shocked or shaken upSimp - Someone who does way too much for the person they like; to have a huge crush on someoneSpill the Tea - Asking someone to spill gossipSquad - Group of friends that hang out together regularly, used ironicallyStan - An overzealous fan of a particular group or celebritySus - Suspicious, shady, not to be trustedThrow shade - To give someone a dirty lookTight - In a close relationship or friendshipTool - Someone who is stupid, obnoxious, rude, and/or embarrasses themselves, often a jock type
Compound Slang
Teens often create shortcuts by combining two words together. To understand what they mean, you need to know the definition of each word. Here are some examples of compound teen slang:
Crashy - Crazy and trashy, like a trainwreckCrunk - Getting high and drunk at the same time, or crazy and drunkHangry - Hungry and angryRequestion - Request and a question, or to question againTope - Tight and dope
Parties, Drugs, and Sex
Teens are prone to experiment and push boundaries—and also to talk a big game. So, sometimes the below words will simply be used in fun or boasting. However, sometimes they indicate risky (or potentially risky) behavior. Whether or not your child is involved in any inappropriate or dangerous activities, you’ll want to know what they’re talking about and be attuned to any words that might indicate possible trouble. Below is a list of some social slang to be aware of:
53X - SexBody count - The number of people someone has slept withCU46 - See you for sexDayger - Party during the dayFunction/Func - PartyKick back - Small partyMolly - Ecstasy (MDMA), a dangerous party drugNetflix and chill - Used as a front for inviting someone over to make out (or maybe more)Plug - Someone who can hook you up with drugsRager - Big partySmash - To have casual sexSloshed - To be drunkThe plug - Someone that supplies alcohol/drugsThrow down - To throw a partyTurnt - To be high or drunk (formerly “turnt up”)X - EcstasyWTTP - Want to trade photos?LMIRL - Let’s meet in real life
Resources
Teen slang changes continuously. If you aren’t sure what a slang term means, the website Urban Dictionary can help. It’s dedicated to keeping up with today’s slang and is a resource that parents can use. Be warned, however, as it features user-submitted content that may be crude. Additionally, you can simply try asking your teen—or other teens you know—to translate slang you don’t understand. Bringing up these words with your teen may be awkward but might also provide a doorway to important conversations with your child.
A Word From Verywell
Aim to balance safety with privacy and independence for your teen. Talk with your teen about the concerns you have, your family rules and expectations, as well as safe and healthy social media usage. Teenagers need to be able to have private conversations with their friends. And clearly, you can’t monitor what your teen is doing or talking about all the time. Still, you may want to monitor your teen’s social media feeds at times, and pay attention when they’re chatting with their pals. If you see or hear conversations that worry you—or that you can’t decode—be ready to take action as needed.
