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General
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- Cheugy - Something that is out of date or a person who is trying too hard
- 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")
- Hits Different - Something that "hits different" is a lot better than normal
- Low-Key - Added to a feeling or desire to downplay it (i.e. "I'm low-key freaking out")
- Sleep On - To be ignorant to something or someone's value (i.e. "Don't sleep on the new Ariana single")
- TBH - To be honest
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. 1 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 friend
- A 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.)
- Noob/n00b - A person who doesn't know what they're doing or who is bad at something; in other words,
a newbie
- OK, Boomer - Usually said in response to a person or idea that seems outdated
- Periodt - 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 relationship
- Simp - Someone who does way too much for the person they like; to have a huge crush on someone
- Spill the Tea - Asking someone to spill gossip
- Tool - 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.
- Crunk - Getting high and drunk at the same time, or crazy and drunk
For the most part, teen get-togethers are a fun rite of passage and aren't automatically anything to be
concerned about. However, parties (and related teen slang) can raise concerns over supervision,
appropriate behavior, the use of illegal substances, alcohol, peer pressure, bullying, and unprotected sex.
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.
- 53X – Sex
- Function/Func – Party
- Kick back - Small party
- Netflix and chill - Used as a front for inviting someone over to make out (or maybe more)
- Sloshed - To be drunk
- X – Ecstasy
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.
Slang Apps
There are also phone apps that can help you translate teen slang. SlangIt - The Slang Dictionary and
the Chat Slang Dictionary are just a few examples of mobile apps that can decode your teen's secret
language.
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.