Popular slang in English. English slang: words, expressions and types of slang

Slang- an English word that even those who do not know English know and understand. This word means a special vocabulary in colloquial speech, not yet jargon, but no longer literary speech. Slang exists, perhaps, in any language in the world. These words appear in the language under the influence modern life, are widespread, especially among young people, and over time give way to new ones that appear among the new generation of young people.

In addition, slang words are often born in a professional environment. It’s scary to think how many slang words, for example, computer scientists have. It is unlikely that an uninitiated person will be able to understand what we are talking about. The same situation is observed with the understanding of foreign slang - and the words seem to be known, but what they are talking about - who can understand them.

Slang is a paradoxical phenomenon. On the one hand, the educated population of the planet looks down on it and considers it vulgar, on the other hand, who among you has not at least once used slang in your speech?

Slang is as ancient a phenomenon as the world itself. People have always been people and sought to enliven their speech with vivid images, inventing new words and their meanings. Therefore, in any language you can find a tendency to form slang words, and you will be surprised how similar these word formations will be to those in the Russian language.

On the other hand, we cannot understand some expressions even in our native language, let alone a foreign one. There are several varieties of slang in the English language alone. English slang truly diverse and unique. Bright and succinct words are born from the depths of literary English, sometimes even simply out of a feeling of protest against a long, difficult-to-pronounce word. This is especially true of young people, who also strive to encrypt their language in order to separate themselves from the world of prim adults. Therefore, slang, like the language itself, is a living organism that is constantly changing.

Obviously, slang is still not jargon and not everything is acceptable here, nevertheless, it is precisely such words that noticeably decorate and enliven English correct speech , adding a sort of “pepper” to it. Therefore, slang can be compared to a tramp who looks into the windows of a palace, always somewhere nearby, but cannot enter the doors of this palace and get into high society.

However, no one drives him away, but graciously allows him to be around, and sometimes even bestows mercy. So, for example, who in the modern world does not know the word lunch and its meaning? But hardly anyone knows that this word was originally just a slang word, as well as some other very well-known ones, such as fun, bus, etc.

Or a word dandy . Remember, Pushkin’s Evgeny Onegin was “dressed like a London dandy”? The meaning of this slang word, popular back in the time of Pushkin, “dandy” or “dandy” is known to you and me, isn’t it?

However, including slang in your active English vocabulary is, to put it mildly, risky. But if you are still determined to decorate your English speech with slangisms, familiarize yourself with some of the most common expressions so as not to get into trouble:

a screw loose - “the roof has gone crazy”;

airhead – stupid (literally – “air in the head”);

all wet – erroneous (literally – “all wet”);

beans – money (literally – “beans”);

bimbo – blonde (in a humorous sense);

bird – bird (about a girl);

cabbage – “vegetable” (literally – “cabbage”);

couch potato – television fan (literally – “potatoes in skins”);

cool – cool (literally – “cool”);

fit – sexy (literally – “suitable”);

freebie – freebie (literally – “free”);

hammered – drunk (literally – “knocked”);

hole in the wall – ATM (literally – “hole in the wall”);

hot – sexy (literally – “hot”);

knockout – a stunning woman or man (literally – “knockout”);

party animal – party animal (literally – “an animal at a party”).

Of course, this is by no means full list slang words. If you know any interesting words from English slang, we will be glad if you share with us and our readers.

Currently, slang is a fairly common phenomenon present in colloquial speech.

Typically, slang is used to vividly express emotions and mood. Main feature slang is that it completely violates all lexical and grammatical canons of the language.

It is necessary to be able to distinguish street slang from simple informal communication in order to know exactly where and what slang is appropriate.

Some linguists argue that slang is useful for the language itself. The fact is that with the help of slang expressions and phrases you can make the language truly vivid and describe those actions for which formal language is not suitable. Naturally, slang is not used in business and formal communication, as well as in correspondence.

Understanding slang

As a rule, it is quite difficult for a person to understand English slang, since it is built on idioms, the meaning of which must be known. Separately, slang words can be understood without problems. But in combination with each other they have a different meaning that does not correspond to the literal translation.

If you decide to use slang expressions in your speech, keep in mind that they may be offensive to the interlocutor. Therefore, you should think carefully before using this or that slang expression. But despite this, slang is widespread in the speech of ordinary English-speaking citizens. To fully communicate with native speakers and understand their speech, you must understand slang and know its translation.

Today there is an English slang dictionary in which you can find a variety of slang phrases. It is very comfortable. Opposite the slang expression is always “rude”, if the slang expresses an insult or is a rude expression.

Add to your lexicon stable expressions from English slang to make your speech easier and more natural and to better understand native speakers.

Some slang expressions in English

Props- respect, recognition, synonymous with the word respect.
I want to give them props, they have helped me a lot. (I want to express my gratitude to them, they helped me a lot).
Kudos- respect, recognition, another synonym for the word respect.
Kudos for organizing this concert. It was awesome! (Respect for organizing the concert. It was amazing!)
To mess about/around- relax and enjoy idleness. Mess about is the British version, mess around is the American version.

- Wanna go mess about on the beach? (Do you want to go laze on the beach?)
- Yes, let’s go! (Let's go).

Stop messing around! It's really important for me! (Stop being a fool! This is really important to me!)
Sweet- in slang meaning, a synonym for the words awesome, nice, beautiful (amazing, sweet, beautiful.) Often pronounced with a long “and” - sweeeet!
Your performance was great! You're so sweet! (Your performance was wonderful! You are so cool!)
My bad/It's all good
My badis an apology in a very informal manner. Suitable for trivial matters, but not for serious situations.
It's all good- a typical response to “my bad”. It means everything is fine and there is no need to worry.
– Is there my juice? (Where's my juice?)
– My bad, I drank it in the morning. (Sorry, I drank it this morning.)
– It’s all good, I am going to the shop now. (Come on, I'm going to the store now.)
Take It Easy- relax (in a situation when a person is worried, nervous, in a hurry or angry.) This phrase can also be used to say goodbye to friends.
Take it easy, guys. I'll solve this problem. (Relax, guys. I'll solve this problem.)

Keep It Real- an interesting phrase that means to be yourself and not try to seem like someone you are not, under the pressure of society and other people's opinions.
Keep it real, bro. Do what you love, and everything will be ok. (Be yourself, bro. Do what you love and everything will be ok).
Dude- dude
Hey what's up dude? (Hey, what's up, man?)
Dudes, let's go to the bar tonight. (Dudes, let's go to the bar tonight).
Mate- friend (synonym buddy, dude)
Mate, I’m so glad to see you again! (Friend, I'm so glad to see you again!)
Mate, you’re the kindest person I know. (Friend, you are the most a kind person from those I know.)
Blinding- dazzling, brilliant.
This performance was blinding! (This performance was brilliant!)
Ace- cool, cool.
To ace- to achieve something easily and completely.
Ace! We got it! (Cool! We did it!)
Unreal- unreal, in the sense of incredibly cool, magnificent.
I love this place, it’s just unreal! (I love this place, it's just unreal!)
Dig- I really, really like it.
I dig your new style. Where did you buy these sneakers? (I really like your new style. Where did you buy those sneakers?)
Smashing- amazing
I had a smashing time at the weekend! (I had a great time over the weekend!)
Cheers!- universal toast (Salute! Hurray!)
Cheers! Happy birthday to Nick! (Hurray! Happy birthday, Nick!)
Jolly- Very.
This cake is jolly good! (This cake is very good!)
Not my cup of tea- I don’t like it, I don’t find it interesting.
I don't like this music. It’s not my cup of tea. (I don't like this music. It's not to my taste.)
To be into- to be interested in, love or enjoy something. The phrase is often used in reference to hobbies or fashion trends.
I am really into drawing now. (I'm really into drawing now.)
Grab- grab, collect something in a hurry.
Hurry up! Grab your backpack and let’s go! (Hurry up! Grab your backpack and let's go!)

Another meaning is to impress, to attract attention.

– How did the movie grab you? (How do you like this movie?)
– It was amazing! (It's great!)
Hangover- hangover.
Sam can’t play football today. He has a hangover. (Sam can't play football today. He has a hangover.)
Drop by/Drop in- to drop in, to visit someone for a short while.
Jane, can I drop in after work to give you back your book? (Jane, can I come by after work to return your book?)
YOLO- You Only Live Once. (You only live once.) Often used when someone wants to do something dangerous, strange, adventurous.)
Let's go surfing to Bali, friends! YOLO! (Let's go surfing in Bali, friends! You only live once!)
Whatever- I don’t care, so what, whatever. Can be used in a positive, relaxed format or to emphasize indifference.
You can eat whatever we like. (You can eat whatever you want).
She was right, but whatever! (She was right, so what!)
Swag– cool (person), cool style.
That guy has swag. (This guy is cool).
Turn my swag on. (Rate my style).

English slang makes speech more lively and relaxed. But such colloquial vocabulary is very emotional, so you need to be sensitive to where and when it can be used.

Every language has its own teenage slang. They abound in films, music, media, social networks and the Internet. come into the vocabulary of teenagers from the mouths of famous actors, pop performers, especially in the stand-up genre.

What is slang

Slang is non-standard vocabulary used in casual communication. Almost all professions have their own professional slang. Lawyers and doctors are even required to communicate on it in the presence of a client, this is required by ethics. Moreover, every family passes on its own words from generation to generation, the authors of which were sometimes children. They reinterpret words in a way that seems more logical to them. Examples:

String beads (on a thread, of course).
Malet (they use it to beat).
Maseline (spread on it).

Similar creativity of words is demonstrated by the slang of teenagers, examples:

Krasava - well done. It looks like “handsome” and “ah, well done!” combined together.
Bratella - brother or peer. The root remains, but the word itself has an Italian connotation. And something criminal is already visible. The word "brother" is used between gang members. In general, it is used in the Mitki community.
The brake is dull. The one who slows down does not “catch up” with the others in terms of intelligence. Often used in relation to a computer or the Internet when there is a slow speed of information transfer.

Teen slang doesn't come out of nowhere. It, like real languages, has the origin of words: borrowing from professional slangs, new Russian and criminal feni, anglicisms, newly formed words by combining two words or a root and a suffix.

Often, when there is no word in the literary language that denotes a particular concept of a teenage subculture, a new word enters the language. It can even move into the literary category if it describes this concept sufficiently fully.

There are many examples of this from the programming language. For example, the word “freeze”. At first it was used in relation to the violation of computer loading. Later the meaning of “staying in a place” was added. This is how Wiktionary interprets it.

Whether we like it or not, teenage slang has an influence on the Russian language. This is exactly how it should be viewed.

Slang as a means of communication

The language of the teenage subculture is highly expressive, full of metaphors, and there is a tendency to abbreviate words (person, internet, computer). Deliberate distortion of verbal forms is a protest and a way to get away from openly obscene language, covering the meaning of what was said with a slang shell.

Modern teenage slang is essentially a coded language. Everything in it is subject to confusion and clouding of clear meaning. Teenagers would be burned with shame if they found out that a teacher or parents understood their speech. Despite their apparent maturity, they are not ready to take responsibility for their words.

Slang turns what is said into a game, something frivolous, a hobby of youth. Indeed, its use wears off over time. There is no need to encrypt one's actions; an adult calls things by their proper names. But for teenagers it is still important that adults “don’t poke their nose into their affairs.”

Let's consider modern slang teenagers: a dictionary of the most common expressions.

Ava - avatar, a picture under the username. There is an abbreviation of the word.
Go - from the English “go”, start, give, call to action. Compare “let's go” (English) - let's go. Explicit Anglicism.
Zashkvar - from the prison word “to zashkvar”, that is, to use the dishes of a lowered (passive bugger), shake his hand, smoke his cigarette or simply touch him. In teenage slang, this means “madness,” something unfashionable and inconsistent with conventional wisdom.
Why - why?
Pal is a fake. Obviously, from “singed” - fake.
Nyashny - cute, adorable.
Cute - extremely adorable.
Top - from the English “top”, something better.
If you persecute, you deceive.
Gamat - from the English “game”, to play.
Funny - joke.
It's a bummer to end up in a bad situation.
Carrots are love.

Processes occurring in the Russian language

Language changes within the span of one generation. And this despite the fact that each generation has its own teenage and youth slang. Journalism, modern literature and numerous blogs are now picking up and spreading slang words.

The writer, bringing a teenager onto the stage, studies his speech for a realistic reflection. Here a gradation of terms occurs and words characteristic of certain social groups are defined.

Apparently, more educated teenagers use less jargon because they have a larger vocabulary. The vocabulary of teenage slang from rural and urban groups also differs.

Philologists are of the opinion that new words arise mainly in two capitals - Moscow and St. Petersburg. Within six months they spread to the periphery.

Reasons for the origin of teenage slang

Each subculture has its own language. Teenage is no exception. Her area of interest determines the vocabulary used to denote concepts:

Studying at school, college, technical school, university.
Cloth.
Music, popular groups, their style of clothing and behavior.
Communication with friends, the opposite sex, parents, teachers.
Leisure activities - discos, walks, meetings and dates, concerts of favorite bands, attending matches of favorite sports teams.

Reasons for the entry of new words into the vocabulary of teenagers:

A game.
Finding yourself, your Self.
Protest.
Poverty of vocabulary.

Youth slang as a form of self-affirmation for teenagers, it can be considered as a stage of growing up. Where do these words come from? They are invented in passing, trying to explain something, choosing a suitable expression or comparison. If a new word finds a response and is successful in a team, it will almost certainly spread.

Slang is replenished from professional jargon, for example computer jargon:

Broken link - error 404.
Glitch - failure.
Make a video - upload a video file.
Copy-paste - “Copy” - copy, “Paste” - paste.
Bug is an error.
Fix - correct errors.

Many words have roots in thieves' argot:

Raise the market - become the initiator of a serious conversation.
Bulkoshaker - dancing at a disco.
Sitting on treason means being afraid of something.
Shmon - search.
Chepushilo is a person who does not follow his speech.
Hit the arrow to make an appointment.

The words of drug addicts are also reflected in teenage slang:

Gertrude, white, heroin in charge.
Marusya, milk, plasticine - marijuana.
Cupcake, flour, nose, accelerator - cocaine and crack.
Wake up, daddy, shnyaga - raw opium.
Wheels are tablets.
Wheeling - taking pills.
Get drunk, rub yourself in, get stoned - give an injection.
To smack, to kick - to enter a state of drug intoxication.

Hearing jargon in a timely manner will help you understand what the teenager is interested in and help the child if necessary.

Teenage slang of the 21st century also comes from the TV screen. Films about gangsters, action films, and trailers add new words to our vocabulary. Unfortunately, negative characters are readily imitated. They are cool". Swear words that were previously purely American are penetrating into the Russian language. With them come obscene gestures. It's all sad.

Teenage slang and its meaning

It is worth noting that not all teenagers introduce slang into their speech. Some people use it as a joke. Such guys are usually not considered “one of our own,” although they may be treated with respect.

The use of slang words begins as a game: they don’t understand us, you can talk about anything. Then comes adolescence, when a person searches for himself, accepts or rejects generally accepted norms. As an alternative to boring life path parents, boring teachers and close-minded neighbors, a teenage subculture comes.

This limited world is not difficult to comprehend. The vocabulary of teenage slang is small; anyone can master it. Here everyone is equal, you can talk about topics that would make parents’ hair stand on end with horror. This apparent freedom so attracts a young heart!

It’s worth giving teenage slangs and a list of everyday words:

Hammer - came from prison jargon, discarding the three-letter swear word. Now they forget not about something, but about something: forgetting about homework means not doing your homework.
Damn - replacing an obscene expression with the corresponding letter. Means annoyance.
Kidalovo - from the jargon of scammers who change money. Means deception.
Klevo is an old Ofen word. Means "good".
Cool - funny
Dumb - embarrassing, awkward, old-fashioned.
A feature is a highlight, something that surprises, a feature.
Schmuck is an outcast.
Shnyaga is something bad.
Nice - “let’s run!”, also from the language of criminals.

To sum it up, we can say that the meaning of using teenage slang is as follows:

The desire to stand out from the crowd, the gray mass. In this case, the teenage subculture is perceived as avant-garde.
The desire for freedom, the lifting of prohibitions. Children who have escaped the iron grip of their parents rush to such an extreme as changing the common language to slang. They even deliberately shock with their behavior.
Protest against the hypocritical system of adults, when some can do everything, while others are responsible for the misdeeds of others.
Slang saves you when you have a poor vocabulary; obscene speech helps you express your thoughts. Communication often occurs with half-hints and jokes.

Youth slang, its influence on the speech of teenagers

One could treat slang as a temporary and easily passing phenomenon if it were not for its deep rooting. Having started using slang speech patterns, a teenager begins to think the same way. As is known, humans do not creative thinking like animals. Thought is closely related to words.

As a result, modern teenage slang begins to seep into writings. Soon such a teenager will need a translator. Still, slang is a limited language, without nuances, highlights and the finest shades. To accept it instead of literary means to impoverish not only your life, but also your very thoughts about life.

There is a mirror effect of the word: after introducing it into the lexicon, thoughts use it for their expression. Then, according to the principle “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” the tongue brings out the thought in slang form. Getting rid of it is not easy and will require conscious effort. If you leave the fuel, that is, communication in slang, it will become impossible to get rid of it.

Consequences of passion for slang

During the formation of personality, and this is precisely the teenage years, the establishment of patterns of behavior or solutions to problems that arise in adulthood also occurs. The influence of slang on the speech of teenagers is very great.

Without enough life experience, teenagers try to learn everything about life. And they think they can achieve it. When in their circle, they may appear wise in their own eyes. But this wisdom is shattered by the waves of adult life.

It is impossible to use slang without accepting its ideology. He will definitely influence actions and decision making. The bravado that comes through in slang expressions only appears to be “cool.”

Teen slang, dictionary:

dose - homework;
dzyak - thank you;
Dostoevsky - the one who got everyone;
emelya - email address;
tin - horror;
fat - the highest class;
lighter - a girl who likes to have fun;
an ambush is an unexpected obstacle in business;
shy - gets drunk quickly;
zoo - insult;
bend - do something unusual;
imbecile - retarded;
jock - a person with developed muscles;
kipish - disorder;
kiryukha - a drinker;
sausage - cool music, cool music;
to look like someone - to be like;
the rat is a traitor;
ksiva—document;
cupcake - boy;
smoking bamboo - doing nothing;
labat - play a musical instrument;
lave—money;
fox is a fan of the group "Alice";
lohovoz - public transport;
loser - loser;
burdock - fool;
major - boy with money;
makhalovka - fight;
frost - talking nonsense;
Mulka is a cool thing;
stir up - meet;
mersibo - thank you;
run into trouble - ask for trouble;
nane - no (gypsy);
nishtyak - very good;
head off - the highest degree of admiration;
to spectacle - to be afraid;
fall - sit down;
drove - nickname;
pepper is a tough guy;
steam - worry;
turnip - rehearsal;
to steer - to be the very best;
ramsit - have fun;
session - concert, meeting;
banter - joke, mock;
to leave the market - to change the topic of conversation;
one hundred pounds - exactly;
studen - student ID;
like - like;
torch - pleasure;
trouble - trouble;
junkie - drug addict;
tip-top - everything is fine;
fumes - funny;
fak - swear word;
flood - chatter;
bullshit - nonsense;
hata - housing;
I don't know - who knows;
hi-fi - hello;
civil - good conditions;
chika - dear girl;
chick - girl;
spur - cheat sheet;
user - computer user;
Yahoo - hooray.

This is just a small part of teenage slang; the dictionary of expressions is far from complete. Expressions that are obscene and describe sexual acts or the exercise of natural needs are excluded. Yes, children talk about this too. But this is enough to understand the danger of accepting a teenage subculture for life.

What else is dangerous about using slang?

If you do not get rid of this speech, problems will not keep you waiting. It will be difficult to get a decent job, it will be difficult to stay in it due to the use of certain words. Suddenly the teenager will feel that he cannot explain what is happening to him to the doctor. He will discover that the postman, social worker, and salesperson do not understand him.

Living in the world of people and speaking in a language that they do not understand is loneliness in a crowd. For a child who finds himself in a difficult situation, this can end disastrously. Depression is a frequent guest in this case.

Parents can help by explaining that slang is a game. You can't play all your life. They will try to find contact with their child and go through this period of growing up together. Trust can go a long way during this time.

How to solve a problem

Parents are very annoyed by teenagers' slang. Especially when they don't understand what their own child said. At the same time, parents often forget themselves at a young age. They also used buzzwords, and their parents were perplexed.

First of all, to solve a problem, you should start with yourself. How often do informal words come out of the mouths of the older generation? Sometimes they are not noticed. Surely you have heard (or even used) such expressions:

Fuck it.
Get hurt.
To die is not to rise.
Waste.
Covered himself with a copper basin.
Flew like plywood over Paris.

These are once fashionable words of the late twentieth century that have already been published. If parents use such jargon, it is not surprising that their child will look for his own vocabulary that matches the time. The teenager will not even understand that he is doing something wrong. He just wants to become modern. Shouldn’t he communicate in “old slang”?

The trouble is that often the child uses words whose meaning is not fully clear to him. In his communication group, there is often no explanation to be found either. That's just what everyone says. This is where sensitive parents can help. They will try to convey to the teenager the meaning of some jargon. Talk about their affiliation with the criminal world, for example.

Some words can be used, the main thing is to know: when, where and with whom. The girl, having called the annoying young man a goat, may not know anything about this word, which is derogatory for criminals. But the thief’s code of honor is to immediately hit the person who calls him a goat. Whether it's a girl or an old man, it doesn't matter.

Language of the street

Unfortunately, in society the boundaries between literary and obscene expressions are blurred. Swear words attack from all sides: in public transport, in a store, on the street and even from the TV screen. If everyone says this, then this is the norm - this is what a teenager thinks.

In this case, it's time to sound the alarm. Bring to the child's attention that a free society is not freedom of vice, but a conscious choice of actions. There are elementary ethics that cannot be pronounced in the presence of women, children and the elderly, in in public places. Only marginalized people do this.

Like the cannibal Ellochka, there are people who operate in their lives with several swear words. They turn them into different parts of speech, decline and combine. This is enough to communicate at the level of a monkey trained in sign language with its own kind.

Parents should not be afraid that their expression of contempt for profanity will offend or make the child withdrawn. And, of course, it is not permissible to use “salty words” ourselves.

Set out to explore what words come out of the mouths of literary characters during times of extreme passion. Share this with your children. At all, good literature- This is an inoculation against obscenity.

Tell your child about the danger that awaits those who use the words of drug addicts, homeless people, and punks. What impression is created about a person who uses such words on social networks? Give examples of how photos and captions posted on the Internet ruined the reputation of a boy or girl.

Tell us that expressions of national, racial, social and religious intolerance are criminal offenses. If a child promotes extreme views, it is necessary to find out who their ideologist is. Maybe the teenager is imitating someone? In any case, measures should be taken to prevent the child from immersing himself in this subculture.

Has this ever happened to you?

Your friend asks: "Hey, what's up?"

You answer: "Um, the sky?"

A friend asked how things were going, but how could you guess?

This colloquial from real life. It is called English slang.

A language that is not taught in ESL classes.

AWESOME

Awesome(adjective) is a popular slang word in English around the world. You will hear it from any person, from a young man to an old man. When to use the word awesome express surprise or admiration. It can be used in a sentence, or as a one-word answer.

Example 1:

« What did you think of Wolf on Wall Street? What did you think of The Wolf on Wall Street? »
"It was awesome! I loved it! » (He thinks it's a great movie).

Example 2:

« I’ll pick you up at 1 pm, okay? I'll pick you up at one o'clock, okay? »
« Awesome.» (Here the answer shows that you liked the idea and agreed).

Example 3:

"My friend Dave is an awesome single guy. You guys would be perfect for each other! My friend Dave wonderful bachelor. You would be perfect for each other! »
“Really? I'd love to meet him. Indeed? I'd like to meet him. »

COOL

Cool(adjective) - like awesome means “wonderful/cool” or “fantastic”. The word also shows that you agreed with the proposal. But it should be remembered that the traditional meaning of the word cool- cool. You need to put it in context to understand what it's all about.

Example 1:

« How's the weather in Canada these days? What is the weather like in Canada these days? »
"It's getting cooler. Winter's coming!(Here in the literal meaning that it got colder).

Example 2:

« What did you think of my new boyfriend? What do you think of my new friend? »
« I liked him. He seemed like a cool guy!» (He looks handsome).

Example 3:

« I’m throwing a party next week for my birthday. Do you want to come? I'm arranging for next week celebration for my birthday. Will you come to congratulate me? »
« Cool! Sure, I'd love to!»

To be beat

To be beat(adjective). In normal context beat means "to win": Manchester United beat Liverpool (about football teams); or “beat”: Marko, stop beating your brother. But in slang or colloquial English meaning completely different. If you hear a friend say “I’m beat“ means very tired or exhausted.

Example 1:

« Do you want to go out tonight? There’s a cool new rock bar that’s just opened! Do you want to take a walk in the evening? A new one has opened cool rock bar. »
« Sorry, I can't. I'm beat and I have to wake up early tomorrow. Sorry, I can not. I'm tired and have to get up early tomorrow morning ».

Example 2:

"Y ou look beat, what have you been doing? You look tired, What did you do? »
« I’ve been helping my dad in the yard all morning. I helped my dad with housework the whole morning ».

To hang out

To hang out(verb). If they ask where you usually hang out ( where you usually relax), then they want to know where you prefer to spend your free time. And if friends ask, do you want to hang out with us?, this means whether you are free and want to spend time together. When you ask your comrades what they are doing, and they answer - hanging out, which means they are free and not doing anything special.

Example 1:

« Hey, it's great to see you again. Hey, I'm glad to see you again ».
« And you. We must hang out sometime. Me too. We have to relax somehow ».
"I would love that. I'll call you soon. It will be wonderful. I will call you ».

Example 2:

« Paulo, where do you usually hang out on a Friday night? Paul where you love spend time on Friday evenings? »
« If I’m not working, usually at the diner across the road from school. If you've already finished work, usually at the diner across from the school ».
« Cool, I’ve been there a few times. Cool , I've been there several times ».

Example 3:

« Hi Simon, what are you doing? Hi Simon, what are you doing? »
« Nothing much, just hanging out with Sally. Nothing special, just chilling with Sally ». The only word you can use here is hanging, without out, and talk : « Nothing much, just hanging with Sally.».

But if the expression is used as a noun, it refers to the place where you spend your free time.

Example 4:

« Joey, where are you guys? Joe, where are you guys? »
« We're at our usual hang out. Come down whenever you want! We are in our usual place. Come whenever you want! » (This could mean at their favorite cafe, at the gym, or even at the park).

To chill out

To chill out(verb). Everyone likes it to chill out, which means just relax. As a rule, it is combined with “out”, but can be used without it. If you talk to English speakers, they will definitely understand.

Example 1:

« Hey Tommy, what are you guys doing? Hey Tommy, what are you guys doing? »
« We're just chilling (out). Do you want to come round? Just let's relax. Do you want to come? »

Example 2:

« Sue, what did you do in the weekend? Sue, what did you do this weekend? »
« Nothing much. We just chilled (out). Nothing special. Just relaxing ».

But if they say you need to chill out, this is bad. They think you are overreacting or worrying about small things.

Example 3:

« I can’t believe that test we just had. I'm sure I'm going to fail. I can't believe we passed the exam. I was sure I wouldn't give in ».
« You need to chill out and stop thinking too much. I'm sure you'll be fine. You need calm down, and stop thinking too much. I hope you feel better ».

Wheels

Wheelswheels(noun). We know that there are many objects in the world with wheels: wheels available in a car, motorcycle, bicycle, and even a wheelbarrow. But when someone talks about their wheels, it means they are talking about their car.

Example 1:

« Hey, can you pick me up at 3? Hey, can you pick me up at 3 o'clock? »
« Sorry, I can't. I don't have mine wheels at the moment? Sorry, I can not. I'm not on the wave »
« Why? Why? »
« I had to take it down to the garage, there’s something wrong with the engine! I had to leave it in the garage because the engine broke down. ».

Example 2:

« Nice wheels! Great car! »
« Thanks, it was a birthday present from my dad! Thank you, this was my dad's birthday present! »

To be amped

To be amped(adjective). If you are amped about something, it means you are very excited, or you can’t wait for some event.

Example 1:

« I can't wait to see Beyonce live! I can’t wait to see Beyoncé perform live!”
« Me too, I'm amped. Me too. I can't wait anymore ».

It can also mean that you have made up your mind and want something to happen. In this meaning you can replace amped to "pumped". In other words, you are full of adrenaline!

Example 2:

« I'm so amped for the game tonight! I'm so looking forward to tonight's game! »
« Yeah, I’m sure you are! You guys need to beat the Sox. Yes, I'm sure of it! You guys need to beat the Sox. ».

Babe

Babe(noun). If you call someone babe, so you think he's attractive. But be careful, you can only use this word when talking to a third party. You can’t directly say that to someone you think babe. Otherwise the person may be offended.

Example 1:

« What do you think of James’ new girlfriend? What do you think about new girlfriend James? »
« Total babe! And you? Very attractive! And you? »
« Agreed! Agree! »

Example 2:

« Oh man, Justin Timberlake is such a babe, don't you think? Is Justin Timberlake as attractive as you think? »
« Not really, he looks like a little boy. I prefer Jonny Depp – now that’s a real man! It's not true, he looks like a little boy. I prefer Johnny Depp - he's a real man! »

Busted

Busted(adjective or verb). If you bust someone was caught doing or saying something inappropriate, or hiding something. The police bust people every day - translated as they catch all the bad guys and fine them or put them in jail.

Example 1:

« Did you hear that Sam got busted speeding? Did you hear that Sam got caught for speeding? »
« No, but I’m not surprised. I’m always telling him he needs to drive slower! No, but I'm not surprised. I always told him to drive slower ».

Example 2:

« There were two kids who were busted cheating in their exams! Two students caught cheating on exams! »
« Really? What happened? Indeed? What's happened? »
« I’m not sure, but they’ll definitely be punished. Our school takes cheating really seriously. I don’t know the details, but they were definitely punished. Our school takes cheat sheets really seriously. ».

To have a blast

To have a blast(verb). Common meaning of the word blast stands for big bang, and phrases with it are often seen or heard in the news. For example: Two men have been seriously injured and taken to hospital from a suspected bomb blast — two people were seriously injured and taken to hospital due to a possible bomb explosion. But if the word is used among your friends, it is much more positive and means things are going great or you had a good time and had fun.

Example 1:

« How was the Jack Johnson concert? How was the Jack Johnson concert? »
"It was awesome. Everyone had a blast. He was wonderful. Everyone was impressed ».
« Even John? Even John? »
« Yeah even John. He was even dancing! Yes, even John. He even danced! »
« Wow, it must've been good! Wow, that must have been good! »

Example 2:

« Thanks for inviting me to your party last night, I had a blast. Thanks for inviting me to the party last night. I was happy ».
« Thanks for coming and I’m glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for coming, I'm glad you liked it ».

To have a crush

To have a crush(on someone) (verb). This great feeling, which means you are passionate about someone, you like him more than just a friend. And if someone has a crush on you, it's the same thing - he likes you in a more intimate way than friends like.

Example 1:

« I have the biggest crush on Simon. He's so cute! I like it so Simon. He is so cute! »
« Isn’t he dating Jenny Parkes? Isn't he dating Jenny Parks? »
« No, not anymore, apparently they broke up a few weeks ago! Not anymore, they apparently broke up weeks ago! »
« Cool!»

Instead of saying have a crush, you can just say crushing on- it means the same thing, but is usually used among young people and teenagers.

Example 2:

« Oooh, you're so crushing on Michael right now! Oh, you really like Michael now! »
« I am not! We're just friends! No! We're just friends! »
« Liar! I can tell you like him. You're lying! I can tell you like him ».
« Is it that obvious? Is it really that noticeable? »

To dump somebody

To dump somebody(verb). If you dump someone, they clearly intend to break the person’s heart. If dump your boyfriend or girlfriend, then ended the romantic relationship. And if you dumped, it means that they no longer want to meet with you - don’t worry, there are still many good people in the world! (And many singles want to date.)

Example 1:

« What's wrong with Amy? She’s been walking around the campus all day looking sad and like she’s going to start crying anymore. What's wrong with Ami? She wandered around the yard all day sad, and it seemed like she was going to cry. ».
« Didn't you hear? Alex dumped her last night! Just don’t mention his name at all! Do not you know? Alex asked her last night! Just don’t mention his name in front of her! »
« Wow, I'm surprised. They always looked so happy together! Wow, I'm surprised. They seemed happy together! »

Example 2:

« Landon looks so mad! What happened? Landon looks crazy! What's happened? »
« He and Samantha broke up. He and Samantha broke up ».
« Oh no, who dumped who? Oh no, and who abandoned whom? »
"I 'm not sure, but I have a feeling it was Sam! I'm not sure, but I feel like it was Sam! ».

Ex

Ex(noun). Typically, if you hear friends mention their ex, it’s about “ex” boyfriends and girlfriends you stopped dating. But if the word is used with another noun, for example “boss”: ex-boss means former boss.

I met my ex-boss in the supermarket the other day and he asked me to come back and work for him. I’m not going to now I’ve found this awesome new job

I met my ex-boss at the supermarket yesterday and he asked me to come back and work for him again. But I won’t because I’ve already found a great new job.

Example 1:

Geek

Youth English slang is a funny thing.

Geek(noun) is another expression. Depending on the interlocutor, the word will look beautiful or ugly. If you call a person geek, this is a critical, negative characteristic. This means that he studies too much or sits at the computer and communicates little. But if you call an old friend geek, this is a much nicer joke.

Example 1:

« What do you think of the new girl Amanda? What do you think of the new girl in our group, Amanda? »
« Not much, she seems like a geek. She spends all her time in the library! She doesn't look much like nerdy. He always sits in the library! »
« Maybe because she feels lonely. She’s new!” Maybe because she feels lonely. She's new !» (Negative meaning.)

Example 2:

« Let's go Ted's house party tonight! Everyone's going to be there! Let's go to a party at Ted's house tonight! Everyone will gather there!”
"I wish I could, but I have to study for my finals! I think I can, but I need to train in preparation for the final match!”
« Ah, man, you’re such a geek! Eh, friend, you’re a bore!”
« I know. But if I don’t pass Coach Jones is going to kick me off the team! Right. But if I refuse, the coach will kick me off the basketball team!”

(A joke, and a good playful meaning).

To be hooked

To be hooked on something (verb). If you hooked on something or just hooked, it means you’re passionate, you can’t get enough. You can be hooked on chocolate, basketball, a popular TV program, or dangerous things, for example smoking (which, by the way, is not at all cool!).

Example 1:

« What did you think about the new sitcom with James Franco? What do you think about another series with James Franco? »
« Loved it. I'm hooked already! I love this actor. I'm already hooked! »

Example 2:

« I miss George! I lost George! »
« George's your ex. You're hooked on him and it’s not healthy. It's time to move on! George is your ex. You crazy on it, which is unhealthy. We must move forward! »

The next word from English slang is looker

Looker(noun). If they say that you looker, you should definitely be happy - they give you a worthy compliment and tell you that you look great.

They probably won't tell you this personally, but you can learn about it from other people.

Example 1:

« That Marni girl is a real looker don't you think? This girl Marnie really cool, How do you think? »
« She’s a nice girl but not my type! She beautiful girl, but personally I don’t like it! »

Example 2:

« Have you seen the new history professor yet? Have you seen the new history teacher yet? »
« No, but I hear he’s a real looker! No, but I heard he really super!»
"Y ou hear right. No! This is true! »

To be in

To be in(adjective). You're probably familiar in as a preposition "in". This is one of the first words you learned in language lessons. For example, he boy’s in the house, my pencil is in my pencil case — boy in the house, pencil in pencil case. But the word can be used in a completely different, slang meaning - it means to be fashionable or branded. Things, which in now they may not in a month later - because fashion changes quickly!

Example 1:

« Jordan, why do you keep listening to that music? It's awful! Jordan, why do you keep listening to this music? She's disgusting! »
« Mom, you don’t know anything. It's the in thing now! Mom, you don't know what's going on. This music in fashion Now! »

Example 2:

« So, what's in at the moment? So what is trending now?»
« Seriously Dad? Seriously, dad? »
« Yeah, come on I wanna know what’s cool and what’s not! Yes, tell me, I want to know what’s cool and what’s not! ».

To be sick

To be sick(adjective). Coughing and sneezing... sick not as a clinic patient. If a friend said it was a holiday sick, that was for real cool, awesome, or simply the best. Then the word approaches in meaning to awesome. But you'll probably only hear such English slang from youngsters, or vacationers on the ocean in California!

Example 1:

« When are you going to Hawaii? When are you going to Hawaii? »
« Next week! Have you been? A week later! Have you been to the Hawaiian Islands? »
"Y eah, a few times, it’s sick! Yes, several times, it's wonderful there! »

Example 2:

« You missed a sick party last night! You missed it great party last night! »
« Oh, man, I knew I should have gone! Eh, I had to leave! »

Epic fail

Epicfail(noun). Word epic means “huge”, and you are already familiar with the meaning fail. Combine a couple of words and you get “a huge flaw”, “a complete miss” or “a complete disaster”. The expression is used when something does not work out as expected and emphasizes the importance of a failed outcome.

Example 1:

« The school basketball team lost the game by 30 points, can you believe it? The school basketball team lost by 40 points, can you believe it? »
« Yeah, epic fail! Yes, complete failure!»

Example 2:

« Did you get your test marks back? Have you received your exam results?
« Yeah, it was an epic fail and I have to redo the classes again next semester! Yes, complete failure, and I had to go through the whole semester all over again! »
« Oh too bad, I’m sorry! Too bad, I'm sorry! »

To be ripped is another slang expression.

To be ripped(adjective). In normal everyday English ripped means "torn". You can rip your jeans or a piece of paper, but the meaning is different in the jargon. If a man is ripped(usually this is said about men or boys, although not necessarily), this means he has big muscles and strong bodies. Probably because he works out in the gym, or he is a professional athlete.

Example 1:

« Dude, you're so ripped! What's your secret? Dude, yes you are jock! How did you do it? »
« Gym two hours a day! Gym for two hours every day! »

Example 2:

« Have you seen Martin lately? Have you seen Martin? »
« No, why? No, what? »
« He’s done something to himself! Not totally ripped! He did something to himself. He perfectly pumped!»
« What? No way! He used to be so overweight! Incredible! He was always fat! ».

Dunno

Dunno(verb). Simply dunno means "I don't know." This way you can respond faster, with less effort. This expression is common among young people. But be careful and think about who you can say this to. If you tell your boss or a senior person, it will be rude. To be sure, speak only to people your own age or younger, sometimes to subordinates.

Example 1:

« Where's Jane? She's supposed to be here by now. Where's Jane? She was going to be here now ».

« Dunno, she's always late! Don't know, she's always late! »

Example 2:

« What are you doing for Spring Break? What do you think about spring break? »

« Dunno, I was thinking Mexico again. You? Don't know, I was planning to visit Mexico again. And you? »

« Dunno yet! I don't know yet »

Loser

Loser(noun). There are winners and losers in a game, but if your friend is talking about someone loser, he was not defeated in a card game or in a sports competition. He or she is simply not loved for his or her actions and behavior.

Example 1:

« Ray is such a loser for breaking up with Rebecca. Ray Jonah because of the breakup with Rebecca ».
« Yeah, I know, he’s never going to find a girl as good as her! Yes, I know, he won't meet someone like that again cool girl, how is she! »

Example 2:

« Victor's turning into a real loser these days. Victor has become a real loser ».
« Why? Why? »
« I dunno but he’s turned really arrogant since he’s gone to college! I don't know, but he's been really defiant since he started studying! »

Rip off

Rip off(noun). To be ripped off(verb). If you come across a regular T-shirt that costs $80, you'll be shocked, right? Such a T-shirt - rip off, which means too expensive. And if the person you rips off means he is deceiving and asking for more money than you should pay. For example, tourists often ripped off from the locals, because they want to make money, and visitors are not aware of local prices.

Example 1:

« I’m not going to the J-Lo concert anymore. I won't go to his concerts anymore ».
« Why not? Why? »
« The tickets are way too expensive. They're $250 each. Tickets are too expensive. They're $250 ».
« Oooh, that's such a rip off! Who can afford that these days? Oh this is it divorce! Who can stand it? »

Example 2:

« How much did you buy your wheels for bro? How much did you buy for car for your brother? »
“$2000!”
« Dude, you were so ripped off. This car’s worth only half of that! Dude, you got scammed. This car is only half price! »

Results

So, you have become familiar with the American slang (English slang)- a few of the most common phrases that you will probably hear from your English-speaking friends. But be careful where and when to use them. Slang is used mainly among friends and acquaintances (in the family too). It would be a shame if you weren't hired for a job because of your interview slang. will happen epic fail!

Study slang and others random phrases English can be very difficult at first. This is a universal problem. Books and formal training courses may not be helpful. So, why not learn from Bart Simpson and other funny characters?

Sometimes American slang words don't make sense in your native language. This is why it is important to know how words are used.

This article is an adaptation of material from the resource - www.fluentu.com

» 20 Essential American Slang Words for English Learners

Our topic today is somewhat frivolous; there will be no rules or tedious tables in it. Let's talk about that special form of language or profanity called slang. In any language there are terms that are not in textbooks, decent books and films.

It has been proven that jargon has existed and exists at any time, is constantly changing and is closely related to the social or age group where it is used. This is most often a youth language, since it is young people who isolate themselves from the world of adults and create their own world, with their own laws and even language. But very quickly such words break out beyond the youth group and become ubiquitous.

Our task today is to understand the peculiarities of the modern English language and whether we need to know youth slang at all, isn’t it enough just to know grammar and spoken language? We do not recommend bragging about your knowledge of these words in front of strangers

, you may be misunderstood

If so many studies on youth slang and dictionaries have been published today, does that mean someone still needs it? Or maybe, if it is necessary, then only for young people?

Judge for yourself: you move among young people, for example, you teach English at school. But there is no understanding between you and the students, everything is limited to questions and answers, your irritability and the ridicule of the schoolchildren. Maybe they won’t stick a piece of paper with an offensive inscription to your back or put buttons on your chair, but you still periodically hear incomprehensible words thrown after you, and sometimes even chuckles, right? And this makes you even more angry, fills you with suspicion and misanthropy.

Well, what if, instead of taking offense, you suddenly one day inserted some slang word into a dialogue with a student, or simply reacted correctly to their “Albanian”, making it clear that you know it? Can you imagine how quiet it would be in the classroom and how much the schoolchildren would respect you? This does not mean that you will allow familiarity and will continue to pour out these words, forgetting about the subject (what kind of teacher are you then?) But students will definitely stop considering you an “old galosh”.

Historical reference:

As you know, even A. S. Pushkin used slang, and in comparison with him, any “English” slang will seem like baby talk.

N. G. Pomyalovsky, in the book “Essays on the Bursa,” spoke about the use of slang... in the theological seminary of St. Petersburg in the century before last. Here are the words used by future clergy:

bursa - seminary
fund - treat
fiducia - enterprise
kulya - comrade
shram kulya is a good friend

Of course, today such words are deeply archaic.

Youth slang is constantly changing and is closely related to the history and cultural characteristics of the country. It often arises where there is a youth protest movement against something.

The main sources of our youth slang

The main language sources of American slang: American slang

immigrants
beatniks, tramps, hippies
drug addicts, criminal world
army, navy
business
students, schoolchildren, teenagers
jazz and contemporary music
sports (American football, baseball, etc.)
Hollywood movies

As you can see, the origins of modern Russian slang and English are somewhat different. Our slang can be called more cultural; it is mixed with proverbs and verbal puns. I really liked these “alterations”:

God once sent a piece of cheese to Voronezh...
Posner is better than never!
We were born to make Kafka come true!

Believe me, if we were raised on the “great” and “mighty”, and the origins of our swearing begin with Pushkin’s poetry itself, then are we really not able to overcome English slang?

Grammatical features of English slang

You can immediately feel the differences between English grammar and spoken language when you arrive in an English-speaking country. Such abbreviations can be considered elements of slang:

gonna - going to
wanna - want to
Ama - I'm
Yep, ye - yes
Dis - this
U - you
Dunno - don't know
Cause - because

And many words can have both ordinary and slang meanings. For example, these words:

cool - cool, fresh - cool, cool
to bless you - bless you - be healthy (after sneezing)

In this article you will not see familiar grammatical rules on how to correctly compose a slang expression. Slang has no grammar; it is a kind of denial of all grammatical norms. And yet, you must write and use the slang dialect correctly if you have already decided on it, otherwise you risk using a word with a completely different meaning and ending up in a situation that is funny or not so good for you.

When you write and speak, be careful!

Surprisingly, sometimes just one letter can change the meaning of a word in a language. So, adding the letter -s to an innocent particle - as(how) turns a particle into an insult

For comparison: if to the Russian particle - How add one letter, then you get something too :-), not so terrible, really, but similar in meaning.

So when you write, be careful! One letter can ruin everything. Also, if you speak slowly, and even whistle on the letter -s, it is better to avoid turns where this particle -as is present.

Another tip: when describing someone’s appearance in English, also look first at a modern slang dictionary, remember how to make basic sentences, as well as the cartoon “ Who will praise me the most?

Remember? Girl, you have these big eyes (big eyes)- Beautiful, is not it? Further - big ears(big ears) - well, that’s all right. But to say it in English in a tongue twister (and without any -have/has) big mouth(big mouth) is fraught, because bigmouth they mean: Chatterbox, yap.

And we will speak better Russian! - you decide, and again you won’t guess. This will not save you from the need to know some elements of local youth slang, since some Russian words are similar to English swear words. For example, never say “bananas” loudly on the street if you are in America: bananas translated psycho!

Under no circumstances should you brag in an English youth campaign that you learned the language from the famous, world-famous Bonk textbook. You will cause massive laughter, because bonk— they have one well-known obscene word.

Useful information for departing travelers

But in English there are also slang words that sound similar to Russian:

bastard - illegitimate, bastard
gaga - dumbfounded, eccentric
tits - breasts

There are also words that have migrated to us from English slang and do not require translation:

baby - baby
cop - cop, policeman
fake - to tease, to fool
cash down - money on a barrel
zero cool - super, cool

Here are some more relatively harmless words and phrases of modern English slang:

The British and Americans often do not understand each other

It is necessary to distinguish between English and American slang. Some words and phrases mean one thing in England, but something completely different in America. There are many funny stories about how people get into trouble by not using local terms correctly.
Slang? Chief. The British are generally extremely polite people, and usually, if they use slang, you can guess what they mean by the meaning. It's just funny Americans, even the word sorry doesn't always mean an apology. If an Englishman apologizes to you thousands of times for every little thing, then don’t expect the same from an American. They are quite simple people in communication and are not used to mannerisms, so if you suddenly hear that they say sorry to you, then do not rush to rejoice: it is quite possible that you have violated something, and there is a policeman in front of you

Here are the meanings of some words:

Here are some funny examples.

In order to learn how to speak youth slang, you need to learn the most common words and expressions from a slang or jargon dictionary, and hear their pronunciation live. Do not use dubious “samizdat” with dishonest translation when works of famous linguists have been published on this topic. Yes, yes, it would seem, some kind of jargon, but to qualify it, scientists were involved.

I think you are convinced: in order to know and use youth slang terms, you need to be a literate person. This is not a contradiction. If you decide to first learn English slang, and only then grammar, you will look ridiculous and funny: you know, you don’t know anything, but you swear like a shoemaker. It is unlikely that you will command respect even among young people. For them, this is their style of life, but for you, it’s clownery and trying to “get in touch” with the young people. You also need to master slang masterfully. Therefore, first the grammar, and only then leave the youth slang for a snack.

There is nothing worse when a non-native speaker tries to speak slang. For what?

IN best case scenario It can be funny, at worst it can be annoying.

You need to master slang in the same way as other speech styles, and even more important is to know when and with whom to use it.

Avoid using harsh vulgar words when you can find similar but softer expressions. Remember that swearing and slang are two different things, and today using overt swearing is a sign of bad taste.

Today slang is used both in politics and art. You don’t have to go far: almost every American film today contains slang expressions, and the famous animated series “South Park” has broken all records for the amount of obscene language. In the stands, in newspapers, on TV, they don’t mince words either. Today, Americans themselves are protesting against such an abundance of dirty speech in their lives.

So, what have we learned about English slang:

this is an important part of the language and you need to know it
it should be used only as needed and preference should be given to non-rigid forms
priority should be on the side of grammar (first learn the language itself, and only then slang)
English and American slang are different
it must be taught modern dictionaries youth slang, and not from dubious sources.

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