How to Speak and Understand Teen Lingo

“What the heck did he just say?” is a common question of today’s parents who, try as they might, simply can’t understand the language of their teens. If Swahili or some obscure language is what seems to be coming from your teen’s mouth these days you can still make a language barrier break-through. Not that a parent wants to speak the same lingo as their teen – doing so would drive both teen and parent mad. Understanding a few words and phrases, though, can help you at least feel like you’re on the same planet with your teen.

Of course, there are different words used in different communities. The teens of Australia won’t use the same terms as teens raised in the streets of New York City. And, there’s Teen Slang, Rap Slang, Surfer’s Slang and other forms of language now being used, so listen closely when your teen is talking. Use the following guide, although it’s liable to be outdated by the end of the week, to try and break through the barrier and communicate with your teen.

Aight or Ahight (one syllable) – alright, okay

All up in the kool aid – getting in someone’s business

Baby daddy – the father of my baby

Baby mama – the mother of my baby

Bad – an adjective that means “good”

Baggin’ – picking up someone of the opposite sex

Bail out – leave someone to fend for themselves, leave

Baked – on drugs

Baller or Balla – someone with a lot of money

Bam – used when you’ve just dissed someone

Bang – a party, usually referring to a party with a lot of available women present

Beeyatch – female dog

Big Up – praise

Biscuits – old shoes

Bling – anything shiny, specifically jewelry

Blow – cocaine

Blunt – a cigar filled with marijuana

Bobo – poor quality

Bone – to have sex

Bong – a pipe used to smoke marijuana

Boost – steal

Booty – butt

Bopper – a female that has sex with other girls’ boyfriends

Booyah or booya – used to express happiness or accomplishment. Can also mean ‘gotcha’

Bowl – refers to a pipe used for smoking marijuana

B-r-b – means “be right back”

Breezy – a woman or girlfriend

Broad – a woman

Bounce – leave

Break out – leave

Breeze out – go away

Buff – an attractive-looking member of the opposite sex

Buggin’ – getting upset

Busta – punk or jerk

Bust a cap – shoot someone

Cashed or cashed out – broke

Cat – cool (That car is cat!)

Cheezin’ – smiling

Chill – calm down, be cool

Chud or Chuggers – a noun that means any form of gum

Crackin’ – happening

Crack the egg – break the ice, get to know

Crew – a term that means “a bunch of mates”can also mean ” a bunch of friends”

Crib – house or apartment

Crunk or krunk – started

Cruzer – a driver

Cool Joe – awesome

Cuttin’ – having sex

Cuz – friend

Da – the

Da Bomb – something that’s very good

Dat – that

Dawg – male friend

Dis – this

Diss – a verb that means to disrespect or insult

Don’t get lairy – don’t get loud

Don’t trip – don’t get upset

Double Clutch – means to steal

Dough – money

Down – go along with the crowd

Dropped the dime – told on someone

Eight ball – cocaine

Feel me – understand what I’m saying

Flip Scrip – means to change the way something was originally said

Flipside – tomorrow, later

Five owe (or five-o) – police

Fo – for

Fo sho – definitely

Foul – wrong (I broke up with him because he did me foul)

Four eleven – information, news

Grill – face (Get your finger outta my grill)

Groove – to dance or get moving

Ghetto – raw, raunchy

Give it up – applaud

Got the dragon – bad breath

Hang – spend time with

Hard – has a bad attitude

Hardcore – serious or really good

Hebe – pronounced hee-bee, means he is or he has been

Hit it – have sex

Ho – prostitute

Holla – talk

Hood – neighborhood

Hook up – to get something or to get with someone

Hooptie – an old battered car

I’m straight – I’m not on drugs or alcohol or I don’t need any more drugs or alcohol

It’s cuttin’ out here – it’s cold

Jacked up – drunk or on drugs

Keep it real – be honest, don’t kid yourself or others

Kev’d up – a verb that means ‘enhanced with extras’: “That motorcycle is kev’d up”.

Kick back – relax, take it easy

Kickin’ – hanging out

Kronik – something bad or too strong

Lata – later

Loved up – this verb can mean in love, been loved or even on drugs – particularly a drug called ‘ecstasy’

Lushness – overly polite and nice

Majestik – fantastic or out-of-this-world

Minute – a long time

Meshed – got together or had sex

Messed or Mest – means to have mental problems

Monkey Dance – a particular style of dancing

My bad – sorry, didn’t mean it

Off the hook – something cool

Outta – out of

Outy or Outey – I’m leaving

Peepz – friends or people you’re hanging out with

Poppin’ – happening (What’s poppin’?)

Pops – your own dad or someone else’s dad

Posse or Possy- a group of friends

Punk – fool someone

Rise up – stand up, jump up

Rock – cocaine

Salty – to have a bad attitude

Shake off – get rid of someone

Shebe – she has been or she is

Shizzle – something good

Sho Nuff – okay, will-do, sure

Shot Gun – means you get first choice

Shook – scared

Skanker – an ugly female

Slate – see you later

Smokin’ – hot

Smooth – cool: “That guy is so smooth”

Square up – clean up, straighten up

Squash the beef – forget it ever happened

Stoked – happy, excited, worked-up

Sup – what’s up? Hello.

Theybe – they are or they have been

Tore up – drunk or on drugs

Trippin’ – imagining things, doing drugs, jumping to conclusions, etc.

Two eleven – steal a car

U Be – you are

Vibe – a feeling

Wazzup – What’s up? Or hello

Whacked – weird or crazy

Wicha – with you

Wicked – fantastic, excellent

Well – extremely (well bad means very good)

Word up – the truth

X – the drug ‘ecstasy’

Ya – you

Yo – hey – used to call someone’s attention or to greet

Zipped – not talking

Reference:

• www.thesource4ym.com/teenlingo/index.asp