Youth slang in English with translation. Use correct vocabulary learning and repetition techniques

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 is real life colloquial language. 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's 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 throwing a party for my birthday next week. 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 “to beat”: Marko, stop beating your brother. But in slang or spoken English the meaning is 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 of James' new girlfriend? »
« 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 is a great feeling, and it means that 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's a beautiful girl, but I personally don't like her! »

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 will probably hear such English slang only 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 will never meet such a cool girl like her again! »

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!

Learning slang and other random phrases in 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

Do you need to learn English slang? We think every language learner would like to know the answer to this question. Today we will tell you what types of slang exist, who should study it, and who does not need to burden themselves with additional work. And for those who decide to study fashionable expressions, we will give some tips that will help you master slang.

What types of slang are there?

1. Abbreviations

Is it worth learning English slang to look cool? Find out from the article. Abbreviations of words are often classified as slang. This category of expressions is worth knowing for every English language learner. They are used in almost all films, books, songs. These words are completely harmless, for example: wanna (want to), lotsa (lot of), yep (yes), etc.

2. Vivid youth expressions

This category includes all words used by young (and not so young) people in informal speech. The expressions are quite simple, they can be easily used in conversation. The exception is a formal setting: business negotiations, conferences, interviews, etc. Example of slang expressions: posh (chic, pretentious), wicked (cool, excellent, cool). However, even these expressions should be handled very carefully: they can simultaneously have the opposite meaning. When studying expressions, we recommend looking up all the meanings in the dictionary and drawing a conclusion: is it worth using this word?

3. Expletives

How to get rid of English-speaking friends? It’s very simple: learn words from this category, and no one will want to communicate with you in English. We will not give examples: the Internet is teeming with all sorts of “reference books for those who like to quarrel.” But if you really want to say a bad word, we recommend softening it up a little. Watch this video: a native speaker will tell you how to swear... without swearing.

4. Abbreviations

Do you need to learn English slang?

Let's start with the fact that slang is not an easy thing, it is constantly changing, new expressions appear, and old ones die off as unnecessary. In addition, each city may have its own set of popular expressions. However, there are also the most common words that various online slang dictionaries offer us. We will talk about the need to study them.

Who should learn English slang?

For those who are planning to move for permanent residence to an English-speaking country. In this case, it makes sense to improve your knowledge with the help of lessons with a native speaker. He will tell you which vocabulary is commonly used, which one should be avoided, and which one is hopelessly outdated.
People who want to communicate with foreigners in an informal setting. It is advisable for you, if not to use it, then at least to know the most popular words in order to understand the speech of your interlocutor.
For students of foreign universities. Slang is the language of youth. You should become familiar with common slang words to understand your peers. Rest assured, in any case, during your studies, your stock of slang expressions will significantly increase.
For fans of modern films, songs, shows, books in English. Many authors, without the slightest hesitation, build almost their entire “masterpiece” on slang. Therefore, adherents of trendy creations, willy-nilly, will have to learn some words for their own convenience.
For those planning to take the exam. You don't need to use slang words, but you may come across them while listening to texts or reading, so we recommend that you familiarize yourself with the most commonly used expressions to be fully prepared.
Those who want to develop diversified. Any language is a rather complex structure, consisting of a formal and informal part. Slang is a mandatory attribute of any language. There is no need to think that “street” expressions are necessarily swear words. Slang is also often used to describe quite decent expressions, abbreviations of words that make them easier to pronounce, and abbreviations used when communicating via SMS or chat. Slang is the most “delicious” thing in a language, something that allows you to understand the culture and objective reality of people.

It is advisable to know slang, but it cannot be used in all situations.

Who doesn't need to learn slang?

For children. Yes, teenagers can and will enjoy learning a few buzzwords. However, please note: many slang words are indecent, and it is unlikely that a child should be taught them.
For beginners. If you just started learning English from scratch, you don’t need to bother yourself with youth words. Learn what the teacher advises you: you can do without slang, but you cannot do without basic words.
People preparing for an interview. We think that in the conditions of accelerated preparation for an interview in English, you will not have the desire to study “street” vocabulary. But if it does arise, we advise you to abandon this idea and read the useful article “”.
For those who study Business English for business communication. It is not necessary for you to know slang and it is even harmful: in a stressful situation, you can accidentally use an inappropriate expression.
For those learning English for travel. You will need a standard set of phrases with which you will communicate with local residents. Native speakers will not torment a foreigner with an abundance of slang words. And besides, we should not forget that slang can be different in different territories.

How to learn slang in English?

If you find yourself in the category of people who should learn slang expressions, you need to act. We want to give some practical recommendations on how to learn the “language of the street” correctly and quickly.

1. Use an up-to-date reference book

First, you need to find supporting material from which you will take expressions to study slang words. It is better if it is an online directory: the information is updated there the fastest. The following resources can be recommended:

Englishclub.com - English-English slang dictionary. For each word there is an example of use in context, a history of the origin of the expression, as well as a mini-test with which you will check how correctly you understood the expression.
Learnamericanenglishonline.com - American slang dictionary with examples of usage.
Englishdaily is another good reference book of English slang, which has definition, usage examples, etymology and synonyms of the expression.
Audio-class.ru is a Russian-language resource, quite complete and understandable. However, only the translation of the expression into Russian is given. Can be used in conjunction with the above English-language resources.

2. Use proper vocabulary learning and repetition techniques.

To remember any word, including slang, you need to find the optimal method for learning it. Use one of the methods for learning words proposed in the article “”. After that, do not forget to repeat the acquired knowledge. To do this correctly, read the article "". From it you will learn unusual and effective repetition techniques.

3. Use slang in your speech

Try to use all the words you want to remember in conversation or writing. You can write short stories or simply make sentences with the expression you have learned, and then retell them. Still, slang is an attribute of oral speech, so it is better to find an interlocutor with whom you can consolidate your knowledge. Having trouble finding a partner? Then use the tips from the article “ The right combination of slang with classic English will allow you to speak “cool” and beautifully. On the website englishclub.com you can subscribe to useful newsletters “Word of the Day”, “Idiom of the Day”, “Phrasal Verb of the Day”, “Slang of the Day”. Take advantage of this opportunity: you will receive 1 informative email every day. It's convenient and time-saving.

So, we hope that with the help of our article you have decided whether you should learn slang in English and which type of slang you should choose. However, in conclusion, we would like to warn you against excessive use of slang: in the eyes of native speakers, a foreigner expressing himself will seem more uncultured than “advanced.” Learn classic English and amaze everyone with the correct, beautiful speech. Good luck!

Those who are at the conversational stage of learning a language often wonder if they need to know English slang. The answer is positive, since the correct use of such words significantly expands your understanding of foreign interlocutors. The first thing you need to understand before starting to study this topic: slang in English is not necessarily profanity, but also words that are used by people belonging to a certain profession or group: students, schoolchildren, computer scientists, musicians, etc.

Social variety of speech

In order to delve deeper into the study of language jargon, it is necessary to identify its main sources. Youth slang in the English language was formed mainly due to immigrants, music, business, the criminal world, computerization, among informal social groups and teenagers.

The composition of such expressions does not have any grammatical rules. English slang denies the norms familiar to the language. Nevertheless, it is necessary to know exactly how and in what situations one or another word should be used. Incorrect use of jargon can cause laughter, bewilderment, or even offense to the interlocutor.

The grammatical side of jargon

The tourist will instantly feel the difference between the live speech of native speakers and the standard rules from school textbooks. Abbreviations of some words and expressions are also considered elements of slang speech.

Let's look at a few illustrative examples:
. going to turns into gonna;
. want (want) - wanna;
. I’m (I am) - ama;
. yes (yes) - yep (American version);
. don’t know (I don’t know) - dunno;
. because (because) - cause (also serves as an independent word, which is translated into Russian as “reason”);
. betcha - to argue;
. dammit (short for damn it) - damn it;
. dreamboat - a beautiful person;
. gimme (American version of give me) - “give it to me.”

There are words that have both a standard meaning and a slang one. For example, the expression bless you - “bless you” has acquired the additional meaning of “be healthy”, which is used after sneezing. The well-known adjective cool (fresh, cool), which is now also translated by the words “cool”, “cool”.

Business communication has its own grammatical abbreviations, most of which we know from school:
. Mr. - Mister;
. Mrs. - Mrs.
. Dr - doctor;
. etc - and so on;
. e. g. - For example.

English slang in correspondence

At every step in online communication, various abbreviations are used in writing slang expressions. Let's look at a few colloquial acronyms:

U (you) - you, you.

Lol (Laughing out loud) - the Russian equivalent can be considered the phrase “laughing out loud”. This abbreviation will add a touch of playfulness and lightheartedness to your message. To replace Lol, there is ROFL, which means that the interlocutor is literally “rolling on the floor because of laughter.”

The combination of letters BRB (be back soon) is used in cases where you are forced to go somewhere and will not be able to answer at this time.

G2G (got to go) is a good way to end a conversation before leaving the chat.

Instead of writing a rather long in my opinion, you can briefly write IMO and continue writing your opinion.

Differences between English and American slang

The biggest misconception among Russian speakers is that people from Britain easily understand Americans. This is not true, since certain words have different meanings among these two peoples.

In this regard, it is easier to communicate with the British. Most of them are very and can literally apologize a hundred times for an everyday trifle or for something that they didn’t even do. But if you are in America and hear the word sorry behind you, do not rush to get excited: maybe there is a policeman behind you who is ready to issue a fine for some offense.

Let's look at the meanings of some expressions:

Ass for an Englishman means an ordinary donkey, for an American it is a “fifth point” and a word that can be used to call a bad person;

Pissed - in the USA this word is used to describe a dissatisfied person, and in Britain it is used to describe a drunk person;

To shag in America means the verb “to dance,” but if you try to ask a girl to dance with its help in England, the consequences can be the most unexpected;

Bloody is used by Americans in the literal sense - bloody, but in Britain it is most often meant as “damned”, “damn”;

The verb to table smth in English means “to discuss,” but if you say this in America, your interlocutors will understand that you want to postpone the conversation for another time.

English slang, phrases and words of which are an important component of any language, is necessary to know, because you risk not understanding half of the conversation with your foreign interlocutor. Without knowledge of the speech itself, the use of jargon is unacceptable, since illiteracy does not contribute to a person joining a particular company.

It is important to remember that youth slang is not a dictionary of obscene expressions, but the style of certain social groups. Using unscrupulous “samizdat” with a dubious translation is highly discouraged. In the modern world, there are a large number of dictionaries created by famous linguists that will become faithful assistants to anyone who wants to learn English slang.

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 look at modern teenage slang: 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 it 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 and 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 the 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. Teenage subculture comes as an alternative to the boring life path of parents, boring teachers and narrow-minded neighbors.

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 have imaginative 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 subtle 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. Being 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 fraught with the use of 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 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 the 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 from the lips 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 public places. Only marginalized people do this.

Like the cannibal Ellochka, there are people who use several swear words in their lives. 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. In general, good literature is a vaccine 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.