Teen Slang
"That was so lame." "Why are you all up in my grill?" Does this sound like a teen in your life? Are you confounded by trying to interact with them? You may be completely overwhelmed by this new vocabulary spouting out of your sweet child's mouth. If you can relate to this feeling of bewilderment and confusion, you are not alone.
Current Teen Slang
A Minute
In teen slang, a minute actually means the opposite of what it suggests. You may hear this in phrases such as "Man, he's been gone for a minute" or "I haven't seen you in a minute." It's used to suggest that a long time has passed.
Bounce
When you call your teen away from talking on the phone, you may hear him say "I gotta bounce." Bounce means leave.
Butter
The word butter is typically combined with the word "like." When a teen says something is "like butter," it means it's smooth, or it is easy. For example, "My mackin' skills are like butter."
Chillaxin'
Chillaxin' combines the words "chillin'" and "relaxin'." You may have heard your teen use this when a friend asks what he's doing, as in, "I'm just chillaxin'."
Cray Cray
When a teen uses the word cray cray, she means that something is really crazy or not cool. If you hear a teen say "that party was cray cray," it means that it was a really awesome party and a lot happened, but if your teen says "don't get cray cray," it means someone is going too far and not being cool anymore.
Do Me
When a teen says he's "gonna do me" it means that he's going to be himself and not worry about what other people say.
Fo Sho
Saying fo sho is just another way to say "for sure," "of course" or "definitely." Your teen may respond to yes/no questions that you ask using fo sho. Another variation of this phrase is "fo shizzle."
Freaking
The word freaking is used in place of the word really. For example, a party may have been "freaking awesome." Often teens will use this word in place of a curse word.
Hater
A hater is someone who is jealous or out to ruin a good time. Often teens will use this term jokingly with friends. For example, "Man, your shoes look like knock-offs." "Don't be a hater." Your teen may call you a hater when you ruin their fun.
Haterade
Similar to the term hater, haterade is used to describe people who talk negatively about others or are always putting things down. A teen may tell a friend to "stop drinking haterade" when he talks bad about his ex-girlfriend's new guy.
Live
Think of the word live like a live wire. Teens use the word live to describe something that was really energetic or cool. When a teen says "that game was live," he doesn't mean he saw it as it was happening. He means that it was full of action.
Mackin
To mack means to put on your game. Mackin is usually used to describe what guys are doing when they try to get girls. Often when a teen is mackin', he's flirting with more than one girl at once, and just doing it to flirt rather than to actually get the attention of a single girl.
Oh-em-gee
You may know that the popular text abbreviation means "oh my god." Oh-em-gee is one of the few text abbreviations that have made it into actual teen speak. When a teen says "oh-em-gee," the meaning is usually determined by how it is said. When the syllables are said slowly and with a deeper voice it usually means something bad or "you won't believe this!" When it's said faster and with a higher pitched voice, it's usually to describe something really great.
Real Talk
The phrase real talk means that someone is speaking the truth. It is typically used after something else a teen says. For example, "you're looking fly these days. Real talk."
Swagg
Swagg is individuality and coolness. If a teen has his "swagg on," that means he's acting cool and looking fly. Having swagg involves being confident in who you are and what you're wearing.
Trippin'
Your teen has probably told you that you're trippin' a time or two. Trippin' means being uncool or making a big deal out of something. Teens may also use trippin' when one is playing a joke on another.
Teen Slang to Watch Out For
While the words about definitely shouldn't send you tripping, there are in fact some versions of teen slang that parents should be aware of. Drug references have evolved along with the drugs of choice for today's teens. While previous generations may have feared getting caught smoking marijuana in their parents' house, today's teens are hitting raves including the hard narcotics more frequently and intensely than ever before. Here are some terms to watch out for, and to dig a little deeper if you overhear a cell phone conversation using them.
Co-pilot
A co-pilot is a person's friend who has agreed to stay sober and hallucinogenic-free while another youth takes LSD or any other kind of narcotic. If you hear your teen talking about a co-pilot, either in reference to themselves or someone else, it is a red flag that he/she is hanging out in a crowd where drugs may be involved. "Ground man" is another term meaning something very similar.
Guide
A guide is a dealer or experienced drug user who may be teaching your teen or another young person their first moves and steps into the drug world. A guide is the peer pressure instigator, the narcotics guru, and chances are the one that young people look up to when it comes to partying and getting high.
Bagging
This term is used to describe the action of using inhalants in order to achieve a euphoric state. Inhalant drugs should be taken just as seriously as any others, and in some cases even more so. Protect your teen by asking questions and making more of an effort to meet their friends and cohorts if you hear a term such as "bagging" floating around the house.
Bummer Trip
To hear that someone had a bummer trip is to suggest that they had a bad experience with a PCP. From an upset stomach to terrifying hallucinations, the sky's the limit with this damaging and destructive drug. Stay alert if you hear this slang in your teen's life. Don't be afraid to be overprotective - it may be a choice toward life or death.
Understanding Your Teen
Believe it or not, teens do not want you to use this slang with them - be prepared for an eye roll if you try. But it is important to your teen that you understand them. Albeit somewhat inarticulately, most teens will tell you what something means if you ask and show an interest in what they have to say. Spend enough time talking with you teen, and you'll unlock an entire dictionary of teen slang.
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