If youโre learning English, then youโve got lots of things to master including phrasal verbs, idioms and of course, English slang words.
Native speakers use slang every day and that can make them hard to understand.
So, in this post, youโll learn 79 common English slang words and expressions that will help you understand native speakers.
Understanding And Using English Slang Words
Slang words are informal words and expressions that native speakers use in their everyday conversations, especially among friends.
Some slang has entered the language thanks to the internet. Other slang terms are less fashionable these days, but youโll still hear some people use them.
While itโs good to learn English slang words so you can understand native speakers or movies better, slang can be tricky to use. Some slang words are very informal or even offensive so you need to be careful when you use them.
Slang varies between countries and regions within countries. Often young people, especially teenagers use the latest slang and it might sound weird for an older person to use it.
Just be aware of these variations. And pay attention to the English slang words people you know use a lot. Copying what the English slang words they actually use will help you sound more authentic.
Top 10 English Slang Words
Letโs get started with ten of the most common English slang words. Youโll hear these English slang words all the time and you might even know some of them already.
1. Awesome
Youโll hear Americans, and plenty of other native speakers use this slang word all the time. It means โgreatโ or โextremely goodโ.
Example: That movie was awesome โ Iโm going to go and see it again next week!
2. Bail
If you bail you stop doing something or leave a place or event before the end.
Example: There werenโt many people at the party so we bailed early.
3. Babe
This slang word refers to someone extremely attractive. But you can also use it to refer to your romantic partner, in the same way you would use โdarlingโ.
Examples:
- Wow, what a babe!
- I love you babe โ happy anniversary!
4. Cool
This word can have a similar meaning to โawesomeโ โ very good, great. And it can also mean that something is fashionable and that other people admire it.
Examples:
- What a cool car!
- At school the cool kids ignored me.
5. Dude
Youโll hear โdudeโ all the time in American English โ it means โmanโ.
Example: Who was that dude you were talking to last night?
6. Oh My God!
Iโm sure youโve heard this one before. You use it to emphasise how angry, shocked or surprised you are.
Example: Oh my God โ what on earth happened here?
7. Pissed
In American English, โpissedโ means โangryโ, but in the UK it means drunk!
Examples:
- Heโs going to be pissed when he finds out you borrowed his new car.
- What happened last night? I was so pissed I canโt remember anything!
8. Suck
If something sucks, then it's bad.
Example: It sucks that you can't come out with us tonight.
9. Whatโs Up?
This expression is the slang way to say โhow are you?โ. Youโll also see it spelled โwassupโ or โwhassupโ.
Example: Hey whatโs up dude? Long time no see!
10. You Bet
โYou betโ is an informal way to say โyouโre welcomeโ in US English.
Example:
A: Thanks for helping me with my homework.
B: You bet! Happy to help.
Slang To Do With Relationships
People usually use English slang words with people theyโre close to, like friends or romantic partners. So itโs not surprising that many English slang words are about love and friendship.
11. Bae
You can use this English slang word to refer to your boyfriend or girlfriend. The letters โbโ, โaโ, โeโ stand for โbefore anyone elseโ.
Example: Hey bae, what are you doing tonight?
12. Bestie
Your bestie is your best friend.
Example: She used to be my bestie, but we donโt talk any more.
13. Bro
Use โbroโ to address your male friends.
Example: Hey bro, whatโs going on?
14. Crush
If you have a crush on someone, you really like them, but the feeling usually doesnโt last long.
Example: I had such a crush on your brother in the final year of high school.
15. Dump
This English slang word means to end a romantic relationship.
Example: I canโt believe he dumped me by text message!
16. Fam
Your fam is a close friend or even a group of close friends.
Example: My new bae is going to meet the fam tonight.
17. Ghosted
To end a relationship by cutting off communication, especially online communication.
Example: We used to WhatsApp each other every day and then she just ghosted me.
18. Hook Up
This slang word has two meanings. You can use it to talk about meeting friends, but it can also refer to starting a romantic relationship.
Examples:
- If youโre free later, do you want to hook up and go for a drink?
- A: So when did you two first hook up?
- B: At my bestieโs birthday party a couple of months ago.
19. Hang out
Use this slang word to talk about spending time with particular people.
Example: He hangs out at my place every afternoon.
20. Netflix and chill
This slang expression sounds like itโs about streaming a movie and relaxing right? But in fact, if you invite someone to โNetflix and chillโ, youโre actually inviting someone over for romantic or sexual reasons, not to stream movies.
Example: Do you want to come back to my place to Netflix and chill?
21. Tight
People who are tight are in a close relationship and get on well.
Example: We used to be tight at school but we donโt speak so much nowadays.
Slang Abbreviations
Lots of English slang words are abbreviations that youโll see in online communication like text messages or status updates on social media. Here are a few that youโll see a lot.
22. AF
This abbreviation stands for โas f**kโ and you use it for emphasis.
Example: That party was awesome AF.
23. BFF
This abbreviation stands for โbest friends foreverโ and like โbestieโ you use it to refer to your best friend.
Example: I canโt wait to go on holiday with my BFF.
24. GOAT
These letters stand for โgreatest of all timeโ, meaning the absolute best at something. You usually hear this expression in relation to sports stars.
Example: Muhammad Ali was the original GOAT. *
*Apparently, the famous boxer, Muhammad Ali was the first person to refer to himself as the greatest of all time.
25. OG
These letters stand for โoriginal gangsterโ, but nowadays this abbreviation is used to refer to someone highly respected in their field.
Example:
A: I'm having trouble with my spreadsheet โ the numbers are all wrong!
B: You should talk to Amy, she's the Excel spreadsheet OG!
26. OMG
Does this one sound familiar? It's the abbreviation of โoh my Godโ that you saw earlier.
Example: OMG! You must be joking.
27. TBH
This internet abbreviation stands for โto be honestโ. Youโll probably see it in text messages and other online communication.
Example: TBH, I donโt like your new bae.
28. YOLO
This slang abbreviation means โyou only live onceโ. People often use it to justify risky behaviour.
Example: So I could have really hurt myself jumping from that high cliff, but hey, YOLO!
29. IRL
This internet slang term means โin real lifeโ.
Example: Iโm fed up with messaging. I want to meet you IRL.
Slang Adjectives
Many English slang words are adjectives that you can use to describe someone or something in positive or negative ways.
30. Basic
This slang adjective means that someone or something is boring, average or unoriginal.
Example: Her new bae is so basic.
31. Cringe / Cringeworthy
Something cringe is embarrassing or awkward. This slang word can also be a verb that means to feel very embarrassed.
Example: That movie was so cringe.
32. Cushy
This adjective means very easy and youโll often see it with the word โjobโ.
Example: Where can I find a cushy job with a nice salary?
33. Dead
If a place like a nightclub is dead, then it means thereโs not many people there and nothing interesting is happening.
Example: Why would you go out on Sunday night? All the bars and clubs are dead!
34. Dope
This English slang word can refer to illegal drugs. But when itโs an adjective, it means โvery goodโ.
Example: That was a dope concert!
35. Hot
A hot person is a secually attractive one.
Example: His new girlfriend is really hot.
36. Killer
This is another adjective that means โextremely goodโ.
Example: That was a killer performance.
37. Lame
This adjective is the opposite of positive ones like โdopeโ or โkillerโ.
Example: That movie was so lame!
38. Lit
Hereโs another positive adjective meaning that something is very good, exciting or enjoyable.
Example: You missed a lit party.
39. Low-Key
In a moderate or limited way. It can be a synonym for โsomewhatโ or โcasuallyโ.
Example: Iโm low-key stressed about the test tomorrow.
40. Salty
If youโre โsaltyโ then youโre resentful of a person or situation. In standard English, you would say โbitterโ.
Example: Sheโs all salty because no-one liked her latest selfie that she spent hours posing for.
41. Shady
Shady people or things are questionable or suspicious.
Example: I donโt trust him โ he seems kind of shady.
42. Sick
In slang, โsickโ has quite a different meaning โ itโs another way to say โvery goodโ or โexcellentโ.
Example: Those were some sick dance moves!
43. Swag
So this word is actually a noun, not an adjective, but itโs slang for someone who has style or a lot of self-confidence, perhaps too much.
Example: Heโs got some serious swag.
44. Sweet
You can use โsweetโ to mean โvery goodโ.
Example: Wow, thatโs a sweet car!
45. Thirsty
Someone thirsty doesnโt need a drink โ they want attention, especially sexual attention.
Example: There are so many thirsty people on social media sharing selfies.
46. Hangry
Hangry is a mixture of the words โhungryโ and โangryโ and refers to feeling annoyed when you havenโt had enough to eat.
Example: You havenโt eaten all day and itโs 4pm โ no wonder youโre hangry!
47. Vanilla
In slang terms, โvanillaโ is a bit like โbasicโ as it means something is plain or ordinary, not original.
Example: His personality is a bit vanilla donโt you think?
48. Wasted
This English slang word means โdrunkโ.
Example: Give me the keys โ youโre wasted. Thereโs no way you can drive.
49. Woke
If youโre woke, then youโre aware of social justice issues such as racism or inequality.
Example: Heโs so woke that our first date was at a demonstration!
Slang To Insult People
A I said at the start of this post, you need to be careful when you use some English slang words as theyโre offensive. Here are a few examples.
50. Airhead
An โairheadโ is a stupid person.
Example: I donโt know what they talk about together because his new girlfriend is a total airhead.
51. Bimbo
This is a rather offensive term for an attractive woman who isnโt very intelligent.
Example: She often plays bimbos in movies but sheโs actually really smart in reality.
52. Chicken
Nothing to do with the bird when it comes to slang. A โchickenโ means a โcowardโ.
Example: Are you coming with us or are you too much of a chicken?
53. Douche / Douchebag
A โdoucheโ is someone who is obnoxious or offensive.
Example: You were a real douchebag to everyone last night. Were you wasted?
54. OK Boomer
This is a phrase that young people will say to mock and dismiss older people who express outdated ideas associated with the โbaby boomerโ generation i.e people born between 1946 and 1964.
Example:
A: If young people stopped spending all their money on lattes and avocado toast, theyโd be able to pay for a house.
B: OK boomer
55. Jerk
Someone stupid, usually a man.
Example: Heโs a real jerk โ I canโt stand him.
56. Karen
โKarenโ is a womanโs first name. In slang, a โKarenโ is a middle-aged white woman who is rude and demanding, especially to staff at restaurants, bars, in shops etc.
Example:
A: That customer complained about me and asked to speak to the manager!
B: What a Karen!
57. Loser
If you call someone a loser, then youโre saying that you have no respect for them or a low opinion of them. This is often because the person is incompetent.
Example: Get away from me you loser!
58. Nerd
A nerd is usually a man who is socially awkward and more interested in technical things like computers.
Example: Why were you talking to him? Heโs such a nerd!
59. Tool
This English slang word is a synonym for โjerkโ, in other words, a stupid person.
Example: Did you see what he just did? What a tool!
Slang To Do With Work And Money
Work and money are important parts of our lives right? So thatโs why there are lots of English slang words to talk about them.
60. Benjamins
This word is slang for a hundred dollar bill. Why? Because you can see the face of Benjamin Franklin, one of the Founding Fathers of the USA, on these bills.
Example: Where did you get all those benjamins? Are you a drug dealer or something?
61. Buck
A buck is a slang word that means โdollarโ?
Example: Could you lend me ten bucks?
62. Dough
This slang word simply means โmoneyโ and itโs a bit of an old-fashioned slang word.
Example: Iโd love to come out with you guys tonight but Iโve got no dough.
63. Gig
A โgigโ is slang for a โjobโ.
Example: How did the interview go? Do you think youโll get the gig?
64. Goof Off
If you โgoof offโ then you avoid doing work or waste time.
Example: The boss caught us goofing off in the break room during our shift.
65. Grand
This English slang word means a thousand dollars.
Example: He got fired from a job where he made two hundred grand a year!
66. Peanuts
โPeanutsโ means a small amount of money.
Example: I like working there but they pay you peanuts.
67. Rip-off
If something is a rip-off then itโs not worth the money you pay for it.
Example: Those concert tickets were a rip-off: $100 for a show that lasted 45 minutes!
68. Screw up
Hereโs another English slang word thatโs also a phrasal verb. If you screw (something) up, then you make a mistake.
Example: My boss is going to be pissed when he realises I screwed up half the orders.
69. Slack Off
โSlack offโ means pretty much the same thing as โgoof offโ. Both of these slang words are also phrasal verbs in English.
Example: No slacking off today โ we're expecting a lot of customers.
Slang Contractions
Finally, letโs take a look at some slang contractions. These are different to regular contractions in English such as โIโmโ or โsheโllโ because theyโre so much more informal.
You wouldnโt write these contractions usually, unless in a really informal context like texting a close friend.
But theyโll help you improve your listening skills. Thatโs because these contractions are based on the way native speakers pronounce words you already know in a fast, informal way.
70. Iโmma
This contraction stands for โI am going toโ
Example: Iโmma kill you!
71. Dunno
This is the contraction of โI donโt knowโ.
Example:
A: What time will you get home?
B: Dunno
72. Gimme
This slang contraction is a mixture of the words โgiveโ and โmeโ.
Example: Gimme a call later, after you finish work.
73. Gonna
โGonnaโ is a blend of the words โgoingโ and โtoโ. In fast speech, โtoโ can sound like โtaโ and weโll see some more examples like that below.
Example: My parents are gonna be so angry that I had a party while they were away.
74. Gotta
This slang contraction is made up of the words โgotโ and โtoโ. If youโve โgottaโ do something, then you have to do it.
Example: Iโm sorry but I gotta go, I have a bus to catch.
75. Hafta
โHaftaโ is the contraction of โhave toโ and has the same meaning as โgottaโ.
Example: You're gonna hafta leave now.
76. Kinda
The expression โkind ofโ means โsomewhatโ and in fast speech it usually sounds like โkindaโ.
Example: Itโs a weird book but I kinda linked it.
77. Outta
This slang contraction is a mixture of the words โoutโ and โofโ.
Example: I gotta get outta the house more often.
78. Wanna
This informal contraction is a combination of the words โwantโ and โtoโ.
Example: I donโt wanna go out tonight.
79. Watcha
This slang abbreviation stands for โwhat are youโ.
Example: Watcha doing?
Enrich Your English With English Slang Words
So there you have it โ 79 common English slang words and expressions to help you understand casual conversations, internet language as well as movies and TV series.
As youโve seen, slang varies over time and some slang words are becoming old-fashioned. Some are more recent and might not be around for long.
Slang can also teach you a lot about how society is evolving. A slang word like โOK Boomerโ suggests that there are increasing tensions between different generations. So slang can even help you understand the culture of English-speaking countries better.
If youโre looking for the best way to master English slang words, while this list is a good start, youโll learn slang more easily by applying the StoryLearning method and reading in English.
As you read short stories in English, especially modern ones with lots of dialogue between the characters, youโll see the most common English slang words over and over again.
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Olly Richards
Creator of the StoryLearningยฎ Method
Olly Richards is a renowned polyglot and language learning expert with over 15 years of experience teaching millions through his innovative StoryLearningยฎ method. He is the creator of StoryLearning, one of the world's largest language learning blogs with 500,000+ monthly readers.
Olly has authored 30+ language learning books and courses, including the bestselling "Short Stories" series published by Teach Yourself.
When not developing new teaching methods, Richards practices what he preachesโhe speaks 8 languages fluently and continues learning new ones through his own methodology.
