Learning English slang words is one of the more intermediate to advanced stages of mastering the language, but if you’re a beginner, it doesn’t hurt to get a head-start!
Slang words are informal vocabulary words that aren’t typically found in a dictionary. Many of these words have multiple meanings, so you’ll have to pay close attention to the context of a conversation in order to use them correctly.
American English Slang Words & Phrases
As you work your way through this list, keep in mind that American English slang can vary depending on the region you’re in. For example, certain slang words are more commonly used in rural areas versus in the inner city.
Conversational English Slang Words
1. What’s up? – Hey; what are you doing?
“Hey Tom! What’s up?”
“Not much!”
2. I feel you – I understand and empathize with you. Eg. “I feel you. That was really unfair.”
3. I get it – I understand. Eg. “I get it now! Thank you for explaining that.”
4. Same here – I agree.
“I’m having a hard time studying for this exam.”
“Same here.”
5. My bad – My mistake. Eg. “My bad! I didn’t mean to do that.”
6. Oh my God! – (Used to describe excitement or surprise). Eg. “Oh my God! You scared me!”
7. You bet – Certainly; you’re welcome.
“Thanks for the jacket, Tom!”
“You bet, Sally!”
8. No worries – That’s alright. Eg. “No worries about the mess. I’ll clean it up.”
9. No biggie – It’s not a problem.
“Thanks for tutoring me, Tom!”
“No biggie, Sally.”
10. No big deal – (Same usage as above).
11. No sweat – (Same usage as above).
12. No problem – (Same usage as above).
American English Slang Descriptors
1. Laid back – Relaxed or calm. Eg. “This weekend was very laid back.”
2. Chill – (Same as above).
3. Sweet – Fantastic.
“I passed the test!”
“Sweet!”
4. Cool – (Same as above).
5. Lame – The opposite of cool or fantastic. Eg. “That’s so lame that you can’t go out tonight.”
6. Bomb – Really good. Eg. “That sandwich was bomb.”
7. Bummer – A disappointment. Eg. “That’s such a bummer. I’m sorry that happened.”
8. Shady – Questionable or suspicious. Eg. “I saw a shady guy in my neighborhood last night.”
9. Hot – Attractive. Eg. “He/she is hot.”
10. Beat – Tired. Eg. “I was so beat after that soccer game.”
11. Sick – Awesome. Eg. “Those shoes are sick!”
12. Epic – Grand or awesome. Eg. “That was an epic party last night.”
13. Ripped – Very physically fit. Eg. “Tom is ripped!”
14. Cheesy – Silly. Eg. “The romantic comedy we watched was very cheesy.”
15. Corny – (Same as above).
16. Flakey – Indecisive. Eg. “John is so flakey. He never shows up when he says he will.”
17. It sucked – It was bad/poor quality. Eg. “That movie sucked.”
English Slang for People & Relationships
1. Babe – Your significant other; an attractive individual. Eg. “Hey babe!” or “She’s a babe.”
2. Have a crush – Attracted to someone romantically. Eg. “I have a big crush on him.”
3. Dump – To end a romantic relationship with someone. Eg. “She dumped him last May.”
4. Ex – An old relationship or spouse. Eg. “That’s my ex girlfriend.”
5. A turn off – Something that’s repulsive. Eg. “Bad cologne is a turn off.”
6. Party animal – One who loves parties. Eg. “Jerry is a party animal.”
7. Couch potato – A lazy person. Eg. “Don’t be a couch potato! Let’s go for a hike.”
8. Whiz – A really smart person. Eg. “Sally is a whiz at math.”
9. Chicken – Coward. Eg. “Don’t be a chicken! Go ice skating with me.”
10. Chick – A girl or young woman. Eg. “That chick is hilarious.”
11. Getting hitched – Getting married. Eg. “Tom and Sally are getting hitched.”
12. Tying the knot – (Same as above).
13. They got fired – They lost their job. Eg. “Did Jerry get fired?”
American English Slang for Social Events
1. Hang out – To spend time with others. Eg. “Want to hang out with us?”
2. I’m down – I’m able to join. Eg. “I’m down for ping pong.”
3. I’m game – (Same as above).
4. I’m in – (Same as above).
5. A blast – A very fun event. Eg. “Last night was a blast!”
6. Show up – Arrive at an event. Eg. “I can’t show up until 7.”
7. Flick – A movie. Eg. “Want to see a flick on Friday?”
8. Grub – Food. Eg. “Want to get some grub tonight?”
9. Wasted – Intoxicated. Eg. “She was wasted last night.”
10. Drunk – (Same as above).
11. Booze – Alcohol. Eg. “Will they have booze at the party?”
See Also: Common English Idioms [Infographic]
American English Slang for Actions
1. Pig out – To eat a lot. Eg. “I pigged out last night at McDonald’s.”
2. Crash – To fall asleep quickly. Eg. “After all those hours of studying I crashed.”
3. Lighten up – Relax. Eg. “Lighten up! It was an accident.”
4. Screw up – To make a mistake. Eg. “Sorry I screwed up and forgot our plans.”
5. Goof – (Same as above).
6. Score – To get something desirable. Eg. “I scored the best seats in the stadium!”
7. Wrap up – To finish something. Eg. “Let’s wrap up in five minutes.”
8. Ace – Pass a test with 100%. Eg. “I think I’m going to ace the exam.”
9. Cram – To study a lot before an exam. Eg. “Sorry I can’t go out. I have to cram tonight.”
10. Bail – To leave abruptly. Eg. “I’m sorry I had to bail last night.”
11. Ditch – To skip an event. Eg. “I’m going to ditch class tomorrow to go to the beach.”
12. Busted – Caught doing something wrong. Eg. “I got busted for turning in homework late.”
Miscellaneous English Slang Words
1. Freebie – Something that is free. Eg. “The bumper sticker was a freebie.”
2. Lemon – A bad purchase. Eg. “That phone case was a lemon.”
3. Shades – Sunglasses. Eg. “I can’t find my shades.”
4. Shotgun – The front seat of a car. Eg. “Can I sit shotgun?”
5. In no time – Very soon. Eg. “We’ll have our homework done in no time.”
6. Buck – One dollar. Eg. “It only costs a buck.”
7. Rip-off – A purchase that was very overpriced. Eg. “That phone case was a rip-off.”
As you can see, you can’t just learn a language by studying a textbook! Listening will be a key step in mastering these slang words and using them in the right contexts. So hang out with more native speakers, observe the way they use slang in conversation, and then imitate them.
Memorizing these English slang words and their meanings will get you one step closer to sounding like a native. Need more help practicing your skills? Try working one-on-one with an English tutor, or take free online English classes at TakeLessons Live.
Original article is here:Take Lessons
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