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10 American Slang Words You Need to Know

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For many international students, moving to the United States can be daunting. Not only are they exposed to a myriad of unfamiliar customs, they are also bombarded with a myriad of unfamiliar American slang words. Because these words are often not included in a formal English education, it can be grueling for international students to grow accustomed to their widespread, and arguably excessive, use. Here’s a run down on some of the most common slang. It will help you understand your friends better, it will help you fit in and of course it will help you avoid any more embarrassing situations.

American Slang Words

What are American Slang Words?

American slang is a collection of colloquial words and phrases that are used informally in conversation among Americans. These terms often have a different meaning than the standard definition of the word and can change over time and vary regionally throughout the country. They are usually used among friends, in casual settings, and on social media. Slang can be used to express emotions, to make a statement, or to emphasize a point. It can also be used to convey a sense of belonging to a certain group, such as a particular age group or cultural background. Slang is an important aspect of American culture, it’s constantly changing and adapting, and can be a fun and creative way to express oneself.

List of American Slang Words You Need to Know

  • Cool (adj)
  • To be beat (adj)
  • Awesome (adj)
  • To hang out (verb)
  • To chill out (verb)
  • Babe (noun)
  • To have a crush (on somebody) (verb)
  • To dump somebody (verb)
  • Epic Fail (noun)
  • Dunno (verb)

Slang Words with Meaning & Examples

Cool (adj)

  • Cool (adj) means ‘great’ or ‘fantastic’. It also shows that you’re okay with an idea.
  • “Okay, cool! I’ll be there at 7:00”(okay with an idea)
  • “He passed the exam, Cool!”(means “great!”)

To be beat (adj)

  • To be beat (adj) If you hear a friend saying I’m beat, it means he or she is very tired or exhausted.
  • “Will you attend the football match with Tiger School?”
  • “Sorry, I can’t. I’m beat. I did not sleep last night”

Awesome (adj)

  • Awesome (adj) like “Cool”, it means “excellent”, “great” or “remarkable”. It can be used in a sentence or it could be used in a one word reply.
  • “That was awesome!”
  • “Awesome, dude!”

To hang out (verb)

  • To hang out (verb) means to spend time doing nothing in particular.
  • “After this is over, do you want to go hang out?”
  • “He hung out with his friends all day yesterday.”

To chill out (verb)

  • To Chill Out (verb)simply means to relax. Usually it can be used with or without the word ‘out’. It also means to calm down.
  • “Since I’m between projects, I think I’ll just chill out.”
  • “I wish I could chill out about the neighbor’s barking dog, but it wakes me up every night.”

Babe (noun)

  • Babe (noun)means an attractive person, especially a young woman. If you refer to someone as a babe, it means that you think they’re hot and attractive.
  • “She’s a real babe!”
  • “Agreed!”

To have a crush (on somebody) (verb)

  • To have a crush (on somebody) (verb) means being attracted to somebody and would like them to be more than just a friend.
  • “…The most common sign of having a crush is the feeling that you have a million butterflies flying around inside you when that special someone is around…”

To dump somebody (verb)

  • To dump somebody (verb) means to stop having a romantic relationship with someone.
  • “Didn’t you hear? David  dumped Sophia last night”
  • “Wow, I’m surprised. They always looked so happy together!”

Epic Fail (noun)

  • Epic Fail (noun) means a ‘total failure’ or a “big disaster”
  • “ManU lost 6-1, can you believe it?”
  • “Yeah, epic fail!”

Dunno (verb)

  • Dunno simply means ‘I don’t know’.
  • “Where’d he go?”
  •  “Dunno.

Common American Slang Words | Image

Common American Slang Words

Common American Slang Words

Melanie

Saturday 28th of September 2019

Dude

Cool mam

Monday 18th of September 2017

I think it is so much a successful study