Skibbidi-Who?

Spend a short amount of time with a preteen or teenager, and you will be introduced to an entirely new language you never knew existed. You will question everything you thought you knew about the English language and wonder what in the world these kids are talking about. In addition to being mom to a nine-year-old and a 13-year-old, I also teach fourth grade, which means I have a fair amount of knowledge about the vocabulary you might be hearing from children in this age group. Nevertheless, I’m definitely not an expert, as there are still some words I have to ask my students and kids to help me understand!

Did you know that slang words go back as far as the 16^th century? Even that far back in the past, words or phrases were used informally in order to deviate from what was the norm. However, slang words are definitely more transient and can change or be deemed outdated over time.

If you don’t work around kids or just feel like you have no idea what your own children are talking about, look no further. I felt it was my duty to inform other parents about these words’ meanings to help them better communicate with their children.

Here’s your ultimate guide to today’s slang words, complete with example sentences for context! (I may have gotten a little help from some former students and my own kids on a few of these!):

1. Rizz: Short for “charisma;” it refers to someone’s charm.

Ex: My teacher has the most rizz.

2. Skibidi: This originally comes from the “Skibidi Toilet” YouTube series and it describes something absurd or ridiculous.

Ex: What in the skibbidi is going on?

3. Sigma: This is used to show that someone is cool or independent or a leader.

Ex: You are so not sigma.

4. Baddie: This refers to a confident person; usually someone who is very fashionable.

Ex: She walked into the party looking like a total baddie, rocking her confidence and style like she owned the place.

5. Brain rot: Exactly what it sounds like—feeling mentally drained or “fried” from consuming too much low-quality online content, to the point where it feels like your brain is slowly rotting.

Ex: I got brain rot after scrolling through mindless reels late into the night.

6. Bet: This is a popular word used often by students; it means the same as saying “okay or “sure.”

Ex: Me to my nine-year-old: “You can stay up later tonight.”

     Nine-year-old: “Bet!”

7. Cap/No cap: “Cap” means to lie, while “no cap” means, you guessed it…to not lie.

Ex: The teacher said I cheated on the test so I said that’s so cap.

8. Slay: To do something exceptionally well, often used in the context of appearance or performance.

Ex: You slayed that TikTok.

9. Flex: To show off or boast about something, such as possessions or achievements.

Ex: He got a 100 on the test so he was flexing on the whole class about it.

10. Cooked: When you’re doing badly in a game, but could also mean you are doing great, so this word depends on the context of the situation.

Ex: Positive context: I’m cooking! I made every shot at my basketball game.

     Negative context: I forgot to study for the benchmark so I’m cooked.

11. 6-7: Apparently, this phrase comes from a song about an NBA player. I cannot give an example to its use because I have yet to hear it used in a sentence. It is generally just my boy students walking around nonstop randomly calling out “6-7.” This slang might be the one that wears me out the most as there is no rhyme or reason to it…

12. Glaze: to talk about someone excessively.

Ex: People glaze Lebron.

13. Washed: When you used to be good at something and now, you’re not.

Ex: He used to be good at baseball, but now he’s washed.

I hope you have found this guide to the most current slang words and phrases helpful. This is an ever-evolving list, so what is listed today may be obsolete by next week, no cap. If you drop one of the above-mentioned words or phrases, your child will definitely say you are sigma. You can then tell them they are all that and a bag of chips home skillet and props for being so dope.

And when they look at you with sheer confusion, just tell them to talk to the hand, peace out!