A guide to slang around the world

When learning a language, you often focus on building your vocabulary and learning how to properly use grammar. You create a strong foundation of knowledge in your target language, but what happens when that’s applied to real conversations? You may recognize some vocabulary and understand the grammar, for the most part, but then things take a turn, and you start to feel like you have no idea what’s going on.

One possibility? You’re not used to the local slang.

Slang is the living, breathing layer of a language. It’s how friends talk to each other, how memes spread, how music sounds natural, and how cultural identity shows up in everyday speech. It shifts quickly, varies by region, and often reflects social trends, immigration patterns, internet culture, and generational identity.

For language learners, slang isn’t just “extra vocabulary.” It helps you:

• Understand real conversations
• Follow movies, TV shows, and social media
• Sound more natural
• Build stronger social connections
• Recognize tone, humor, and sarcasm

But slang also requires awareness. What works with friends might sound inappropriate at work. What’s common in one region might sound strange in another. And some expressions are heavily age-coded.

In this guide, we’ll look at how slang functions in different languages and explore popular expressions along with tips for when (and when not) to use them, beginning with your Tandem language exchange partner.

German slang

German slang (Umgangssprache) is shaped by region, immigration, youth culture, and increasingly by English. In cities like Berlin, Hamburg, or Cologne, slang often blends German with Turkish, Arabic, and English influences. In southern Germany, things like Bavarian dialect play a bigger role than urban slang.

German slang in particular is expressive, slightly ironic, and often blunt. There’s also a cultural comfort with directness, so slang can feel more straightforward than in some other languages.

Another interesting trend: Germany even selects a “Jugendwort des Jahres” (Youth Word of the Year), reflecting how fast slang evolves. In 2025, it was “Das crazy,” while in 2024 it was “Aura.”

For more consistent terms, here are some of the most common German slang words and phrases you may hear:

10 Popular German slang words and phrases

Digga / Digger — “Dude,” “bro”

• Very common among younger speakers, especially in northern Germany.
• Example: “Was geht, Digga?”

Was geht? — “What’s up?”

• Meaning: “What’s up?”
• Standard casual greeting.

Geil — “Awesome,” “great,” “cool”

• Originally meant “horny,” but now widely used positively.
• Still slightly edgy in tone, depending on context.

Krass — “Crazy,” “intense,” “wild”

• Extremely common. It can signal admiration or shock.

Chillen / Chill mal — “To relax”

• An English loanword that’s now fully integrated into German grammar.
• “Chill mal” = “Calm down.”

Bock haben auf — “To feel like doing something”

• “Ich hab keinen Bock.” = “I don’t feel like it.”
• (Very common, but informal.)

Läuft bei dir — “Things are going well for you”

• Often used ironically.

Safe — “Definitely,” “for sure.”

• Another English loanword.

Moin — "Hello."

• Northern German greeting meaning “Hi.”
• Can be used at any time of day.

Nicht dein Ernst! — “You can’t be serious!”

• Often, a common reaction phrase.

British slang

British slang is deeply tied to region, class, humor, and understatement. Aside from the various English accents, London slang can sound completely different from Manchester, Liverpool, or Glasgow. On top of that, multicultural London English (MLE) has significantly shaped modern urban slang. Two key cultural traits define British slang:

• Irony and understatement
• Playful teasing (banter)

Something that sounds negative may actually be affectionate, while something that sounds neutral may be deeply sarcastic. Tone is everything. British slang also changes quickly due to music culture (grime, drill), internet influence, and multicultural communities. However, there are a few British slang words and phrases that seem to have withstood the test of time.

10 Popular British Slang Words & Phrases

Mate — “Friend” / “Dude”

• Used constantly, even with strangers.
• Example: “Alright, mate?”

Cheers — “Thanks”

• Used for everything from receiving coffee to ending emails.

Knackered — “Exhausted”

• Example: “I’m absolutely knackered.”

Gutted — “Really disappointed”

• Example: “I’m gutted I missed it.”

Dodgy — “Suspicious” / “Untrustworthy”

• Example: “That place looks dodgy.”

Banter — "Playful teasing"

• Social glue in British culture.

Taking the piss — “Teasing” / “Mocking”

• Can be playful or aggressive depending on tone.

Skint — “Broke” (no money)

Rubbish — “Terrible” / “Nonsense”

Fancy (something) — “Want”

• Example: “Do you fancy a drink?”

French slang

French slang (a type of argot) is famously tied to identity, class, region, and youth culture. It’s not just “casual French,” it’s often a social signal. The biggest thing that surprises learners is how much modern slang comes from:

• Verlan (syllables reversed: fou → ouf, louche → chelou)
• Multicultural urban French, influenced by North African languages and French rap culture
• Internet shorthand, especially among Gen Z
• Tone and rhythm, which matter as much as vocabulary (French sarcasm is real)

French slang can also feel very “coded.” Some expressions are widely used by everyone, while others are more tied to youth/urban contexts and can sound forced if you drop them randomly.

10 Popular French slang words and phrases

Wesh — “Yo / hey / what’s up”

• Very informal; associated with youth/urban speech.
• Example: “Wesh, ça dit quoi ?” (Yo, what’s good?)
• Tip: Use only if you’ve heard your friend group using it first.

Mec / Meuf — “Guy / girl”

• Meuf comes from verlan (femme → meuf).
• Example: “C’est un mec sympa.” (He’s a nice guy.)

Ouf — “Crazy / intense” (verlan of fou)

• Example: “C’est ouf !” (That’s insane!)

Chelou — “Sketchy / weird” (verlan of louche)

• Example: “Ce plan est chelou.” (This plan is sketchy.)

Relou — “Annoying” (verlan of lourd)

• Example: “Il est relou.” (He’s annoying.)

La flemme — “I can’t be bothered / I don’t have the energy”

• Example: “J’ai la flemme de sortir.” (I can’t be bothered to go out.)

Grave — “Totally / seriously” (as agreement)

• Example: “On y va ? — Grave.” (Are we going? — Totally.)

C’est mort — “No way / not happening”

• Example: “Tu viens à 6h du mat ? — C’est mort.” (You’re coming at 6 a.m.? No way.)

Chiant / Chiante — “Annoying / a pain”

• Example: “C’est chiant.” (That’s a pain.)
• Tip: Mildly crude; fine with friends, avoid at work.

Kiffer — “To love / really enjoy”

• Example: “Je kiffe cette chanson.” (I love this song.)
• Very common, widely understood.

Spanish slang around the world

Spanish slang around the world is expressive, dramatic, and highly emotional, but also incredibly regional. Madrid slang feels different from Andalusian slang, and Chilean youth speech isn’t identical to that of Guatemala. Still, there’s a core set of informal expressions you’ll hear with several similarities. In general, Spanish slang thrives on:

• Exaggeration
• Strong reactions
• Casual familiarity (even with people you just met)
• Playful complaining

Remember, Spain’s slang differs significantly from Latin American slang, and words that are harmless in Madrid might mean something completely different in Mexico or Argentina.

10 Popular Spanish slang words

Tío / Tía — “Dude” / “Girl”

• Used constantly, not just for friends.
• Example: “Tío, no me lo creo.” (Dude, I can’t believe it.)

Guay — “Cool”

• Very neutral, safe slang.
• Example: “Está guay.” (It’s cool.)

Güey — “Mate,” or “bro”

• Very common and safe to use
• Example: “Hola güey!” (Hey, bro!)

Vale — “Okay”

• Used constantly in Spain (less so in Latin America).
• Example: “Vale, perfecto.”

Venga — Often used as a filler word in Spanish slang, depending on location.

• Example: “Venga, perfecto.” (Alright.)

Majo / Maja — “Nice” (about a person)

• Example: “Es muy maja.” (She’s really nice.)

Qué fuerte — “That’s intense!” / “That’s wild!”

• Expresses shock or disbelief.

Es la leche — "Insane" / "Amazing" / "Too much"

• Literally translates to “it's the milk”
• Example: “Es la leche.” (It’s awesome / crazy.)

Molar — “To be cool”

• Example: “Mola mucho.” (It’s really cool.)

No pasa nada — “It’s fine / no problem”

• Extremely common and socially important.

Italian slang

Italian slang is expressive, theatrical, and often emotionally amplified. But, like other languages, Italian slang is also extremely regional. Milan slang is not Roman slang, and neither sounds like Naples. On top of that, Italy has strong dialect traditions, which sometimes blur the line between “slang” and regional language.

One key cultural feature: Italians rely heavily on tone, facial expression, and gesture. Slang without the right delivery can feel flat or overly intense. Here’s a solid foundation of widely used Italian slang words and phrases.

10 Popular Italian slang words and phrases

Boh — “I don’t know”

• Possibly the most Italian sound you’ll hear.
• Example: “Che facciamo stasera?” — “Boh.” (What are we doing tonight? — No idea.)

Figata — “Awesome”

• Example: “Che figata!” (That’s awesome!)

Figo / Figa — “Cool” / “Attractive”

• Be careful: figa literally refers to female anatomy, but in slang can mean “cool” or “hot.” Context matters.

Dai! — “Come on!” / “Seriously?” / “Let’s go!”

• Extremely tone-dependent.

Che palle! — “What a pain!” / “So annoying!”

• Literally refers to “balls,” mildly crude but common among friends.

Tipo — “Like” (filler word)

• Used constantly in casual speech.

Magari! — “I wish!”

• Not slang exactly, but heavily used conversationally.

Stare fuori — “To be crazy”

• Example: “Sei fuori?” (Are you crazy?)

Scialla — “Relax”

• Youth slang, originally Roman.

Spaccare — “To be amazing / to crush it”

• Example: “Hai spaccato!” (You killed it!)

Portuguese slang (Portugal)

European Portuguese slang feels more understated and ironic compared to Brazilian Portuguese. It often carries a dry humor tone, and delivery matters just as much as vocabulary. In cities like Lisbon and Porto, youth slang blends traditional expressions with English influence and internet culture. Portuguese people also use a lot of filler sounds and softeners that don’t always translate directly, but are essential to sounding natural.

Another important note: Portugal and Brazil share vocabulary, but slang differs noticeably. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you use the appropriate words based on where you are.

10 Popular European Portuguese slang words

Fixe — “Cool”

• Extremely common and very safe.
• Example: “É fixe.” (It’s cool.)

Bué — “A lot / very”

• Used as an intensifier.
• Example: “Gosto bué disso.” (I like that a lot.)

Epá — Filler word like “man” or “well…”

• Used constantly in casual speech.

Tá — Literally translates to “it is” but is often used as a short form of “Está”

• Used to say “okay” or “alright”

Bora — “Let’s go”

• Example: “Bora lá!” (Let’s go!)

Tás a gozar? — “Are you kidding?”

• Literally “Are you joking?”

Valeu — “Thanks” or Appreciate it!”

• Literally, “It was worth it.”

Pois — “Yeah” / “Right” / “Well…”

• Tone-dependent. Can signal agreement or mild doubt.

Tipo — “Like”

• Common filler word among younger speakers.

Mano / Mana — “Bro / sis”

• Youth-coded, more common in urban areas, and also used in Brazil.

Brazilian Portuguese slang

Brazilian slang is warmer, more rhythmic, and often more emotionally expressive than European Portuguese. It’s deeply influenced by regional identity (Rio, São Paulo, Bahia, etc.), music culture (especially funk and hip-hop), and social media.

One major difference from Portugal: Brazilian Portuguese feels more conversationally open. Slang is used generously among peers and often signals friendliness rather than irony, but it’s still important to be careful when trying it out with locals.

10 Popular Brazilian slang words and phrases

Cara — “Dude” / “Guy”

• Extremely common conversational filler.
• Example: “Cara, você não acredita.” (Dude, you won’t believe it.)

Legal — “Cool”

• Very safe, widely used.

Massa — “Awesome”

• Originally regional (Northeast), now widely understood.

Top — “Great” / “Top-tier”

• Borrowed from English, very common among younger speakers.

Tá ligado? — “You know?” / “You get it?”

• Used to check understanding or emphasize a point.

Grana — “Money”

• Example: “Tô sem grana.” (I’m broke.)

De boa — “Chill” / “It’s fine”

• Can describe mood or situation.

Zoar / Zuera — “To tease”

• Example: “Tô zoando!” (I’m kidding!)

Nossa! — “Wow!”

• Extremely common exclamation.

E aí? — “What’s up?”

• Standard casual greeting.

Russian slang

Russian communication is often perceived as direct, and that directness carries into slang. Reactions can sound strong to outsiders, but socially they’re normal among peers. Modern Russian slang is heavily influenced by:

• Internet culture and memes
• English borrowings (especially in tech and gaming spaces)
• Soviet cultural residue
• Youth subcultures

One important note: Russian has clear formal vs. informal speech distinctions. Slang almost always assumes informal contexts (ты, not вы). Below are some common Russian slang words to add to your vocabulary.

10 Popular Russian slang words

Круто (Kruto) — “Cool”

• Very common and safe.
• Example: “Это круто.” (That’s cool.)

Жесть (Zhest’) — “That’s brutal” / “That’s intense”

• Used in reaction to shocking or extreme situations.

Чувак / Чувиха (Chuvak) — “Dude”

• Casual and male-coded.
• Example: “Чувак, ты серьёзно?” (Dude, are you serious?)

Блин (Blin) — Mild swear (like “damn”)

• Literally “pancake,” used to soften stronger profanity.

Прикол (Prikol) — “Joke” / “Funny thing”

• Example: “В чём прикол?” (What’s the joke?)

Капец (Kapets) — “This is bad” / “It’s a disaster”

• Strong but not obscene.

Норм (Norm) — “Fine” / “It’s okay”

• Shortened from “нормально.”

Зашквар (Zashkvar) — “Embarrassing” / “Cringe”

• Youth slang derived from old prison slang.

Офигеть (Ofiget’) — “Wow!” / “That’s insane!”

• Strong reaction word.

Хайп (Hype) —“Hype” / trend-driven popularity

• Borrowed from English.

Korean slang

Korean slang changes quickly, sometimes every year, and is heavily shaped by:

• Internet forums and gaming culture
• K-pop, K-drama, and streaming culture
• Abbreviations (shortened compound phrases)
• Age hierarchy and speech level

One of the most important things to understand about Korean slang: social hierarchy matters. Slang almost always assumes informal speech (반말), and using it with someone older, like a senior at work, or in a formal setting, can feel disrespectful.

10 Popular Korean slang words

대박 (Dae-bak) — “Awesome!” / “That’s amazing!”

• Very common reaction word.
• Example: “와, 대박!” (Wow, amazing!)

헐 (Heol) — “What?!” / “Oh my god”

• Expresses shock or disbelief.

짱 (Jjang) — “The best”

• Example: “너 짱이야.” (You’re the best.)

노잼 (No-jaem) — “Not fun”

• From “no” + “재미” (fun).

꿀잼 (Kkul-jaem) — “Super fun”

• “Honey fun;” meaning really enjoyable.

화이팅 (Hwaiting) — “You can do it!” / “Let’s go!”

• Used for encouragement.

TMI — “Too much information”

• Used exactly like English.

현타 (Hyeonta) — Existential crash / reality check moment

• Shortened from “현실 자각 타임.”

갑분싸 (Gap-bun-ssa) — “Suddenly awkward atmosphere”

• Shortened from “갑자기 분위기 싸해짐.”

레전드 (Legend) — “Legendary”

• English borrowing.

Japanese slang

Japanese slang lives almost entirely in informal speech (タメ口 / casual form) and is heavily shaped by things like anime, social media, youth culture, and even text-message abbreviations. One of the most important things to understand about Japanese slang: formality levels matter more here than in most languages, and slang typically only belongs among peers, friends, classmates, and online spaces. Below are some fun Japanese slang words to try with your friends.

10 Popular Japanese slang words

やばい (Yabai) — “Crazy” / “Insane”

• Can mean good or bad depending on context.

マジ？ (Maji?) — “Seriously?”

• Very common reaction.

ガチ (Gachi) — “For real” / “Seriously”

• Example: “ガチで？” (Seriously?)

ウケる (Ukeru) — “That’s funny”

• Used in reaction to something amusing.

キモい (Kimoi) — “Gross” / “Creepy”

• Casual and somewhat harsh, use carefully.

ウザい (Uzai) — “Annoying”

• Informal and blunt.

それな (Sore na) — “Exactly” / “So true”

• Common in online speech.

エモい (Emoi) — “Emotional” / “Nostalgic” / “Vibey”

• Used to describe aesthetic or sentimental moments.

草 (Kusa) — “LOL”

• It’s also sometimes written as W or WWWW
• Literally “grass,” from repeated “w” (laughing) online.

ワンチャン (Wanchan) — “Maybe there’s a chance”

• From “one chance.”

How to start using slang without offending anyone or sounding awkward

Learning slang is exciting because it makes you feel closer to real-life fluency. But it’s also the fastest way to sound unnatural if you rush it. Remember, slang says a lot about who you are and how you perceive your relationships. When used well, it can make you sound relaxed and culturally aware. However, when used poorly, it can feel mismatched or disrespectful. Below are some tips to help approach slang strategically.

• Understand it before you use it.

Make comprehension your first goal. Notice who uses certain expressions, in what tone, and in what setting. Once you’ve heard a phrase multiple times in natural conversations, it’s much safer to try it yourself.

• Mirror the energy of the person you’re speaking with.

If your language partner uses slang casually, mild slang is usually safe to return. If they speak more neutrally, stick to informal standard language. Slang should reflect the room, not feel like a performance.

• Start with “soft” slang.

Reaction words (like “wow,” “seriously?” or “crazy”) and casual intensifiers (“really,” “super,” “so”) are lower risk and widely accepted across age groups. Save highly regional or youth-heavy slang for later.

• Respect hierarchy and formality.

In some languages, slang automatically signals intimacy or peer-level closeness. If there’s any uncertainty about age, seniority, or professionalism, skip it. Fluency includes knowing when not to use slang.

• Ask about it directly.

Native speakers usually enjoy explaining what sounds natural, outdated, regional, or cringe. Turning slang into a conversation topic removes pressure and builds cultural understanding.

• Accept that slang evolves quickly.

Slang isn’t static. What’s popular this year may disappear next year. Staying curious matters more than trying to “master” it.

• Focus on connection, not performance.

The goal isn’t to use slang constantly. It’s to understand tone, catch jokes, and feel comfortable in real conversations.

If you want to move beyond classroom language and start understanding how people really talk, including slang, tone, and cultural nuance, the best way to do it is through real conversation. To help, download Tandem and connect with native speakers around the world through language exchange today.