23 American Slang Words You Should Know As an English Learner

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned English speaker, you’ll want to brush up on your command of these American slang words!

Henry David Thoreau once said, “It is too late to be studying Hebrew; it is more important to understand even the slang of today.”

And his theory couldn’t be more true in today’s scenario where slangs are an essential part of conversing in English and is so — especially American slang words that top the popularity chart among people nowadays.

For native speakers who have grown up hearing the same phrases and expressions, it can be easy to overlook just how strange they are. As Carl Sandburg has said:

“Slang is a language that rolls up its sleeves, spits on its hands, and goes to work.”

Sayings like “hit me up” and “I’m totally down for it” might not faze someone born in America, but they’re almost sure to leave foreigners to hit their fellow friend or they might scratch their heads wondering what does he mean he is down for it — is he going to sit down or what?

Below are popular 23 American slang words that’ll not only increase your fluency but improve your vocabulary and help you to better communicate with different culture people:

#1 Vanilla

In common English, vanilla is used to describe the flavor in ice cream and other sweet foods.

But in slang, it is used to describe someone or something that is ordinary, boring, or uninspiring. Just as the vanilla flavor is a very normal and basic flavor, a “vanilla” person is someone who has an ordinary, boring, plain, or unexciting personality.

Example:

“I would ask Alex to the concert, but he is so vanilla.”

#2 Hit me up

Oh, God!! Please don’t go and hit your fellow Americans if they ask you to hit them up. In slang “hit me up” is used to tell someone to contact you or make plans with you.

“It was really nice talking to you, hit me up sometime when you’re free.”

#3 Ghost

Ghost in slang doesn’t refer to a spirit or entity. To ghost someone, it means to abruptly cut off all contact with someone by no longer accepting or responding to texts, usually without explanation.

“How dare he talk to me like that?”

“You see, I’m going to ghost him until he gets the point.”

#4 To be down for

If you’re down for something, it means that you’re willing to do something.

One funny thing to note is that: to be down for something=to be up for something. But the difference is that “I’m up for it” is not slang.

Example:

“Do you want to go to a party?”

“Yeah, I’m totally down for it.”

#5 Balling/Ballin’

You may have heard of this term used by many Americans. In casual conversation, ballin’ means having a wealthy and luxurious lifestyle.

Example:

“Dude, I heard that you went on vacation in Dubai again last week, you are ballin’!”

#6 To feel blue or Have the blues

Having blues or feeling blue doesn’t indicate anything about the color blue. Americans use this slang phrase to express sad or depressed feelings.

Example:

“I was really feeling blue after she told me she was leaving.”

#7 Sick

In normal English language, the word sick means to be affected by physical or mental illness, whereas in slang if your buddy says that the party was sick, he’s saying that the party was really awesome, cool, or the best.

Example:

“Have you ever been to Los Angeles?”

“Yeah, a couple of times. It’s sick”

#8 Tripping/Trippin’

If someone says you’re tripping/trippin’ it means you’re acting a fool, or thinking crazy thoughts, or behaving in an unreasonable way.

Example:

“She’s tripping if she thinks she can buy an apartment in Los Angeles.”

#9 For real

If you say that someone does something for real, you mean that they actually do it and do not just pretend to do it.

This phrase can be used in 3 ways: (1) to agree with someone, (2) to ask whether someone is joking, and (3) to emphasize a statement.

Example:

“Dude, I asked her out and guess what? She said yes.”

“For real?”

“For real!”

#10 Hang out

If your friend asks you to hang with them, it means they are asking if you’re free and want to spend some time together. And if someone says they’re hanging out — it means that they’re free and not doing anything important.

Example:

“Hey, I was wondering if you want to hang out sometimes.”

Example 2:

“What are you doing?”

“Nothing just hanging out as usual.”

#11 Babe

If you refer to someone as a babe, it means that you think that they’re hot and attractive. Be careful with whom you use this word while speaking.

Example:

“Dude, Tyler’s new girlfriend is a total babe!”

#12 Wheels

There are many things that have wheels — a car, a bike, a motorbike, etc, but in slang when somebody refers to their wheels they’re talking about their car.

Example:

“Sorry man, I can’t pick you up this time. I don’t have my wheels at this moment.”

#13 Couch Potato

A couch potato is someone who is a lazy or inactive person and does not exercise or have any interesting hobbies. It is also used to describe a person who spends most of their time watching television.

Example:

“Don’t be a couch potato! Let’s go for a hike”

#14 Tea

“Tea” is slang for gossip or hot news circulating the situation. It is often used in terms such as “what’s the tea” (what’s the new gossip), “spill the tea” (tell someone about gossip) or just use it as one word referring to the hot news.

Example 1:

“Would you like to spill the tea of your date from last night?”

Example 2:

“Last night was a complete mess. Here’s the tea.”

#15 Bail/ditch

Bail and ditch both mean to have to break or cancel the plans with someone. If you bail on someone it means that you leave, or walk out on that person.

Example 1:

“Sorry dude, I have to bail tonight.”

Example 2:

“She bailed on me after all we had been through together.”

#16 Lowkey & Highkey

Lowkey is used as an adjective to describe something quiet, secret, restrained, moderate, or easygoing. It can also behave as an adverb meaning “of low or moderate intensity.” Like doing something, but in a “chill” way.

Example:

“We’re having a party at my place but keeping it low-key so the neighbors don’t complain”

Highkey is the opposite of the more commonplace low-key. So something high-key is “intense” and “out in the open.” It’s often used as an adverb for very, really, or clearly.

Example:

“Damn, I highkey love that place!”

#17 Slay

It is an informal way of saying being greatly impressed by someone from performing or just doing something well.

Example:

“Harry Styles slays in his every performance!”

#18 Ripped

In normal English ripped means ‘torn’ but in slang, it’s nothing to do with that. If a person is ripped, it means they have great muscles and bodies or it is used to describe a person who is under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

Example 1:

“Dude, that boy is so ripped”

Example 2:

“I got so ripped at the party last weekend.”

#19 Dunno

In simple words, dunno means “don’t know”. It’s very popular among young people. However, be careful with whom you use this — if you say it to someone in a higher position than you, it could appear rude. So to play it safe just use it around people of your own age or younger.

Example:

“I dunno what you’re even talking about.”

#20 Rip-off

If you find a simple dress that costs $500, you’d be shocked right? That dress is a complete rip-off which means that it is way too expensive for what actually it is. And if a person rips you off it means that they’re cheating you out of money and charging you a lot more than you should be paying for.

Example 1:

“Bro, the tickets for that concert are way too expensive. They’re $300 each”

“Ooh, that’s such a rip-off!”

Example 2:

“You know he bought this wheel for $4000.”

“Dude, he was so ripped off. This car is worth only half of that!”

#21 Hooked

If somebody is hooked on something or just hooked, it means they’re addicted to something and they just can’t get enough of it.

Example:

“Girl, I’m hooked on that new web series.”

#22 Bust/Busted

If you bust someone, it means you’ve caught them doing something they shouldn’t be doing and therefore they’re in trouble.

Example:

“Did you hear Hunter got busted speeding?”

#23 Simp

Simp is basically a modern way of calling someone who performs excessive sympathy and attention toward another person or sometimes in pursuit of a sexual relationship.

It is a slang insult, mostly for men, who are seen as too attentive and submissive to women.

Example:

“Dude, I took her out on a date in the most expensive restaurant and also bought her a new brand new car.”

“Man, you’re a simp.”