Do friends and family send texts or reply to your social media posts using slang and acronyms you don’t understand? Time to widen your internet lingo list.
Popular, well-known options
Slang is ever-changing, but certain terms hold on longer than others. Try adding these internet lingo examples to your repertoire.
spill the tea
Tell me the gossip, or tell me the latest.
Also used in gif form, usually a short video of a person sipping from a teacup, or holding a giant teacup.
If someone texts that they have exciting news, write “spill the tea” or use a sipping tea gif to let them know you’re all ears.
ate / ate and left no crumbs
In the past, you might say nailed it or that rocked, but this generation loves brevity.
When to employ it?
A young person sends a link to their favourite singer’s new single.
After listening to the song, text back, “They ate that track!”. If you really loved it: “They ate that track and left no crumbs!”
slay
Another of the teen slang words that compliments.
Instead of acing a test, they slayed the test.
buss
A 2024 teen slang buzzword that started out as bussing, became bussin, and is now down to buss.
To be buss, is to be awesome. A lot of the time food is buss, or events, but there are no rules. Anything can be buss.
mid
Not so great. Middle of the road, really.
Hopefully you’re not mid. Yes, people can be mid too.
sksksksk
Expresses laughter, surprise in the sense of oh my goodness, or just excitement.
rizz
Consider this a way to say full of charm and charisma.
If someone is nervous to approach their crush, you could text, “you got rizz, talk to them”.
For the plot
Being the main character – aren’t we all – requires fleshing out the storyline of your life. Even if a new adventure may turn sour, do it for the plot.
Changing jobs, skydiving, downloading a dating app: these all qualify.
“Do it for the plot” is good advice for people hesitant to try new things.
The art of the acronym
Nowadays, everybody is in a hurry and short sentences are on trend. For many online, abbreviations and acronyms are everything.
fr
Type “fr” to show you agree with someone. Can also be added to show you mean what you’re typing.
To really emphasise a point, write it twice fr fr.
ttyl
A fast way to say you have to go. Type this for “talk to you later”.
tldr
A kid replying to your text message with this, is being cheeky. They didn’t finish reading the message you sent, and are letting you know with “too long didn’t read”.
goat
No, you’re not being insulted, this means Greatest Of All Time, capitals warranted. Personally, I reserve this for ice skater Yuzuru Hanyu.
grwm
Before agreeing to watch a grwm video with a youngster, prepare yourself. It’s short for “get ready with me”. I had to watch a TikTok star brush her hair for ages.
iykyk
If you know you know. Often used at the end of social media comments, the person is telling everyone what they wrote will make sense to those familiar with the topic.
How does it work? Someone posts that a chicken got inside their house.
You comment, “Johnny Cash iykyk”, referring to a prank when he famously released hundreds of chicks inside a hotel.
Typing “iykyk” means those in the know will get the reference, likely being Johnny Cash fans.
Watch out for emojis
Emoji meanings can be surprising. The eggplant has a couple of interpretations unrelated to vegetables. And a taco isn’t referring to takeout.
Emojis are utilised on social media to get around censorship. As a result, they often relate to nudity and sex.
To avoid an emoji faux pas, check online first. Good news: the cupcake you want to send does in fact, symbolise a cupcake.
A less successful example? Peaches and corn may be what you bought at the markets, but those emojis mean butt and porn. Awkward.
Do you have online lingo you like to use? Have you heard your grandkids using any of these? Let us know in the comments section below.
Also read: Friendships between teens and older Australians key to happiness in aged care
