What should you do if your teenager starts using weird new words? If you don’t understand half of what kids are saying, it might be time to grab a teen slang dictionary.
But before we get into what these trendy words mean, let’s quickly explore why kids pick them up so easily — and whether parents should worry that their child is turning into a real-life version of Ellochka the Cannibal, a Soviet character famous for using only 30 words.
Why Do Kids Speak in Slang?
If we look at kids under 9 or 10 years old (sometimes earlier), their vocabulary is still forming. Since they mostly copy their parents, you won’t hear much teen slang from them just yet.
But starting in early adolescence, kids feel the need to become independent from their parents and fit in with their peers. They want to stand out, bond over shared interests, and speak a kind of “secret” language. And while this can make parents panic, there’s no need to worry.
Fun fact: around this same age, kids also tend to lose interest in school. We actually wrote an article about that too..
First off, remember your own teenage years. Every generation has its own slang and trends — they come and go quickly.
Second, teens are already going through a lot thanks to hormones and emotional ups and downs. They’re not kids anymore, but not quite adults either. Some mature faster than others, but eventually their brains will catch up, hormones will chill out, and their thoughts and speech will become clearer.
And seriously — who still remembers “Olbanskiy language”? That was a goofy fake version of Russian popular online in the 2000s. People were genuinely worried it would ruin the language. But it disappeared like any other trend.
Top 20 Words from Teen Slang:
- aggro / to get aggro (/'æɡ.roʊ/) — from aggressive; means to get mad or irritated.
- drop the base (/bāz/) — to say something super obvious that everyone already knows.
- varik (/'vær.ɪk/) — short for “variant” or “option.”
- vibe (/vaɪb/) — means the mood or atmosphere.
- imba (/'ɪm.bə/) — from imbalanced; ironically used to mean something awesome or overpowered.
- call the crew (/bruː/) — slang for “help me understand this” or “explain it to me.”
- tap (/tæp/) — to touch the screen of a phone or tablet.
- flex (/fleks/) — to show off or brag.
- rofl / rofling (/'rɒf.lɪŋ/) — from rolling on the floor laughing; to laugh hard, often sarcastically.
- cringe (/krɪndʒ/) — something super awkward or embarrassing.
- creepy (/'kriː.pi/) — something scary in a weird way.
- kek (/kɛk/) — a mocking or sarcastic laugh, similar to “lol.”
- crush (/krʌʃ/) — someone you have romantic feelings for.
- proda (/'prɒ.də/) — short for “continuation” or a sequel (from “prodlzhenie”).
- ship / shipping (/'ʃɪp.ɪŋ/) — from relationship; rooting for two people to be together.
- reference (/'ref.ərəns/) — a mention or nod to another well-known story, meme, or media.
- POV (/'piː.oʊ.viː/) — short for point of view; shows a situation from someone’s perspective.
- sigma (/'sɪɡ.mə/) — someone who is independent and doesn’t care what others think. wrote in a separate article);
- relatable / "real one" / zheezah (/'ʒiː.zə/) — from Russian “zhizn” (life); something super relatable.
- loys (/lɔɪs/) — from like; used as a thumbs-up or approval.
How Should Parents React to Teen Slang?
Many parents wonder: should I try to speak their language? The answer is no. Kids know the difference between themselves and adults. Honestly, they’ll feel awkward if you start saying “that’s such a vibe” or “I’m flexing today.”
By the way, American teens have their own slang too — and a lot of it overlaps with Russian youth slang, especially thanks to the internet.
So what should you do? Wait. Let your kids grow up, and over time their vocabulary will become richer, more thoughtful, and more grammatically correct.
And to help with that, we offer Russian language lessons at our school. Fill out the form below, and our manager will sign you up for a FREE trial lesson.
