What does Gen Alpha say? A simple guide to today’s youth slang

“Delulu?” “Drop?” “Fanum tax?”

Don’t feel bad if you think that teenagers and teenagers around you sound like they’re speaking a different language. You’re just getting a taste of Alpha Gen slang.

Generation Alpha or Generation Alpha is the generation born between 2010 and 2025. They are the first generation born entirely in the 21st century and whose lives have been completely engulfed by the internet from birth.

So you can expect their language to reflect this. The only problem is to understand them.

Or if you are a teacher and trying to keep slang at a certain level less annoying minimum.

More: Did an Iowa school accused of banning slang like ‘Ohio’ and ‘rizz’ violate free speech?

But fear not, we’ve compiled a list of some of the more popular Alpha Generation slang to help you understand what’s going on.

They still won’t think you’re cool.

I am sad. We can only do so much.

What are these damn kids saying?

Here are some of the most popular Alpha Gen slang:

I ate/I eat: If you say that someone “eats”, it means that you are saying that they did something extremely good or deserving of praise, According to Keyhole. “Have you heard Charli XCX’s latest album? She ate.”

Aura points: “Aura points” refer to a playful way to measure coolness, based on a TikTok trend. According to Polygon. “Have you seen your new shoes? He definitely just won some aura points.”

Cover/No cover: To “cap” means “to lie, boast, or show off.” Merriam-Webster Dictionary (although this meaning has not yet been officially revealed). “No limits” means you are truthful or honest. “Joe said he didn’t take my food, but I guess that’s off limits.”

Delulu: Abbreviation for “delusional”. For example: “She thinks he’s going to ask her out, but she’s completely wrong.”

Drop: Drip means cool, stylish or trendy clothing, depending on the person. Arizona State University. When someone is “dripping out” it means they are dressed smartly. “I just went to the mall and bought a new dropper.”

fanum tax: The act of stealing someone’s food without their permission. It originates from online comedy creator Fanum, part of streamer and Youtuber Kai Cenat’s “influencer team”. Business Content. Fanum is known for jokingly taking other people’s food and calling it a “tax”. “I took his fries when he wasn’t looking; Fanum had to pay his tax.”

Goat: Acronym meaning “best of all time”. LeBron James is the goat. He’s been goat hunting since he came to Cleveland.

Gyatt/Gyat: Gyatt or gyat (Ge-yaht) is used to express strong excitement, surprise, or admiration, usually in reference to seeing a big butt. According to Dictionary.com. It can also be used as a stand-alone term for big butt.

It looks so beautiful: “Looksmaxxing” is an online movement dedicated to maximizing your physical appearance through a variety of techniques that often include improving your jawline, skin care, and muscles. According to BBC. “Riley has been obsessed with max-view videos on TikTok lately.”

MeowAccording to the BBC, mewling is a look maxxing technique that aims to improve your jawline by keeping your tongue on the roof of your mouth. Mewing comes from a controversial British orthodontist named John Mew. Developed a practice called “orthotropic”. According to the BBC, there is little evidence to support its effectiveness. “Dude, are you really meowing right now? You look so excited?”

mog: To “cry” someone is to be significantly more attractive than them and thus diminish their attractiveness, According to Vice News. “He harassed everyone at the party with his drip.”

Ohio: No, they’re not actually talking about the Buckeye state. Unfortunately for Ohioans “Ohio” is slang for weird, weird, shy, or stupid. This likely has its origins in a number of memes circulating in online culture in the 2020s, such as “It’s all in Ohio” or “Ohio can’t even have X.” According to Know Your Meme. “Did you see how she dressed at school today? She’s so Ohio.”

Rizz: Abbreviation for “charisma” used to indicate that someone is successful in impressing romantic partners. Merriam-Webster. “He spent the whole party seducing girls.”

Rizzler: According to Rizzler, he is someone who is good at flirting with people. New York Times.

Sigma: A “sigma” (based on the Greek alphabet) is a male who has overcome the hierarchy of “alpha” and “beta” males, usually characterized by quiet success, or who has been socially ostracized by his own choice and “played out on his own”. “according to the rules” Know Your Meme. Colloquially, it can simply mean good or best.

Skibidi (Skibidi Toilet): “Skibidi” means a series Popular surrealist videos on YoutubeIt’s about an army of human-headed toilets fighting against another army of camera-headed men. According to Forbes. Skibidi as a slang word is largely meaningless and is merely a reference to the video series.

Kill: If you “kill” something, it means you did it particularly well. Dictionary.com. “Have you heard Charli XCX’s latest album? She’s killer.”

stay on taskStanding on the job (sometimes written as ‘standing on the bid’) means fulfilling your responsibilities or putting your money where your mouth is, According to USA TODAY. “I told you I would do this; I have work to do.”

What’s up bro? Raising your index finger up and saying “what’s up, bro” is a reference to popular publisher Sketch, which uses the phrase as a sort of catchphrase: According to USA TODAY.

This article first appeared in the Des Moines Register: What does sigma mean? A guide to Gen Alpha slang