A lot of popular slang in our country doesn’t really make sense–unless you’re someone who stays updated with all the latest teen gossip and you know, like, basically everything. But 99% of teenagers in the 21st century aren’t going to be constantly checking the news, unless it’s over some big celebrity breakup, their favorite TV show updates, or a good artist just dropped a new album and they just have to listen to it. 

To be honest, at one point you probably had to ask your friends something like “hey what does HMU mean????” over text after you see someone post something on Facebook with that exact thing. Like… what? As you asked, you were probably pretty embarrassed because of all your friends, peers and classmates (…basically EVERYBODY) knew what it meant already. But you had to find out somehow to not embarrass you in the future.

Don’t worry, fellow reader! I’m going to save you from all the embarrassment. I went through the merciless World Wide Web to find out what teens really mean when talking in 21st century slang (which is probably some kind of foreign language to adult, LOL!) So here we go!

Finna: The word sounds weird, honestly, although it actually means something pretty simple. The definition of finna is “going to” or “about to”. It can be used in a sentence, like “I’m finna go to this party soon (*internal cringe*)!” Sounds weird, but when you’re talking it can be assumed what the word means.

Hangry: The English Oxford Living Dictionary has this word on their website and it sounds pretty similar to what I know it as. Hangry is a mix of the words hungry and angry, thus the outcome of the word “hangry”. The dictionary states that it means “bad-tempered as a result of anger”.

Ship/Shipping: This is one of my favorites. It came from the world of fandoms (if you don’t know what fandoms are, shame on you, look it up). Instead of just saying, “Oh my gosh, Logan and Kate are such a cute couple,” teens probably now say “I totally ship Logan and Kate.” It’s just another way to describe any two individuals you want to get together or that might already be in a relationship. Basically, it means you approve of them and want them stay that way forever. Usually, teens will use it for characters in a TV shows and movies, or books.

Feels: “Feels” is just the shorter version of feelings. To have feels, you are touched by something deeply in some sort of way. It can also mean being sad, or experiencing strong emotions. A girl might say to one of her friends “Oh my gosh, I’m in my feels, I’m getting all the FEELS FROM *insert really sappy movie title here*!!” Possibly a meltdown might follow when hearing this word, so be prepared.

Salty: You’ve probably heard this word a lot or have seen it all over the Internet and social media. The word “salty” has multiple meanings: irritated, grouchy, bitter… the list goes on and on. “I’m salty because Mr. Darek gave us five pages of homework, ugh!” Salty just means to be rude and angry about something.

Thirsty: “Thirsty” simply means to be desperate. Girls use this word more often than guys in order to call another girl out in a rude way or to make fun of them for getting close or with a guy. It depends what the context is and how exactly the word “thirsty” is being used, but it always has a negative connotation.

Yas/Yasss: “Yasss” is yes, just a stronger version of it. It’s used to express excitement, approval, agreement, etc. It’s just more fun!

Lit/Fire: The word “lit” is commonly used nowadays to describe something or someone totally amazing or awesome. It’s used most of the time at parties or fun events that are full of energy, but nowadays is being used more frequently in regular everyday conversations. It also means full of hype and great excitement.

Slang is something that defines our culture–or, probably the teen part of our American culture–how we communicate becomes a little simpler and more unique for the people and with the people. Variety is more fun–especially when you’re a teenager, living in the fast lane and taking it as awesome as you can. Or should I say lit instead of awesome? Haha!