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There was a time in the past when people referred to goats as those animals that make that "baa" sound. Apparently, today you can refer to anyone as the goat, and they will take it as a compliment. That's what teens say these days! (FYI, we do know what the GOAT stands for, we just needed a creative intro.)
Either way, everyone is familiar with teen sayings, perhaps not the current ones, but at least the ones from when they were teenagers. You might not be using them any more, but you must remember at least some teenage lingo from back in the day! Interested in learning more about teenager phrases, just a few weeks ago, a member of the AskReddit community u/restrictednumber1996 asked fellow members, "What was a big or popular saying when you were a teen?" To no surprise, the now-ex-teenagers flooded the comments section with popular teenage slang they used or heard others use in their teens and still remember as clear as day.
Below, we've compiled some of the best (and most nostalgic!) responses from the thread, revealing the many teenage slang words and phrases people remember from their teens. And who knows, perhaps Redditors' teen years will match with yours, and you'll find something to relate to, because we certainly did! And if you do recognize any of the teen sayings below, make sure to give them an upvote!
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#1
ayebrade69 said: "I haven’t heard a YOLO in about 12 years." No-Student5710 replied: "Thats because all those people died doing stupid things."
Con O Cuinn 2 years ago
My friend got this tattooed on his hand back in the early 00s, before it was really popularised. Couldn't help enjoying a bit of schadenfreude as every second rate rapper started using it
Con O Cuinn 2 years ago
And not to disrespect his memory, but he's no longer with us. So the post ain't exactly wrong
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#2
ZenEvadoni said: "'Better love story than Twilight' Though to be honest most love stories really are better love stories than Twilight." keelanstuart replied: "Twilight... the heartwarming tale of a young woman torn between necrophilia and bestiality."
AmandaKay 2 years ago
My husband still says this about everything. Doesn't have to make any sense. That Charmin toilet paper commercial with the bears? Yup, better love story than twilight. A report on melting polar ice caps? Better love story than twilight.
Beverly Schmidt 2 years ago
while her daughter is groomed by her ex lover. sick a*s f**k... just as dirty dancing... not romantic but disgusting
#3
"I still respond “your mom” to 10 percent of questions."
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
My 15yo daughter says your mom all the time and thinks it's hilarious. It is still fairly funny
Worst Cop in Britain 2 years ago
I'm 34 and still say this. Said it today to a coworker as a matter of fact.
Apatheist Account2 2 years ago
I've had that recently in online gaming situations. Shuts them up when I tell them she died of cancer 10 years ago.
#4
"That's what she said."
#5
noonespe said "That’s so gay." TimmyBill426 replied: "You're gay This is gay Everything was gay back then, except for gay people."
#6
"With the right inflection and context, it's a whole statement on its own. The entire back and forth conversations would be had by just saying, dude. It's a lost language really."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
"Dude" is the acceptable form of address for anyone in Southern California. Talking to your parents? Dude. Talking to your significant other? Dude. Talking to a stranger? Dude. Talking to a woman? Dude. Dude is universal. Dude is love. Dude is bro.
Huddo's sister 2 years ago
My siblings and I still use this all the time. Plus anyone can be called dude.
#7
WhenTardigradesFly said: "Dave's not here, man" jobu1111 replied: "I still say this to my high school students when someone knocks on the door. They just look confused and wonder who Dave is."
Shelby Moonheart 2 years ago
"They're all dead Dave." Yes Dave, even the captain." From Red Dwarf
BLONDTROBL 2 years ago
Never heard of Red Dwarf, or his rip-off of Cheech and Chong.
Load More Replies... #8
"'Take a picture, it’ll last longer'. When you find someone staring at you."
BLONDTROBL 2 years ago
To which we would reply: byeeeet (bite, with emphasis on the e) whilst also making a circle gesture with a hand. Two hands if you really wanted to make your point. I have several pictures of me and my friends making this hand gesture. We thought we were so cool cause the adults had no clue!
#9
"Cool beans."
liz MacClain 2 years ago
When anyone asks me how I'm doing I respond with "groovy" because it always throws them and makes them SMILE!
Worst Cop in Britain 2 years ago
I say it all the time cuz I work at a coffee shop... coffee is mos def cool beans
#10
"Wazzzuppppppppppp."
AmandaKay 2 years ago
A good aged milk is called cheese & cheese is delicious.
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#11
SuvenPan said: "Hold your horses!!" chickenTendiiesss replied: "My grandfather's favorite thing to say when you say 'hey' to him is, 'hey is for horse,'"
Erica Knapp 2 years ago
My mom... Hay is for horses and cows like you! Lol
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Worst Cop in Britain 2 years ago
🙄 my dad used to say this. Also in case yall didn't know... when someone says "hold your horses," they're telling you to be.... stable.
#12
Major_Tumbleweed_952 said: "You're killing me Smalls!" Andire replied: "I work at a children's zoo and hear gen x and old millennial moms tell their kids, "You're killin me, Smalls!" all the time lol."
Blurryface 2 years ago
The Sandlot; I only know it because my dad says it a ton. :)
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#13
"Can you not?"
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
I say it all the time too, especially to my pets XD
Load More Replies... BLONDTROBL 2 years ago
I don't know if anyone remembers the computer game "You don't know Jack", but the commercials were hysterical. My son would walk around the house saying "found a penny, yippee" and "best darn puppin' in the gosh-darn hood". I still say those things.
#14
"Been there, done that."
#15
"My 46-year-old son calls me Homeslice."
#16
"Psych no, it was never spelled ‘sike’, we were just young and stupid."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago (edited)
I still say this occasionally. I am 41. XD And because I was an English/Creative Writing major, I'm big on proper spelling, so I went through a very cringe-worthy phase where I would correct my friends online if they spelled it "sike". Ahh, young Lakota was an insufferable language nerd XD
Frei Parken 2 years ago
There's nothing insufferable about language nerds! 🥰
Load More Replies... #17
"What-ever!"
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
A classic! But when I say it there is no hyphen or exclamation point. Just normal conversation voice.
#18
"That's my name, don't wear it out."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
This is a Dad-level phrase. XD My dad was born in 1942 and I remember him saying this to me whenever I'd yell "DAAAAAAAD" when I was whining about something or looking for him. Of course, "Dad" wasn't his NAME, but that's just a dad joke for you. Rest in peace, Dad, you were the dad-est. <3
kitten levels tokyo 2 years ago
I know this is slightly off topic, but I’ve been wanting to ask you pandas: When you blow your nose really hard do you sometimes get a smoky taste in your mouth? I do and I’m not a smoker. It is very perplexing.
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
No, but if I am congested badly and blow my nose really hard, I get a slightly metallic taste in my mouth and slightly metallic "smell" in my nose, usually because I've burst a few small blood vessels in my nose when blowing super hard. I don't know what would be causing your smoky taste - it probably is nothing *bad*, but might be worth asking your GP on your next annual/whenever you go in for a medical checkup/appointment.
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#19
"Alrighty then!"
#20
SuvenPan said: "Talk to the hand." mrs-fox replied: "Cause the face ain't listening!"
Theo Rank 2 years ago
Talk to the shoulder because you aren’t worth the arm, much less it’s extension
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#21
"Awesomesauce, epic fail… so cringe hahah."
#22
Elaine_Benes_Lovr said: "Something being "the bomb" Bonus cringe points for the use use of 'it's the bomb.com'" sarahgrilledcheese replied: "Sometimes “the bomb dot com” still slips out on accident and I cringe so hard at myself it hurts."
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
ok, storytime. I was in the airport in Manila with some friends and on our way in and all through security there were signs everywhere saying "No bomb joke, punishable by 10 years in prison" or something along those lines. Basically, don't joke about having a bomb or else. So we get through security and it's been a long day so one of my friends Brian is out of it and wants some coffee. There's a local shop in the terminal, so he gets an espresso and after he takes a sip he proclaims loudly "Dude, this coffee is the bomb!" We all just look at him in horror like, what the hell are you doing Brian? He just got louder with "No, for real, this coffee is actually the bomb! It's so good, you have to try it." We practically tackled him to get him to shut up before he realized what he had done. We all laughed uncomfortably for a while, hoping no one had heard.
White Paper Tsuru 2 years ago
I literally told someone today that they were the bomb.com. Their reply? "You know it!"
#23
"As if."
#24
"Like a boss."
#25
Weary-Inspector-6971 said: "All that and a bag of chips." finnjakefionnacake replied: "'90s baby!"
#26
"Whatever floats your boat."
#28
"Bom chicka wah wah."
liz MacClain 2 years ago
Do that every time people are having sex on TV makes my so laugh too!
#29
"That's wack."
#30
"Oh snap!"
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
I do think this one has been used a biiiiit by gen Z at least? Maybe?
Benita Valdez 2 years ago (edited)
Well I'm on the cusp of X and Millenial and say this occasionally; I'm 39
Load More Replies... #31
"Let's blow this popsicle stand."
#32
"Gag me with a spoon."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
Extra points if you say the word "like" before the rest of the sentence, too. "Like, gag me with a spoon!"
Load More Replies... #35
"'K bye'. That phrase gained traction quickly during my high school years."
#36
UrAShook1 said: "Jinx, you owe me a coke." beerslinger13 replied: "We said: Jinx! Then “pinch, poke you owe me a coke” whilst pinching and poking them."
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
My 12yo son says jinx you owe me a coke literally everyday. We have taught him well.
Con O Cuinn 2 years ago
For us, jinx meant you couldn't speak until somebody said your name. If you did, you got punched in the arm
L. Ohler 2 years ago
Same. Well, we didn't pinch but it was hella hard to find someone who would say your name.
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Ashlyn Ward 2 years ago
Billy; jinx you owe me a soda Joe; I’m sorry to inform you but the jink machine is broken That’s what I grew up on
#37
"Fo’ sho’"
#38
"Far out, let’s boogie, keep on truckin, bummer man."
#39
"Homey don't play dat"!
#40
"Leeeeeeeroy Jenkins."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago (edited)
I still use this. If any of you youngsters don't know what it's from, it's from a ludicrously hilarious video of a guild raid in World of Warcraft. It's worth watching for its utter random nuttiness XD The video/meme/character became so popular, Blizzard put Leeroy Jenkins into their other game Hearthstone as a card/character!
#41
"For real?!"
#42
Person 1: “Shut up!” Person 2: “Make me!” Person 1: “I don’t make trash. I burn it.”
#43
"Come at me bro."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
I still say this all the time, especially when I am talking to other people doing stupid/annoying stuff in MMOs. Of course, I just say it to my monitor, not into voice chat >_>;
#44
"What’s your damage?"
Ashley Lewis 2 years ago
I use "Whats your major malfunction?"Too much FMJ
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Lakota Wolf 2 years ago (edited)
Nowadays heard from my fellow guildmates in MMOs because I'm terrible at DPS :p
#45
"Use 'mad' as really or very. 'The new NBA 2K is mad good dude'"
#46
"Spiffy."
#47
"Don't have a cow, man."
#48
"Peace out homeslice/homeskillet."
#49
"Bogus!"
#50
littleboss12 said: "Up your b**t and around the corner." LiveFromThe915 replied: "Through the tube and out your b**b."
Jackie Rouleau 2 years ago
Dude, your showing your real age now! Welcome back
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Chris O'Quinn 2 years ago
Half past a monkey's a$$ according to his b@lls. That's an old one, lol
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago (edited)
Oh my god. Growing up, my sister and I used to ALWAYS reply "up your bútt and around the corner!" to each other when one of us would ask the other one where something was. XD
#51
"Describing things as 'sweet' or 'mint' Calling people 'poseur' (and it had to be spelled like that) and 'newb' or 'no0b' 'Wassup'."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
Same. I also will still call people noob. Extra points if you use zeroes and call them a "n00b". XD
Load More Replies... #52
"South Park quotes from the first season: "Screw you guys, I'm going home", "Respect mah authoritah!" "You killed Kenny! You bastards!" Calling something dope, "the bomb" or "the bomb diggity". Deez nuts "Whaddup, dawg?" or calling someone homeboy, but ironically, because we were suburban white kids. Peace out."
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
Just heard my ex use one earlier, "THEY TERK ER JERBZ" when I told him about an article about Burmese pythons becoming endemic in Florida (they're an invasive species there). When he asked what damage the snakes could do to the environment, I said that they would likely decimate the prey animal population and possibly cause extinction of the native predators. He responded, "Soo... the native predators are gonna be saying 'THEY TOOK ER JERBS' for reals?" XD
#53
Keyboard_smashgood said: "Booyah!" anonG00N replied: "See also: Booyakasha and Booyaka for Rey Mysterio fans."
Alexis Zimmer 2 years ago
I was addicted to Teen Titans when it was still airing and always said booyah because of Cyborg.
#55
"'Don't taze me bro.' 'That's bad'. As in good. 'That's a bad (good) looking car.' Word Sike (psych). 'Omg the cops were looking for you, sike.' Rad, radical."
#56
ClonicTonicAF said: “That’s so random” RiceKrispyPooHead replied: “I like pickles!” “OMG haha, I’m so random XD”
#57
"I crush your head gestures pinching fingers."
Chris O'Quinn 2 years ago
OMG! I remember this from the Kids in the Hall. The guy was played by Mark McKinney who went on to SNL. "I crush it; I crush your head!"
Michele Dickson 2 years ago
I'm blocking you! "One eye closed with thumb up blocking your face"
#58
"Rawr."
Aurora Vega 2 years ago
No cause not me thinking I invented saying ‘rawr’. I usually use it to scare someone off.
#61
"That's tight."
#62
"Grody."
#66
"You just lost the game..."
#68
"Schwing. Thanks Wayne!!"
#70
"Making a “ch” sound. Kind of like saying “whatever”, but its just “ch”."
#71
"That's Hella cool"
Lakota Wolf 2 years ago
I remember my ex said that his dormmate in college was from Northern California and used "hella" all the time, but we of Southern California did not. It was fascinating XD That was 20ish years ago.
#72
cherrybloodorange said: "Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag Swag." Climinteedus replied: "At the end of this, some kids were saying "swerve" in response. I still don't get that one."
#73
"Money talks, b******t walks!!!"
#74
"Nope Chuck Testa."
What do you think ?
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
Missing: all the ones related to cars you see. Slug bug. PT Cruiser bruiser. Padittle. Skittles. And of course, once you hit them "no slug bug back."
Sweet Taurus 2 years ago
Hella. Gnarly. Beef cake. Bromance. Like... Totally. I had more but I'm drawing a blank now ha
Captain Awesome 2 years ago
I still use this in reply to dumb questions... If it was up your butt you'd know it.
Tris Hunt 2 years ago
As a gen z, raised by two gen x parents, I don't know if it's sad or absolutely hilarious that I know 90% of this list and/or use it around family. For me, it's like referencing a movie and only your family gets it instead of friends, unless they're in on the joke. Ex: "What's another word for balls?" *snaps fingers* "Nuts!" 😁. Only one of my friends has seen the movie, as far as I know.
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
Missing: all the ones related to cars you see. Slug bug. PT Cruiser bruiser. Padittle. Skittles. And of course, once you hit them "no slug bug back."
Sweet Taurus 2 years ago
Hella. Gnarly. Beef cake. Bromance. Like... Totally. I had more but I'm drawing a blank now ha
Captain Awesome 2 years ago
I still use this in reply to dumb questions... If it was up your butt you'd know it.
Tris Hunt 2 years ago
As a gen z, raised by two gen x parents, I don't know if it's sad or absolutely hilarious that I know 90% of this list and/or use it around family. For me, it's like referencing a movie and only your family gets it instead of friends, unless they're in on the joke. Ex: "What's another word for balls?" *snaps fingers* "Nuts!" 😁. Only one of my friends has seen the movie, as far as I know.
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