Is This Even English? Gen Alpha’s Slang That Will Make You Feel 100 Years Old

Remember when you had to explain what “YOLO” or “bae” meant to your parents? Well, the tables have turned. Now you’re the confused one. 

If you've ever glanced at your kid’s messages and thought, “What under the God’s hot sun does that even mean?” - you’re not alone. Gen Alpha has its own code. It looks like English. It’s spelt in English. It technically is English. But it even makes Shashi Tharoor tremble with confusion. 

We work with Gen Alpha every day. And honestly? We wish Google had a “Translate from Gen Alpha to Parent” feature. 

So we made a head start. Here’s a Gen Alpha-to-Parent dictionary, compiled to help you decode your child’s conversations without having to Google every fourth word. (You’re welcome.) We’ve probably missed a few - we’re still Googling our way through this chaos, too. 

Gen Alpha Glossary for Confused Grown Ups 

Slang	What It Actually Means	Parent Translation
Slay	To do something really well or look amazing while doing it	“Nailed it” or “You look fab”
Rizz	Charisma or charm (esp. when flirting)	“He’s got game”
Skibidi	Nonsense word from a viral meme/song	Think: “Wassup?”
Brain rot	Something that’s so dumb it’s entertaining	“I know it’s trash, but I love it”
Mid	Mediocre, not impressive	“Meh” (Like our knowledge of these words)
Cap / No cap	Cap = Lie, No cap = Truth	“No lie”
FR	For real	“Seriously” or “No joke”
NPC	Non-player character, someone who seems basic or robotic	“They have no vibe”
Sigma	A lone wolf type, typically confident and mysterious	A Gen Alpha “cool guy” archetype
Bet	Agreement or “Okay”	“Got it” or “Let’s do it”
Slaps	Something that’s really good (usually music or food)	“That rocks”
Drip	Cool outfit or style	“OOTD”
Boujee	Fancy, expensive, or high-maintenance	Think: “extra” but with taste
Goofy ahh	Silly or ridiculous	“That’s so weird/funny”
Fanum tax	Stealing food from a friend	“I’m eating your fries and calling it something cool so you don’t fight me”

Where Do These Words Even Come From? 

We know what you’re thinking. Gen Alpha isn’t sitting with their ipads, coining these terms from scratch - they evolved from YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Discord, and meme culture. They’re quick, hyper-referential, and usually make ZERO sense without context. No Cap! 

But Why Do I Need To Know These Words? 

Imagine if you only spoke English, and your parents trying to speak to you in French. Total disconnect. Language is how kids form identity, signal belonging, and express themselves. Understanding their slang doesn’t mean you need to start calling  your outfits “drip”. But knowing what it means can:

• Spark better convos with your kids 

• Help you spot when something’s off 

• Will definitely make look cooler in front of other parents 

Your kids might laugh when you use “skibidi” wrong, but they’ll also notice you care enough to try. So bookmark this post, send it to your partner, and don’t be afraid to say, 

“Can you translate that into Parent, please?” 

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