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Colorful graphic featuring a mix of Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang terms in speech bubbles around diverse cartoon characters. Words like 'Rizz,' 'Skibidi,' 'Sigma,' and 'No Cap' are prominently displayed. Emojis expressing different emotions, such as laughing and angry faces, are scattered across the image. The center text reads 'What Did You Just Say? A Guide to Understanding Gen Z & Gen Alpha Slang' in bold, playful fonts.

What Did You Just Say? A Guide to Understanding Gen Z and Gen Alpha Slang

September 25, 2024

What Did You Just Say? A Guide to Understanding Gen Z and Gen Alpha Slang

Unlock the mystery of Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang with Kelly Booz's latest blog. Whether you're a teacher or a parent, get ready to bridge the language gap, decode your students' (or kids’) cryptic words, and have a little fun along the way. With tips and tools like the RizzBot chatbot, this guide will help you connect and communicate in a way that’s both meaningful and, dare we say, "bussin’." No cap!

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Slang. Just when you think you’ve caught up, your students—or in my case, my middle schooler—throw a curveball. The other day, my daughter persuaded me to say, “I have a big gyat,” and, through her laughter, she assured me that it meant I had a "big heart." It didn’t take me long to discover it meant something else entirely (gyat = butt). Then there’s “skibidi” and “sigma”—both of which I’m still “lowkey” trying to figure out.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Whether you’re a parent, guardian, teacher or educator, we’ve all found ourselves stumped by the latest slang. But the truth is, understanding these words gives us a unique window into our kids' and students’ worlds, and let’s face it—it’s a great way to make them laugh or give you an eye roll.

Slang in the Classroom (and at Home)

Let’s talk about my husband, a 25-year veteran English IB teacher who loves teaching Macbeth. Using him as my AI human guinea pig, I sent him a “translated” version of a famous Macbeth quote:

"Life’s but a walking shadow, lowkey mid and full of cap."

AI Quote

His response? A groan and eye roll. To be fair, for those who aren’t high school English teachers, Gen Z and Gen Alpha slang can sometimes feel even trickier than deciphering Shakespeare. But just like Macbeth, where each line is packed with deeper meaning, these slang terms are a form of expression—if we can crack the code. 

The Birth of the RizzBot

This brings me to a solution I didn’t know I needed. While preparing for our fall AI Educator Brain webinar series, it hit me: why not create something to help fellow parents, teachers, and even students translate between everyday adult speak and this ever evolving slang? And that’s why I published the RizzBot chatbot on ChatGPT—so now you get a ChatBot and everyone can decode the latest slang.

Consider translating Oprah’s famous line:

"You get a car, and you get a car, and you get a car!"

Gen Z:
"Yo, you gettin’ a whip, you gettin’ a whip, everybody’s gettin’ a whip!"
(Slang: whip = car)

Gen Alpha:
"No cap, you get a ride, you get a ride, everyone’s gettin’ a ride!"
(Slang: no cap = seriously, no lie; ride = car)

With the RizzBot, you can instantly translate phrases commonly used by parents and teachers into something teens and tweens will actually understand (or at least listen to). Want to remind your kid to put on socks and shoes? Just ask the bot. Need to remind them to brush their teeth, flush the toilet, and wash their hands? The ChatBot’s got your back. And for teachers, instead of “Your assignment is due in five days,” you’ll get something like,
"Yo, y’all better drop that homework in five days, no cap!"

The goal isn’t just about making us sound cool, “bussin” or “straight fire”—it’s about meeting kids where they are, in a language they relate to. And hey, maybe it’ll cut down on the blank stares we get when we remind them to finish their homework.

Gen Z:
"Yo, you knock out that homework yet or what?"
(Slang: knock out = finish quickly)

Gen Alpha:
"Did you crush that homework, or still cooking?"
(Slang: crush = complete with ease; cooking = still working on it)

RizzBot

Gen Z vs. Gen Alpha: Who’s Who?

Before we dive into the latest slang, it helps to know who we’re talking about:

  • Gen Z (born 1997–2012): These kids are TikTok pros, grew up with Instagram, and are all about irony and memes. They carefully curate their digital presence and sprinkle their conversations with words like "no cap" (truth) and "lit" (awesome).
  • Gen Alpha (born 2013–present): If you’ve heard “skibidi” or “sigma,” then you’ve encountered the youngest of this bunch. Raised on YouTube, voice assistants and interactive games, Gen Alpha loves rapid, engaging content. Their slang evolves just as fast as their favorite TikTok challenges.
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Slang Cheat Sheet: What’s Hot Right Now

  • Bet: Gen Z’s way of saying "OK" or "for sure." If you tell your students to finish an assignment and they reply, "bet," you can expect it to get done.
  • Slay: To do something exceptionally well. If a student says, "You slayed that lesson," take it as high praise.
  • Rizz: Short for charisma, often used in a social context. If a student says someone "has rizz," they mean that person is smooth or charming.
  • Mid: This one’s not a compliment. It means average or underwhelming. If something’s “mid,” it didn’t quite hit the mark.
  • Gyat: If you hear this, know it’s a comment on physical appearance, not "heart size." Definitely a word better suited for TikTok than classroom discussions!
  • Cap: A term for lying or exaggerating. If a student says, "That’s cap," they’re calling out something as untrue. (“No cap” means they’re serious or not lying.)
  • Lowkey: Used to express something subtly or without making a big deal of it. For example, "I’m lowkey excited for the test" means they are excited but don’t want to hype it up.
  • Skibidi: A viral meme and song that defies explanation but delights kids, particularly Gen Alpha. It’s bizarre but harmless—just roll with it.
  • Sigma: Think of this as the new “cool.” It refers to someone who is independent, confident and marches to the beat of their own drum—basically, the kid in class who sits at the back but gets all their work done.
  • Bussin: This means something is really, really good, especially food. If students say the cafeteria lunch is bussin, it’s actually a compliment!
  • Drip: A way to describe someone’s outfit or style as particularly fashionable or impressive. For example, "Your outfit has drip!" means you’re looking sharp.
  • Yeet: A word often used when throwing something with force or excitement. It can also be used as an expression of excitement or approval, like "Yeet! I passed the test!"
  • Sus: Short for suspicious. If a student says someone or something is sus, they’re implying that something seems off or shady.
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Final Thoughts: The Power of Connection (No Cap)

Slang might seem like a puzzle, but it’s actually an opportunity. By learning these words—or just translating your everyday phrases through the RizzBot—you can connect with your kids and students in a way that’s fun and engaging.

Whether you’re decoding Macbeth into Gen Z speak or navigating your own middle schooler’s vocabulary, remember—it’s all part of building those relationships. And with AI at our fingertips, maybe this time we can keep up with the trends (including the inevitable eye roll, which defies generations).

Let’s slay the rest of the school year. No cap.

Join the AI and Education Community!

Join the team from the AI Educator Brain, which includes AFT’s Share My Lesson director Kelly Booz; New York City Public Schools teacher Sari Beth Rosenberg and EdBrAIn, our AI teammate (yes, it named and designed itself!). In this community, we will dissect the pros and cons of AI tools in education. Our mission: to determine how AI can support teaching and learning, and when it might be best to stick with tried-and-true methods.


 

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Kelly Booz
Kelly Carmichael Booz oversees the AFT PreK-12 online resources serving 2.1 million educators on the AFT's ShareMyLesson.com, the AFT's E-Learning professional development platform, and the production and dissemination of PreK-12 publication for the AFT's 1.7 million members. Kelly was appointed by... See More
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