Slang is the friendly, casual English you hear between friends but rarely see in textbooks. This guide lists 20 current, safe, genuinely common slang words — things like cool, hang out, no worries, and my bad — grouped by what they do in a conversation.
All of these are casual. Use them with friends, coworkers you know well, and in relaxed situations — not in a formal email or a job interview. Each one comes with a plain meaning and a quick note on how to use it.
Reacting and agreeing
These are the words you sprinkle in to show you're on board or impressed.
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Cool | Good, fine, I agree (casual) |
| Awesome | Great, excellent (casual) |
| Sick | Amazing (younger slang) |
| I'm down | Yes, I'm in — let's do it |
| I'm up for it | Also a keen yes (see note) |
A fun twist: "I'm down" and "I'm up for it" mean the same happy yes, even though "up" and "down" are opposites. Both are casual and common.
Spending time and hanging out
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Hang out | Spend relaxed time together |
| Chill | Relax; also means "calm" |
| Grab | Get, casually — "grab a coffee" |
You'll hear "grab" constantly: "Let's grab lunch," "I'll grab a coffee." It just means get, in a quick and casual way.
Smoothing things over
These small phrases keep conversations warm and easy.
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| No worries | It's fine / you're welcome |
| My bad | My mistake (casual apology) |
| No big deal | It's not a problem |
| Heads up | A friendly warning |
"Just a heads up" means "here's some early warning so you're prepared" — very useful at work and with friends alike.
Greeting and addressing people
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| What's up | Hi / how are you (casual) |
| Dude | Casual "you" or a reaction |
| Guys | A group of people |
"Dude" and "guys" are worth a note. Among young people, "dude" can address almost anyone, though it still reads a bit male. "You guys" is a super common way to address a mixed group — but some people now prefer "everyone" or "folks" as a clearer, more inclusive choice. Both "everyone" and "folks" are always safe.
Handy everyday slang
A last set that fills in the gaps in casual speech.
| Slang | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Kind of / sort of | A little; not fully ("kind of far") |
| A bunch of | A lot of |
| Stuff | Things in general |
| Broke | Having no money right now |
| Literally | Casual emphasis (often not literal) |
"Broke" means temporarily out of money ("I'm broke till payday") — it doesn't mean poor. And "literally" is often just emphasis: "I literally can't wait" isn't meant word-for-word. Native speakers stretch it all the time.
That's twenty. Slang shifts over time, so the smart move is to recognize far more than you produce — and only say the ones you've actually heard around you. When in doubt, a neutral word is never wrong.
Keep learning English
Slang makes you sound relaxed and human, but it sits on top of solid everyday English — so build that base first. Practice casual phrases out loud with audio in the Pretalk app, and firm up the grammar underneath with our free English grammar guides.
