Why do I need to know slang?
We may be getting a little meta here, but we think it’s worth knowing this word so you can listen out for the words around it (or know when not to use this type of language).
What does it mean?
slang, which sounds like this, means ‘colloquial language’ or ‘slang’. These are the kinds of words and phrases you might not find in a textbook, but they are heard in everyday life.
By using slang vocabulary, you’ll be able to bring your sentences to life and sound like a true local.
The term is said to have been introduced into the German language by the writer and linguist Joachim Heinrich Campe at the beginning of the 19th century.
slang is shaped by the world around it, whether its regional factors or social circumstances of the time.
Here are a few examples of colloquial phrases and words:
horny means horny in German, but it is also used colloquially to describe anything you think is cool. In English, you might use the word ‘sick’ or ‘awesome’ in the same context.
Cool is another colloquial word that can mean lots of things. It is usually used to intensify the meaning of something very bad or something very good depending on the tone and context. So something disgusting is cooland something amazing can also be cool.
It does not matter to me translates to ‘that’s sausage to me’, and means you don’t give a toss.
That’s cheese translates to ‘that’s cheese’ and expresses that you mean something is absolute nonsense.
And a ruder one is: It’s the shit of the world. It means ‘that’s the arse of the world’ and refers to a place that is far away or very difficult to reach. In English you might say ‘back of beyond’.
You would hear these kinds of phrases in relaxed conversations in cafes and bars, but they aren’t so common in formal situations.
Use it like this:
Is that colloquial or can I use that with my boss?
Is that colloquial language or can I use it with my boss?
I like the colloquial phrase: on your neck!
I really like the colloquial phrase ‘this is on you!’