Okay listen. There’s English… and then there’s English-English. You know what I mean? Like, in school we learned:
“How are you?”
“I am fine, thank you. And you?”
Bro, nobody talks like that in real life. That’s textbook zombie English. 😅
When real people speak, they throw slang around. Like instead of saying “I am very tired,” they just go: “I’m beat” or “I’m dead.” (Not literally dead, don’t panic.)
So if you ever feel like your English sounds stiff, robotic, or like a 1990s English grammar book… learning some slang can save your life. Well, not literally life, but like… your cool points.
Let’s do this.
Okay, quick rant: slang is like biryani’s masala. Without it, the food (language) is bland. With it, boom — flavor, fun, personality.
If you only use formal English, you’ll sound okay… but maybe boring. If you add slang (correctly), you’ll sound natural. Like someone who actually hangs out with English speakers, not just memorizes grammar rules.
Alright, here’s my little list.
| Slang | Meaning | Urdu Example Translation |
|---|---|---|
| What’s up? | Hello / How are you? | کیا سین ہے؟ |
| I’m broke | I have no money | پیسے ختم، خالی جیب |
| Chill | Relax | آرام سے یار |
| Hang out | Spend time together | چلو گھومتیں ہیں |
| I’m dead | I’m very tired (or laughing too much) | تھک کے مرا گیا ہوں |
| No biggie | Not a problem | چھوٹی سی بات ہے |
| Bro / Dude | Friend | بھائی / یار |
| Kinda | Kind of (thoda sa) | بس تھوڑا سا |
| OMG | Oh my God (surprise) | ہائے اللہ! |
| Sick (slang) | Amazing, cool | واہ! زبردست |
So once I tried to sound cool in front of my cousin from UK. I said:
“Yo bro, that’s lit.”
He just looked at me and went:
“People don’t really say lit anymore, that was like 2016.”
💀 I wanted the earth to swallow me whole. Lesson: slang changes FAST. Use common ones, not TikTok-only one-week trends.
They memorize slang like it’s exam vocabulary. Then they use it everywhere. Like someone once told me in class:
“Teacher, your lecture is sick!”
Teacher did NOT take it as a compliment. 🤦♂️
So remember: slang is casual. Use it with friends, not in job interviews or with your dadi.
Try saying these sentences in your own life today:
It’ll feel weird at first, but then you’ll start sounding natural.
Yes, there’s a thing called Urban Dictionary. You search any slang word there and it explains (sometimes with weird jokes, but helpful).
But again… don’t overdo it. You don’t need 1000 slang words. Just 10–15 common ones are enough.
| Slang | Why Avoid | Urdu Equivalent |
|---|---|---|
| YOLO | Old, cringe now | زندگی ایک دفعہ ملتی ہے |
| Swag | Outdated | اسٹائل |
| On fleek | Nobody says this anymore | فٹ |
| Bae | Weird now | معشوق / دوست |
| Gucci (for good) | Feels fake | ٹھیک ہے |
See? Not every slang is cool forever. Some expire like milk.
A: Lol no. Unless your boss is your cousin too.
A: Watch recent shows/YouTubers. If you only hear it on old memes, it’s probably dead.
A: Then laugh with them. That’s the best way to learn.
A: Yesss. Brits say “mate,” Americans say “dude.” Brits say “cheers,” Americans say “thanks.” It’s fun though.
A: Not necessary, but it makes you sound chill and less robotic. So yeah, kinda important.
Learning slang is like adding emojis to your speech. It makes you sound alive, fun, casual. Don’t stress if you don’t know them all. Just grab a few common ones and sprinkle them in your daily talk.
And remember: even if you say something outdated like “swag,” it’s fine. People will laugh, and laughing is also a form of communication.
Check out our free English course or take the English-Urdu Quiz to earn a free diploma at Urdupro.info. Keep it chill!