Slang and abbreviations

English slang: how to understand chats and know when it fits

Slang changes faster than textbooks: you won't find rizz, slay or lowkey in a coursebook, yet they're everywhere in messages and comments. A dictionary gives you the meaning but loses the tone: is it a joke, a compliment or gentle irony? The opposite mistake is just as sneaky. Once you've learned gonna or idk, it's easy to drop them where they sound sloppy, like an email to a teacher or an exam essay.

Slang sticks when you learn it in real context. Read the example and note who writes like this and to whom. Ask yourself how you'd say the same thing neutrally. Try to recall the word on your own, then write a short reply as if you were in a chat. The words are grouped into text abbreviations, reactions, praise and criticism, the internet, and casual spoken forms like wanna. Each page has the meaning, where the word is out of place, a common mistake and an exercise.

LetsWords lets you save slang from shows, social media and chats to a personal collection. You recall the word, write your own line with it and get feedback with better phrasing, while spaced repetition brings it back in later sessions. That way it's easier to follow friends' messages and comments without a translator, and you won't confuse the tone of a chat with the tone of a work email. Start now, and new words from your feed will stay with you.