American Slang
What is…
Formal
Language
Grammatically
correct English
 The English you
find in books

Informal
Language
Slang
 How people usually
talk

When to Use…
Correct English
In your other
English classes
 When you write
 When you speak in
formal situations

Slang

When talking to
your friends!
Making words shorter
 Do
you want to eat lunch?
 Do you wanna eat lunch?
 D'you wanna eat lunch?
 Wanna eat lunch?
Ain’t = am not/are not/is not
→ I ain't sure.
 You are not my boss. → You ain't
I
am not sure.
my boss
 He is not leaving.
– He ain’t leaving.
Gonna = going to
 What
are you going to do?
are you gonna do?
 I am not going to tell you.
– I am not gonna tell you.
– I ain’t gonna tell you.
→ What
Gotta = Have to
→ I gotta leave.
I
have to leave.
I
have to do my homework.
– I gotta do my homework.
Wanna = want to
want to go home. → I wanna go
home.
 I want to play table tennis.
I
– I wanna play table tennis.
Kinda = kind of (a little)
am kind of tired → I am kinda
tired
 She is kind of mad
I
– She is kinda mad
Gimme = Give me
 Give
me your money
your money
 Can
→ Gimme
you give me a hand?
– Can you gimme a hand?
Lemme = let me
→ Lemme go!
 Let
me go!
 Let
me see.
– Lemme see.
Ya = You
are you thinking? → What are
ya thinking?
 Do you want to play basketball?
 What
– Do ya want to play basketball?
– Do ya wanna play basketball?
– Wanna play basketball?
Whad’ya = What do you
do you think? → Whad’ya
think?
 What do you have to do?
 What
– Whad’ya have to do?
– Whad’ya gotta do?
Slang Terms
 How
we say things
Hello
 Hey
 Yo
How are you?
 What
is up?
Wassup?
 How
→ What’s up? →
is it going?
How’s it goin?
→ How’s it going?
Response to “What’s up?”
 Not
much, wassup with you?
Response to “How’s it goin?”
→ Awesome
 Fine/ok → Not bad
 Not good → Sucky
 Good
Friend
 Buddy
 Pal
 Dude
 Homie
Hello friend, how are you?


Hey dude, what’s up?
Yo homie, how’s it goin?
“I really like ______!”
 _______
is cool!
 _______ is awesome!
 _______ rules!
“I don’t like ______”
 _______
sucks!
 _______ is lame!
To pass the time


Hang out
Kick it
Calm down


Chill
Take it easy
I am sorry/excuse me
 My
bad
 My fault
It is OK
 It’s
all good
 Don’t worry about it
Goodbye



→ See ya
Catch ya later → Later
Peace out → Peace
See ya later
Conversation
A)
B)
A)
B)
A)
Hello, how are you.
I am good, friend, how are you?
I am fine. What are you going to do after school?
I want to watch Kung Fu panda.
I really like that movie! But I have to go to the dentist
at 5:00.
B) Oh, that/ that is (word that means bad)! Do you
want to pass the time together after that?
A) Sure! Hey, when are you going to give me the money
you owe me?
B) I’m sorry! I forgot, I will bring it tonight.
A) Calm down, friend. It is ok. See you tonight.
Goodbye.
B) Goodbye.