Studying abroad is an incredible opportunity that opens doors to new experiences, cultures, and languages. For international students, immersing oneself in a different country brings exciting adventures, but it can also present linguistic challenges. Understanding colloquial phrases and expressions unique to the English language can be a key aspect of feeling comfortable and integrated into a new academic environment. Here’s a guide to help non-native English speakers prepare for common expressions encountered while studying abroad:
Embracing Cultural Lingo
1. “What in the world?”
Meaning: Expresses surprise, confusion, or disbelief.
Example: “What in the world made you choose this course?”
2. “Seriously, though?”
Meaning: Seeks confirmation or emphasizes the seriousness of a statement.
Example: “Seriously, though, do you think the professor will accept late submissions?”
3. “Can you believe it?”
Meaning: Expresses shock or disbelief, seeking agreement.
Example: “Can you believe it? The campus library closes at midnight!”
4. “No way, right?”
Meaning: Expresses skepticism or surprise, seeking confirmation.
Example: “No way, right? We have a test next week already?”
5. “Is this for real?”
Meaning: Questions the truth or authenticity of a situation.
Example: “Is this for real? There’s a student discount for travel passes?”
So far, so good!
Here are 20 more common English phrases along with their meanings
1. “Piece of cake!”
Meaning: Refers to something easy or simple.
Example: “Don’t worry, the assignment will be a piece of cake for you.”
2. “Hang in there!”
Meaning: Encouragement to persevere or stay strong during tough times.
Example: “You’ll get through this difficult course. Just hang in there!”
3. “Hit the books.”
Meaning: To study intensively or focus on academic work.
Example: “I need to hit the books for the upcoming exams.”
4. “Break a leg!”
Meaning: An expression of good luck, often used before a performance or exam.
Example: “Break a leg on your presentation tomorrow!”
5. “Raining cats and dogs.”
Meaning: Used to describe heavy rainfall.
Example: “I won’t go out; it’s raining cats and dogs!”
6. “Cost an arm and a leg.”
Meaning: Something very expensive.
Example: “Studying abroad can cost an arm and a leg, but it’s worth it.”
7. “Bite the bullet.”
Meaning: To endure a painful or difficult situation.
Example: “I’ll have to bite the bullet and finish this assignment tonight.”
8. “Get the hang of it.”
Meaning: To become skilled or comfortable with something.
Example: “It took a while, but I finally got the hang of using the campus bus system.”
9. “Under the weather.”
Meaning: Feeling unwell or sick.
Example: “I won’t attend class today; I’m feeling a bit under the weather.”
10. “Jump on the bandwagon.”
Meaning: To join a popular trend or activity.
Example: “Everyone’s using that app; I might as well jump on the bandwagon.”
11. “Once in a blue moon.”
Meaning: Something that happens very rarely.
Example: “I go home for vacations once in a blue moon.”
12. “Spill the beans.”
Meaning: To reveal a secret or share confidential information.
Example: “She promised not to spill the beans about the surprise party.”
13. “Keep an eye out.”
Meaning: To watch or be vigilant for something.
Example: “Keep an eye out for the professor; she might pop in for a surprise visit.”
14. “The ball is in your court.”
Meaning: It’s your turn to make a decision or take action.
Example: “I’ve given you all the information; now the ball is in your court.”
15. “Bite off more than you can chew.”
Meaning: To take on more responsibilities than one can handle.
Example: “I think I bit off more than I can chew with these extracurricular activities.”
16. “Back to the drawing board.”
Meaning: To start over after a failed attempt.
Example: “The experiment didn’t work; it’s back to the drawing board.”
17. “Call it a day.”
Meaning: To finish work or an activity for the day.
Example: “I’m exhausted; let’s call it a day and continue tomorrow.”
18. “Spitting image.”
Meaning: Resembling someone closely, usually a family member.
Example: “She’s the spitting image of her grandmother.”
19. “The elephant in the room.”
Meaning: A noticeable issue that everyone is avoiding.
Example: “Let’s address the elephant in the room: our project deadline is looming.”
20. “Caught between a rock and a hard place.”
Meaning: Facing a difficult decision with no good options.
Example: “I’m caught between a rock and a hard place; both choices seem equally challenging.”
Strategies for Adaptation
- Engage in Conversations: Interact with local students and engage in conversations to become familiar with colloquial expressions used in everyday language.
- Watch Movies/TV Shows: Watch English-language movies or TV series with subtitles to grasp context and understand how phrases are used in different situations.
- Language Exchange Programs: Join language exchange programs or conversation groups to practice speaking and understanding informal language.
- Ask for Clarification: Don’t hesitate to ask for clarification when you come across unfamiliar expressions. Locals are often happy to explain and help you adapt to their language.
Before you go take a look at these slang terms too!
Gen Z Slang terms
- Asf: Short for “as fuck.” It gained popularity through TikTok in 2022. Example: “That is lame asf.”
- Asl: Short for “as hell,” unrelated to the early internet slang for “age/sex/location.” Its “as hell” definition stems from TikTok. Example: “Your shirt looks cool asl.”
- Based: Initially an African-American vernacular for being addicted or acting as if one was addicted to crack cocaine. It’s now used to indicate an opinion or something someone agrees with, especially in political discussions. Example: “Your opinion is based.”
- Basic: Used to denote those who prefer mainstream products, trends, and music. Example: “Those girls over there look so basic.”
- Beat your face: To apply makeup to the face, popularized around 2015 by makeup influencers on social media. Example: “I’m almost ready for my date night, just have to beat my face real quick.”
- Bestie: Short for “best friend,” sometimes used jokingly with someone one does not have a close relationship with. Example: “You are my number one bestie.”
- Bet: Used to affirm or agree, derived from African-American vernacular and campus slang. Example: “You want to get ice cream after school? Bet.”
- Big yikes: Used to describe something embarrassing or cringey, especially in response to an offensive comment. Example: “Wow, when he failed that stunt, that was a big yikes.”
- Body count: A euphemism for the number of people one has had sex with. Example: “I heard her body count was over 20.”
- Boujee: Refers to a high-class or materialistic person, derived from the French term “bourgeoisie.” Example: “You must live in a castle since you’re acting boujee.”
- Bussin’: Used to describe good food, originating from African-American vernacular. Example: “This salad is bussin’.”
- Clapback: A swift and witty response to an insult or critique, popularized on Twitter. Example: “He was being mocked, so he clapped back and made the whole room go quiet.”
- Dab: A dance move used as a gesture of triumph, originating from Japanese popular culture and adopted by rap groups. Example: “He dabbed on the haters.”
- Dank: Used to describe an ironic internet meme, stemming from marijuana culture and later evolving to describe high-quality content. Example: “I like dank memes.”
- Ded: Used to describe something so humorous that it’s as if it “kills you,” emerging from internet slang in the early 1990s. Example: “I am literally ded, that was hilarious.”
- Drip: Refers to trendy high-class fashion, with a disputed origin ranging from rap scenes to TV shows. Example: “Cool drip, where’d you buy it?”
- Fanum tax: Either used as an exclamation when showcasing the absurdity of slang or refers to the act of taking one’s food, usually in a playful manner. Example: “I’m inclined to fanum tax some of your fries.”
- Glow-up: A significant improvement in oneself, especially in appearance, confidence, and style. Example: “Their glow-up over the summer was insane.”
- G.O.A.T.: Abbreviation for “Greatest Of All Time.” Example: “You’re the GOAT.”
- Gyatt: Short for “God Damn.” Used to express admiration for someone’s appearance, particularly regarding curves. Example: “Did you see her latest post? Gyatt!”
- Hits different: Something that is better in a peculiar manner, originating from fan reactions to YouTube content. Example: “Sprite from McDonald’s just hits different.”
- IJBOL: An acronym for “I just burst out laughing,” used as an alternate version of “lmao” or “lol.” Example: “You’re hilarious, IJBOL.”
- I oop: Used to express shock, embarrassment, or amusement, popularized by drag queen Jasmine Masters. Example: “Did she just fall? I oop.”
- It’s giving…: Describes the attitude or connotation of something or someone, possibly stemming from ball culture. Example: “It’s giving yuck.”
- Iykyk: Acronym for “If you know, you know,” describing inside jokes. Example: “I’m not saying this, but well… iykyk.”
- Let him cook: This phrase means to give someone space to proceed uninterrupted, especially when they’re saying or doing something provocative, hoping for an entertaining or agreeable result. Example: “Hold on, let him cook.”
- L+Ratio: An insult primarily used online, combining the terms “L” (meaning loss) and “ratio” when a reply gains more traction than the original post. Example: “I don’t care about your argument, L+Ratio.”
- Lit: Colloquially used to mean “enlightened,” “hot,” or “fire,” indicating something remarkable, interesting, fun, or amusing. Example: “That party was lit!”
- Moot/Moots: Short for “mutuals” or “mutual followers.” Example: “I only let my moots reply to my posts.”
- No Cap/Capping: “No cap” means being truthful, while “capping” refers to lying or exaggerating. Example: “You actually got tickets to the Bad Bunny concert? You’re capping.”
- NPC: Someone who cannot think for themselves and/or has little control over their life, likened to non-player characters in video games. Example: “He’s such an NPC, he has no personality.”
- OK Boomer: A dismissive phrase directed at the Baby Boomer generation to mock outdated attitudes or opinions. Example: “You think climate change doesn’t exist? OK Boomer.”
- Opp: Short for “opposition” or “enemies,” used to describe an individual’s opponents. Example: “I have to be careful, my opps are over there.”
- Out of pocket: To be crazy, wild, or extreme, sometimes considered too far. Example: “That comment was out of pocket.”
- Period/Perioduh: Used to add emphasis to a subject, similar to the British term “full stop.” Example: “You were awesome out there, period.”
- Pluh: Used as a conversation stopper when there’s nothing left to say, originating as a tag in music that became a meme on TikTok. Example: Person 1: “Soo…uhhh, yeah” Person 2: “Pluh” (walks away)
- Ratio: When a reply on social media gains more attention (likes, retweets, etc.) than the original post. Example: “That ratio was crazy!”
- Rizz: Refers to one’s charm or seduction skills, coined by a YouTuber and gaining virality on TikTok. Example: “He has all the rizz, he gets every girl.”
- Sheesh: Used to praise someone when they’re doing something good, often accompanied by a gesture made popular by a basketball player. Example: “Sheesh, those shoes are stylish.”
- Shook: To be shocked, surprised, or bothered, especially prominent in hip-hop culture from the 1990s. Example: “I am shook after that.”
- Simp: Refers to sycophancy or being overly affectionate in pursuit of a romantic relationship, gaining popularity on social media platforms. Example: “Stop simping for that girl, she doesn’t even know you.”
- Situationship: Describes an ambiguous romantic relationship that’s not clearly defined between dating and not dating. Example: “I don’t really know if he likes me or not, so for now it’s a situationship.”
- Sksksk: Used to convey happiness or laughter, originating from keysmashing and associated with VSCO girls. Example: “OMG that’s so funny sksksksk.”
- Slaps: Used to refer to something perceived as good, particularly music. Example: “This song slaps.”
- Slay: To do something well or flawlessly, originating from Black and Latino queer culture. Example: “She slayed in her new album.”
- Soft-launch: Describes implying a relationship discreetly on social media, particularly when the relationship isn’t official and could easily end. Example: “We’re still testing the waters, so right now it’s a soft launch.”
- Stan: Supporting something or someone excessively, often associated with obsessive support of celebrities. Example: “Do you stan Taylor Swift?”
- Sus: Short for “suspect” or “suspicious,” gained popularity from the game Among Us and became mainstream during the COVID-19 pandemic. Example: “You’re acting pretty sus.”
- Tea: Refers to gossiping or spilling the tea, originating from Black drag culture. Example: “So, what’s the tea?”
- Understood the assignment: To understand what needs to be done and do it well, popularized by a rapper’s statement. Example: “When he got up on stage, he understood the assignment.”
- Valid: Seen as socially acceptable or valid, particularly in online discourse regarding behavior or opinions. Example: “I agree, your opinion is valid as hell.”
- Vibe check: To assess someone’s personality or attitude, gained prominence on Twitter. Example: “You need a vibe check.”
- Wig: To do something exceptionally well, originating from Black LGBT ballroom culture and popularized by a singer. Example: “You always wig whenever you write a song.”
- Yap: To talk excessively or say many words without meaning, becoming a TikTok trend in 2023. Example: (Person 1: “So I just need a Petroleum Tank, and lighter fluid to construct…” Person 2: “Quit yapping”)
- Yeet: To throw something forcefully or used as a positive exclamation, popularized in 2018. Example: “He yeeted that pencil across the classroom!”
- Zesty: Refers to being effeminately or flamboyantly gay, gaining popularity in 2022 on TikTok. Example: “He was lowkey acting zesty.”
Cultivating Confidence
Remember, language learning is a journey, and embracing local idioms is part of the experience. Initially, these phrases might seem puzzling, but with time and practice, they’ll become second nature. Embrace the learning process, stay curious, and don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
Studying abroad offers a chance not only to gain academic knowledge but also to immerse oneself in a new culture. Embracing the language, including its colloquialisms, is an essential step toward a fulfilling and enriching experience.
By proactively familiarizing yourself with common expressions, you’ll be better equipped to navigate conversations, make friends, and feel more at home in your new academic environment.
Cheers to an exciting journey of language and cultural exploration!
