ICYMI Millennial-Speak

A Boomer’s Guide to Millennial-Speak

You are sitting in a diner reading the latest content marketing news when your twenty-something waitress appears at your table. Here comes the Millennial-Speak.

“Sorry bae, the cook totes just like bailseys. I can’t even. Like, but anyways here’s your pancakes with bluebs, and eggs ova easy! See what I did there?”

Your mind reels, wondering what language this person has said, but then you realize that this is the language of the generation. Are you feeling like you need a slang translator? Here’s a quick, down and dirty guide to millennial slang words.

First, let’s make sure you are giving a hundo-P (hundred percent). The struggle is real (an annoying event) for millennials who are trying to be on fleek (looking good). Boomers and Gen-Xers cannot stand when they use terms like dude in a professional setting, but you literally used that word for everything while they were growing up.

Sorry, not sorry (not remorseful for their action) but you’re totes (totally) going to have to deal with it. Millenials are ready to dipset (bail out) on your lame conversations about your old school office politics fo-sho (for sure) cuz (because) they are more interested in checking things off their bucket list (a list of activities to do before they die) than listening to you.

You think you’re so snatched (looking good) in your suit, but the anxious generation is more relaxed in their Patagucci. (Clothing initially intended for activewear, now used as fashion) outfits that are more comfy-boots (comfortable, plus boots for emphasis) for biking into work.

Just as the culture of the Baby Boomers to the Gen-Xers was different, so has gone the millennial-speak. Maybe the overuse of superlatives from Gen-X was too totally bodaciously radical for the kids of today. Or maybe in a world of instant information, they just want a more efficient way to get what is in their heads out to others.

Rather than giving a surly look, and asking “What’s your damage, dude?” to the young man in an Aeropostale hoodie, lift up your Starbucks secret menu drink and give a salute. The millennial is getting the same looks that Gen-Xers got from Baby Boomers, and Boomers got from the Greatest Generation.