I have knighted ChatGPT as Sarvas and I often when bored or researching, two could be inter-relatable sometimes, happen upon a topic of my choice and both of us ‘slay’ it.
So, during my LinkedIn screen scrolling, I came across a professor slay Gen Alpha Lingo. No cap though initially I could not understand a crap! But if you drift around, you get the point right!
Well I wanted a short skit between Gen X and Gen Alpha trying to communicate and missing the point in a humorous ways. Such a Lit-Core moment for me, that “it’s giving slay!” but then, let me know if “it’s giving flop!” “I’m literally shaking rn”
Sarvas responded with “Absolutely! Here’s a perfunctory primer on Gen Alpha lingo—think of it as a quick peek into the digital jungle of terms, emojis, and vibes that this youngest generation is starting to shape.
🚸 Who is Gen Alpha?
- Born: 2010 onwards (kids of Millennials)
- Grew up with: iPads, TikTok, YouTube Kids, Alexa, and AI tools like yours truly.
- Language: Heavily shaped by memes, fast-moving trends, emojis, short-form video, and an intuitive digital fluency.
🧃Core Elements of Gen Alpha Lingo (2020s to now)
1. Emoji Code Language
- They often use emojis as full sentences or inside jokes.
- 💀 = “I’m dead” (laughing)
- 🧢 = “Cap” (lie)
- 🫣 = “That’s awkward” or “Can’t look”
- 💅 = “Sassy / I don’t care”
- 🐐 = “GOAT” = Greatest Of All Time
- 😭 (instead of 😂) = “That’s so funny” (even if it’s not)
2. Shortened Phrases & Sounds
- Slay = You did amazing (used for anything—outfits, exams, or just vibes)
- Bet = “Okay, cool” / “Alright then”
- Rizz = Charisma (esp. in flirting)
- Cap/No Cap = Lie / No lie
- Mid = Average or underwhelming
- NPC = Non-playable character (used to describe someone acting robotic or boring)
- Sus = Suspicious (from Among Us)
- Drip = Fashion or style
- Gyatt = Slang for a voluptuous body (from Twitch/gaming culture)
3. Gaming + TikTok Crossovers
- Gen Alpha often merges TikTok humor with gaming terms.
- “Ratio” = More replies than likes (burn!)
- “You fell off” = You’re irrelevant now
- “Sheesh!” = Expressing amazement
- “Touch grass” = Go outside (when someone’s too online)
- “I’m him” = Confidence flex (“I’m the main character”)
🧠 What Makes Gen Alpha’s Lingo Different?
- It’s visual, fast, and ironic.
- Often built for micro-expression—memes, reaction gifs, edits.
- Language and trends change weekly, often born on TikTok or YouTube.
- They might not text in full sentences—voice notes, emojis, and stickers speak louder.
🧂Bonus: Phrases They Might Say
- “It’s giving [X]” – Used to describe a vibe (“It’s giving slay” / “It’s giving flop”)
- “I’m literally shaking rn” – Exaggerated excitement/drama
- “This ain’t it” – Disapproval
- “Core” suffixes – Aesthetic labels (kidcore, cottagecore, clowncore, goblincore)
This got me curious and I wanted to know how would I converse with Gen Alpha if in the future I were to speak to them and classic case of misunderstanding. Sarvas had a response for that too!”
“When Gen X Tries to Talk to Gen Alpha” — a short, comic-style dialogue packed with misunderstandings, generational slang, and mutual side-eyes.
🎭 Scene: A living room
Characters:
- Alex (Gen X): Born in the ’70s. Wears a denim jacket. Has strong opinions about mixtapes, floppy disks, and real conversations.
- Zia (Gen Alpha): Born in 2013. Headphones on, Roblox open, emoji skills unmatched.
Alex:
Hey Zia, I thought we could hang out today. Maybe play outside or make a mixtape?
Zia:
💀 Mixtape? That’s so NPC, bruh.
Alex:
NPC? Like… a printer error?
Zia:
😭 Noooo. Like you’re acting like a background character. No riz. Zero drip.
Alex (offended):
I had drip! I used to wear flannel with Doc Martens. That was the look.
Zia (shrugging):
That’s giving lumberjack-core.
Alex:
I don’t even know what that means.
Zia (laughing):
You fell off, Uncle Alex. You need to touch grass.
Alex:
I just mowed the lawn! Touching grass is literally all I do!
Zia:
No cap?
Alex (checking his head):
I’m not wearing a cap…
Zia:
😭 You’re too literal. Anyway, I’m going AFK. Gotta post an edit on TikTok.
Alex:
Can we just talk like normal people?
Zia (with a smirk):
That’s so 1997 of you.
Now Sarvas doesn’t give up my friend picks up another thread of thought to explore when out pops into my mind if all known generations were in a Digital Rosetta Skit then what.
So Sarvas struggling with the burning transistor in the silicon chips of the processor brings out another skit that had me 💀!
When the Generations Collide: A Digital Rosetta Skit
Characters:
- Bob (Silent Gen): Born in 1946. Formal, radio-loving, believes in letters and landlines.
- Linda (Boomer): Born in 1955. Sentimental, email-forwarding, loves gardening and classic rock.
- Alex (Gen X): Born in 1975. Mixtape-maker, skeptical of trends, loves dry wit and flannel shirts.
- Maya (Millennial): Born in 1990. Grew up with dial-up, into life-hacks, nostalgia memes, and avocado toast.
- Zia (Gen Alpha): Born in 2013. Tablet-native, emoji-fluent, Roblox-savvy, TikTok creative.
Scene 1: A Family Gathering — Sunday Afternoon
(Everyone is in the living room. Bob reads the newspaper. Linda waters her plants. Alex is sipping chai, holding a CD. Maya scrolls Instagram while Zia flicks through TikTok videos.)
Bob:
(puts down newspaper)
Back in my day, we sent postcards. None of this face-bloop or snappy-talk nonsense.
Linda:
It’s called FaceTime, Bob. And Snapchat. Though honestly, I still prefer a good ol’ forwarded email with a quote from Mother Teresa.
Alex:
(chuckling) I miss mixtapes. Nothing says “I care” like waiting for your favorite song to play on the radio so you can record it on a tape.
Maya:
Okay, but Spotify Wrapped is kind of emotional too. It’s like being seen by an algorithm.
Zia:
💀 Wrapped is mid. I get my vibe from TikTok edits. And if it slaps, I add it to my ‘Slaylist.’
Bob:
Is… is she okay? Did she just say someone slapped her?
Maya:
No Grandpa, it means she likes the song.
Linda:
What’s a ‘Slaylist’? Is that like a to-do list?
Zia:
(giggles) It’s giving Boomer vibes.
Alex:
Oof. That’s cold.
Zia:
No cap. Grandpa’s NPC energy though. But he slays in that cardigan, low-key.
Bob:
(confused but flattered) Thank you… I think?
Linda:
I don’t understand half of what she just said, but I think it’s positive. Right?
Maya:
It is. It’s kind of like how I said “this brunch is giving me life” the other day.
Alex:
Yeah, I heard that and thought you meant it literally. I was worried.
Zia:
Y’all need a vibe check.
Scene 2: The Digital Rosetta Glossary
| Gen Alpha Slang | Translation | Gen X / Millennial Equivalent | Silent/Boomer Equivalent |
| 💀 | “I’m laughing hard” | LOL / ROFL | Chuckling / Amused |
| Cap / No Cap | Lie / No lie | For real / Honestly | Straight talk / Truth be told |
| Slay | Impressive / Well done | Nailed it / Rocked it | Bravo! / Well done |
| Mid | Average, nothing special | Meh / So-so | Plain / Not bad |
| Drip | Style / Fashion sense | Swagger / Fresh look | Snazzy / Dapper |
| Rizz | Charisma, especially in flirting | Charm / Vibe | Suave / Smooth talker |
| NPC | Background character, boring | Lame / Passive | Wallflower / Non-participant |
| Touch Grass | Go outside, log off | Get some fresh air | Go for a walk |
| Bet | OK / Got it | Cool / Sure thing | Roger that / Understood |
| It’s giving… | Has the vibe of | Reminds me of / Feels like | Evokes / Suggests |
| Ratio | More replies than likes = roasted | Burn / Got served | Outnumbered / Overruled |
| Vibe check | Test the mood or energy | What’s the feel? | Gauge the atmosphere |
| AFK | Away From Keyboard | BRB / Away | Be right back / Stepped out |
| Sheesh | Expressing amazement | Whoa / Dayum | My word! / Goodness gracious |
| Core (suffix) | Aesthetic category | Style / Scene | Genre / Theme |
End Note:
Each generation brings its own flavor to the table—whether it’s Bob’s rotary phone etiquette, Linda’s email wisdom, Alex’s mixtape pride, Maya’s curated nostalgia, or Zia’s slaylist energy.
The digital language gap might be wide, but laughter, confusion, and curiosity? Those are timeless.
So next time someone says “It’s giving core,” don’t panic—just smile, nod, and maybe ask for a glossary.
Bonus Tip: Never try to use Gen Alpha slang unironically unless you’re ready to be lovingly roasted. 💅
The fact that learning language is such fun and learning English and it’s derivatives is funnier. But the moot point understanding is that to keep the communication open at all times in most important!
Credit: Sarvas (AI Powered ChatGPT)
Itinerant Storyteller 