American College Slang
Learn the real slang, expressions, and everyday language used by American college students.
American College Slang is your insider guide to the fun, fast-changing English used on U.S. campuses. Perfect for international students preparing to study in the United States—or anyone curious about American youth culture. Learn how students actually speak in dorms, dining halls, classrooms, parties, and everyday college life.
Sample Lesson: Meeting a Roommate
Read the dialogue → learn the slang → take the quiz.
Dialogue
Dan: Hi, I’m Dan. It’s nice to meet you!
Tim: I’m Tianyuan. That’s my Chinese name, but I go by Tim.
Dan: It’s great to meet you, Tim.
Tim: I like the basketball poster you hung up. Are the Chicago Bulls your favorite team?
Dan: Yes, I’m a huge fan! I grew up outside of Chicago.
Tim: I’m a basketball fan too. My favorite team is the Los Angeles Lakers.
Dan: Yeah, they’re pretty sick! Do you play, too?
Tim: You bet!
Dan: Cool, we have that in common. Maybe we can round up some dormmates and shoot some hoops later.
Tim: That would be very cool! Should we shoot for 4 o’clock?
Dan: Let’s play it by ear. I’ve got some stuff to take care of right now, but I’ll be back at the dorm around 2.
Tim: Sounds good!
Slang & Idioms in This Lesson
(to) go by — to prefer to be called by a certain name.
▶ His real name is Reginald, but he goes by his middle name, Alan.
fan — someone enthusiastic about a team, person, or band.
▶ Alex is a fan of Maroon 5. He’s seen them several times.
outside of — near another city or town.
▶ Angela grew up in Hoboken, outside of New York City.
sick — great; cool.
▶ That party last night was sick!
You bet! — yes; definitely.
▶ “Are you going?” — “You bet!”
cool — shows delight or approval.
▶ “I’m getting the new iPhone today.” — “Cool.”
(to) have in common — to share interests.
▶ We get along well, but we don’t have much in common.
dormmates — people living in the same dorm.
▶ By late September, I’d met all my dormmates.
(to) shoot some hoops — to play basketball.
▶ Come by the court later to shoot some hoops.
(to) shoot for — aim for a time.
▶ “What time?” — “Let’s shoot for 9.”
play it by ear — decide later.
▶ “Are you going?” — “We’ll play it by ear.”
I’ve got some stuff to take care of — errands or tasks.
▶ “Coming tonight?” — “Probably not. I’ve got some stuff to take care of.”
Sounds good! — I agree.
▶ “Pick you up at 7?” — “Sounds good!”
Quick Quiz
1) I’m not sure if I’m going to the talk tonight. I’ll play it ___ ear.
a. by
b. with
c. at
2) Her name is Caroline, but she goes ___ Carrie.
a. in
b. with
c. by
3) We have so much ___ common.
a. in
b. by
c. over
4) That party was really ___!
a. outside of
b. sick
c. fan
5) “Are you going?” — “___!”
a. Sounds good!
b. Cool
c. You bet!
6) We live in the same dorm, so we’re ___.
a. dormmates
b. fans
c. outside
7) After class, we’re going to ___ some hoops.
a. shoot for
b. shoot
c. play it by
8) I grew ___ outside San Francisco.
a. by
b. up
c. big
Answer Key: 1.a 2.c 3.a 4.b 5.c 6.a 7.b 8.b
Get the Full American College Slang Ebook
Learn 360+ slang expressions, real campus dialogues, and quizzes that help you sound natural and confident.
American College Slang is the perfect guide for international students, exchange students, ESL learners, and anyone curious about U.S. college culture. Learn the informal language used in dorm life, friendships, dating, parties, studying, campus dining, and everyday American student life.
Why Learning Slang Helps You Succeed in the U.S.
Research shows that to sound natural in English, you need more than grammar and vocabulary. You also need formulaic expressions—common phrases, slang, and idioms that native speakers use every day.
Linguists Pawley & Syder explain that native speakers communicate smoothly because they use many “ready-made” phrases. Knowing these expressions helps international students understand conversations more easily and speak more confidently.
Another study by D. Liu shows that idioms are an important part of listening comprehension and everyday communication. Idioms are used often in American speech, so learning them improves confidence and fluency.
Sources
- Pawley, A., & Syder, F. (1983). Two puzzles for linguistic theory: Nativelike selection and nativelike fluency.
- Liu, D. (2008). Idioms: Description, Comprehension, Acquisition, and Pedagogy.
