New York slang: 175 fun, unique & mainstream NYC lingo terms

There’s no place like New York City. Known as “the city that never sleeps,” it’s packed with people of countless cultures (both foreigners and locals), is lit up and bustling at all times of the day and night, offers some of the best cuisines in the world, and provides experiences and sites that are truly unforgettable.

When you’re exploring the Big Apple, it’s easy for all of your senses to be highly stimulated– and that includes your hearing.

Conversing with local New Yorkers can sometimes feel like they’re speaking a whole other language while you’re speaking English. Needless to say, it can be mad annoying, no cap, bro.

See what we mean? That’s why we’ve written this article – to help you get familiar with NYC slang and understand the local lingo. We gotchu – So keep reading!

Why you need to know New York slang

At the time this blog was written (August, 2022), New York City’s population is a whopping 8.93 million. That’s a whole lot of people to put on just a little over 300 square miles!

Considering this and the diverse population of the city, it should come as no surprise that word travels fast– including slang terms. NYC slang is constantly evolving and changing, so when you do visit, you should do your homework ahead of time and be ready when you do chat with the locals, even if you are just ordering a pie or baconeggandcheese.

So why know New York City slang and colloquialisms anyway? Because you can:

• Have a better understanding of the New York way of life
• Feel and even appear less of a tourist, giving you a more authentic and local experience during your stay
• Make lifelong friends in “the greatest city on Earth”
• Dodge potential misunderstandings
• Simply expand your English vocabulary and conversational abilities!

Click here if you’re looking for more general American slang expressions from all over the United States.

General NYC Slang

No matter which of the five boroughs you find yourself in, you are likely to hear any one of the below New York slang terms there. 

Bronx slang

While the above section is a more generalized collection of New York lingo, each borough tends to use certain phrases more or less often than others do.

The Bronx, home of the Bronx Bombers (better known as The New York Yankees), is just one of five boroughs in NYC and is home to 1.37 million people. Aside from the above section’s terms, you can hear Bronxites using these phrases as well:

Queens slang

To the south of the Bronx and east of Brooklyn lies Queens, the second most populous borough with 2.4 million people. Fun fact for you: Queens is the most diverse urban area in the world, as there is no ethnic group that is above 50% of its population!

Here are just some of the Queens slang terms you could hear from Queensites while wandering about the eclectic streets of this borough:

Brooklyn slang

Brooklyn, known far and wide for its eccentric yet enthralling and welcoming culture, is New York’s most populous borough: 2.6 million! Here are a few key Brooklyn slang expressions to add to your repertoire.

Manhattan slang

Manhattanites, too, have their very own commonly used Manhattan slang, especially the following:

Staten Island slang

And last, but certainly not least: Staten Island. Staten Island, which is often and unfortunately referred to as the “forgotten borough,” does use essentially all of the aforementioned slang terms but especially these:

New York slang FAQs

1. What are some New York text slang abbreviations?

2. What are some slang names for New York City by locals?

• The Big Apple
• Gotham City
• The City that Never Sleeps
• The Empire State
• The Melting Pot
• America’s City
• Center of the Universe
• The Five Boroughs

A word on “you good”

We all know the common greeting, “How are you?” Granted, you are likely to run into that in NYC, but there is one slang phrase that equates it and is used very often as well: “You good?”

While “you good” can mean “how are you?” (and often it does, especially when used in a question), it can also mean different things as well, like:

• Are you okay?
• Do you need help?
• How have you been?
• Is there a problem?
• What’s up?
• What’s up? (in a threatening, provoking way)
• Don’t worry about it.
• Stop.

Simply be careful with how you use it and the way you inflect your speech! But don’t worry, we believe in you– you good.

Welcome to New York City, real talk

New York City is easily one of the most vibrant and liveliest cities in the world, even in its unique use of the English language! So hit the streets, bruh, don’t forget to have a good time and bring our list of New York slang words with you, ‘na mean?

Remember to keep expanding your language knowledge on our English blog, right here. It’s fun and it’s free.

We out!

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