California Slang Everyone Should Know

California, a.k.a. the Golden State, is known for a lot of cool things like its beaches, its weather, theme parks, landmarks, food, etc. But what about the slang? Believe it or not, California has a lot of slang words that define the culture. Whether you're in northern or southern California, here are some words to help not look like an outsider whenever you visit.

BAIL: Usually this word is associated with bail bonds, as in dealing with criminals, but people in California use this word to indicate that they are trying to leave an area. "Dude, this party sucks, I'm gonna bail."

BOMB: Like "time bomb" but different, bomb is when you really like or enjoy something. For example: "That burrito was so bomb, I love the melted cheese with the sour cream and guacamole," or, "Those pants are the bomb! Where'd you get them?

BUTTHURT: For people that are easily offended or pretend to be drama queens. Example: "Don't get so butthurt, it was only a joke," or, "Sarah got butthurt because her boyfriend ignored her text."

BUM OR BUMMING: To borrow. When someone wants something from you, they'll say, "Let me bum a cigarette bro, I don't have any," or, "I need to bum a ride to work today, my car is in the shop."

DANK: This is usually reserved for a foul odor, but people mainly use it to describe very potent marijuana. "That is some dank weed, gonna have to put it in a Ziploc bag."

DRAG: Meaning smoking something, as in, "Can I get a drag of your joint?" It could also be used to describe someone who's a buzzkill, like, "Don't be such a drag! You're ruining the party; you're dragging me down with all your complaining."

HEAVY: Very sad or depressing. Used whenever you're having a deep conversation with a friend or when someone has bad news to tell, or like I said earlier in reference to weed. "Bill's mom just died of cancer, that's some heavy shit!" "Your ideas about space are some pretty heavy shit man!" "This weed is some heavy shit, I'm gonna be stoned for hours."

CRASH: Reference to car accidents, or when you're tired. "Hey, I can't go to the party, I gotta crash. I'm so tired." "I just got evicted, can I crash at your place?"

MOB: Moving in a large crowd or group. "My friends and I were mobbing through the mall looking for girls."

POST UP: To sit idly in any area. "Let's post up in the parking lot of McDonald's after we go to the concert." "Let's post up here and wait for Megan."

PUT ON BLAST: Putting other people's business out in the open, or embarrassing someone in front of a crowd. "I can't believe you put their relationship on blast!" "Why'd you put him blast for his lisp?"

ROCK: To wear stylish clothes. Example: "I like to rock my blue hat with the grey shirt."

BOSS: Someone who's in charge of their own life. "Paul is such a boss, nobody tells him what to do." Another example is a person that calms everyone else down during a crisis or stressful situation: "You handled that like a boss."

BALLER: Something cool or expensive. The word also could be used to describe someone, like, "Mike has a baller house," or, "He's such a baller, he's got the best looking cars and the most expensive clothes money can buy."

DUB: Slang for $20.

GNARLY: Intense or terrifying. Surfers obviously use this term a lot. "That wave looks so gnarly, I'm not going to attempt to surf it."

HELLA: Overabundance of something.

HYPHY: Crazy, stupid.

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