A Short Guide to German Jugendsprache/Slang

Jugendsprache (youth language) in Germany is the slang and expressions mostly used by younger Germans. Jugendsprache is ever evolving as it is mainly influenced by social media, much like the slang and trends in the United States--many of which also make their way to Germany. The fact that so many American/English trends/words become popularized and integrated into the vocabularies of younger Germans further exposes Germans to English and in many cases helps to spark interest in the English language and in American culture. 

Categories of Jugendsprache I’ve Heard

Anglicisms: Borrowing from English. Sometimes, but not always, with altered meanings.

-cringe (embarrassing or awkward, same as in English).

-random (unexpected or strange, roughly the same as its meaning in English slang).

-safe (definitely, for sure, absolutely) 

-baddie (same as English) 

Abbreviations and Acronyms: Shortened forms of words or phrases.
-YOLO (You Only Live Once, also an anglicism), 

-kp (kein Plan, "no idea").

-hdl (hab dich lieb, “I love you”) 

Cultural References: Phrases inspired by memes, social media, trends.
-Digger or Digga (colloquial for bro or dude and popularized by hip-hop culture).

-Bre or Brudi (bro or dude, largely influenced by German rap artists like Capital Bra and Haftbefehl) 

German Words used Ironically/Sarcastically: 

-Ehrenmann or Ehrenfrau (literally "honorable man/woman," used to describe someone who did something kind, almost always sarcastic).

Some more Jugendsprache: 

"Schischi"
Meaning: Fancy or over-the-top (sometimes used sarcastically).

Example: "Der Club war echt Schischi, aber lustig."
("The club was really fancy, but fun.")

"Stabil"
Meaning: Cool, impressive,  solid.

Example: "Das neue Album ist richtig stabil!"
("The new album is really impressive!")

"No front"

Meaning: "No offense," often used before or after a critique.

Example: "No front, aber dein Outfit ist echt wild."
("No offense, but your outfit is really wild.")

"Lost"

Meaning: Clueless or out of it (anglicism).

Example: "Ich war so lost in der Mathe-Klausur."
("I was so lost in the math exam.")

"Wild"

Meaning: Same as in English slang.

Example: "Die Party gestern war wild!"
("The party yesterday was wild!")

"Mashallah"

Meaning: An Arabic term meaning "God has willed it," used by German youth as slang to compliment something impressive or attractive.

Example: "Dein Auto ist Mashallah!"
("Your car is amazing!")

"Sus"

Meaning: Suspicious or shady (from "Among Us" you already know).

Example: "Das war echt sus, was er gesagt hat."
("That was really suspicious, what he said.")

"Auf Cringe"

Meaning: Doing something in an embarrassing way.

Example: "Er tanzt immer auf Cringe in der Öffentlichkeit."
("He always dances awkwardly in public.")

"Gönn dir"

Meaning: "Treat yourself," often used as encouragement.

Example: "Ich hab mir heute einen Döner geholt – gönn dir!"
("I got myself a Döner today – treat yourself!")