Decoding 2025: The Ultimate Guide to Gen Alpha and Internet Slang
Introduction: The ROI of Sounding “Current”
If you are learning a language to pass a B2 exam, close this tab. Go back to your grammar drills and your flashcards about “the pen is on the table.”
But if you are learning a language to actually function in society, to date, to make friends, or to work in a startup in Berlin or Madrid, we need to have a serious talk about your vocabulary portfolio.
Language is an asset class. Standard textbook grammar is a safe, low-yield bond. It keeps you out of trouble, but it doesn’t get you any attention. Slang is crypto. It moves fast, it’s volatile, and if you buy in at the right time, the returns on social connection are massive. If you buy in too late, you look like a desperate dad trying to be cool.
[Image of “How do you do, fellow kids” meme]
By the time a word makes it into a textbook, it is dead. It has been killed, stuffed, and mounted on a wall. To learn the language that is actually spoken in 2025, you have to look at the internet. Specifically, you have to look at what Gen Alpha (and the trailing edge of Gen Z) are screaming into their phones.
Here is the “News Decoder” breakdown of the 2025 slang landscape.
The German Market: “Jugendwort des Jahres 2025”
Every year, Germany obsessionally votes on the “Jugendwort des Jahres” (Youth Word of the Year). It is usually a cringy affair where news anchors try to say words like “Cringe” or “Smash” with a straight face. But for a learner, this list is a goldmine.
Here are the top assets you need to acquire for your German portfolio this year.
1. “Talahon”
This is the big one. It’s controversial, it’s viral, and it’s everywhere.
- The Vibe: Derived from the Arabic Ta تعال huna (“come here”), “Talahon” refers to a specific subculture of young men found in German city centers (think Frankfurt or Berlin-Neukölln).
- The Uniform: Fake Gucci caps, Kenzo t-shirts, shoulder bags (Gucci/LV), and shadow boxing in public train stations.
- Usage: It started as a self-identifier but has morphed into a meme.
- Example: “Hast du den Typen am Hbf gesehen? Voll der Talahon.” (Did you see that guy at the main station? Total Talahon.)
[Image of stereotypical Talahon outfit with Gucci cap and shoulder bag]
2. “Schere” (Scissors)
This one is interesting because it’s a metaphor that became a single word.
- The Logic: Imagine the game Rock, Paper, Scissors. If you lose, you get cut. “Schere” is used when you admit you made a mistake, you are in a bad situation, or you just lost at life.
- Usage:
- Friend: “I just lost 500 Euro on crypto.”
- You: “Boah, Schere.” (Damn, that hurts/big loss.)
3. “Das Crazy”
Germans love stealing English words and using them slightly wrong.
- The Nuance: It’s not just “that’s crazy.” It’s used as a filler response when you aren’t really listening, or when something is mildly surprising. It’s the 2025 version of “Krass.”
The Spanish Market: Spain Edition
If you use Latin American slang in Madrid, people will understand you, but you’ll sound like a telenovela. If you want to survive a night out in Malasaña in 2025, you need to update your firmware.
1. “PEC”
This is the highest ROI word in Spain right now.
- The Origin: It stands for “Por El Culo” (Up the ass).
- Wait, what? I know. It sounds vulgar. In the past, “dar por el culo” meant to annoy someone. But in 2025 internet slang, PEC means something is iconic, amazing, or “serves.”
- The Shift: It’s similar to how “Mother” became a compliment in English
drag culture.
- Example: “Ese outfit… PEC.” (That outfit is incredible.)
2. “La Queso”
- The Origin: Short for “La que soporte.”
- The Meaning: “She who can handle it / deal with it.” It comes from a viral drag/telenovela moment.
- Usage: Use this when you are being unapologetic about who you are.
- Hater: “You are too loud.”
- You: “Y la queso.” (And deal with it.)
[Image of La Queso meme origin viral video]
The Global/English Index: Gen Alpha
Even if you are a native English speaker, if you are over 30, you might need a translator for these. These terms are bleeding into other languages (Germans use “Rizz” constantly now).
1. Fanum Tax
- Definition: The act of stealing a percentage of your friend’s food.
- Origin: Streamer Kai Cenat and his friend Fanum. Fanum would come into the room and “tax” the food.
- Usage:
- Scenario: You take a fry from your friend’s plate.
- You: “Fanum tax.”
2. Skibidi
- Definition: Honestly? It means everything and nothing. Usually “bad,” “weird,” or just a filler word.
- Origin: Skibidi Toilet, the viral YouTube series about heads in toilets.
- Warning: If you are over 25, do not use this. You cannot pull it off. You will look insane. Just understand it so you know when you are being mocked.
The “Cringe” Factor: A Warning
There is a fine line between “fluent” and “Steve Buscemi with a skateboard.”
Here is the strategy:
- Passive Recognition: Learn all these words so you understand the memes and the conversations around you.
- Active Usage (Limited): Pick one that fits your vibe. If you are a serious business person, don’t say “Skibidi.” But dropping a “Schere” when you drop your coffee? That’s funny. That shows cultural awareness.
Interactive Quiz: Are you a “Talahon” or a “Baddie”?
Scenario: You walk into a room and someone criticizes your outfit. What do you say?
- A) “I am sorry you feel that way.” (Textbook Robot)
- B) “Y la queso.” (Spanish Icon)
- C) Shadow box them. (Talahon)
- D) “Skibidi.” (You are 12 years old)
If you chose A: You need this blog. If you chose B or C: You are ready for the streets of Europe.
Stop learning the language of 1995. The world moves fast. Textbooks move slow. LearnWith.News gives you the daily news in English, German, Spanish, and Portuguese, broken down with the slang, idioms, and cultural context you actually need to survive.