How to Talk Like a Skater

Co-authored by Jon Depoian

Last Updated: July 24, 2022

Skaters might as well have their language. Sometimes it is hard to understand what they are saying, and it can be even harder to learn to talk like one. But this wikiHow will describe common terms that skaters use, and teach you how to talk like one simply and understandably.

Steps

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1
Use certain phrases. Common words include:
- Newb or Newbie- A Beginner. ( So I see you must be a newbie, huh dude?)
- Sick - The connotation varies. Sometimes used to describe something awesome. Other times it is used to say something was horrible.
- Insane - Way crazier than sick
- Sketchy - A negative word. It can be used to...
  - Describe a skate spot. (Ex. A rail that was bent and rusty)
  - Describe a person. (Ex. Some guy trying to get you to come and talk to him in a dark alley)
  - Describe the landing. (Ex. Someone almost falls when they land a trick. Usually, a person shakes abnormally/does repetitive small kickturns to regain their balance.)
- Stoked - Excited or happy about something.
- Pop - Slamming the tail of your board into the ground (what must be done to do most tricks). Can also be used to describe how well your board pops up when the tail is smacked into the ground (Ex. A board that doesn't go very high would be described as having bad pop. Boards that go high would have good pop.)
- Nose - The front of a board.
- Tail - The back of a board.
- Dude - Can be used as a pronoun (Ex. Did you see what that dude just did?). Also, it can be used as an interjection (Ex. (You get slapped) Dude!)
- Chick - Girl
- Clean - A perfect landing. Clean is the total opposite of sketchy.
- Crash - Sleep
- Poser - Someone who says that they are better than anyone when they can barely do anything.
- Rad - Something cool, like sick
- Ill - Sicker than sick
- Douche - Someone uncool, a loser.
- Knarly - Cool
2
Also call tricks (not all the time) by their alternate names. For example:
- Frontside 360 heelflip - Laser flip
- Varial double kickflip - nightmare flip
- 360 flip - Tre-flip
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3
Try being sarcastic. It's cool.
- Bogart- To hog something, not share (ex. (Don't bogart the chips dude)
- Snake- To skip or someone who skips you when skating in order (That dude is a total snake)
- Steeze- Style, it comes from "style with ease"( That dude has some steeze)
- Grommets- A Grommet or Grom is a kid (usually under the age of 12) who is usually (but not necessarily) new to skateboarding.
- ABD- the acronym stands for Already Been Done
- Max out- To do every trick on (Dude Dustin maxed out that rail so anything u do on it is ABD)
- Chill- To be calm/cool
- Chillax- To be calm/cool and relaxed

Community Q&A

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Question

Do some guys use it to impress girls?

Community Answer

Some do, but it depends on the girl whether it impresses her or not.

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What does "livin' on the rise" mean?

Community Answer

"Livin' on the rise" typically refers to having very rich parents and being spoiled as a result.

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Can skater girls use these tips too?

Community Answer

Yes, of course!

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Tips

This won’t automatically make you fit in at the skatepark. You’ll fit in more if you skate with people, not just talk like them.

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Helpful 9 Not Helpful 0
The more skaters you hang around with, the easier it will be to pick up the lingo

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Hang with some skaters, see how they talk.

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Warnings

Remember it is not big and not clever to just hold a skateboard. Use it, even if you're beginning. At least attempt to skate before using skater talk.

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Helpful 13 Not Helpful 1
Don't use any of these words excessively. That’s just annoying.

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Helpful 18 Not Helpful 3
Some words are only used in certain places, so some people might not know what you are talking about.

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Don't try to put on any accents to sound cooler, use your natural voice. A little slur or a "Canadian" accent is okay. Don't overdo the slur though; you don't want to sound high or strange. And don't try to put on a fake accent in front of some skaters, especially if you're not Canadian.

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Helpful 9 Not Helpful 3