Are you a puddle or do you have "a thousand auras"? 10 Gen Z expressions you don't understand

BarcelonaYou might think you are cool because you can serve fig But you're actually being pond And you don't even know it. Youth slang is evolving faster than ever thanks to social media, which has transformed communication into a global and dizzyingly frenetic exchange. Lols and hypes were overtaken by PECs and haulsAnd new expressions have already appeared on TikTok, sea and air, which millennials and older are finding difficult to understand. We've updated our dictionary for boomers in version 2026 with ten expressions new of Generation Z.

Aura (and Laura)

It's an expression of admiration for a very attractive, beautiful, or exceptional situation or person. The meaning is very similar to that of the adjective found in the dictionary (or parapsychology), that is, something that exudes light or magnetism, that has great acceptance or authority, but it's applied in a particular way. One look Very accurate? Aura! Did a test go as planned? 1,000 aura points. A brilliant football play by Lamine Yamal? +1,000 aura. The opposite of aura would be... Laura.

Based on / to be based

It serves to show support for an opinion that provides arguments you agree with. It comes from based, in English, and takes its original meaning from well-foundedBut it also has a defiant undertone, highlighting a courageous and honest stance. "How right, finally someone is telling the truth." The "right" person usually dares to go against the prevailing current of thought and disregards the controversy it may generate. It would be the opposite of cringe (shame) and synonym of +1.

Bruh / broligarchy

If you are one of those who has adopted the broEven if it's ironic, it's time to switch to bruhObviously, it is not used to refer to the brotherWhere does the abbreviation come from? It's more of a meme: it has a connotation of astonishment and can even be negative, in the sense of "no way." "It's one six-seven bruh". One of the words derived from bro which has even been included in the Cambridge dictionary is the broligarchywhich would be synonymous with techno-oligarchy: it defines the group of people, especially men, who run technology companies and have political influence.

'Flexear' / 'laguear' / 'buguear'

There are many words in the world gamer which are taken directly from English and simply adapted to Catalan grammar. This is the case of flex tonewhich figuratively means to boast and show off, and which on the internet is used with this sense of bragging: "He only posts content on Instagram because flexAnother similar case would be with the lagwhich means to be late or delay, or with the bugwhich literally means an insect, a virus, and in computing, a software error. When a player's screen slows down or they can't progress with their team, it's because... lagAnd when it has a technical problem, it can be bugged.

'Funar'

It may have a similar meaning to cancel, but the difference is that to cancel It goes from bottom to top. The origin of the word is Mapuche (it means rottenIt became popular in Chile after the Pinochet dictatorship as a method of social denunciation of the lack of action by the traditional justice system in the face of crimes against humanity. Today it is used to publicly expose or denounce someone on social media who has done something wrong so that they receive public scorn. canceled on Instagram." "If I say what I think, I'll..." you will have funaré".

'Lit'

The shortening of the final syllables of words (apocope) is a characteristic feature of online language and WhatsAppsOne of the most popular among young people is bedwhich means literal, and functions as a way of emphasizing disbelief. They also use real"For real."Real "He doesn't understand me." "—He hasn't even said hello to you?"Lit".

'Main character'

It would be the opposite concept to an NPC. If the non-playable character He is someone who always remains an observer, the main character (literally, main character) is someone who always wants to be the center of attention, who feels very much like the protagonist, even somewhat egocentric. "He always has a story to tell, it's a lot main character"It's very authentic, totally." main character energyand."

I can't take it anymore

The appeal of this expression isn't that it means anything special, but rather that it's gone viral on TikTok and social media, even among young people. bed They don't know a word of Catalan. In fact, there are even dozens of brands that have made merchandise: caps, mugs, t-shirts. "I can't take it anymore" is the phrase you utter, with a touch of humor, when you're very tired or when something has reached its limit, to express despair.

To be a 'pond'

When a person is stuck in a past fashion that is no longer fashionable but they believe it is... it's pondwhich in Catalan we could adapt as meaning a pool or puddle, or even a swamp – from which comes "to become stuck" or "to become bogged down," which would connect with the meaning of the expression "It's very swampy." In other words: you're stuck and you smell a bit off, but you don't notice. For example, a date at Tagliatella is pondSantiago Segura's films are pondThe Nude Project brand is pondBragging about being fashionable is just cool when fashion is not yet fully established mainstream.

'Situationship'

When two people have a connection or share intimacy but without labels, they have a situation. It's a catch-all word, because it allows for an unrestricted meaning and lets everyone think what they want. I would define a relationship that ranges from tension (situation) up to the relationship (relationship) but they are not officially a couple or even friends with everyone. "We've met up a couple of times, we have a situationWe'll see how it ends."