Do you know what your tween means when they say 'Oooh brother, oooh'? Put the urban dictionary away - mum Louise Boyce reveals all with her tween slang explainer

When they've 'cooked' don't get excited - it's nothing to do with making dinner

Group of tween smiling at the camera
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Does your tween ‘whomp whomp,’ ‘rizz,’ and ‘cook’, and offer up a scathing 'oooh brother, oooh'? Put the urban dictionary away - mum Louise Boyce decodes their slang in a hilarious post.

If you're confused by teenage slang words, we have news - tween slang is just as baffling. On top of sometimes being angry, entitled and rude, and insisting their parents have old people names, tweens are inventing their own language. If you feel like understanding tween riddles is just another thing for your to-do list, fear not - mum Louise Boyce has put together a handy guide for tween parents covering the phrases young people are throwing around.

Posting to her popular Instagram account @mamasstillgotit_, Louise said "This is a public service announcement. For the last 24 hours, I've been spending time with some pre-teens. And if like me you have absolutely no idea what they're talking about, I have managed to decipher some of their words." 

Tween slang explained

  • Bet = Yes
  • Whomp whomp = I don't care
  • Mums = I'm serious
  • Gyat = Female bottom
  • Sigma = Amazing
  • Oooh brother, oooh = Disgusting
  • I cooked = I did well 
  • Fanum tax = when you take food away from someone
  • Let's dip = Let's go
  • Peak = Really good
  • Peak = Really bad
  • Rizz = Flirting

Calling followers to add their own tween slang, one immediately commented with "Accurate. But you’re missing skibidi toilet" (if you know, you know.) To this, many replied they just couldn't work out what this meant, until one hero clarified it to be a descriptor added in front of any word - you can have a 'skibidi day,' or ask 'pass me the skibidi ketchup.' A phrase with no apparent meaning other than to make sentences longer.

Speaking for tween parents everywhere, another commenter added "I just get 'Bruh' all the time. I’ve tried to explain I’m not his 'bruh' but I get the eye roll and the “bruhhhhhhhhhhh”…….. so I’ll just drink wine and nod along."

Another thoroughly confused parent wrote " I’ve gone over it again and again and I still don’t understand. I think I’m going to have to write it down, then transcribe the skit, then maybe it’ll make sense. It’s like learning a new language," with another adding "Saving because I have no idea what kids (and 20 somethings for that matter) are saying to me. It’s like talking to Gerald off Clarkson’s Farm!"  

For more on tweens, this acronym might save your sanity if you're parenting one. We also share why girls' body confidence plummets at this stage of development, and why children as young as 10 are demanding anti-ageing products.

Lucy Wigley
Parenting writer - contributing

Lucy is a mum-of-two, multi-award nominated writer and blogger with six years’ of experience writing about parenting, family life, and TV. Lucy has contributed content to PopSugar and moms.com. In the last three years, she has transformed her passion for streaming countless hours of television into specialising in entertainment writing. There is now nothing she loves more than watching the best shows on television and sharing why you - and your kids - should watch them.