How do I properly learn English slang?
I can do school English just fine, but when I write with actual English people, I don't understand the slang words at all. Where do I learn that stuff? From TikTok or TV shows?
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I notice that too when I'm driving and writing with English clients - there are constantly words coming up that I never learned in school. TV series are actually better than TikTok because you see longer conversations there and you understand how people actually talk to each other, not just short clips with little bits of slang. Probably the best thing is listening to British or American podcasts where normal people just chat, or reading posts on Reddit in English - that way you see what's currently going around and how native speakers actually write. And honestly, slang is constantly changing, so you just have to keep checking back or you'll miss the new stuff.
I'd avoid TikTok if you want to learn real everyday language, because people use super exaggerated slang there that hardly anyone actually speaks in real life - it'll just confuse you. Series and podcasts are actually better, where normal people talk to each other, but watch out: make sure it's British or American English depending on who you're writing to, because the slang words really differ between them. But honestly, I think the most effective thing is just to chat with English speakers and ask directly what a word means - most people are happy to explain, and that way you also learn the context right away where you'd actually use it.
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