(slang, African American Vernacular English) A casual greeting.
(slang, African American Vernacular English) A casual greeting.
What it is means: A casual greeting.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
What it is means: A casual greeting.. It is informal slang, fine in casual speech but not suited to formal contexts. There is no real cause for parental concern; it is descriptive vocabulary rather than risky behaviour. If your teen uses it, context will usually make the intent clear. A short, curious question about where they heard it is usually all that is needed to know whether to follow up.
Slang is read by different audiences for very different reasons. The For parents view re-explains the term in plain, non-judgemental language so a caregiver can understand what their child means without needing the surrounding subculture. The For English learners view focuses on register (when it's safe to use), formal alternatives, and common mistakes — what a textbook won't teach you.
Add your own interpretation of "what it is".
Slang from Black American Vernacular English (AAVE), hip-hop, drag and ballroom culture, the Caribbean, and NYC street vocabulary. The single largest source of new mainstream English slang in living memory.
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A chill, laid-back AAVE greeting that asks 'what's going on?' without really needing an answer. It's less a question and more a vibe-check — the kind of thing you say when you roll up on your crew and want everyone to know you're in a good mood. 'What it be' carries that same easy energy as 'what's good' or 'what's poppin', just with a slightly older-school flavor that gives it undeniable cool.
(US, colloquial) A greeting. Tends to warrant a reply.
(US, colloquial) A greeting.
A casual South African greeting meaning 'hi' or 'hello,' used widely in informal conversation across ethnic and linguistic groups. Part of the rich Cape Flats and township slang lexicon, heita has the warm, easy energy of a quick wave or a nod between friends. It's the kind of greeting that signals you're in the know — comfortable in the informal codes of South African street culture. It can also double as a general expression of acknowledgment or solidarity.
>> It's Gary. Oh, yeah. That's what it is.
what it is means: A casual greeting.. Register: very informal, slang. Suitable only for casual conversation, chat and social media. Do not use in business, academic or news writing. A common learner mistake is using the word in a register it does not fit, or assuming a single global meaning; native speakers immediately notice when slang appears in formal contexts, so always check the surrounding register before producing it yourself.
“someone in this building is cooking something incredible and i'll never know what it is”
“I hate it! I hate it! I hate it so much! I don't even know what it is that I hate... And I hate that I don't know what I hate!”
“>> It's Gary. Oh, yeah. That's what it is.”
“point because this is what it is.”
“>> It's Gary. Oh, yeah. That's what it is.”
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