Teen lingo: What they're really saying

Be careful what your teen says to you, it may not be what you think it means. Photo / iStock

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Parents beware - if your teen is heading off for "Netflix and chill" they're intending to do much more than just relax while watching the television.

According to Urban Dictionary, the innocent-sounding term means to "hook up" while Netflix plays in the background.

The saying exploded in popularity last year after young people across the globe began using the phrase on social media platforms to meet up for sex without older people knowing what they were talking about.

But many New Zealanders learned about the term only this month when Act Party leader David Seymour told media his summer must-dos included "Netflix and chill".

NetSafe New Zealand executive director Martin Cocker said similar phrases had been adopted by youngsters wanting to hide their activities from their parents.

He recommended parents search online to discover the meaning of slang terms and "go back to basic parenting conversations".

"Talk to them about stranger danger and then talk to them about sexual activity, about sexting [sexual texts] or going to meet people they have met online. Have that talk before it is needed."

How to translate cool kids speak

• Netflix and chill - Hook up or have sex as Netflix runs in the background.

• Hulu and hump - watch movies and have sex. Example: "Keen to Hulu and hump?"

• On fleek - being perfect. "Her outfit was on fleek."

• Turn up/Turnt - attending a party or going crazy at one. "I am keen to get turned up tonight."

• Catfish - meeting someone online, then meeting in person and discovering they aren't who they say they are. They are the catfish.

• Bae - a close friend or partner. It stands for "before anyone else". "Hey bae, how are you doing?"

• Goat - an acronym for "greatest of all time".

• Ghosting - the act of ceasing communication suddenly. "I loved him but he ghosted me."

• Ship - Short for a romantic relationship. "I see a 'ship developing between Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley."

-Urban Dictionary