What does “you’re cooking” mean in modern English slang?
Testing Speakers From $1 To $100,000
A2 English listening practice · British English · Picked for people who know a little
“You’re cooking” is a Gen Z English slang phrase that means “you’re doing great” or “you’re on a roll.” The phrase started in Black American English and the gaming-streamer world (a streamer who is winning is “cooking”), then moved into mainstream English by the early 2020s. Today people say “let him cook” to mean “let him do his thing, he’s making something good.”
In this clip, a YouTuber tests speakers at every price level. When the $100 speaker plays well, he says, “You’re cooking. That’s not going anywhere.” The phrase fits the moment perfectly: the speaker is doing great. It’s the kind of compliment Gen Z viewers will recognize instantly.
How common are the words?
How common are the words in this A2 English listening practice video?
How common in written English
How common in spoken English
Harder words in this video
These words are harder than A2. Here is what they mean.
Source: wordfreq 3.1.1 (general) · SUBTLEX-US 2012 (spoken). These numbers are close, not perfect.
- ▸In Gen Z YouTube and TikTok content (MrBeast, Markiplier, Pokimane)
- ▸In NBA and NFL post-game interviews from younger players
- ▸In American hip-hop and rap lyrics (Drake, Lil Yachty, Doja Cat)
- ▸In Twitch streams and gaming chat (Kai Cenat, Speed)
- ▸In American workplace banter among young employees