WAGMI, NGMI, GM… my first month in crypto felt like learning a new language. Here’s your translation guide.
I still remember my first crypto conference. Someone walked up to me, said “GM, anon. You looking alpha or just here for the vibes?” and I smiled and nodded like I had any idea what just happened.
Spoiler: I did not.
If you’re new to Web3 or you’ve been quietly pretending to understand what people are saying in Discord servers, this one’s for you. No judgment. I was you ten months ago.
The Greetings
GM / GN Literally just “good morning” and “good night.” Crypto people say it constantly on Twitter. It’s a vibe. A community thing. Just say it back and you’re in.
Ser A purposely misspelled “sir.” Used for everyone regardless of gender. It’s weirdly respectful and ironic at the same time. “Ser, this is a Wendy’s” energy.
Anon Short for anonymous. What people call each other when they don’t know (or don’t reveal) real identities. Many crypto folks operate under pseudonyms, so “anon” is the default.
Fren Friend, but make it crypto. Used affectionately in communities. “We’re all frens here.”
The Emotional States
WAGMI “We’re All Gonna Make It.” The battle cry of optimism. Used when things are going well, when the community needs a boost, or sarcastically when everything is clearly on fire.
NGMI “Not Gonna Make It.” The opposite. Sometimes used to roast bad decisions. Sometimes self-deprecating. “Sold my ETH at the bottom. NGMI.”
Bullish Feeling optimistic. Expecting prices to go up. Can apply to anything. “I’m bullish on this project.” “Bullish on your career move.” “Bullish on this coffee.”
Bearish The opposite. Pessimistic. Expecting things to go down. “Feeling bearish about this market.”
FUD Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt. Negative news or sentiment that spreads panic. “That article is pure FUD.” Also used as a verb: “Stop FUDing the project.”
The Money Moves
HODL Hold On for Dear Life. Originally a typo that became legend. Means don’t sell, even when the market crashes. Diamond hands energy.
Diamond Hands / Paper Hands Diamond hands = you hold through volatility without panicking. Paper hands = you sell at the first sign of trouble. One is respected. One is not.
Ape In To invest heavily and quickly without much research. “I aped into that token at 3am.” Sometimes reckless. Sometimes genius. Often both.
DYOR Do Your Own Research. The universal disclaimer. Nobody wants to be blamed for your financial decisions. “This isn’t financial advice, DYOR.”
NFA Not Financial Advice. Same energy as DYOR. Covers everyone legally while they tell you about their favorite coin.
Rekt Wrecked. Lost a lot of money. “The market crashed and I got absolutely rekt.”
The Tech Talk
Alpha Insider information or early knowledge that gives you an advantage. “Drop some alpha” = share the good stuff.
Degen Short for degenerate. Someone who takes high risks, trades aggressively, and probably doesn’t sleep. Used affectionately. Being a degen is almost a badge of honor.
Whale Someone with a lot of money in crypto. When whales move, markets move. “A whale just bought 10,000 ETH.”
Rug Pull / Rugged When a project’s creators take the money and disappear. “That NFT project rugged everyone.” It’s the scam everyone fears.
Gas The fee you pay to make transactions on a blockchain. “Gas is insane right now” = transactions are expensive.
Mint To create or claim an NFT. “I minted three of those.” Also: “Mint is live” = you can buy now.
The Culture
LFG Let’s F***ing Go. Hype phrase. Used when something exciting is happening. Often accompanied by rocket emojis.
To the Moon Expecting massive price increase. “This coin is going to the moon.” Usually optimistic, sometimes delusional.
Probably Nothing Almost always means “probably something.” Used sarcastically when there’s clearly big news. “Major company just filed crypto patents. Probably nothing.”
Few Understand Similar energy. Implies that whatever just happened is significant and most people are missing it.
IRL In Real Life. Used to distinguish between online crypto world and the physical one. “Met some frens IRL at the conference.”
The Survival Guide
Here’s what I wish someone told me on day one:
You don’t need to use this language to work in crypto. I coordinate major events without ever saying “ser” out loud. But understanding it helps you follow conversations, read the room, and not feel like an outsider in your own industry.
When in doubt: GM is always safe. WAGMI when things are good. DYOR before anything else.
And if someone asks you for alpha? Just smile and say you’re still accumulating.
Still decoding Web3 one conference at a time. Got a term that confused you? Drop it in the comments—I’ll add it to the guide.