Why 'gen' is more than a filler word in Romanian teen talk

If you have a teenager at home, you've probably heard the word "gen" more times than you can count. Used at the start, middle or end of sentences, it can leave parents wondering whether their child has lost the ability to speak clearly. But according to Romanian linguist Corina Popa, this tiny word is not just a bad habit – it plays several subtle roles in everyday conversation.

A word with many jobs

Corina Popa, a lecturer at the University of Bucharest's Faculty of Letters and founder of the educational project "Școala de Gramatică", explains that "gen" has expanded its discourse functions in recent years. In a conversation, it can signal approximation, soften a statement, introduce a quote or reported reaction, or simply buy time while the speaker organises their thoughts.

For example, in the phrase "A fost, gen, foarte ciudat" ("It was, like, really weird"), the word introduces a degree of uncertainty or reduces the categorical force of the evaluation. When a teenager says "El era, gen, «Nu-mi vine să cred!»" ("He was, like, 'I can't believe it!'"), "gen" marks a shift to an approximate quotation. Used sparingly, it helps manage the flow of spontaneous speech.

When it stops helping

The problem arises when "gen" becomes an automatic reflex rather than a conscious choice. Corina Popa notes that repeated use – as in "Am fost, gen, la școală și, gen, a fost plictisitor, gen" – can fragment the speaker's attention and the listener's comprehension. What starts as a tool for organising ideas can turn into background noise that obscures meaning.

According to the linguist, the real concern is not the presence of the word itself, but the absence of conscious control over one's own expression. When a filler word appears in nearly every sentence without adding anything, clarity suffers.

What parents can do

Instead of scolding teenagers for using "gen", Corina Popa suggests a more constructive approach. Help young people learn to recognise when a word carries meaning and when it has become an empty pause. Here are a few practical ideas:

• Ask your teen to repeat a sentence without any "gen" and see if the meaning changes.
• Record a short conversation and listen back together, counting how many times the word appears.
• Gently point out moments when "gen" helped introduce a quote or add nuance, so your teen understands its legitimate uses.
• Model varied speech yourself – reading aloud or telling stories with different transition words can expand a teenager's linguistic toolkit.

The goal is not to eliminate "gen" from youth language, but to help young people become more aware of how they speak. As Corina Popa puts it, we should not blame the linguistic habits of new generations; instead, we should cultivate their ability to notice when a word brings meaning and when it is just a background sound.