Gaurav Rathore
His write-ups blend creativity, personal experience, and tailored technical advice, meeting reader needs effectively.
ISTG stands for ‘I swear to God’ in texting.
Gaurav Rathore
His write-ups blend creativity, personal experience, and tailored technical advice, meeting reader needs effectively.
Whenever you think you have mastered the trendy Gen Z slang, one new slang or acronym suddenly appears on the internet. One such slang that’s been recently boggling parents is ISTG, an abbreviation for I swear to God.
Although the ‘swear’ word in the acronym might seem alarming to some parents, the phrase has a different meaning that usually depends on varying contexts.
So, let’s jump into the blog and find out whether it’s safe for kids!
‘What does ISTG mean?’ – @OochieWallySadi on X
Quick Answer:
ISTG stands for ‘I swear to God,’ commonly used to express surprise, earnestness, and annoyance. However, contrary to the faith-based nuance, it is not used in religious contexts.
ISTG stands for ‘I swear to God.’ It is used to show earnestness, sincerity, and sometimes even annoyance. People often use it to convey the seriousness of the situation while sharing facts or information.
Although it shows a faith-driven implication, it is not particularly used in religious contexts. This phrase is used interchangeably with ‘I swear on my life’ to show the urgency of the matter.
Let’s look at the various contexts in which this acronym is commonly used!
When people face distrust, they often use this phrase to show their honesty, as this works as a reassurance and proves their truthfulness.
Example: ISTG, I saw your sister at the party last night.
Using ISTG also works when you want to intimidate people and show you are serious about something.
Example: Mia, ISTG, when will you stop acting out?
If you have done something bad in the past but want to show people that you can change, you can use this slang to appear genuine in your promise.
Example: Mom, ISTG, I won’t ever have a night out without informing you.
You can also use this phrase to express disbelief or extreme emotions.
Example: ISTG, that movie we watched yesterday was fire.
Similar Slang Acronyms to ISTG
OMG (Oh My God!), ONG (On God), and FR (For Real), are often used in the same contexts as ISTG.
Many people believe that this slang originated in the early 2000s. At that time, Yahoo Messenger and AOL Instant Messenger were extremely popular among teenagers, who later offered many of the acronyms we use today.
The first definition of ISTG was recorded in the Urban Dictionary in 2007. However, with the rise in popularity of WhatsApp and Snapchat, it gained stability over the internet.
Now, it has become widespread slang across various social media platforms and messaging apps.
ISTG is often used to express the truthfulness of a fact or to show seriousness. However, it’s mostly avoided in formal situations or contexts where you need to remain respectful towards the other person.
Let’s look at some examples to learn how to use this slang in real-life situations.
Replying to ISTG often depends on the context. Let’s see how you can reply in the various contexts.
If it’s used to show disbelief or surprise, you can respond with ‘OMG’ or ‘That’s wild!’
Person A: Girl, ISTG, Bri flipped a switch in front of her mom.
Person B: OMG! Really?
However, if it is used as a change to promise, you can interject the conversations with questions like ‘Are you being honest?’ or simply reply according to the situation.
Person A: ISTG, I won’t bunk the class again.
Person B: Are you for real this time?
If someone uses it with a little threat, you can reply with a ‘Sorry’ or ‘Won’t do it again!’
Person A: ISTG, Mil, if you ever flunk classes again, I will snitch on you.
Person B: Sorry, I won’t do it again!
Alternatively, a simple ‘Okay’ will suffice if this acronym shows certainty.
Person A: ISTG, I saw the professor in class.
Person B: Okay.
Although ISTG teen slang is safe to use, there is a swear word in the phrase, and you can’t just brush it aside. Thus, I recommend you pay extra attention to your teen’s language and make sure they are not using harmful acronyms like KYS, AF, etc.
To ensure that, you can install third-party parental control apps, like Bark, Norton Family, and Aura, on your teen’s smartphone.
However, if you feel that your kids often use slang or abbreviations to hide things from you, it’s time to sit down with your child and have an open and honest conversation.
In conclusion, ISTG is a safe slang as long as your child doesn’t offend anyone by using it in the wrong context. However, as a parent, I recommend you ensure supervision of your child’s activities while maintaining a healthy relationship with them.
ISTG stands for ‘I swear to God’ in texting.
ISTG is an acronym used to express seriousness and emphasize the truth.
You can reply to ISTG with ‘That’s crazy’, ‘Wow’, or ‘That’s wild.’
