--- title: "The Skateboard Dictionary for Beginners | Boardriders" description: "Level up your skate knowledge. Our guide breaks down advanced trick names, park etiquette, and technical gear specs to help you talk like a pro." date: "2025-12-26T16:22:00+01:00" language: "en-gb" canonical_url: "https://www.boardriders.com/en-gb/skateboard-glossary/" source_url: "https://www.boardriders.com/en-gb/skateboard-glossary/" content_type: "text/markdown" --- ![](https://www.boardriders.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/lexique-skateboard.webp) # Skateboarding terms & slang explained : the A-Z guide **Sommaire** - [ The skater’s gear ](#the_skaters_gear) - [ Skate basics : positions and references ](#skate_basics_positions_and_references) - [ Fundamental tricks ](#fundamental_tricks) - [ Advanced trick vocabulary ](#advanced_trick_vocabulary) - [ The skatepark and the street : locations, modules, and etiquette ](#the_skatepark_and_the_street_locations_modules_and_etiquette) - [ Expressions and culture : talking “skate” ](#expressions_and_culture_talking_skate) - [ FAQ – Your questions about skate jargon ](#faq_your_questions_about_skate_jargon) Skateboarding has its own culture and its own jargon: a blend of English, technical terms, and quirky slang. To make sure you’re not lost during a session – or worse, mistaken for a “poser” – this skateboard glossary provides clear and effective definitions of all the essential words. ## The skater’s gear ### Deciphering your board (deck) The deck is the “heart” of the skateboard. Its shape and dimensions change the feel, stability, and ease of doing tricks. - **Deck :** The board itself (usually made of 7-ply Canadian maple), which you stand on. - **Nose :** The front of the deck, slightly upturned (useful for tricks and control). - **Tail :** The back of the deck, also upturned: this is what you “pop” to do an ollie. - **Wheelbase : ** The distance between the two trucks; generally, the longer it is, the more stable it feels; the shorter it is, the more responsive. - **Rails :** The side edges of the deck. - **Concave: ** The side-to-side curve of the deck. A **high concave** board is more manoeuvrable and helps you “catch” the board in the air, while **low concave** offers a flatter, more stable feel. ### Grip : sandpaper traction Without grip, there’s no control… and no tricks. It’s your “connection” to the board. - **Grip (grip tape) :** The rough, sandpaper-like adhesive sheet stuck to the top of the deck for traction. - **Re-gripping :** Replacing worn-out grip tape with a fresh sheet. ### Trucks : turning and taking impact Trucks link the board to the wheels. They influence stability, manoeuvrability, and overall “feel.” - **Trucks :** The metal axle assemblies under the board that allow you to turn and absorb impacts. - **Baseplate :** The flat part of the truck bolted directly to the deck with the hardware. - **Hanger :** The main triangular part of the truck that pivots when you turn. - **Axle: ** The metal rod running through the hanger that the wheels mount onto. - **Bushings :** Polyurethane rings inside the truck that determine how easily it turns and “rebounds.” - **Kingpin :** The large central bolt holding the truck together: tightening or loosening it adjusts the steering stiffness. - **Tight Trucks :** More stable, less manoeuvrable (good for beginners or high speeds). - **Loose Trucks :** More manoeuvrable, allowing for deeper carves (requires more control). ### Wheels & bearings : speed and feeling Wheels and bearings affect your speed, comfort, and grip depending on the terrain (street, park, cruising…). - **Wheels :** Measured by diameter (size) and durometer (hardness). - **Bearings :** Circular metal parts inside the wheels (2 per wheel) containing balls that allow them to spin. - **ABEC :** A precision rating often cited for bearings. While a higher ABEC rating means higher precision and potential speed, it doesn’t necessarily mean the bearing is more durable for high-impact skating. --- ## Skate basics : positions and references Before talking tricks, you need to know the words that describe your stance and how you roll. - **Stance :** Your natural position on the board (which foot goes in front). - **Regular :** Left foot in front, right foot at the back. - **Goofy :** Right foot in front, left foot at the back. - **Switch :** Skating in the opposite position to your natural stance (much harder). - **Fakie :** Rolling “backwards” (staying in your natural stance but moving in the direction of your tail). - **Mongo :** Keeping your back foot on the board and pushing with your front foot. **Avoid this!** While it might feel stable at first, it’s essential to learn to push properly with your back foot. Mongo is only really “tolerated” when skating switch. - **Frontside :** Approaching an obstacle or rotating so your chest faces the “outside.” Example: for a goofy skater, a Frontside 360 = rotating 360° with your back leading the way (turning right). - **Backside :** Approaching an obstacle or rotating so your back faces the “outside.” Example: for a regular skater, turning right using your heels = a backside turn. - **Ambidextrous :** A rider who is equally comfortable in both regular and goofy (a solid “switch” game). --- ## Fundamental tricks These terms come up constantly. Master these, and you’ll understand 80% of skatepark chat. ### The basic jump - **Ollie :** The foundation jump where all 4 wheels leave the ground without using your hands (a combination of a tail “pop” and a front foot “flick/slide”). - **Pop :** The act of snapping the tail against the ground to trigger a jump. - **Nollie :** An ollie triggered from the nose while rolling forward. - **Fakie Ollie :** An ollie performed while rolling in fakie (backwards). - **Switch Ollie :** An ollie performed while in your switch stance. ### Rotating the board “flat” - **Shove-it (Shuv) :** A 180-degree horizontal rotation of the board under your feet, with or without a jump. - **Pop Shove-it :** A shove-it combined with an ollie for more height and “cleanliness.” - **Frontside Shove-it :** A shove-it that rotates forward (frontside). - **Backside Shove-it :** A shove-it that rotates backward (backside). - **360 Shove-it: ** A full 360-degree horizontal rotation. ### Iconic Flips - **Kickflip :** An ollie combined with a rotation (flip) of the deck along its longitudinal axis, flicked towards the toe side. - **Heelflip :** An ollie combined with a rotation along the longitudinal axis, flicked towards the heel side (opposite rotation to a kickflip). - **Double Flip :** Two flip rotations in one jump (more technical). - **Triple Flip :** Three flip rotations (very technical). - **Varial Flip :** A kickflip combined with a shove-it (usually a 180). - **Treflip (360 Flip) :** A 360 shove-it combined with a kickflip. ### Balance **Combo or Line :** A sequence of several tricks performed one after another in a single run. **Manual :** Balancing and rolling on only the back two wheels (nose up). **Nose Manual: ** Balancing and rolling on only the front two wheels (tail up). --- ## Advanced trick vocabulary Once you start linking moves together, you’ll hear these words on repeat at every spot: grinds, slides, grabs, and “signature” flips. ### Grinds : sliding on the trucks - **Grind :** A trick where you slide along an obstacle using your metal trucks. - **50-50 :** Grinding on both trucks at the same time. - **5-0 (Five-O) :** Grinding only on the back truck. - **Nosegrind :** Grinding only on the front truck. - **Crooked Grind :** A nosegrind performed at an angle, where the truck is offset to the outside of the obstacle. - **Smith Grind :** The back truck grinds the obstacle while the board is angled downwards and away. - **Feeble Grind :** The back truck grinds the obstacle while the front truck hangs over the opposite side. ### Slides : sliding on the deck - **Slide :** A trick where you slide on an obstacle using the board (deck) rather than the trucks. - **Boardslide :** Sliding perpendicular to the obstacle, with the middle of the deck (between the trucks) in contact. - **Lipslide :** A slide where you bring the back truck over the obstacle to enter (the approach and exit are reversed compared to a boardslide). - **Bluntslide :** A slide where you are propped up on the tail (often performed on ledges or coping). ### Grabs : sizing the board in transition - **Grab :** Catching the board with your hand during a jump (mostly in bowls/ramps). - **Indy :** Grabbing the frontside rail with your back hand, between your feet. - **Melon :** Grabbing the backside rail with your front hand. - **Method :** A highly stylish grab involving an extension or “tweak” (often a tweaked Indy). - **Stalefish :** Grabbing the backside rail with your back hand, behind your leg. - **Mute :** Grabbing the frontside rail with your front hand. ### Signature flips - **360 Flip (Tre Flip) :** A combination of a kickflip and a 360 shove-it (a true “skater’s” classic). - **Laser Flip :** A combination of a heelflip and a 360 frontside shove-it. - **Hardflip :** A kickflip combined with a frontside shove-it rotation (distinctive vertical look). - **Inward Heelflip :** A heelflip combined with a backside shove-it rotation. --- ## The skatepark and the street : locations, modules, and etiquette Skating is also about how you describe the “spots,” the obstacles, and how you approach a session. ### Everyday terms - **Spot : **Any place you skate (park, plaza, street ledge, etc.). - **Session :** Time spent skating, whether solo or with a crew. - **Run :** A single passage or sequence of tricks on a course (common in contests). - **Line :** A fluid sequence of tricks and obstacles, performed with rhythm. - **Warm-up :** Loosening up before tackling harder tricks. ### Common obstacles (modules) - **Quarter Pipe :** A ramp shaped like a quarter of a tube. - **Mini Ramp :** A small U-shaped ramp (two quarters facing each other with a platform). - **Spine :** Two quarter pipes joined back-to-back at the top edge. - **Funbox :** A combination module featuring various obstacles (ledge, gap, rail, etc.). - **Ledge :** A low wall or curb used for slides and grinds. - **Hubba :** A ledge that runs down alongside a set of stairs. - **Bowl :** A concrete basin with transitions for continuous riding. Originally inspired by empty swimming pools, modern bowls are purpose-built with tighter transitions and metal coping for grinding. - **Vert :** A high ramp that becomes (nearly) vertical at the top. --- ## Expressions and culture : talking “skate” At the park, people comment, encourage, and get hyped. Certain words are part of the furniture. **Wheel Bite: ** When a wheel touches the underside of the deck during a sharp turn or landing, causing the board to stop abruptly and the rider to fly off. **Land / Landed :** Successfully completing a trick (“I landed it clean”). **Bail :** Jumping off the board mid-trick to avoid a bad fall. **Fail :** To miss a trick or crash. **Stoked :** Extremely motivated, happy, or hyped (“I’m so stoked!”). **Sketchy :** A trick landed clumsily, off-balance, or “not clean.” **Steez :** Style + Ease (performing a trick with fluid personality and effortless grace). **Gnarly :** Impressive, high-risk, or dangerous. **Flow :** Natural fluidity and rhythm in a sequence of moves. **Hype :** Collective excitement around a trick, run, or rider. **Face-plant :** A fall where the head or face hits the ground first. **Footage :** Video clips captured during a session. **Grom : ** A young, up-and-coming skater. **Mall Grab :** Carrying a skateboard by the trucks (widely considered a fashion “no-no”). **Poser :** Someone who adopts the look or culture but lacks any actual passion or practice. **Snaking: ** Cutting in front of someone who has been waiting their turn. Respect the “flow” and wait your turn. **Game of S.K.A.T.E :** A game of replication. One player sets a trick; if they land it, others must copy it. If they fail, they get a letter. The last person to spell S.K.A.T.E wins. --- ## FAQ – Your questions about skate jargon ### **What is the difference between a kickflip and a heelflip?** A kickflip is flicked with your toes (rotating “outwards”), whereas a heelflip is flicked with your heel, causing the board to rotate in the opposite direction. ### **What does “switch” mean?** It means skating in the opposite stance to your natural one (for example, if you are Regular, your switch stance is Goofy). ### **How do I know if I am Goofy or Regular?** Generally, the foot you instinctively put forward to catch yourself (or to slide) corresponds to your front foot on the board. ### **What is the difference between a grind and a slide?** **Grind** = you are sliding on your trucks. **Slide** = you are sliding on the deck (the wood) of the board.