Teen Trends for 2026: What on Earth Does “Six Seven” Mean?

If you have spent more than five minutes around a teenager recently, you may have heard the phrase “six seven.” Whether you thought it was a secret code or a maths problem, rest assured: you are not alone in your confusion.

To welcome 2026, we turned to the experts themselves – teenagers – to decode the latest trends and to find out what matters to them.

Busisiwe Seloana (16) from Welkom says the social hub of teen life remains firmly online. “The main apps to be on right now are TikTok, doing dance challenges, and gaining followers,” she explains. Her friends, she adds, are currently wrapped up in discussions about Christmas gifts, holiday plans, and, surprisingly, relationship drama.

When it comes to entertainment, technology takes the spotlight. For fashion trends, music discoveries and a daily dose of dance challenges, teens turn to TikTok. WhatsApp remains the communication lifeline, while Netflix acts as the go-to destination for series, movies, and distraction from homework.

Busisiwe also shared a few common slang terms teens use daily. Though the words are English, the meanings rarely are for anyone above 25. Among them: CAP, SUS, DELULU, CLOCK IT, SLAY, and BET. Confusion among adults provides teens with, as she puts it, “visible entertainment.” Six Seven, apparently, primarily serves as an inside joke and a social signal for young people to connect and differentiate themselves from adults. 

Still, beneath the humour lies a point adults often overlook. Busisiwe believes much of the tension between teenagers and adults stems from misunderstanding. “Most adults misunderstand our behaviour and intentions, and that causes a lot of the conflict,” she says. “Sometimes a teenager just needs to know their opinion is valued. They might even add some value –  and that could solve a lot of conflict.”

From tech trends to evolving slang, one thing is clear: today’s teenagers form a clever, connected generation. We might not grasp every phrase or viral challenge, but trying to understand them may be the real trend worth following this year.
(By Estelle Dansey)