Pop
my bad
What does my bad mean?
A quick, low-stakes apology acknowledging you messed up.
"My bad, I didn't see your text."
Origin
AAVE phrase that spread through 90s basketball courts, where players would call 'my bad' to own a mistake. Crossed into mainstream American slang and is still everywhere today.
Frequently asked questions
What does 'my bad' mean?
It's a casual way of admitting a mistake, like saying 'sorry, that was my fault.' It keeps things light rather than formal.
Where did 'my bad' come from?
It comes from African American Vernacular English and spread widely through 1990s basketball culture before going mainstream.
Is 'my bad' still used today?
Yes, it's one of the few 90s slang phrases that fully survived and is still common in everyday speech and texting.
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