None of these are secret features hidden in a menu. They're short words you drop into any Gemini prompt, and each one changes how Gemini answers before it responds. Most people type a question and take whatever comes back. These flip Gemini into a sharper mode first: citing, arguing, summarizing, or pulling in your real files instead of just guessing.

You use them by dropping the word into your prompt, usually at the start or the end. One thing worth knowing: the ones that start with @ are real Gemini connections that pull in your actual Google apps like Drive, Gmail, and YouTube. The rest are just clear instructions, so you can even make up your own. Here are the 5 from the video, then 100 more you can steal.

The 5 power words from the video

/sources

Type this at the start of your prompt and Gemini pulls every claim from real citations and links you straight to where it found them, so you can check the receipts instead of trusting it blind.

/sources what are the current health guidelines on caffeine per day?

Use it any time the answer needs to be right, not just plausible.

steelman

Type this at the end of your prompt and Gemini takes the opposing side of your argument and builds the strongest possible case against you, so you see the holes before someone else does.

here's why I think we should raise our prices. steelman

The fastest way to pressure-test an idea you're already sold on.

@Google Drive

Type this at the start of your prompt and Gemini searches through your actual Drive and pulls real docs, sheets, and files into the conversation, so it answers from your stuff, not the internet.

@Google Drive summarize my Q3 planning doc and list the open action items.

This is a real connection, so it works with your own files. The same trick works with @Gmail, @Google Docs, and @YouTube.

/debate

Type this at the start of your prompt and Gemini argues both sides of any topic and then tells you which side actually holds up, instead of giving you a wishy-washy "it depends".

/debate should a small business build on Shopify or its own site?

For when you're stuck between two options and want a real verdict.

TLDR

Type this at the end of anything long and Gemini crushes it into the shortest possible summary, so you get the point in seconds instead of reading the whole wall.

[paste a long article, email, or report] TLDR

Run it on anything you don't have time to read in full.

100 more power words

Same rule every time: type the word, then your prompt. Skim for the ones that fit how you think, and save your favorites (there's a trick for that at the bottom).

Get real sources and facts

  • double-check: verify this against Google and flag anything shaky.
  • primary sources only: cite the original study or doc, not a blog about it.
  • cross-check: confirm this with more than one independent source.
  • latest only: use only current info and give me the date.
  • fact vs opinion: label which parts are proven and which are takes.
  • bias check: tell me who benefits from this being true.
  • how sure: rate your confidence and what would change it.
  • show the numbers: back every claim with a real figure.
  • myth check: is this actually true or just repeated a lot?
  • steelman the source: give the strongest version of the other view.

Connect your Google apps

  • @Gmail: search my inbox and pull the emails that matter.
  • @Google Docs: read a specific doc and work from it.
  • @YouTube: summarize or pull points from a video.
  • @Google Maps: find places and plan routes around me.
  • @Google Flights: check real flight options and prices.
  • @Google Hotels: find places to stay for a trip.
  • deep research: go wide, read a lot, and write me a full report.
  • canvas: build this as a doc I can edit side by side.
  • make an image: generate a visual for this idea.
  • read this link: open the URL and answer from what's on the page.

Think harder

  • think step by step: show your full reasoning before the answer.
  • plan first: outline your approach and wait for my okay.
  • show your work: explain how you got there, not just the result.
  • devils advocate: push back hard on what I just said.
  • red team: attack this plan and find where it breaks.
  • first principles: break it to the basics and rebuild.
  • assume nothing: list every assumption you're making.
  • change your mind: what evidence would flip your answer?
  • inversion: map every way this could fail, not just how to win.
  • second order: tell me what happens next, then after that.

Decisions

  • pre-mortem: assume it already failed and explain why.
  • expected value: weigh the odds against the payoff, show the math.
  • one-way or two-way: is this reversible or not?
  • opportunity cost: what am I actually giving up here?
  • trade-offs: lay out the gains and losses of each option.
  • just decide: make one clear call, no hedging.
  • base rate: what usually happens to people who try this?
  • stress test: what breaks this under real pressure?
  • tiebreaker: I'm fifty-fifty, give me the deciding factor.
  • ten year test: will this matter in ten years?

Learning anything

  • eli5: explain it like I'm five.
  • eli10: explain it like I'm ten.
  • analogy: explain it with an everyday comparison.
  • teach back: explain it, then check what I got wrong.
  • quiz me: test me with questions and grade my answers.
  • flashcards: turn this into question-and-answer cards.
  • roadmap: a step-by-step path from beginner to competent.
  • prereqs: what do I need to understand first?
  • common mistakes: what do beginners always get wrong?
  • one mental model: the single idea that makes this click.

Writing and editing

  • tighten: cut this down without losing the meaning.
  • plain english: rewrite so anyone gets it instantly.
  • punch up: make it more interesting to read, no fluff.
  • hooks: ten opening lines that make people keep reading.
  • active voice: kill the passive voice and weak verbs.
  • match my voice: rewrite in the style of the sample I give you.
  • cut fluff: delete every word that isn't pulling weight.
  • ten headlines: give me ten title options.
  • tone shift: redo it friendlier, blunter, or more formal.
  • humanize: make it sound like a real person wrote it.

Business and strategy

  • moat: what would stop someone from copying this?
  • positioning: how do I make this stand out?
  • ideal customer: describe exactly who this is for.
  • pricing check: pressure-test my price and suggest better.
  • objections: list the reasons people won't buy.
  • competitor scan: who else does this and where they're weak.
  • better offer: make it more compelling without dropping price.
  • go to market: sketch a simple launch plan.
  • unit economics: does the math actually work?
  • churn: why would people stop using this?

Coding and technical

  • explain this code: walk me through it line by line.
  • find the bug: find it and tell me why it happens.
  • refactor: clean it up without changing what it does.
  • test cases: write the tests I'm probably missing.
  • edge cases: list the cases I haven't handled.
  • complexity: what's the time and space complexity?
  • security check: find the security holes.
  • simpler: is there a simpler way to do this?
  • document: add clear comments and docs.
  • senior review: review this like a senior engineer would.

Communication

  • draft a reply: write a response in my voice.
  • cold email: short, and not a template.
  • follow up: polite but hard to ignore.
  • negotiate: my best moves going into this.
  • give feedback: so it lands without crushing them.
  • real apology: no excuses buried inside it.
  • exec summary: five bullets for a busy leader.
  • say it simpler: for my boss, my mom, or a client.
  • what do I say: script what I should actually say.
  • read the room: how will this land with the person I'm sending it to?

Creativity and ideas

  • brainstorm 20: twenty ideas, including some weird ones.
  • remix: combine two unrelated ideas into one.
  • worst idea: bad ideas I can flip into good ones.
  • constraints: solve it with no money, no time, or no team.
  • ten angles: ten different ways to approach this.
  • name it: name options with the reasoning behind each.
  • fresh metaphor: a new way to picture this idea.
  • push it: take this idea to its most extreme version.
  • how would they: how would a chef, a coach, or an engineer solve this?
  • opposite: give me the contrarian take.

Life, money, and health

  • meal plan: a simple plan built around my goals.
  • workout: a realistic plan for my level.
  • budget: turn my numbers into a monthly budget.
  • habit stack: attach a new habit to one I already have.
  • sleep fix: troubleshoot my sleep and suggest changes.
  • journal prompts: reflective questions for today.
  • declutter plan: no-nonsense steps to clear this mess.
  • gift ideas: thoughtful ones based on this person.
  • trip plan: a realistic itinerary for this trip.
  • check in: ask how I'm really doing, then listen.

How to make these stick

Two ways to get more out of them:

  • Stack them. You can combine words. /sources deep research on a topic gives you the full report and the receipts for every claim in one go.
  • Save your favorites. Pick your three or four most-used ones and keep them in a note on your phone. Paste the one you need at the start of a prompt and you never have to remember the exact wording.

None of these are magic words baked into the model (except the @ connections, which are real). They work because they're short, clear instructions, so you can invent your own. If you keep typing the same request, turn it into a word and add it to your list.

Grab the handful that match how you actually think and ignore the rest. The whole point is to stop typing the same instructions over and over and let Gemini do the heavier thinking up front.
– Anir

If this is the kind of AI thinking you want working on your own business, apply to work with me. And to catch the next breakdown, join the newsletter.