Back in the early days of texting, longer texts were more expensive to send. So early texters developed texting abbreviations and acronyms that made sending messages easier and cheaper. These abbreviations are still common in texting, but they’ve also made their way to social media, message boards, and even conversational slang. Check out a helpful list of online jargon that will help you keep up with the times — and the texts!
Abbreviations for Parts of Sentences
If you’re trying to write long sentences quickly, you'll want to consider abbreviations. They can make your message more concise without losing understanding. Take note of this list of common texting abbreviations and their meanings. Each has an example in parentheses that uses correct capitalization and punctuation, but remember that proper grammar can make you sound more formal than needed when texting.
- @ - at (“C U @ noon.”)
- 2 - two/too/to (“I work til 2.” “Me 2. Wanna go 2 the pool after?”)
- 2g2bt - too good to be true (“UR 2g2bt!”)
- 2moro - tomorrow (“C U 2moro”)
- 2nite - tonight (“R U coming 2nite?”)
- 4 - for/four (“Come over around 4. I have a present 4 you.”)
- 4ever - forever (“Luv u 4ever!”)
- 8 - ate (“I don’t want pizza, I 8 that last night.”)
- ?4U - question for you (“?4U. Can I borrow your lawnmower?”)
- a3 - anytime, anywhere, anyplace (“I can meet a3”)
- abt - about (“I heard abt your new job!”)
- adbb - all done, bye bye (“Joe and his gf are adbb.”)
- afk - away from keyboard (“I’m afk right now.”)
- asap - as soon as possible (“Please let me know ASAP.”)
- atm - at the moment (“I’m not sure where Vita is atm.”)
- b4 - before (“Let’s meet up b4 the concert.”)
- b/c or bc or bcoz - because (“I can’t come bc I have to babysit.”)
- bf/gf - boyfriend/girlfriend (“Did Lily break up with her bf?”)
- bff - best friend forever (“My bff told me about the party.”)
- bif - before I forget (“Bif – are you coming tomorrow?”)
- btdt - been there done that (“I don’t want to go to the club. BTDT”)
- btw - by the way (“Btw, can I borrow the car?”)
- c - see (“I’ll C U there!”)
- cm - call me (“Can’t talk now. Cm l8r.”)
- csl - can't stop laughing (“That video’s so funny, I csl!”)
- dm - direct message (“DM me the details later.”)
- dnbl8 - don't be late (“Concert starts at 7, dnbl8!”)
- g4i - go for it (“There’s a job opening there. You should g4i!”)
- gab - getting a beer (“Want to hang out and gab?”)
- gas - got a second? (“Gas? I’ve got a question.”)
- gr8 - great (“Gr8 news! I got the promotion!”)
- icymi - in case you missed it (“Icymi, Joan broke up with her husband.”)
- iirc - if I recall correctly (“The meeting starts at 8 iirc.”)
- im - instant message (“Im me if you have any questions.”)
- ima/imma/i'ma - I'm going to (“Ima see Derek tonight.”)
- imo/imho - in my opinion/in my humble opinion (“Imo, you should wear the red dress tonight.”)
- iow - in other words (“Iow, Shawn isn’t coming tonight.”)
- irl - in real life (“We should meet up irl!”)
- j2lyk - just to let you know (“J2lyk, I can’t make it tonight.”)
- l8r - later (“The fireworks show isn’t till l8r.”)
- lmk - let me know (“Lmk if you can bring anything tonight.”)
- msg - message (“Msg me later if you want more details.”)
- n - in (“He’s n the garage.”)
- peeps - people (“Hey peeps! Going out l8r?”)
- pita - pain in the a** (“Studying for finals is a pita.”)
- pls or plz - please (“Can I borrow your computer pls?”)
- ppl - people (“A bunch of ppl were asking about you tonight.”)
- r - are (“R u ok?”)
- tom/2mrow - tomorrow (“Want 2 c a movie tom?”)
- u - you (“Where were u today?”)
- ur - your/you're (“U left ur camera at my house.”)
- w8 - wait (“W8 till Bernard gets there b4 opening presents.”)
- w/ - with (“Do you want a sandwich w/mayo?”)
- w/o - without (“Don’t leave w/o saying goodbye!”)
- yf - wife (“I'll ask my yf if we have plans 2nite.”)
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Standalone Text Abbreviations
Texting and online communication move quickly. By the time you’ve got a reply ready, the moment may have passed. That’s why standalone text abbreviations and acronyms are helpful to keep a fast-moving conversation moving.
Response Abbreviations
When someone texts you a funny meme or posts a shocking announcement, you can react quickly with the right response. These abbreviations work by themselves or as part of a longer sentence. Check out these examples of responses appropriate for text talk.
- 10q, tq, or ty- thank you
- fofl - falling on floor laughing
- gratz - congratulations
- h&k - hugs and kisses
- ily - I love you
- idc - I don’t care
- idk - I don't know
- ftw - for the win (or “this is the best or very good”)
- j/k or jk - just kidding
- k - okay
- lmao - laughing my a** off
- lol - laughing out loud
- mtf - more to follow
- n1 - nice one
- np/no prob - no problem
- oic - oh I see
- omg - oh my gosh/oh my god
- orly - oh really?
- prw - parents are watching
- rotfl/rofl/fotfl - rolling on the floor laughing, falling on the floor laughing
- sok - it's ok
- soz or sry - sorry
- sup - what's up?
- ta - thanks again
- thx - thanks
- tl;dr - too long; didn’t read
- tmi - too much information
- toy - thinking of you
- wtf - what the f***?
- wru - where are you?
- xoxo - hugs and kisses
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Ending the Conversation
It’s not polite to leave a fellow texter hanging. End the conversation politely with these texting shorthand options. You can choose the best one depending on how long you’ll be gone.
- cul8r - see you later
- cwyl - chat with you later
- cya - see ya
- b4n - bye for now
- brb - be right back
- brt - be right there
- gnite - good night
- gtgb - got to go, bye
- hagd - have a great day
- g2g/gtg - got to go (“We’ll talk later, gtg.”)
- sec - wait a second
- tc - take care
- ttfn - ta-ta for now
- ttyl - talk to you later
- ttyt - talk to you tomorrow
- syl - see you later
- t@yl - talk at you later
- yolo - you only live once
Emojis and Emoticons
It can be hard to convey your message with text alone. Emoticons (or “emotional/emotive icons”) used to be the standard way to send a quick image to establish your written tone. However, emoji keyboards now enable users to select an illustration that gets the point across.
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Emoticons
Emoticons are simply combinations of keyboard characters that, when combined, resemble an expressive human face. They can be used as punctuation to a longer message or as stand-alone messages. Tilt your head to the left to see these examples:
- :) - standard happy face
- :o) - happy face with a big nose
- :-) - happy face with a narrow nose
- :c) - happy face with an upturned nose
- =) - happy face with cartoonish eyes
- 8-) - happy face with glasses
- :/ - displeased or skeptical face
- <:0) - clown face
- :( - sad face
- ^^ - pleased face (or “I agree with the above message”)
- >:( - angry face
- :O - surprised face
- :P - tongue sticking out
- ;) - winking face
- (~_^) - another winking face
- :'( - crying face
- :* - Kiss
Emoji
An emoji is a picture version of an emoticon. You’re much more likely to see emojis these days than emoticons. Most devices even change an emoticon to its proper emoji. Take a look at your phone's emoji keyboard to see all of the possibilities!
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More Texting Resources
Still not sure your texting skills are up to date? Check out a slideshow that ensures you’re texting what you think you’re texting. You can also read through a longer list of texting slang to make sure you’re not missing any crucial phrases.
FAQs
Common Texting Abbreviations and Acronyms? ›
In Statistics Explained articles the symbol '€' should be used for euro in the text if it is followed by a number.
What are the most common abbreviations for texting? ›- ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing.
- STFU: Shut the f*** up.
- ICYMI: In case you missed it.
- TL;DR: Too long, didn't read.
- TMI: Too much information.
- AFAIK: As far as I know.
- LMK: Let me know.
- NVM: Nevermind.
- BTW: By the way.
- CYA: See ya.
- DM: Direct message.
- FTW: For the win.
- FWIW: For what it's worth.
- ILY: I love you.
- IMO: in my opinion.
- JK: Just kidding.
In Statistics Explained articles the symbol '€' should be used for euro in the text if it is followed by a number.
What does FTW mean? ›for the win. used especially to express approval or support.
What does TBC mean in texting? ›to be confirmed: used for showing that something has not been decided yet.
What does 143 mean? ›What does 143 mean? 143 is code for I love you, especially used on pagers back in the 1990s.
What does 7 mean in texting? ›The number 7 represents the total number of letters in the phrase "love you," the 2 represents the number of words, and the 1 tells us that the term has one meaning.
What are some cool text abbreviations? ›- LOL – laughing out loud.
- OMG – oh my god (or oh my gosh)
- IMO – in my opinion.
- IMHO – in my humble opinion (or in my honest opinion)
- BTW – by the way.
- IDK – I don't know.
- LMK – let me know.
What does FT mean in a chat? ›
Ft stands for FaceTime.
“Do you want to ft?” means, “Do you want to video chat right now?” Someone might say, “Hmu to ft” which means, “Hit me up to FaceTime.” A sole “ft?” is an invitation to video chat.
Mhm is a version of mm-hmm, an interjection variously used to express agreement or make an acknowledgment, among other senses. Mhm is especially common in the casual writing of the internet and text-messaging.
What are 5 abbreviations? ›- But first, a quick cheat sheet:
- RSVP – Please reply. ...
- ASAP – As soon as possible. ...
- AM/PM – Before midday (morning) and after midday (afternoon) ...
- LMK – Let me know. ...
- BRB – Be right back. ...
- DOB – Date of birth. ...
- CC/BCC – Carbon copy/blind carbon copy.
👉👈 — Shy, nervous (usually in the context of flirting)
What does ₩ mean in texting? ›It represents the South Korean won, the North Korean won and, unofficially, the old Korean won. ₩ Won sign. In Unicode.
What does B mean in texting to a girl? ›B is an affectionate term for a loved one. It is often times used to address a homie, ya girl, or ya moms.
What does FTA stand for? ›A Free trade Agreement (FTA) is an agreement between two or more countries where the countries agree on certain obligations that affect trade in goods and services, and protections for investors and intellectual property rights, among other topics.
What does IMO slang mean? ›IMO refers to "in my opinion", an internet slang initialism, often in use to express writer's opinion.
What does tbsp stand for? ›abbreviation. (also tbs) (plural tbsp, tbsps) tablespoon.
What does TBD or TBC mean? ›To be announced (TBA), to be confirmed (TBC), to be determined or decided or declared (TBD), and other variations, are placeholder terms used very broadly in event planning to indicate that although something is scheduled or expected to happen, a particular aspect of that remains to be fixed or set.
Is it TBC or TBD? ›
TBC means “To be confirmed“. It is used to describe an item that is not yet certain or is being developed. What does TBD mean? TBD means “To be decided” or “To be discussed“.
What's the meaning of 831 😂 💕? ›"I Love You" (8 letters, 3 words, 1 meaning) is the most common definition for 831 on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.
What does 459 mean in texting? ›Text message code for I love you, 459 corresponds to each of the first letters in "I love you," I=4, L=5, and Y=9 on a cell phone dial pad. Tip.
What does 520 mean? ›Well, 520 is homophonic to “I love you” in Chinese! In fact, the 20th of May (520) is pronounced （wǔ èr líng）which sound very similar to 我爱你（wǒ ài nǐ）I love you, that is why the 20th (and 21st) have been labeled as the Internet Valentine's Day（网络情人节）.
What does 721 mean in text? ›721 stands for "I Love You", where 7 represents the total number of letters in the period, 2 represents the number of words, and 1 represents the meaning of the word. 721 is a shorthand format commonly used in text instant messages.
What does it mean to YEET? ›Yeet is a slang word that functions broadly with the meaning “to throw,” but is especially used to emphasize forcefulness and a lack of concern for the thing being thrown. (You don't yeet something if you're worried that it might break.)
What does 39 mean? ›So if someone texts you “39” or “3 9,” you can read it “san kyu”… a.k.a., “sankyu,” a Japanese-inflected version of the English, “thank you.” (You're welcome.) “39” has become common texting shorthand for gratitude in Japan, but it's only the tip of the numeric wordplay iceberg.
What does BBB mean in texting? ›"Bored Beyond Belief" is the most common definition for BBB on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. BBB. Definition: Bored Beyond Belief.
What is FF on Snapchat? ›Follow friday (#FF)
Follow Friday is a hashtag used to highlight some of your favorite Twitter accounts. Including someone in a #FF post is a way of recommending their account to your followers. Learn more: 40 Daily Hashtags Explained: What They Mean and How to Use Them.
LLL. Longer Letter Later (on the end of a note)
What does 8f mean? ›
8f" means the argument is a floating point value to be displayed yo the 8th decimal.
What does SS stand for on Snapchat? ›On Snapchat, SS is usually an abbreviation of 'screenshot. ' A screenshot is, of course, when you capture an image of whatever is on your phone screen at that time.
What does SB mean on Snapchat? ›Short for snapback, SB is used on social media platform Snapchat for when you want a user to respond back to a snap, or “message.”
What does IG mean in text? ›(Internet slang, text messaging) Initialism of I guess.
What does SMH mean in text? ›SMH: shaking my head. SOSO: same old, same old.
What is the meaning of CC? ›What does CC mean? In email sending, CC is the abbreviation for “carbon copy.” Back in the days before internet and email, in order to create a copy of the letter you were writing, you had to place carbon paper between the one you were writing on and the paper that was going to be your copy.
Is GTA an acronym? ›Grand theft auto, a type of crime, see motor vehicle theft.
What is the acronym TDS? ›Tax Deducted at Source (TDS)
What does 👉 👌 mean from a boy? ›👉👌 — Sexual intercourse. 🐫 — The act of sex (humping) 🔥 — Indicates someone is attractive or sexy. — Represents warding off the evil eye. 🧠 — Oral sex.
What does 👁👄👁 mean from a girl? ›What does 👁👄👁 mean? " It is what it is" It's a modern, emoji take to ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ in these new and unusual times. " 👁👄👁 means you feel helpless amidst the chaotic realities unfolding around us, but there is no escape." – @JoshConstine.
What does 🙈 mean in texting? ›
The 🙈 (See-No-Evil Monkey) emoji is often used to express embarrassment, shyness, or the desire to cover one's eyes and avoid seeing something awkward or uncomfortable. In the context of a guy's message to you, it could mean that he's feeling a bit bashful or vulnerable about expressing his feelings for you directly.
What does 6 dots mean in texting? ›The ellipsis ... (/əˈlɪpsɪs/, also known informally as dot dot dot) is a series of dots that indicates an intentional omission of a word, sentence, or whole section from a text without altering its original meaning.
What does 3 dots mean in texting from a guy? ›If a guy who's chatting you up follows a text like "I've been thinking about you…" with those 3 tiny dots, he's inviting you to use your imagination to figure out what exactly he's thinking about you.
What does 4 dots mean in texting? ›Unlike the three-dot disappearing act seen while texting, where the implication is that the conversation is still going, the four dots in a text message is similar to NRN and EOD, which indicates "no reply needed" and it's the "end of discussion." The first three dots are an ellipsis (…) and the fourth dot is a full ...
What does BB stand for? ›BB is an acronym that means "bye bye" and is a quick way of saying "bye" to someone online or via text. It is an informal acronym typically used between friends. BB is just one of many acronyms that can be used to depart a chatroom or text message.
What does BBY mean from a girl? ›BBY means "Baby." The abbreviation BBY is typically used with the meaning "Baby," as a slang term of endearment between couples. It is most often used in texts and on Instagram.
What does BBM mean in texting? ›a message sent or received using BlackBerry Messenger. verb. to send a message using BlackBerry Messenger.
What did 831 mean? ›The number 831 224 means “I love you today, tomorrow, forever.” “I Love You” is the most common definition for 831 on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. The number 831 is a cyber term used to mean “I Love You.”
What does PPM stand for? ›Maybe some of you already heard the abbreviation “PPM”. For all who don't know, “PPM” means “parts per million”.
What does BBA mean slang? ›BBA=old lady=ババア in Japanese slang.
What is BSM slang? ›
| Rank Abbr. | Meaning |
|---|---|
| BSM | Brother-Sister Moments |
| BSM | Bitter Sweet Memories |
| BSM | Bessatsu Shonen Magazine (Japanese publication) |
Bbg is an abbreviation for "baby girl," which is typically used online or in text messages. It is a modern term of endearment reserved for female loved ones.
What does B2B mean in text? ›"Back to Back" is the most common definition for B2B on Snapchat, WhatsApp, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok. B2B. Definition: Back to Back.
What does BBB F mean? ›BBB assigns ratings from A+ (highest) to F (lowest). In some cases, BBB will not rate the business (indicated by an NR, or "No Rating") for reasons that include insufficient information about a business or ongoing review/update of the business's file.