Cracking 400+ Text Abbreviations Used by Teens – Deciphering Teen Talk for Confused Parents

By Gaurav Rathore
Gaurav Rathore

Tech Writer

His write-ups blend creativity, personal experience, and tailored technical advice, meeting reader needs effectively.

11 min read

Text abbreviations are simply short forms of words or phrases you use in a sentence. They are mostly used by youngsters while writing a caption on social media platforms and when they’re texting someone to avoid typing long phrases.

If you’re monitoring your kids and come across some tricky abbreviations being hard to decode, this write-up can help you out for sure. It consists of more than 400 abbreviations commonly used by teens and their meaning in a text message. 

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

A

AKA: Also known as

ACC: Actually

ADD: Address

ADR: What’s your address?

ASAP: As soon as possible

AFAIK: As far as I know

AFAIR: As far as I remember

AFAIC: As far as I’m concerned

AFK: Away from the keyboard

AMA: Ask me anything

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ABT: About

ABT2: About to

ASAP: As soon as possible

AF:  As f***

ASL: Age, sex, location

ATM: At the moment

ADN: Any day now

AYMM: Are you my mother?

AFAIC: As far as I’m concerned

AAMOF: As a matter of fact

AFAICT: As far as I can tell

ADIH: Another day in hell

AYMM: Are you my mother?

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B

B: Bisexual, babe

B4: Before

BC: Because

BET: Yes, affirmation 

BAE: Before anything else

BYOB: Bring your own beer

BOGO: Buy one, get one

BRT: Be right there

BTW: By the way

BFD: Big freaking/f***ing deal

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BDAY: Birthday

BF: Boyfriend/Bestfriend

BFF: Best friend forever

BF4L or BFFL: Best friend for life 

BOYF: Boyfriend

BRB: Be right back

BTW: By the way

BSAAW: Big smile and a wink

BWL: Bursting with laughter

B@U: Back at you

BBBG: Bye bye be good

BBIAS: Be back in a sec

BUMP: Bring up my post

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C

CAP: Means lie

CTA: Call to action

CBA: Can’t be bothered

CMB: Call me back

COB: Close of business

CMON: Come on

CTN: Can’t talk now

CU: See you

CUA: See you around

CR: Conversion rate

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CTR: Click-through rate

CD9: Code 9, which means parents are around

CUL: See you later

CPC: Cost per click

CYA: See ya

CYT: See you tomorrow

CS: Career suicide

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D

DA F/DAFUQ?: What the f***?

DTR: Define the relationship

DISS: Disrespect

DAE: Does anyone else?

DKDC: Don’t know, don’t care

DIY: Do it yourself

DIKU: Do I know you?

DL: Download

2DAY: Today

DEGT: Don’t even go there

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DM: Direct Message, a form of private messaging

DWBH: Don’t worry, be happy

DNT: Don’t

DBMIB: Don’t bother me I’m busy

DBEYR: Don’t believe everything you read

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E

EAK: Eating at keyboard

EIE: Enough is enough

EG: Evil grin

EOD: End of day

EMFBI: Excuse me for butting in

EMFJI: Excuse me for jumping in

EMSG: Email message

EMA: Email address

ETA: Estimated time of arrival

EZ: Easy

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No Word Found

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F

F: Female

FOMO: Fear of missing out

FAM: Short for ‘Family’

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions

FTFY: Fixed that for you

FWIW: For what it’s worth

FB: Facebook

Finna: I’m going to

FYEO: For your eyes only

FR: For real

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FF: Follow Friday

FBF: Flashback Friday

FUQ/FUQN:  F***/F***ing

FUBAR: F***** up beyond all recognition

FWB: Friends with benefits

FWIF: For what it’s worth

FQD: Forward

FIMH: Forever in my heart

FYI: For your information

FTW: For the win

FTL: For the loss / For the lose

Fire: To describe something positive; for example – the car’s performance is fire.

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G

G: Gay

G2CU: Good to see you

GOI: Get over it

G2G: Got to go

G2R: Got to run

GLHF: Good luck, have fun

GR8: Great

GF: Girlfriend

GG: Good game

GJ: Good job

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GL: Good luck

GAL: Get a life

GLHF: Good luck have fun

GMTA: Great minds think alike

GOAT: greatest of all time

GNITE: Good night

GRAS: Generally recognized as safe

GR8: Great

GRWM: Get ready with me

GRATZ: Congratulations

GTFOH: Get the f*** outta here

GTG: Got to go

GUD: Good

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H

H8: Hate

HMU: Hit me up

HAK: Hugs and kisses

HV: Have

HAND: Have a nice day

HAGO: Have a good one

HAGN: Have a great night

HIFW: How I feel when

HHIS: Hanging head in shame

HOAS: Hold on a second

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HW: Homework

HTH: Hope this helps / Happy to help

HBD: Happy Birthday

HT or H/T: Hat tip or heard through

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I

IB: I’m back

IC: I see

IM: Instant message

IG: I guess or Instagram

IDC: I don’t care

IDK: I don’t know

IKR: I know right?

ILU: I love you

ILY: I love you

IMU: I miss you

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IIRC:  If I remember correctly

IU2U: It’s up to you

IFYP: I feel your pain

IMO: In my opinion

IMHO: In my humble opinion

INSTA: Instagram

IRL: In real life

IDGAF: I don’t give a f***

IANAL: I am not a lawyer

ICYMI: In case you missed it

IYKYK: If you know, you know

IYKWIM: If you know what I mean

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J

JK: Just kidding

J/C: Just checking

JJ: Just joking

J4F: Just for fun

J4G: Just for giggles

J4T: Just for today

JIC: Just in case

J5M: Just five minutes

JAM: Just a minute

JC: Just curious

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JDI: Just do it

JDMJ: Just doing my job

JSYK: Just so you know

J2LYK: Just to let you know

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K

K: Okay

KFY: Kiss for you

KTHNX: OK, thanks

KAB: Kick A** B**h

KC: Keep Cool

KCCO: Keep Calm & Carry On

KEYA: Key you later

KHYF: Know How You Feel

KIA: Killed In Action

KIA: Know it all

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No Word Found

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L

L: Lesbian

L: Loss

LMK: Let me know

L8: Late

L8R: Later

LSR: Loser

LMAO: Laughing my a** off

LUV YA: Love you

LTR: Longterm relationship

LOL: Laugh out loud

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LDR: Long-distance relationship

LOLL: Laugh out loud a lot

LOML: Love of my life

LYSM: Love you so much

LMGTFY: Let me Google that for you

LH6: Let’s have s*x

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M

M: Male

MM: Music Monday

Msg: Message

MIRL: Meet in real life

MCM: Man crush Monday

MMO: Massively multiplayer online

MFW: My feeling when

MFW: My face when

MRW: My reaction when

MKAY: Mmm, okay

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MMS: Multimedia messaging service

MSM: Mainstream media

MYOB: Mind your own business

MMORPG: Massively multiplayer online role-playing game

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N

NBD: No big deal

N2M: Nothing too much

NTS: Note to self

NBD: No big deal

NE: Any

NE1: Anyone

NVR: Never

NMU: Not much, you?

NP: No problem

NGL: Not gonna lie

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NAGI: Not a good idea

NM: Not much / Nothing much / Nevermind

N/A: Not available or not applicable

NW: No worries

NSFW: Not safe for work

NTHNG: Nothing

NSFL: Not safe for life

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O

OIC: Oh, I see 

OP: Original post

OM: Oh my

OH: Overheard

OMG: Oh my God

ORLY: Oh, really? 

OT: Off topic

OVA: Over

OMW: On my way

OOTD: Outfit of the day

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OOO: Out of office

ONL: Online

OMDB: Over my dead body

ORLY: One true pairing / On the phone

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P

PK: Player kill

PM: Private Message

P911: Parent alert

PIC: Picture

PAW: Parents are watching

PCM: Please call me

PIR: Parent in room

POV: Point of view

PLS or PLZ: Please

PPL: People

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PROLLY: Probably

POS: Parents over shoulder / Piece of s**t

PMSL: Peeing myself laughing

PTB: Please text back

PWN: Own, as in conquer or defeat

PWNED: Owned, as in conquered or defeated

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Q

QT: Cutie

QQ: Crying

QFE: Question for everyone

QPQ: Quid pro quo

QTPI: Cutie pie

QQ: Quick question

QS: Quit scrolling

QOTD: Quote of the day

QL: Quit laughing

QIK: Quick

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No Words Found

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R

R: Are or our

RL: Real life

RT: Retweet

RLY: Really

RTBS: Reason to be single

RAK: Random act of kindness

RPG: Role playing game

RU: Are you?

RUOK: Are you okay?

R&R: Rest and relaxation

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RAEBNC: Read and enjoyed, but no comments

RBTL: Read between the lines

RFD: Request for discussion

RIYL: Recommend if you like

RLCO: Real life conference

ROTM: Right on the money

RPG: Role playing games

ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing

RTTS: Right thing to say

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S

SC: Snapchat

SO: Significant other

SEC: Second

SRY: Sorry

SRS: Serious

SPK: Speak

SRSLY: Seriously

SUS: Suspicious

SMS: Short message service

SFW: Safe for work

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SMH: Shaking my head

SHIP: Relationship

SMP: Social media platform

SCN: Short Code Number

SKL: School

SRSLY: Seriously

STFU: Shut the f*** up

SWYP: So, what’s your problem?

SSDD: Same stuff, different day

SNAFU: Situation normal, all f***** up

SKSKSK: Representing laughter

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T

TC: Take care

TT: TikTok

TBH: To be honest

TLC: Tender loving care

TFW: That feeling when

TBT: Throwback Thursday

TGIF: Thank God it’s Friday

TY: Thank you

TBF: To be frank

TIL: Today I learned

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TNTL: Trying not to laugh

THANQ: Thank you

TL;DR: Too long, didn’t read

THX: Thanks

TIA: Thanks in advance

TMI: Too much information

TBC: To be continued

T* or T+: Transsexual

TTFN: Ta-ta for now

TIME: Tears in my eyes

TTYL: Talk to you later

TMRW: Tomorrow

TXT: Text

TMB: Tweet me back

TCPA: Telephone Consumer Protection Act

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U

U: You

UL: Upload / You will

U2: You too

UAD: Under age drinking

UL: Upload

UB2M: You belong to me

UDM: You da man

UR: Your or you’re

UCMU: You crack me up

URGR8: You are great

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URW: You are welcome

UT2L: You take too long

UTM: You tell me

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V

VM: Voicemail

VBG: Very big grin

VBS: Very big smile

VEG: Very evil grin

VGC: Very good condition

VSF: Very sad face

VGN: Vegan or vegetarian

VHF: Very happy face

VN: Very nice

VWD: Very well done

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VWP: Very well played

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W

W: Win

W@: What

WS^: What’s up?

W4M: Woman for man

W/: With

W/O: Without

W: Whatever or weekend

W9: Wife in room

W8: Wait

WAD: Without a doubt

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WBU: What about you?

WAEF: When all else fails

WK: Week

WAH: Work at home

WRK: Work

WAI: What an idiot

WTF: What the f***

WAM: Wait a minute

WAMM: With all my might

WAYF: Where are you from?

WTG: Way to go

WCA: Who cares anyway?

WYD: What (are) you doing?

WDT: Who does that?

WDYS: What did you say?

WDYT: What do you think?

WYSIWYG: What you see is what you get

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X

X: Kiss

XOXO: Hugs and kisses

XME: Excuse me

XTC: Ecstasy

XLNT: Excellent

XLR8: Faster or going faster

XQZT: Exquisite

XXCC: Kiss, Kiss, Hug, Hug

XYL: Ex-young lady (wife)

XYZ: Examine your zipper

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No Words Found

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Y

Y?: Why?

YT: YouTube

YEET: To throw something

YGTR: You got that right

YKTV: You know the vibe

YMMV: Your mileage may vary

YOLO: You only live once

YGM: You’ve got mail

YR: Your

YSIW8: Why should I wait?

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YGM: You get me (you understand me)

YW: You’re welcome

YWSYLS: You win some you lose some

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Z

ZA: Pizza

ZT: Zero tolerance

ZZZ: Sleeping

ZUP: What’s up?

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