OFC means of course, TBH means to be honest, HMU means hit me up, WYA means where you at, TYSM means thank you so much, IYKYK means if you know, you know, AFK means away from keyboard and ATP means at this point. ASL has two meanings: the old chatroom question age, sex, location, and the newer as hell.
This guide covers 47 common text abbreviations, explained in plain English with an example message and a tip on tone, because the same letters can sound friendly, blunt or cold depending on who sends them. Use the search box to jump to any term.
iTL;DR
- Most searched: OFC, TBH, TYSM, HMU, WYA, IYKYK, AFK, ATP, ASL, ISO.
- Tone matters: “tbh” can soften an opinion or sharpen a criticism, and a lone “k” often reads as annoyed.
- Two meanings: ASL (age, sex, location or as hell), IG (I guess or Instagram), LFG (let’s go or looking for group).
- At work: stick to FYI, ETA, TBD, TIA and BRB. Skip the rest in formal messages.
- Not a literacy problem: one UK study found children who used more text abbreviations did better on a reading test.
Text slang cheat sheet: the 12 most searched abbreviations
The 12 abbreviations people look up most, with their usual meanings.
The most searched text abbreviations explained
These are the abbreviations people look up most often, with the tone they carry and an easy reply.
OFCof courseConfident, relaxed agreement. Can sound a little sassy if the question was obvious.“Did you finish it?” “ofc”“Thanks!” or a thumbs up.
TBHto be honestSoftens or sharpens an opinion, depending on what follows.“tbh I was nervous too”Reply to the opinion, not the abbreviation.
TYSMthank you so muchWarm and appreciative.“tysm for dinner!”“yw!” or “anytime”.
HMUhit me upAn open invitation to get in touch.“hmu if you’re free Saturday”“Will do” or send a message.
WYAwhere you at?Casual question about your location, usually when meeting.“wya? I’m at the door”Share your location: “2 mins away”.
IYKYKif you know, you knowPlayful and exclusive, hints at a shared joke.A photo of a meal with “iykyk”“lol I know” or “no idea, explain”.
AFKaway from keyboardNeutral status note, mostly in games and chat.“afk, back in 10”“k” or “no worries”.
ATPat this pointWeary or resigned.“atp I’ll just order pizza”Sympathise or suggest a fix.
Tone notes are general guidance. Meaning can shift with the sender and the platform.If you do not know what an abbreviation means, ask. Nobody has ever been offended by “wdym?”
Know World Now editorial tip
Text slang glossary: 47 abbreviations from A to Z
Type in the box to filter the list. You can search by abbreviation, meaning or category. The table is grouped by what the abbreviation does: everyday replies, opinions and tone, plans and questions, status and time, and feelings and mood.
Search the glossary47 terms
OFCof courseYes, obviously. Used as an easy agreement."Are you coming tonight?" "ofc"Everyday replies
TYSMthank you so muchWarm thanks, a step up from TY."tysm for the lift!"Everyday replies
TYthank youShort, friendly thanks."ty, got it"Everyday replies
YWyou're welcomeThe standard answer to TY."ty!" "yw"Everyday replies
TIAthanks in advanceAdded when you ask for a favour."Can you send the file? tia"Everyday replies
MBmy badA casual apology for a small mistake."mb, wrong link"Everyday replies
DWdon't worryReassurance that it is fine."dw about it"Everyday replies
NVMnever mindDrops the question or request."nvm, found it"Everyday replies
ALRalrightOkay or agreed."alr see you then"Everyday replies
KKokayA relaxed okay. A lone K can feel cold."kk, sounds good"Everyday replies
JKjust kiddingSignals a joke."I quit. jk"Everyday replies
TBHto be honestIntroduces a frank opinion."tbh I liked the first one more"Opinions and tone
TBFto be fairAdds balance or defends someone."tbf he did warn us"Opinions and tone
NGLnot gonna lieAdmits something candid."ngl that was scary"Opinions and tone
IMOin my opinionMarks a view as your own."imo the book is better"Opinions and tone
IKRI know, right?Enthusiastic agreement."That ending though" "ikr"Opinions and tone
IKTRI know that's rightStrong agreement, often playful."Pizza is the best" "iktr"Opinions and tone
FRfor realAgreement, or "seriously?" depending on tone."fr, I can't believe it"Opinions and tone
IGI guessA shrug. It can also mean Instagram."ig we can go"Opinions and tone
ISTGI swear to GodStrong emphasis or frustration. Some people avoid it."istg I'll be late"Opinions and tone
ATPat this pointResignation or frustration at how things are going."atp I'll just walk"Opinions and tone
IYKYKif you know, you knowAn inside joke only some people will get.Posts a photo of a niche meme with "iykyk"Opinions and tone
HMUhit me upContact me or message me."hmu when you land"Plans and questions
LMKlet me knowTell me your answer or update."lmk if you need anything"Plans and questions
WYAwhere you at?Asks for your location."wya? we're outside"Plans and questions
WYDwhat are you doing?Checks what you are up to."wyd tonight"Plans and questions
WSGwhat's good?A greeting like "what's up"."wsg, long time"Plans and questions
WDYMwhat do you mean?Asks for clarification."wdym it's cancelled"Plans and questions
HBUhow about you?Returns the question."I'm good, hbu"Plans and questions
OMWon my wayYou are traveling to them now."omw, 10 mins"Plans and questions
ETAestimated time of arrivalWhen you expect to arrive."eta 6pm"Plans and questions
ISOin search ofUsed in listings and posts for what someone wants."ISO a 2 bedroom flat"Plans and questions
LFGlet's go / looking for groupHype in chat, or a call for players in games."lfg, we won!"Plans and questions
BRBbe right backStepping away for a moment."brb, phone"Status and time
AFKaway from keyboardNot at the computer. Common in games and chat."afk 5 min"Status and time
TTYLtalk to you laterA sign-off."gotta run, ttyl"Status and time
RNright nowAt this moment."busy rn"Status and time
ATMat the momentSame idea as RN."driving atm"Status and time
TBDto be determinedNot decided yet."venue tbd"Status and time
GMgood morningA morning greeting."gm everyone"Status and time
FYIfor your informationPasses something along."fyi the meeting moved"Status and time
DMdirect messageA private message."dm me the details"Status and time
IDKI don't knowA plain "no idea"."idk what to wear"Feelings and mood
IDEKI don't even knowConfusion or exasperation."idek what happened"Feelings and mood
WTVwhateverIndifference or giving in."wtv you want"Feelings and mood
IMYI miss youAffectionate."imy already"Feelings and mood
ASLage, sex, location (or "as hell")Old chatroom opener. Gen Z uses "asl" to mean "as hell", as in "tired asl"."a/s/l?" or "I'm tired asl"Feelings and mood
Tone traps: when text abbreviations read the wrong way
The words are short, but the feelings can be big. These are the abbreviations most likely to be misread:
- K versus KK. A single “k” often reads as annoyed or finished with the topic. “kk” is friendlier.
- TBH. “tbh I love it” is warm. “tbh it was not great” can sting. Add a kind line after it.
- NGL. Usually a softener before a candid remark, but it can also set up bad news.
- IG. “ig we can go” sounds unenthusiastic. If you are keen, say so.
- FR. “fr?” with a question mark means “really?”, while “fr fr” is strong agreement.
- ISTG. Shows frustration and some people dislike the religious reference, so skip it in mixed company.
- ASL. In older chat rooms, “a/s/l?” asked strangers for personal details. Never share these with someone you do not know.
Text emoticons and symbols (People Also Ask answers)
People often ask what text faces mean. These are widely used readings, and context can change them:
:/ or =/Unsure, awkward or unimpressed
<_<Suspicious side-eye
x_xDead tired, overwhelmed or “I am done”
@@Dizzy, confused or hypnotised
:>A smug or mischievous smile
:3A cute, cat-like smile
Emoticon meanings are informal and vary between friend groups.Initialism, acronym, textism: what is the difference?
- Initialism: you say each letter, as in “O-F-C” or “T-B-H”.
- Acronym: you say it as a word, as in “FOMO” or “YOLO”.
- Clipping: a word shortened, such as “ty” or “rn”.
- Textism: any text-message shortcut, including letter-number swaps such as “gr8”.
- Textese or text speak: the whole style of abbreviated writing.
When to use abbreviations and when to skip them
Texting abbreviations by situation
Safe to use
- With friends and family who use them
- In casual chats and group messages
- FYI, ETA, TBD, TIA and BRB in friendly work chats
- When you are short on time and the meaning is obvious
Better to avoid
- In job applications, formal emails and official messages
- With people who may not know them, such as older relatives or new contacts
- For serious news, an apology or a condolence message
- When a slang term has two meanings and context is unclear
Are text abbreviations ruining language? What research says
Teachers and parents often worry that text speak damages spelling. The evidence is more reassuring. A British study of 88 children aged 10 to 12, published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology in 2009, found that children who used more text abbreviations scored higher on a reading test, even after age, working memory and phonological skill were taken into account. The study was correlational, so it cannot prove that texting improves reading, but it does suggest that playing with letters and sounds goes along with literacy rather than against it.
Abbreviations are also older than phones. The earliest known written use of OMG comes from a letter that Admiral Lord Fisher sent to Winston Churchill on 9 September 1917, found by Oxford English Dictionary researchers. Shortening phrases is a very old habit.
Related slang and meaning guides
- 6-7 meaning: another number-based phrase that spread among teenagers.
- 5201314 meaning: how numbers became a love message in Chinese internet slang.
- PogChamp emote meaning: how a Twitch emote turned into shared language.
- The moon is beautiful, isn’t it: a phrase where the real message hides under the words.
Curious about number slang?
Find out why 6-7 took over playgrounds and what it really means.
Read the 6-7 guideText slang: frequently asked questions
OFC means “of course”. It is a quick, relaxed way to say yes or agree.TBH means “to be honest”. People use it to introduce a frank opinion, sometimes to soften it and sometimes to make it sharper.HMU means “hit me up”, which is an invitation to message or call the sender.WYA means “where you at?” and is used to ask where someone is, usually when meeting up.TYSM means “thank you so much”. It is warmer than TY, which means “thank you”.IYKYK means “if you know, you know”. It marks an inside joke or reference that only some people will understand.ASL has two meanings. In old chat rooms it stood for “age, sex, location”. Today many young people use “asl” to mean “as hell”, as in “tired asl”. The American Sign Language abbreviation is a third meaning.Common ones include OMG, LOL, BRB, BTW, IDK, TTYL, TBH, IMO, FYI, ASAP, OFC, TY, TYSM, HMU, LMK, NVM, ETA, DM, AFK and ATP. The glossary above covers most of them and many more.It depends on the workplace. FYI, ETA, TBD, TIA and BRB are widely accepted in friendly work chat. Avoid slang such as NGL, IYKYK or FR in formal emails, client messages and anything official.The face :/ means unsure, awkward or unimpressed. The variant =/ means about the same.It usually means “dead”, exhausted or overwhelmed, like a cartoon character with crossed-out eyes.It is a suspicious side-eye, as if the sender is glancing at someone.Sources and further reading
- British Psychological Society Research Digest: txtng associated wiv superior reading skills
- Snopes: the 1917 Lord Fisher letter and the first use of OMG
- Guinness World Records: first instance of OMG in print
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