txt & internet slang hz bcum so complicated dat ppl R UzN translators, jst 2 undRstNd it. It’s lIk learning o NothA lngwij. If you had trouble reading this sentence; you need a quick guide to text slang. This article gives you some basics, plus a few extras.
Let’s start by decoding the sentence above:
|
English |
Text slang |
English |
Text slang |
English |
Text slang |
|
text |
txt |
people |
ppl |
understand |
undRstNd |
|
has |
hz |
are |
R |
another |
NothA |
|
become |
bcum |
just |
jus |
language |
lngwij |
|
that |
dat |
to, too, two |
2 |
||
Interestingly, The Oxford English Dictionary states that the 20 most used words are all under 4 letters. Text slang abbreviates 12 of them.
| English | Text slang | English | Text slang | English | Text slang | English | Text slang |
|
the |
d |
be |
b |
to |
2 |
of |
of |
|
and |
& |
a |
a |
in |
n |
that |
dat |
|
have |
hav |
I |
I |
with |
w |
for |
4 |
|
as |
az |
you |
U |
with |
w |
at |
@ |
Some of the most used words in text message are for organising meetings, touching base with loved ones, congratulating or well wishes, and letting others know what is going on. This list has been complied to help abbreviate the most common type of text messages.
Organising meetings:
| English | Text slang | English | Text slang | English | Text slang |
| Monday | mon. | Saturday | s@RdA | Time | tym |
| Tuesday | tues. | Sunday | sun. | Day | dA |
| Wednesday | wed. | Tomorrow | 2moro | Later | L8r |
| Thursday | thur. | Today | 2day | tonight | 2nt |
| Friday | fri. | Next week | NXT wk | Tomorrow night | 2moro nyt |
Touching base with loved ones:
|
English |
Text slang |
English |
Text slang |
|
I love you |
I luv U 0r 143 |
How are you? |
How r u? |
|
I miss you |
I ms U |
At the moment |
ATM |
|
We should catch up |
We shud catch ^ |
Thank you |
10q or TY |
|
What have you been up to? |
wot hav U Bin ^ to? |
Mates |
m8s |
|
How is the family? |
How iz d family? |
Hugs and kisses |
88 |
Congratulating or well wishes:
|
English |
Text slang |
English |
Text slang |
|
Happy birthday |
🙂 bday |
Well done! |
weL done! |
|
Congratulations! |
cg, gratz, congrats |
Good job! |
gud job! |
|
Merry Christmas |
Merry xbo |
Great to hear you are doing so well. |
gr8 2 hEr U R doin so weL. |
|
Happy Easter |
🙂 Easter |
Get well soon |
GWS |
|
Happy New Year |
🙂 nu yr. |
You’re welcome |
YW |
Letting others know what is going on:
|
English |
Text slang |
English |
Text slang |
|
I’m going to be late |
I’m goin 2 b l8 |
What time are you going to be home? |
wot tym R U goin 2 b home? |
|
I’m not feel great |
I’m not fEl gr8 |
Sorry |
soz |
|
I won’t be able to make it |
I won’t b abL 2 mAk it |
What time do we need to be there? |
wot tym do we nEd 2 b there? |
|
Can you please get some… |
cn U pls git som. |
Are you ready? |
rur |
There are literally thousands of abbreviations, and it would be implausible to list them all in a single article. Just a word for the wise, if you don’t know what someone is saying; look it up, before you respond. You could be congratulating someone on the death of a pet or something worse! For like everything else in this world; there’s an app for that.
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