txt chat language terms decoded for parents

If you do not understand your teen text chat terms and messages, you can translate them using www.transl8it.com and read these disconnected letters, numbers, and punctuation.  This is a unique form of language that is so-called text speak (or “txtspk”) for online, chat, SMS and lingo.

The language is a combination of shorthand, shortened words, creative spellings using uppercase and lowercase, as well as use of punctuation marks. This shorthand can be attributed to micro-blogging and 140 character limits on systems like Twitter, not to mention the need for quick rapid communications.

With QWERTY smartphone keyboards, predictive text, auto-correct features allows our young social tech savvy teen text messages to be encrypted with speed.  The abbreviated teen text chat terms slang appears to be here to stay. For parents understanding teen text messages and shorthand, it can be as simple as typing in the words exactly as you see them and then clicking “transl8it” (trans-late-it).

Top 75 text chat terms or text speak (txtspk)

  1.     2DAY Today
  2.     4EAE For ever and ever
  3.     ADN Any day now
  4.     AFAIK As far as I know
  5.     AFK Away from keyboard
  6.     ATM At the moment
  7.     BC Because
  8.     B4 Before
  9.     BF/GF Boyfriend / Girlfriend
  10.     BFN Bye for now
  11.     BOL Be on later
  12.     BRB Be right back
  13.     BTW By the way
  14.     DM Direct message
  15.     F2F/FTF Face to face
  16.     FB Facebook
  17.     FWIW For what it’s worth
  18.     FYEO For your eyes only
  19.     FYI For your information
  20.     GLHF Good luck, have fun
  21.     GR8 Great
  22.     HAK Hugs and kisses
  23.     HAND Have a nice day
  24.     IDK I don’t know
  25.     IIRC If I remember correctly
  26.     IKR I know, right?
  27.     ILY / ILU I love you
  28.     IMHO In my honest opinion / In my humble opinion
  29.     IMO In my opinion
  30.     IU2U It’s up to you
  31.     IYKWIM If you know what I mean
  32.     J/K Just kidding
  33.     J4F Just for fun
  34.     JIC Just in case
  35.     JSYK Just so you know
  36.     K or KK Okay
  37.     L8R Later
  38.     LMK Let me know
  39.     LOL Laughing out loud
  40.     MSM Mainstream media
  41.     NAGI Not a good idea
  42.     NM Never mind
  43.     NMU Not much, you?
  44.     NP No problem / Now playing
  45.     NSFW Not safe for work
  46.     NSFL Not safe for life
  47.     NTS Note to self
  48.     OH Overheard
  49.     OMG Oh my God
  50.     PAW Parents are watching
  51.     PLS or PLZ Please
  52.     PPL People
  53.     PTB Please text back
  54.     RL Real life
  55.     ROFL Rolling on the floor laughing
  56.     RUOK Are you okay?
  57.     SMH Shaking my head
  58.     SRSLY Seriously
  59.     SSDD Same stuff, different day
  60.     SWAK Sealed with a kiss
  61.     SWYP So, what’s your problem?
  62.     TIA Thanks in advance
  63.     TIME Tears in my eyes
  64.     TMB Tweet me back
  65.     TMI Too much information
  66.     TMRW Tomorrow
  67.     TTYL Talk to you later
  68.     TY or TU Thank you
  69.     VSF Very sad face
  70.     WB Welcome back
  71.     WTH What the heck?
  72.     WTPA Where the party at?
  73.     WYCM Will you call me?
  74.     YLM You love me?
  75.     YW You’re welcome

 

 

Transl8it! will help you understand SMS text message slang & chat lingo shorthand.

A free online translation website dictionary will help you understand teen text chat terms and messages. You can translate to English (or visa versa) chat lingo, text speak, mobile chat, jargon, and more to understand the disconnected letters, numbers, and punctuations.

This unique form of language is so-called text speak (or “txtspk”) for online, chat, SMS and lingo. The language is a combination of shorthand, shortened words, and creative spellings by kids using uppercase and lowercase, as well as use of punctuation marks. The slang shorthand can be attributed to micro-blogging and 140 character limits on systems like Twitter, not to mention the need for quick rapid communications on mobile devices.

Use transl8it! (transl8it.com) to understand text message, txt speak, slang and online chat lingo.

Shawn Manaher

Shawn Manaher is the founder and CEO of The Content Authority and Transl8it.com. He’s a seasoned innovator, harnessing the power of technology to connect cultures through language. His worse translation though is when he refers to “pancakes” as “flat waffles”.