Chat Slang Explained: 50 Text Abbreviations
Join freeChat slang is the shorthand people type to save time and set the mood: lol for a laugh, brb for back in a minute, tbh for being honest. Here's what 50 common abbreviations mean and how to use them.
Why do people use text slang?
Partly for speed: brb is quicker than "be right back", especially when you're typing with your thumbs. Mostly, though, it's about tone. A well-placed lol softens a message, ngl warns you an honest opinion is coming, and iykyk nods to a shared joke.
You don't have to use any of it. Plenty of people chat in full sentences and get on brilliantly. Knowing the shorthand just saves a lot of "sorry, what?" moments, especially in a busy room where messages fly by. Natter is for adults (18+), so this is the everyday slang grown-ups type, kept clean.
50 chat abbreviations and what they mean
| Abbreviation | Meaning | How it's used |
|---|---|---|
| afk | Away from keyboard | "afk ten mins, dinner's ready" |
| atm | At the moment | "Bit busy atm, chat later?" |
| bc | Because | "Can't tonight bc work" |
| brb | Be right back | "brb, kettle's boiled" |
| btw | By the way | "btw, love your photo of the coast" |
| cya | See you | "cya tomorrow, sleep well" |
| dm | Direct message | "Check your dms" (on Natter, your private messages) |
| dw | Don't worry | "dw, no rush to reply" |
| fomo | Fear of missing out | "Everyone's out tonight and the fomo is real" |
| fr | For real | "That film was brilliant fr" |
| fwiw | For what it's worth | "fwiw, I thought you were right" |
| fyi | For your information | "fyi, I'm useless before coffee" |
| gn | Good night | "gn, chat tomorrow" |
| gtg | Got to go | "gtg, my bus is here" |
| hbu | How about you | "Not bad thanks, hbu?" |
| hmu | Hit me up: get in touch | "hmu when you're home" |
| hru | How are you | "Hey, hru today?" |
| icymi | In case you missed it | "icymi, I finally finished that book" |
| idc | I don't care, often meaning "I don't mind" | "idc where we eat, you pick" |
| idk | I don't know | "idk, what do you reckon?" |
| ikr | I know, right | "ikr, that ending though" |
| ily | I love you | "night, ily" (close friends and partners) |
| imo | In my opinion | "imo the book was better" |
| irl | In real life | "Are you this funny irl?" |
| iykyk | If you know, you know | "That café on the corner, iykyk" |
| jk | Just kidding | "Never speaking to you again. jk" |
| lmk | Let me know | "lmk if Friday works" |
| lol | Laughing out loud | "lol same" (usually a smile, not a real laugh) |
| mb | My bad | "mb, wrong chat" |
| nbd | No big deal | "nbd, it happens" |
| ngl | Not gonna lie | "ngl, that's a great photo" |
| nm | Not much, or sometimes never mind | "nm, just watching telly, wbu?" |
| np | No problem | "np, happy to help" |
| nvm | Never mind | "nvm, found it" |
| ofc | Of course | "ofc I remember" |
| omg | Oh my god, or oh my gosh | "omg, that's brilliant news" |
| omw | On my way | "omw, five minutes" |
| rn | Right now | "Can't talk rn, I'm in a queue" |
| rofl | Rolling on the floor laughing | "rofl, stop it" |
| smh | Shaking my head | "Socks with sandals? smh" |
| sus | Suspicious | "That link looks a bit sus" |
| tbf | To be fair | "tbf, it was raining" |
| tbh | To be honest | "tbh I'd rather stay in tonight" |
| tmi | Too much information | "tmi, but I've had four coffees" |
| ttyl | Talk to you later | "gtg, ttyl" |
| ty | Thank you | "ty, that's kind" |
| wbu | What about you | "Loving this weather, wbu?" |
| wdym | What do you mean | "wdym you've never seen the sea?" |
| wya | Where you at: where are you | Between friends meeting up; never share your location with someone new |
| wyd | What (are) you doing | "wyd tonight?" |
How do you read tone in a chat?
- Full stops
- In a chat, "ok." can read cooler than "ok". Most people mean nothing by it, but if every reply suddenly ends in a full stop, the mood may have shifted.
- One-word replies
- "Yeah", "cool" and "k" are hard to answer. One is just a busy moment; a run of them usually means they're distracted or tired, so ask one open question or let it rest.
- Emoji
- A smiley after a tease shows you're joking, and the crying-with-laughter face or the skull both usually mean "that's hilarious". A thumbs up reads as warm to some people and curt to others, so don't overthink one.
- Capitals and stretched words
- CAPITALS can be excitement or shouting, depending on the words around them. "Sooo good" is enthusiasm; "ok...." with a trail of dots can be doubt, or just a habit.
- Ha, haha and HAHAHA
- A single "ha" can be dry or merely polite, "haha" is friendly, and a long HAHAHA means they really did laugh.
When the tone is unclear, ask. "Did that come across wrong?" is a perfectly good message.
British and American chat slang: what's different?
The abbreviations travel well: lol means lol everywhere. The differences are in the words around them.
| In a British chat | In an American chat |
|---|---|
| fancy someone | have a crush on someone |
| gutted | crushed |
| knackered | beat |
| chuffed | stoked |
| cheers | thanks |
| mate | dude |
Members also natter from Australia, New Zealand, Ireland and South Africa, so you might meet an "arvo" (afternoon), "heaps" (lots), "grand" (fine) or "lekker" (great). If a word's new to you, ask: most people love explaining their own slang.
The two abbreviations everyone asks about
- What does WYD mean?
What "wyd" really means, what it can hint at, and 30 replies for every mood.
- What does HMU mean?
"Hit me up" on profiles, between friends and when flirting, plus when a hmu is a red flag.
Should you use slang with someone new?
Mirror the other person. If they write in full sentences, do the same for a while; if their messages are all lowercase and lol, you can relax too. Slang is there to make chatting easier, so drop it the moment it gets in the way of being understood.
Two habits are worth keeping. Don't open with a lone "wyd" or "sup" to someone you've never spoken to, because it gives them nothing to reply to. And treat shorthand that rushes you, such as "hmu on another app rn", as a reason to slow down; our chat safety page explains why. For openers and keeping a conversation going, see our how to chat guides, and the chat rooms are a friendly place to pick up the lingo.
Chat manners, and where the slang began
Chat slang questions people ask
What does ngl mean in a text?
Ngl means "not gonna lie". People put it before an honest opinion or a small confession, as in "ngl, I've watched that film four times". It usually softens what follows rather than warning of something harsh.
What's the difference between lol and haha?
Both say "that's funny". Lol has softened over the years into a friendly filler that often means a smile, while haha tends to feel a touch warmer and more like an actual laugh.
Is it rude to reply with just "k"?
It can come across as curt, because a single letter gives the other person nothing back. If you're busy, "ok, chat later" takes two more seconds and reads far more kindly.
What does iykyk mean?
Iykyk stands for "if you know, you know". It points at an in-joke or a shared experience without explaining it, so the people who get the reference feel in on it.
Do I need to know chat slang to use Natter?
Not at all. You can chat in plain sentences and nobody will mind. This glossary is just here so that when someone sends "wyd" or "hmu", you know what they're asking.
Fluent in Chat? Come and Have a Natter
Make your profile, pull up a chair in the rooms and put your new vocabulary to use.
Join free