This post: 130 Popular Texting Acronyms Parents of Teens Should Know
If you’ve ever glanced over your teen’s shoulder when they’re texting, chances are you found yourself pretty clueless. I mean, BFN? IU2U? WYA? What does it all mean? What are they really saying and could it be potentially risky?
It might not be our intention to invade our teen’s privacy (although it IS our job to know what’s going on in their lives), what we need to be doing is simply gaining knowledge. Because the more we know, the better we can parent and possibly prevent our teens from traveling down the wrong path or making a poor decision.
The good news is, most of what our teens text is pretty harmless. However, there are a handful of acronyms that every parent of teens should be aware of – acronyms that are specifically used to mask risky behavior.
To keep you “in the know,” we did some serious research, asking and digging, and came up with the most frequently used texting acronyms teenagers use today – some harmless, some not. Your teen likely doesn’t use all of these, but there’s a pretty good chance many of them are included in their daily texts.
Keep in mind that keeping up with teenagers’ secret language is like trying to hit a moving target. Slang words and acronyms are always changing. So while these are the most popular texting acronyms today, they very well may be a thing of the past next month. Here are 130 popular texting acronyms parents of teens should know.
Heads up, parents! If you want the lowdown on the latest slang words teens are using today, scroll down and check out the post at the bottom of this page!
130 Popular Texting Acronyms Parents of Teens Should Know
Popular (Harmless) Social Media and Texting Acronyms
143: I love you
2Day: Today
4EAE: Forever and ever
ADN: Any day now
AF: As f*ck
AFAIK: As far as I know
BFN: Bye for now
BOL: Burst out laughing or Best of luck
BRB: Be right back
BTW: By the way
CTN: Can’t talk now
DM: Direct message
FOMO: Fear of missing out
FRF or FTF: Face to Face
FWIW: For what it’s worth
GAL: Get a life
GB: Goodbye
GG: Good game
GLHF: Good luck have fun
GTG: Got to go (or good to go)
H8: Hate
HAK: Hugs and kisses
HAND: Have a nice day
HMU: Hit me up
HTH: Hope this helps (or Happy to help or How the h*ll)
HW: Homework
HWU: Hey, what’s up?
ICUMI: In case you missed it
IDK: I don’t know
IKR: I know, right?
ILY or ILU: I love you
IMO: In my opinion
IMHO: In my honest opinion
IRL: In real life
IU2U: It’s up to you
IYKWIM: If you know what I mean
J4F: Just for fun
JIC: Just in case
JK: Just kidding
L: Short for loose or loss
L8: Late
LMAO: Laughing my a** off
LMK: Let me know
LOL: Laugh out loud
LSR: Loser
NAGI: Not a good idea
NGL: Not gonna lie
NMH: Nodding my head (agreement)
NMU: Not much, you?
NP: No problem
NTS: Note to self
NVM or NM: Nevermind
OG: Original gangster (used for old friends or as a compliment to someone who’s “real” or “authentic”)
OIC: Oh, I see
OMG: Oh, my God
OMFG: Oh, my f***ing God
OMW: On my way
OOTD: Outfit of the day
ORLY: Oh, really?
OT: Off-topic
OTP: One true pairing or On the phone
PLS or PLZ: Please
PTB: Please text back
RL: Real life
RN: Right now
ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing
RT: Retweet
RUOK: Are you okay?
SMH: Shaking my head
SOS: Someone over shoulder
SRSLY: Seriously
SSDD: Same stuff, different day
STFU: Shut the f*ck up
SUS: Suspicious
SWAK: Sealed with a kiss
SWYP: So, what’s your problem? or So, what’s your point?
SYS: See you soon
TBC: To be continued
TFW: That feeling when
TIME: Tears in my eyes
TL;DR: Too long, didn’t read
TMI: Too much information
TMRW: Tomorrow
TT2T: Too tired to talk
TTYL: Talk to you later
TY or TU: Thank you
URAL: You’re a loser
V: Very
VSF: Very sad face or could mean “Very severely”
WB: Welcome back
WTF: What the f*ck
WTH: What the h*ll
WTPA: Where’s the party at?
WYA: Where are you at?
WYCM: Will you call me?
WYD: What are you doing?
YGM: You get me (meaning “you understand me”)
YK: You’re kidding
YKTS: You know the score
YKTV: You know the vibe
YOLO: You only live once
YW: You’re welcome
ZOMG: Oh, my God (sarcastic)
Social Media and Texting Acronyms Parents Should Be Aware Of:
ASL: Age/Sex/Location
CD9: Can’t talk parents are here
CU46: See you for sex
FBOI: A guy who’s just looking for sex
FWB: Friends with benefits (friends who hook up and have sex occasionally)
FYEO or 4YEO: For your eyes only
GNOC: Get naked on camera
GSW: Get some weed
K2: Also known as “spice” is code for synthetic marijuana, which can be more harmful than actual cannabis
KMS/KYS: Kill myself, kill yourself
KPC: Keeping parents clueless
LMIRL: Let’s meet in real life
MIRL: Meet in real life
MOS: Mom over shoulder
NIFOC: Naked in front of computer
OC: Open crib (meaning parents won’t be home)
ONS: One-night stand
P911: Parent alert
PAL: Parents are listening
PAW: Parents are watching
POS: Parents over shoulder or Piece of sh*t
RU/18: Are you over 18?
RUH: Are you horny?
RUMORF: Are you male or female?
TDTM: Talk dirty to me
WTTP: Want to trade pictures?
X or E: Letters that stand for ecstasy, otherwise known as “molly” or MDMA
zerg: To gang up on someone