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Acronyms and internet slang – discover the 60 most popular
It is not news that the internet is one of the most used tools around the world, whether for work, study or even entertainment. It is precisely because of this high demand for use that it ended up becoming the cradle of new expressions and behaviors among the younger crowd.
Memes, hashtags, abbreviations… There are so many new things that it becomes increasingly difficult to keep up, especially because they multiply and change at an amazing speed. This change of language on the internet began in the mid-2000s and has been following the digital evolution to this day. The terms present in messages, emails, social media, games or even more formal environments are usually a list of North American expressions that stood out – or, getting on the bandwagon, bombed – on the web.
If you were born before this decade and got lost in the world of the internet, we prepared a dictionary with some of the main and most famous expressions, even because, it may not seem like it, but this topic is increasingly addressed in tests, entrance exams and Enem, in addition to being materials for several behavioral studies.
Let's give you a spoiler: you will stop being a flop and seal on the net. Do not understand anything? So come with us! ?
Top internet acronyms
AFK
acronym meaning
Acronym that means “away from keyboard” or, translated into Portuguese, “far from the keyboard”. The expression is used a lot in the world of games, when one of the players is going to be away for a moment and wants to warn friends.
How to use the acronym
“My delivery has arrived. I will stay AFK! ”
ASAP
acronym meaning
Translated to “as soon as possible”, the acronym “as soon as possible” is quite popular, including in the corporate world. It is used when a person urgently needs something.
How to use the acronym
“I need you to give me the report ASAP. ”
BBL and BBS
acronym meaning
There are two terms to also let people know that you will be absent from a conversation or game for a period. The acronyms mean “be back later” and “be back in a second”, respectively, which can be translated to “volto later” and “voto em um Segundo”.
How to use the acronym
“Wait to start another match of the game. BBL, okay?” or “Something arrived here at home, BBS. ”
BRB
acronym meaning
It means “be right back” and can also be used to inform that a person will be away from the conversation for a while. This acronym is most commonly used on social media. Its translation into Portuguese is “I'll be back soon”.
How to use the acronym
“Just a minute, BRB in conversation!”
BTW
acronym meaning
Expression that means "by the way" or, in Portuguese, "talking about it", and aims to continue or end a conversation.
How to use the acronym
“That's what I told her BTW. ” or “Oh, BTW, I need to tell you some gossip!”
DIY
acronym meaning
Widely used around the world, especially in Brazil, the acronym is the abbreviation of “do it yourself”, translated to “do it yourself” in Portuguese. It is used to present or encourage handicrafts of the most different formats and for the most diverse purposes.
How to use the acronym
"Hi! Today I’m going to make a totally DIY vase for the home garden.” or “I don't have the money for this shirt. I think I will DIY and customize.”
FOMO
acronym meaning
“Fear of missing out” or “fear of missing something” is a term used by people who are afraid that others are going through good or current experiences, while they are not. Because of this fear, FOMO people often share a lot of different information on their profiles.
How to use the acronym
“Look at this boy's profile. I find him very FOMO. ”
FTW
acronym meaning
Literally translated “for the victory”, the expression “for the win” is used to indicate that some content shared is worthwhile, such as texts, videos, movies, series, etc.
How to use the acronym
“A new hero movie, FTW! ”
FYI
acronym meaning
Short for “for your information”, the acronym has the same meaning as the well-known PSC “for your information” in the corporate world. The term aims to share or pass on content to one or more people.
How to use the acronym
“ FYI the CFO's email.”
JOMO
acronym meaning
“Joy of missing out” is an acronym used to indicate that a user will enjoy life outside the digital world.
How to use the acronym
“ JOMO ! Today is park day.”
LMFAO
acronym meaning
The acronym is composed of the phrase “laughing my fucking ass off” and, in Portuguese, can be translated to the expression “chorei de riso”, for example. It indicates that something seen by the user is very funny.
How to use the acronym
“Look at this meme! LMFAO! ” or “Did you watch that comedian's stand up? LMFAO! ”
LOL
acronym meaning
The acronym has two different meanings. The first is “laughing out loud” and indicates that something seen on the internet or some event was very funny. The second is the abbreviation for the famous online game league of legends.
How to use the acronym
“I can't believe you fell for this prank. LOL ” or “Today I'm going to play a game of LOL. ”
PVP
acronym meaning
Portuguese acronym that has the purpose of abbreviating the phrase “por favor”.
How to use the acronym
“Help me study for the test, PFV! ”
OMG
acronym meaning
Acronym in Portuguese that aims to abbreviate the phrase “my god”. It is common to express different feelings such as surprise, amazement, desire, disapproval etc.
How to use the acronym
“Wow, how did this happen? MDS !” or “ MDS, you let me down.”
ROFL
acronym meaning
Coming from the American phrase “rolling on the floor laughing”, the acronym “rolling on the floor laughing” is also used on social networks as a way of demonstrating that something was very funny.
How to use the acronym
“That joke was good! ROFL! ”
SQN
acronym meaning
Acronym in Portuguese whose purpose is to abbreviate the phrase “só que não”. Its use happens in a context of debauchery or sarcasm.
How to use the acronym
“Wow, I'm going to do really well on the math test. SQN. ”
YOLO
acronym meaning
“You only live once” means “you only live once” and is often used in photo captions posted on social media, to highlight the importance of the moment lived and recorded.
How to use the acronym
“Summer day at the beach. YOLO! ”
RLY
acronym meaning
Acronym for "really", is an expression that, in Portuguese, means "serious" and aims to show astonishment or surprise in a sentence.
How to use the acronym
"You are pregnant. RLY ?”
NSFW
acronym meaning
The expression means “not safe for work” or “not safe for work”, it is used when a person shares something with another person or group of friends, but it is not recommended that this be seen in the work environment.
How to use the acronym
“Look at this movie trailer. NSFW! ”
TKS
acronym meaning
It means “thanks” or “thank you”, which in Portuguese translates to “thank you”.
How to use the acronym
“ TKS for the ride.”
