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Do You Know The Most Used Abbreviations In English?
English abbreviations are among the things that most often confuse a person who does not master the language. After all, coming across a strange word that has an unknown meaning makes it difficult to understand the content.
However, these expressions are very popular and the English language is full of them. If you don't want to feel so lost with this vocabulary, keep following the post to learn a little about this universe of words !
Most Used English Abbreviations Among Friends
Let's start with the most common abbreviations when speaking English with friends or for general use. These are easy to find in movies and series, internet content and other everyday situations. Check out some of the main ones below.
1. AKA (Also Known As)
Such an abbreviation is recommended when you want to specify something or someone that “is also known as”. Example: the former President of the US aka Barack Obama.
2. BFF (Best Friends Forever)
Perhaps this is one of the best known, because here in Brazil many people already adopt this acronym to designate best friends. To say that a person is hers or your BFF means that you have great regard for her friendship.
3. BRB (Be Right Back)
Need to be away for a moment and want to let the person you're talking to know? Use BRB to signal you're back soon. If your interlocutor is familiar with English abbreviations, he will certainly understand the message.
4. DIY (Do It Yourself)
This is a frequent term in YouTube tutorials or any instructional material, as it means “ do it yourself ”. This cannot be missing from the vocabulary of those who have manual skills, for example.
5. LOL (Laughing Out Loud)
Are you having a real laugh and don't know how to express that feeling? You don't have to fill the other person with "haha" or stickers. Just say “lol” to indicate that you are dying of laughter.
6. NP (No Problem)
“ It's ok, np “. If you hear or read this phrase do you know what it means? She wants to say that everything is fine, “no problem”. The “ np ” is a more practical and brief way of expressing that there is no problem involved.
7. OMG (Oh My God)
Another classic and well-known abbreviation that is capable of summarizing several sensations: astonishment, happiness, sadness and others. “ Oh my God ” is the translation for this bunch of things and, for that reason, it is used frequently.
8. TGIF (Thank God It's Friday)
Brazilians have been using the expression “sextou” for some time to celebrate the arrival of the weekend. It so happens that the Americans already had their own abbreviation for the same occasion, the famous “ Thank God it's Friday ”.
9. THX Or TKS (Thanks)
Want to thank someone in short? Just use “thx” or “tks” to represent “ thanks” which is nothing more than a colloquial form of “ thank you”. The intention of thanks is what counts, right?
Extra tip: similarly, it is possible to simplify the “ please” from “por favor” to “pls”.
10. XOXO (Hugs And Kisses)
If you have contact with dialogues in English, you have probably seen this word somewhere, especially in social networks, phone calls or emails.
In fact, this is slang meaning “ hugs and kisses ”, as a way of saying goodbye. Although there is no consensus on its origin, there are those who say that the "X" represents two people kissing and the "O" the arms involved in an embrace.
Abbreviation Options To Use At Work
The professional environment requires a little more formality to deal with other colleagues. Consequently, abbreviations for speaking English at work should follow this same line. See below for some ideas.
1. ASAP (As Soon As Possible)
This is used to say that something must happen soon, as soon as possible. It is usually present in the answers when someone asks or asks for something that depends on someone else.
For example: “ I'll send you the information asap”, “ I will send you the information asap”.
2. FYI (For Your Information)
Another acronym widely used in corporate communication is FYI, which is the same as saying “ for your information ” or “for your knowledge”. That is, you don't have to worry about these three letters and just pay attention to what is described next.
3. IMO (In My Opinion)
To expose an idea, one of the alternatives is to start with “imo” which is equivalent to “ in my opinion ”. This is a practical and polite resource for announcing a personal point of view.
4. BTW (By The Way)
The context for using this expression is often the introduction of a topic in the middle of a conversation, when you remember something similar. It's like saying " by the way " or " by the way ". Then, complete the sentence with whatever you want to say later.
Abbreviations X Acronyms
Finally, let's ask a question about abbreviations and acronyms, since both are present in the English language. An abbreviation happens when a word is shortened, probably to simplify conversations — as when saying only BBC to refer to the British Broadcasting Corporation television network, as we do for SBT (Sistema Brasileiro de Televisão).
The acronym is an acronym that has become a normal word in people's vocabulary. So, for those who use some of the expressions mentioned above (like asap and lol), know that they are acronyms.
Were you able to understand a little more about the abbreviations in English? Start keeping an eye on the conversations around you so you don't miss any learning opportunities and notice how people use these words in everyday life. So, start incorporating them into your vocabulary and improve your English even more!
