Blog Archives

30 Abbreviations you need to know to be able to chat on the internet

If the only abbreviations you understand are RIP and LOL, then it's time to refresh your vocabulary. Don't despair: we have prepared a list of acronyms that will make your life much easier.

FYI, when someone writes the abbreviation BBS in the chat window, it's best to sit and wait for the answers. And, BTW, the same applies to BRB.

Did you notice something? If not, we are here to help. These days there are abbreviations that flood the Internet capable of confusing very good people. Examples of this are the acronyms ASAP, which refers to urgent requests, and NSFW, which indicates something that should not be done at work, and which can easily appear in work emails (among other contexts). To avoid it being a bad image, we gathered a total of 30 abbreviations and their meanings with the help of the Observer's writing — BTW, the IT wing was the one that contributed the most.

1. AFK— Away From Keyboard
   It is commonly used in chats, or in games, when a person is away from the computer.
2. ASAP — As Soon As Possible
   Means “as soon as possible” and conveys urgency in the request.
3. BFF — Best Friend Forever
   If someone refers to you as a BFF, that's a good sign. The abbreviation refers to "best friend forever".
4. BTW — By The Way
   It's an “already now” in English and refers to something we want to add in the course of a conversation.
5. BRB — Be Right Back
   “Já volto”, in Portuguese. It is used, for example, when interrupting a conversation to do something.
6. BBS — Be Back Soon
   A “I won't be long” or a “I'll be right back”.
7. FML — Fuck My Life
   When someone writes this abbreviation it is because, as a rule, they are upset with life and things are not going well for them. There is even a website dedicated to the FML concept, where it is possible to share and learn about other people's frustrations.
8. FTW — For The Win
   Someone with a lot of confidence, a little without reason.
9. FYI — For Your Information
   “(Just) So You Know.”
10. GTFO — Get The Fuck Out
    The abbreviation is associated with an expulsion order. And it means that someone got quite angry.
11. HTH — Happy To Help or Hope That/This Helps
    When someone is happy to have helped someone else.
12. IDK— I don't know
    “I don't know.”
13. IKR — I Know, Right
    Refers to a statement we agree with in the course of a conversation.
14. IMO — In My Opinion
    “In my opinion…”
15. IMHO — In My Humble Opinion
    It is a reinforcement of IMO and means “In my humble opinion…”
16. IOLO — I Only Live Once
    “I Only Live Once” is associated with the exceptionality of a moment. The most common is to see teenagers sharing it in the form of a hashtag ( #IOLO ). There are two other versions, which you can see at the end of this glossary.

17. LMAO — Laughing My Ass Off
    It means that the person is laughing a lot following something that has been said or done.
18. LOL — Laughing Out Loud
    Works on the same register. It presupposes something funny.
19. NFW — No Fucking Way
    Expresses incredulity. It's a kind of "I don't believe" in the Portuguese language.
20. NSFW — Not Suitable For Work
    It usually accompanies an email or a shared article and means it should not be seen in the workplace for any reason.
21. OMG — Oh My God
    “Oh My God.” Need I say more?
22. RIP — Rest In Peace
    It means “rest in peace” and it is common to see yourself published on social media when someone famous dies.
23. ROTFL – Rolling On The Floor Laughing
    If LOL and LMAO are associated with things or moments with a lot of fun, ROTFL refers to something of “dying laughing”.
24. TCB— Taking Care of Business
    Implies that a person is taking care of a pending matter or task.
25. Tl;dr— Too long; didn't read
    This is a generic and sometimes humorous response to when someone takes too long (and uses too many words) to describe something.
26. TTYL — Talk To You Later
    It has several versions, depending on how long it takes: TTYS (soon, I'll talk to you soon), or TTYT (tomorrow, I'll talk to you tomorrow).
27. YOLO — You Only Live Once
    Like IOLO, it is associated with the exceptionality of a moment.
28. WOLO — We Only Live Once
    It is identical to IOLO and YOLO, although it refers to the first person plural. It gives the idea of ​​a shared philosophy of life.
29. WTF — What The Fuck
    Is applied in the same registry as the NFW.
30. W8 — Wait
    An even simpler way of writing, in English, “wait”.