The Secret Language of Teens: 100 Common Text and Social Media Acronyms

Updated October 13, 2017
Educate yourself about the common social media acronyms your teen is using.
Tim Merton / Hoxton / Getty Images

If you've ever glanced at your teen's conversations over text or you've seen how she chats on social media, there's a good chance you have no idea what she's talking about sometimes. Social media acronyms and abbreviations can feel like another whole language.

But it's important to learn what some of that shorthand means. Monitoring your teen's online activity won't be helpful if you can't understand what your teen is saying.

You might allow unhealthy conversations to take place right in front of you.

While you don't want to spy on your teen, it is important to stay up-to-date on your teen's social media and smartphone activity. Educate yourself about the most common social media acronyms so you can be aware of the conversations your teen is having.

Here are the most common social media acronyms teens are using to communicate with one another:

1. 143 - I love you

2. 2DAY - Today

3. 4EAE - For ever and ever

4. ADN - Any day now

5. AFAIK - As far as I know

6. AFK - Away from keyboard

7. ASL - Age/sex/location

8. ATM - At the moment

9.  BFN - Bye for now

10. BOL - Be on later

11. BRB - Be right back

12.  BTW - By the way

13. CTN - Can’t talk now

14. DWBH - Don’t worry, be happy

15.  F2F or FTF - Face to face

16.  FWB - Friends with benefits

17.  FYEO - For your eyes only

18. GAL – Get a life

19. GB - Goodbye

20. GLHF - Good luck, have fun

21. GTG - Got to go

22. GYPO - Get your pants off

23. HAK - Hugs and kisses

24. HAND - Have a nice day

25. HTH - Hope this helps / Happy to help

26. HW - Homework

27. IDK - I don’t know

28. IIRC - If I remember correctly

29. IKR - I know, right?

30. ILY / ILU - I love you

31. IM - Instant message

32. IMHO - In my honest opinion / In my humble opinion

33. IMO - In my opinion

34. IRL - In real life

35. IWSN - I want sex now

36. IU2U - It’s up to you

37. IYKWIM - If you know what I mean

38. J/K - Just kidding

39. J4F - Just for fun

40. JIC - Just in case

41. JSYK - Just so you know

42. KFY - Kiss for you

43. KPC - Keeping parents clueless

44. L8 - Late

45. LMBO - Laughing my butt off

46. LMIRL – Let’s meet in real life

47. LMK - Let me know

48. LOL - Laugh out loud

49. LSR - Loser

50. MIRL - Meet in real life

51. MOS - Mom over shoulder

52. NAGI - Not a good idea

53. NIFOC - Nude in front of computer

54. NM - Never mind

55. NMU - Not much, you?

56. NP - No problem

57. NTS - Note to self

58. OIC - Oh I see

59.  OMG - Oh my God

60. ORLY - Oh, really?

61. OT - Off topic

62. OTP - On the phone

63. P911 - Parent alert

64. PAW - Parents are watching

65. PCM - Please call me

66. PIR - Parent in room

67. PLS or PLZ - Please

68. PPL - People

69. POS - Parents over shoulder

70. PTB - Please text back

71. QQ - Crying. This abbreviation produces an emoticon in text. It’s often used sarcastically.

72. RAK - Random act of kindness

73. RL - Real life

74. ROFL - Rolling on the floor laughing

75.  RT - Retweet

76. RUOK - Are you okay?

77. SMH - Shaking my head

78. SOS - Someone over shoulder

79. SRSLY - Seriously

80. SSDD - Same stuff, different day

81.  SWAK - Sealed with a kiss

82. SWYP - So, what’s your problem?

83. SYS - See you soon

84. TBC - To be continued

85. TDTM -Talk dirty to me

86. TIME - Tears in my eyes

87. WYCM - Will you call me?

88. TMI - Too much information

89. TMRW - Tomorrow

90.  TTYL - Talk to you later

91.  TY or TU - Thank you

92. VSF - Very sad face

93. WB - Welcome back

94. WTH - What the heck?

95.  WTPA - Where the party at?

96.  WYCM - Will you call me?

97. YGM - You’ve got mail

98. YOLO - You only live once

99. YW - You’re welcome

100. ZOMG - Oh my God (sarcastic)

Set Healthy Limits

Understanding the online language of teens is just one step in ensuring online safety.

Create social media policies and establish cellphone rules that will reduce your teen's risk of engaging in unhealthy behavior, like sexting.

Educate your teen on the dangers of online activity. Ongoing conversations about the dangers, combined with regular monitoring, will increase the chances that your teen will stay safe on the internet.