Abbreviations in English language- this is something without which it is quite difficult to imagine a modern foreign language. Abbreviations are often used on the Internet in order to convey your own thoughts as quickly as possible. And indeed, it is not necessary to write "as soon as possible", if you can write "asap".
Abbreviations in English in correspondence
Abbreviations in English in correspondence are a whole world, having learned which you can express yourself in foreign language it gets easier. Instead of "Thank you" we write often "THX", and in English you can write "thx". If it's very funny - lol (laugh out loud), surprised - OMG (Oh my god), go away - cu (see you). Note that there are abbreviations that are written the same as they sound:
- u-you
- y-why
- ur - your
- k-okay
- r-are
- b-be
- pls-please
There are abbreviations that use letters and numbers. Such "mixture" helps replace some SMS abbreviations in English, for example:
There are 4 types of abbreviations in English: graphic, lexical, merging and digital. Graphic abbreviations are found in letters, books and dictionaries, as well as advertisements. Note that everyone knows A.D/B.C(Anno Domini/Before Christ - AD, BC) have been preserved since Latin times. In writing, truncated versions are often used, for example, sis(sister - sister), doc(doctor - doctor), flu(influenza - flu), comfy(comfortable - convenient).
Words formed from two truncated words are also popular in modern English:
Docudrama(documentary drama) - documentary drama
Workaholic- hard worker
Frenemy(friend + enemy) - a friend who can betray at any moment
Earwitness(ear + witness) - the one who heard
There are also abbreviations that have firmly entered English and taken their positions:
- gf-girlfriend
- bf-boyfriend
- bb - bye bye
- brb - be right back
- tc - take care
- hru - how are you
- btw - by the way
- bbl - be back later
- P.S. -post scriptum
- a.m. - ante meridiem
- p.m. -post meridiem
- e.g. - exempli gratia, for example
- BD - birthday
- IMHO - in my opinion honest
- XOXO - hugs and kisses
Popular English word abbreviations
Mister, Mrs abbreviation in English
These kinds of abbreviations are used when writing official letters, so it is important to know that
Mr(mister) - mister
Mrs(mistress) - Mrs.
Ms(the alternative between Mrs or Miss is placed before the woman’s surname, regardless of her marital status)
Country abbreviations in English
With the development of Internet technologies and the emergence of almost every third inhabitant of the earth having an Instagram account, country abbreviations in English have become especially popular. Would you like to write in your profile that you are studying English, German and Italian? Then GB, DE, IT to help you. But seriously about countries, in accordance with the international names of countries according to the ISO-3166 standard, two-digit abbreviations are used:
Australia - AU
Austria - AT
Azerbaijan - AZ
Albania - AL
Angola - AO
Andorra - AD
Argentina - AR
Belarus - BY
Belgium - BE
Bulgaria - BG
Brazil - BR
Great Britain - GB
Vietnam - VN
Germany - DE
Greece - GR
Egypt - EG
Israel - IL
Italy - IT
Canada - CA
Malta - MT
Mexico - MX
Poland - PL
Russia - RU
Serbia - RS
Slovenia - SI
Thailand - TH
Türkiye - TR
France - FR
Montenegro - ME
Abbreviation of days of the week in English
In English you can find both two-digit and three-digit abbreviations for the days of the week:
More about cuts
Below we give some examples of abbreviations in texts:
A: What does IDK, LY & TTYL mean?
B: I don’t know, love you, talk later.
A: OK, I will ask your sister.
Or try deciphering this dialogue:
A: g2g to the store ttyl
Q: ok cya Bobby
Happened? If not
A: Got to go to the store, talk to you later
B: OK, see you Bobby
By the way, you can also find something like this:
Abbreviations in English, as in Russian, help you spend less time on correspondence, so if you want to express yourself in writing much faster, you need to remember the most common abbreviations. But you can find the most up-to-date information at. There are tests, grammar, current articles on the topic of language learning, and a lot of interesting things for those who want to master English.
A contraction is two or even three words combined into one shortened word, with some letters being dropped. An apostrophe is placed in place of the dropped letters on the letter. In English, abbreviations are used very often, mainly in colloquial speech. The reductions are mainly auxiliary verbs and the negative particle not, since they are unstressed in the sentence. In addition, there are many contractions with modal verbs.
Let's look at the main abbreviations in English:
|
Reduction |
Pronounced |
Full form |
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I had, I would, I should |
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you had, you would |
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he had, he would |
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she had; she would |
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we had, we should, we would |
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they had; they would |
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[ðɛəz], [ðəz] |
there is, there has |
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there had, there would |
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AM kæ̱nt] |
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There are abbreviations verbal(when the verb itself is shortened) and negative(in which the particle not undergoes contraction).
Some negative contractions can take two forms:
he had not = he"d not = he hadn"t
she will not = she’ll not = she won’t
it is not = it’s not = it isn’t
Abbreviations with n"t(hadn"t, won"t) are more typical of the English language. The exception is the verb is, because in British English both are acceptable. In American English they use forms with not: she"s not.
IN divisive issues am not has the abbreviation aren't I:
I am in your team, aren’t I? - I'm on your team, aren't I?
Please note the difference in pronunciation: can"t: British English in American English.
Some abbreviations can imply different verbs, for example the abbreviation ’s can mean both is and has . How to distinguish? We differentiate by context. After is, either a verb ending in ing, an adjective or a noun is used:
He's waiting for you. - He's waiting for you.
She's a student. - She is a student.
It's beautiful. - This is wonderful.
After has there should be a verb in the third form:
He's got a new car. - He has a new car.
She's been to the USA. - She was in the USA.
The abbreviation "d" can "hide" had, would, should. After had we use the third form of the verb:
Sometimes the abbreviation is used for had better:
You'd better go home now. - You better go home now.
Would is often followed by like to :
I'd like to have a cup of tea. - I would like a cup of tea.
C should usually use the verb in the first form without the particle to (expression of advice):
You"d go and apologize. - You should go and apologize.
Do not confuse the abbreviated form it"s and possessive adjective its.
Ain’t is a slang abbreviation for am not, are not, is not, have not, has not. It can be found in films, songs and in spoken language.
Using abbreviations in writing.
The use of abbreviated forms in writing is determined by the nature of the letter. Abbreviations should be avoided in official documents, formal correspondence, scientific works, but in informal letters, blogs, articles, the use of abbreviations is allowed and even encouraged. Contractions give a more informal and light tone, and full forms, in turn, indicate seriousness and formality. Before using abbreviations in writing, think about the nature, purpose and recipient of your letter.
When using abbreviated forms in writing, there are several rules to remember.
The short form ‘s (is, has) can be used in writing with personal pronouns, nouns, question words, there) and (now’s):
He "s my brother. - He is my brother.
Tom's sleeping. - Tom is sleeping.
Where's he? What's he doing? - Where is he? What is he doing?
There's a car in the garage. - There's a car in the garage.
Here's a lot of people. - There are many people here.
Now's the time to go. - Now it's time to go.
The short forms 'll (will), 'd (had, should, would) and 're (are) are used in writing after pronouns and the word there, but in other cases the full forms are written, even if abbreviated ones are pronounced:
They're watching TV. The children are watching TV.
She'd like to go out. Mary would like to go out.
He'd eat healthy food. My father should eat healthy food.
Abbreviations - important element spoken English. Sometimes they make it difficult to understand native speakers when they speak very quickly, so it is important to develop your listening skills, and if you want to improve your spoken English, our teachers will help you with this. Good luck in learning English!
|ˈɡɑː.nə| = going to - getting ready to do something.
We're gonna get married. = We’re going to get married. - We're going to get married.
The option with gonna sounds much simpler. Moreover, you can omit the verb to be (we're gonna get married), if, of course, your internal censor allows it.
2. Wanna
|ˈwɑː.nə| = want to / want a - want to do something / want something.
The abbreviation wanna is used in two meanings: when we want to do something and when we just want something. In both cases, wanna is used instead of want to and want a:
- Do you wanna come to my place for dinner? = Do you want to come to my place for dinner? - Do you want to have dinner with me?
- I wanna birthday party. = I want a birthday party. - I want a birthday party.
3. Gimme
|ˈɡɪm.i| = give me - give / give me.
This abbreviation is familiar to many from the song Gimme More by Britney Spears and the composition of ABBA. For friendly, casual communication, it is quite appropriate to say:
Oh, come on, Pat, gimme a break. - Oh, Pat, stop it! Give me a break!
4. Lemme
|ˈlɛmɪ| = let me - let / let me.
The abbreviation lemme is similar to gimme and is used as follows:
Lemme take care of her. = Let me take care of her. - Let me take care of her.
5. Kinda
|ˈkaɪ.ndə| = kind of - type / kind of something; like, like, to some extent.
A very common colloquial abbreviation. Kinda is mainly used in two cases. First, when you need to say or ask about a type of something:
What kinda music do you like? = What kind of music do you like? - What kind of music do you like?
And a more colloquial option, for which kinda sounds more appropriate than kind of. Here are some examples:
- Actually, that's kinda cool. - Actually, it's kind of cool.
- Well, I kinda like someone. - Well, I think I like someone.
6. Sorta
|sɔːrtʌ| = sort of - sort of like that, kind of like that, like.
Similar in meaning to kinda:
- She's sorta out on her own. - She seems to be on her own.
- That's sorta their thing. - This is kind of their thing.
7. Ain't
|eint| = am / is / are not; have / has not - negative particle “not”.
This abbreviation is useful to know, but it is not advisable to use it. Its speakers consider it too informal and colloquial. You might think that ain’t came from American slang, but in fact its roots go much deeper - right into London cockney.
Ain’t is quite emotional, so it often appears in various songs. From the recent one, remember Ain’t Your Mama by Jennifer Lopez:
I ain’t gon’ be cooking all day, I ain’t your mama! = I’m not going to be cooking all day, I’m not your mama. - I'm not going to cook all day, I'm not your mother!
8. A lotta
|eˈlɑːtə| = a lot of - a lot of something.
Like all the abbreviations listed above, a lotta was created through the process of quickly pronouncing and merging sounds. It is very popular, and you just need to know it! And use it like this:
Hey, you ask’ a lotta questions. = Hey, you’re asking a lot of questions. - Hey, you ask a lot of questions.
And in the case of the plural, instead of lots of you can say lotsa:
I have lotsa computer games. = I have lots of computer games. - I have a lot of computer games.
9. Dunno
|dəˈnoʊ| = do not know - I don’t know.
This is how you can casually answer a question in an informal setting.
Dunno, Mike, do whatever you like. = I don’t know, Mike, do whatever you like. - I don’t know, Mike, do as you want.
You can use dunno with or without a pronoun.
10. Cuz
|kɔːz| = ‘coz = ‘cos = ‘cause = because - because.
Apparently, because it is problematic to pronounce not only for students of English, but also for native speakers themselves. Otherwise, why mock the word so much?
I like him cuz he’s pretty. = I like him because he’s pretty. - I like him because he's good-looking.
What colloquial abbreviations do you use most often? Share in the comments.
Remember in school we wrote in a diary rus lit, English, PE? Then there were cm, km, l, kg... And if you sit down with old university notes, you can find a special language there, for example:
Starting from the 2nd half of the 20th century in literature, it is considered as 1 of the medium-sized communes of enlightenment and memory
Abbreviation or abbreviation -
this is the designation of words with initial letters ( USA, Russia), shortening long words ( social, tel) or some kind of truncation of words or phrases ( holy, man). Our ancestors at one time achieved significant success in using abbreviations - what is that one worth? DAZDRAPERMA(I translate for the younger generation: Long live the first of May!) or I recently met a pearl KUKUCAPOL- A? How do you like it?! That's great - Corn is the queen of fields!!!
But let's return to our time. Abbreviations can be either generally accepted, for example, measures of weight, length and other physical quantities, or your own, understandable to one or several people - here an example would be any student’s notes (it’s better to go to a lecture than to copy it from a friend later).
Abbreviations in English
Very often, students starting to learn a language come across abbreviations in textbooks and dictionaries. Below are some of the most common abbreviations. Firstly, dictionaries must indicate what part of speech a word is:
n – noun - noun
v – verb - verb
adj – adjective - adjective
adv – adverb - adverb
pron – pronoun - pronoun
prep – preposition - preposition
num – numeral - numeral
conj – conjunction – union
The following designations may also appear:
Br E – British English – used in the British version of English
Am E – American English – used in the American version
obj – object – addition
C/U – countable/uncountable – countable/uncountable (usually we're talking about about nouns)
pl – plural – plural
s/sing – singular – singular
poss – possessive – possessive
pp – past participle – past participle
syn – synonym - synonym
colloq – colloquial – colloquial (the word is usually used in colloquial speech)
abbr – abbreviated – abbreviated (in fact, what we are talking about here)
no – number - number
doc – document - document
p–page - page
ex – exercise - exercise
Now some Latin abbreviations:
a.m. / p.m. (ante meridiem/post meridiem)– before noon/afternoon (It’s worth noting here that both Europeans and Americans have difficulty accepting our 24-hour system, so instead of 18:00 it’s better to use 6 pm. Also be careful with time zones - if you, for example, take English lessons via Skype, always check the time difference with the teacher.)
e.g. (exampli gratia) - for example. In colloquial speech it is better to say for example
etc. (et cetera) – and so on. Again, it will sound more natural in speech and so on
i.e. (id est) – that is. Let's talk that is...
NB (nota bene) – attention!
AD (Anno Domini) - AD. As a rule, we pronounce the letters of the abbreviation ( hey di)
BC - BC. A little out of place, since the phrase is in English - Before Christ. We also pronounce the letters as in the alphabet.
CV - curriculum vitae - resume, however, is typical for British English, Americans prefer to speak resume
vs (versus) – against, compared to. We pronounce the Latin word in the English manner - ["vɜ:səs]
And a few more common abbreviations for the English language:
Mr – Mister - Mr.
Mrs - Mistress - mistress
Ms – miss – also mistress, we use it as an address to both married and unmarried women, we pronounce
, in contrast to Miss, is an appeal to a girl.
St – Street or Saint – the same abbreviation for both street and saint.
B&B – Bed and Breakfast – hotel (respectively, “bed and breakfast”)
DIY – Do it yourself – do it yourself (toys for adults)
FAQ – frequently asked questions– frequently asked questions (occurs so often that even without decoding it is clear what we are talking about)
OAP – old-age pensioner – pensioner
GMT – Greenwich Mean Time
AC/DC – alternating current / direct current– alternating / direct current (found in every manual for electrical appliances)
I hope these abbreviations will help you a little in learning English, since you will definitely come across them. Yes, there’s no escape from abbreviations, they exist in any language... I wrote about any language, and I thought - what about the Chinese, Japanese, Koreans with their hieroglyphs, I wonder? Are they cutting anything? I know for sure that they are using the Latin alphabet more and more, especially in chats, SMS, and Skype. But abbreviations in online communication will be discussed in the next article.
- Everything is fine, thank you!
- Please.
Example: MYOB = mind your own business (mind your own business)
Below you will find a whole list of English abbreviations (in SMS, in social networks, forums). Study it thoroughly to understand what English-speaking interlocutors want from you.
As a preface: colloquial abbreviations in English
Of course, abbreviations English words It is advisable to use only in informal correspondence (personal messages, chats). At the same time, there is a known case when a 13-year-old girl wrote school essay, almost entirely built on English abbreviations. Here is an excerpt from it, try to read and understand the meaning of what is written:
My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we used 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & thr 3:- kids FTF. ILNY, it's a gr8 plc.
Happened? Now read the “translation”:
My summer hols (abbreviated as holidays) were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to NY (New York) to see my brother, his girlfriend and their 3 kids face to face. I love New York, it’s a great place.
As you see, English abbreviations built on the letter:
- on the use of numbers (4, 8)
- on letter names (R = are, C = see)
- on vowel ejection (smmr = summer)
- on acronyms - a type of abbreviation formed by initial letters (ILNY = I love New York).
So, let's move on to our dictionary of English abbreviations.
His Majesty Slang: deciphering English abbreviations
The article will indicate the translation of abbreviations from English into Russian. But where additional clarification is required, we will provide that too. Enjoy!
0 = nothing
2 = two, to, too (two, preposition to, too)
2DAY = today (today)
2MORO / 2MROW = tomorrow (tomorrow)
2NITE / 2NYT = tonight (tonight, tonight)
2U = to you (to you)
4U = for you (for you)
4E = forever
AFAIK= as far as I know (as far as I know)
ASAP = as soon as possible (at the first opportunity, as soon as possible)
ATB = all the best (all the best)
B = to be
B4 = before (before)
B4N = bye for now (bye, see you)
BAU = business as usual (idiom meaning that things continue as usual despite the difficult situation)
BBL = to be back later (come back later, be later)
BC = because (because)
BF = boyfriend (young man, guy, boyfriend)
BK = back (back, back)
BRB = to be right back (back soon). For example, you are “chatting” with someone, but forced to leave for a while. BRB (back soon), - you write, and go about your business.
BRO = brother
BTW = by the way (by the way, by the way)
BYOB / BYO = to bring your own booze, to bring your own bottle (“with your own alcohol”). Indicated on the invitation when the party host will not provide drinks for guests. By the way, the band System Of A Down has a song B.Y.O.B. (Bring Your Own Bombs instead of Bottle).
C = to see
CIAO = goodbye (goodbye, bye). This abbreviation for correspondence in English is derived from Italian Ciao(and it is pronounced exactly like this - ciao).
COS / CUZ = because (because)
CUL8R = call you later / see you later (I'll call you later / see you later)
CUL = see you later (see you later)
CWOT = complete waste of time
D8 = date (date, date)
DNR = dinner
EOD = end of debate. Used during an argument when you want to stop it: That's it, EOD! (That's it, let's stop arguing!)
EZ = easy (easy, simple, convenient)
F2F / FTF = face to face (face to face)
F8 = fate
FYI = for your information
GF = girlfriend (girlfriend)
GMTA = great minds think alike (the saying “Great minds think alike”). Something like ours “fools think alike” just the other way around :)
GR8 = great (wonderful, excellent, etc.)
GTG = got to go (got to go)
HAND = have a nice day (have a nice day)
HB2U = happy birthday to you (happy birthday)
HOLS = holidays (vacation, vacation)
HRU = how are you (how are you? How are you?)
HV = to have
ICBW = it could be worse (could be worse)
IDK = I dont know (I don’t know)
IDTS = I don’t think so (I don’t think so, I don’t think so, I don’t agree)
ILU / Luv U = I love you (I love you)
IMHO = in my humble opinion (in my humble opinion). Expression has long migrated to our Internet in the form of transliteration IMHO.
IYKWIM = if you know what I mean (if you know what I mean)
JK = just kidding (just kidding, it's a joke)
KDS = kids
KIT = to keep in touch (stay in touch)
KOTC = kiss on the cheek (kiss on the cheek)
L8 = late (late, recently, recently)
L8R = later
LMAO = laughing my ass out (so funny that I laughed off my ass).
LOL = laughing out loud (the meaning is identical to the previous one). This popular English abbreviation is also borrowed from our Internet slang in the form of transliteration LOL.
LSKOL = long slow kiss on the lips (French kiss)
LTNS = long time no see (long time no see)
Example from stickers for Viber
Luv U2 = I love you too (I love you too)
M8 = mate (buddy, friend, dude). Slang word mate- about the same as dude (dude, boy, etc.): Hey, mate, what’s up? (Hey man, how's it going?)
MON = the middle of nowhere (idiom meaning “very far away, in the middle of nowhere”)
MSG = message (message, message)
MTE = my thoughts exactly (you read my thoughts, I think exactly the same)
MU = I miss you (I miss you)
MUSM = I miss you so much (I miss you very much)
MYOB = mind your own business (mind your own business, don’t meddle in other people’s business)
N2S = needless to say (it goes without saying, it’s obvious that...)
NE1 = anyone (anyone, anyone)
NO1 = no one (no one)
NP = no problem (no problem, no problem)
OIC = oh, I see (I see; that's it). Used in a situation when you want to show your interlocutor that you understand the subject of the conversation.
PC&QT – peace and quiet (peace and quiet). An idiom most often used in the context of wanting a quieter life is: All I want is a little peace and quiet (All I want is a little peace and quiet).
PCM = please call me (please call me)
PLS = please (please)
PS = parents
QT = cutie
R = are (form of verbs to be)
ROFL / ROTFL = rolling of the floor laughing (rolling on the floor laughing)
RUOK = are you ok? (Are you okay? Is everything okay?)
SIS = sister
SKOOL = school (school)
SMMR = summer
SOB = stressed out bad (feel very stressed)
This video has subtitles.
SOM1 = someone
TGIF = thank God it’s Friday (Thank God, today is Friday)
THX = thanks
THNQ = thank you (thank you)
TTYL = talk to you later (let's talk later)
WAN2 = to want to (want)
WKND = weekend
WR = were (form of the verb to be)
WUCIWUG = what you see is what you get (what you see is what you get)
The phrase was used for creative posters for Heinz ketchup
The expression has several meanings:
- Property application programs or web interfaces in which content is displayed as it is edited and looks as close as possible to the final product (more details).
- A definition that is used when the speaker wants to show that there is nothing hidden, there are no secrets or pitfalls.
Can be used as a definition an honest and open person:
He is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person. (He is a “what you see is what you get” type of person)
The idiom can also be used, for example, by salespeople in a store when they assure us that the product we are buying is looks the same as on the display:
The product you are looking at is exactly what you get if you buy it. What you see is what you get. The ones in the box are just like this one. (If you buy this product, you will receive exactly what you see now. The items in the boxes are exactly the same as this one).
X = kiss
XLNT = excellent (excellent, excellent)
XOXO = hugs and kisses (hugs and kisses). More precisely, “hugs and kisses”, if you follow Internet trends :)
YR = your / you’re (your / you + form of the verb to be)
ZZZ.. = to sleep (sleep) The abbreviation is used when a person wants to show the interlocutor that he is already asleep / falling asleep.
Finally: how to understand modern abbreviations in English
As you can see, all English abbreviations on the Internet follow a certain logic, the principles of which we discussed at the beginning of the article. Therefore, it is enough to “scan through them with your eyes” several times, and you will easily be able to use and, most importantly, understand them. CUL8R, M8 :)