From WhatsApp messages and workplace chats to social media, English abbreviations help people communicate faster and more naturally. However, their meaning isn’t always obvious, and knowing when to use them and when not to is just as important.
This guide explains the most common English texting abbreviations, how they’re used in real conversations, and which ones are appropriate for casual versus professional communication, so you can understand and write English with greater confidence.
Compliment your language knowledge with these incredibly useful English abbreviations & acronyms.
While focusing on acing your exams and prep courses can be a great way to learn English, there’s much more to the language than what you’ll learn in class. Indeed, many English learners find that navigating formal classes and real life can be two entirely different things. And what’s one thing that most textbooks don’t cover? Abbreviations.
Knowing some common abbreviations in English will help you acclimate better to daily life in English. Most people use abbreviations daily to save time, make their speech more casual, and be more concise. Plus, English has a few words that are so long you’ll be begging for a way to shorten them!
From texting with friends to dealing with bureaucratic government agencies, you’ll find no way to escape all the popular acronyms, initialisms, and abbreviations. So, why not start now, before you make a faux pas by misunderstanding someone’s abbreviations? Similarly to English slang, you’ll want to take some time to study some abbreviations before you run into them in the wild.
Now, before we keep you waiting even longer, let’s dive into the English abbreviations!
What are abbreviations?
Abbreviations are shortened forms of words and phrases. While some abbreviations are informal in nature and border on slang, many of them are also appropriate in formal contexts. In fact, some of the most common abbreviations are “Mr.” and “Mrs.” which are almost exclusively used in formal contexts.
Types of abbreviations included in this article:
The words “abbreviations” and “acronyms” are often used interchangeably, although there are some important differences between the two. In fact, there are
- Acronyms. An acronym is a word that is made up of the first letter of a group of words and is read like a single word. For example, NATO is pronounced as a single word, making it an acronym.
- Initialisms. Initialisms are similar to acronyms, except that each letter is read individually. For example, RSVP is an initialism, as you say each letter one by one.
- Portmanteaus. A portmanteau is a combination of two words, such as motel being a motor hotel.
- Clipped words. Clipped words are some of the most common types of abbreviations, as they are just shortened words. For example, abbreviating January as “Jan” is an example of a clipped word.
- Contractions. Contractions are two or three words combined with the use of apostrophes, such as won’t, should’ve or couldn’t’ve.
Although there are more types of contractions, these are by far the most common ones. And with 275 examples in this article alone, you’ll have no shortage of abbreviations to study with just these five types!
Top common English abbreviations
There are thousands of common English abbreviations out there that are worth studying. However, it’s not a good idea to try to learn too many of them at once. n fact, abbreviations are continuously changing with the trends, so you couldn’t possibly learn all of them even if you wanted to. So, just relax, and enjoy learning some fun (and fast!) new ways to say a few words and phrases that you were already familiar with.
Here are the top abbreviations and acronyms.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| ASAP | As soon as possible | as soon as poh-see-buhl | ˈæz ˈsun ˈæz ˈpɑsəbəl |
| RSVP | Répondez s’il vous plaît | are es vee pee | ˈɑr ˈiz ˈvi ˈpi |
| FAQs | Frequently asked questions | eff ay cues | ˈfɹikwəntli ˈæskt ˈkwɛstʃənz |
| TGIF | Thank god it’s Friday | thank god its fry-day | ˈθæŋk ˈɡɑd ˈɪts ˈfɹaɪˌdeɪ |
| IMO | In my opinion | een my oh-pee-nee-ohn | ˈɪn ˈmaɪ əˈpɪnjən |
| IMHO | In my humble opinion | een my hum-boll oh-pee-nee-ohn | ˈɪn ˈmaɪ ˈhʌmbəl əˈpɪnjən |
| N/A | Not available | not ah-vay-luh-bull | ˈnɑt əˈveɪləbəl |
| DIY | Do-it-yourself | do eet your self | ˈdu ˈɪt jɚˈsɛlf |
| FIY | For your information | fore your een-fore ma-tee-on | ˈfɔr ˈjɔr ˌɪnfɚˈmeɪʃən |
| AKA | Also known as | all-so known as | ˈɔlˌsoʊ ˈnoʊn ˈæz |
| FKA | Formerly known as | fore-mer-lee nown as | ˈfɔrmɚli ˈnoʊn ˈæz |
| BYOB | Bring your own beverage | breeng your own beh-vuh-rij | ˈbɹɪŋ ˈjɔr ˈoʊn ˈbɛvɹɪdʒ |
| BO | Body odor | bo-dee oh-door | ˈbɑdi ˈoʊdɚ |
| ETA | Estimated time of arrival | es-tee-ma-ted tiem of ah-ri-val | ˈɛstəˌmeɪtəd ˈtaɪm əv ɚˈɹaɪvəl |
| LGBTQ | Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and queer | les-bee-an, gay, bye-sex-oo-al, trans, and coo-eer | ˈlɛzbiən | ˈɡeɪ | baɪˈsɛkʃəwəl | ˈtɹæns ənd ˈkwɪr |
| Q&A | Questions and answers | coo-es-tee-ons and an-swers | ˈkwɛstʃənz ənd ˈænsɚz |
| ID | Identification | i-den-tee-fee-ca-shon | aɪˌdɛntəfəˈkeɪʃən |
| RIP | Rest in peace | rest een pees | ˈɹɛst ˈɪn ˈpis |
| VIP | Very important person | ve-ree eem-por-tant per-son | ˈvɛri ɪmˈpɔrtn̩t ˈpɝsn̩ |
| ATM | Automatic teller machine | au-toe-ma-teec te-lur ma-sheen | ˌɔtəˈmætɪk ˈtɛlɚ məˈʃin |
| i.e. | In other words | een oh-thur words | ˈɪn ˈʌðɚ ˈwɝdz |
| i.g. | For example | fore ex-ample | ˈfɔr ɪɡˈzæmpəl |
| PIN | Personal identification number | per-soh-nall i-den-tee-fee-ca-tee-on num-bur | ˈpɝsənəl aɪˌdɛntəfəˈkeɪʃən ˈnʌmbɚ |
| SOS | Save our ship (help) | sayv or sheep | ˈseɪv ˈaʊɚ ˈʃɪp |
| SO | Significant other | sig-nee-fee-cant oh-ther | sɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt ˈʌðɚ |
| TMI | Too much information | too much een-fore-may-shon | ˈtu ˈmʌtʃ ˌɪnfɚˈmeɪʃən |
| POV | Point of view | poo-eent of vee-u | ˈpɔɪnt əv ˈvju |
| HBD | Happy birthday | ha-pee buhrth-day | ˈhæpi ˈbɝθˌdeɪ |
Texting abbreviations
Texting is essential if you want to maintain friendships with your English-speaking friends. While this can be a great way to improve your language, it can also be difficult to follow along when every other word is a texting-specific abbreviation. Luckily, you’ve got this handy table to show you some of the most common texting abbreviations!
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| lol | Laugh out loud | laf aut laud | ˈlæf ˈaʊt ˈlaʊd |
| lmk | Let me know | let me no | ˈlɛt ˈmi ˈnoʊ |
| nvm | Nevermind | neh-ver-mind | ˈnɛvɚˌmaɪnd |
| omw | On my way | on my way | ˈɔn ˈmaɪ ˈweɪ |
| idk | I don’t know | eye don’t no | ˈaɪ ˈdoʊnt ˈnoʊ |
| thx | Thanks | thanks | ˈθæŋks |
| ty | Thank you | thank yoo | ˈθæŋk ˈju |
| brb | Be right back | be rite bac | ˈbi ˈɹaɪt ˈbæk |
| btw | By the way | by thuh way | ˈbaɪ ðə ˈweɪ |
| omg | Oh my god | o my god | ˈoʊ ˈmaɪ ˈɡɑd |
| lmao | Laughing my ass off | laff-ing my ass off | ˈlæfɪŋ ˈmaɪ ˈæs ˈɔf |
| wtf | What the **** | what thuh **** | ˈwɑt ðə ˈfʌk |
| wth | What the hell | what thuh hell | ˈwɑt ðə ˈhɛl |
| iykyk | If you know, you know | If yoo no yoo no | juː nəʊ |
| sthu | Shut the hell up | shut thuh hell up | ʃʌt ðə hɛl ʌp |
| yolo | You only live once | yoo on-lee liv uans | ˈju ˈoʊnli ˈlɪv ˈwʌns |
| TL;DR | Too long, didn’t read | too long, deedn’t reed | ˈtu ˈlɔŋ | ˈdɪdn̩t ˈɹid |
| 2day | Today | to-day | təˈdeɪ |
| 2moro | Tomorrow | to-morrow | təˈmɑroʊ |
| atm | At the moment | at thu mo-ment | ət ðə ˈmoʊmənt |
| b4 | Before | bee-fore | bɪˈfɔr |
| l8r | Later | lay-tur | ˈleɪtɚ |
| cu | See you | see yoo | ˈsi ˈju |
| cya | See ya | see ya | ˈsi ˈjɑ |
| gr8 | Great | grayt | ˈɡɹeɪt |
| ily | I love you | I lov yoo | ˈaɪ ˈlʌv ˈju |
| ily2 | I love you too | I lov yoo too | ˈaɪ ˈlʌv ˈju ˈtu |
| pls | Please | plees | ˈpliz |
| r u srs | Are you serious? | are yoo see-ree-us | ˈɑr ˈju ˈsɪriəs ‖ |
| y | Why? | why | ˈwaɪ ‖ |
| ttyl | Talk to you later | tak too yoo lay-tur | ˈtɔk ˈtu ˈju ˈleɪtɚ |
| bc | Because | bee-cos | bɪˈkɔz |
| DM | Direct message | dee-rect muh-saj | dɚˈɹɛkt ˈmɛsɪdʒ |
| ftw | For the win | for thuh ween | ˈfɔr ðə ˈwɪn |
| iirc | If I remember correctly | eef eye ruh-mem-bur co-rect-lee | ˈɪf ˈaɪ ɹɪˈmɛmbɚ kɚˈɹɛktli |
| jk | Just kidding | just kee-deeng | ˈdʒʌst ˈkɪdɪŋ |
| nbd | No big deal | no beeg deel | ˈnoʊ ˈbɪɡ ˈdil |
| rn | Right now | rite now | ˈɹaɪt ˈnaʊ |
| DAE | Does anyone else? | dos a-nee-wuan els | ˈdʌz ˈɛniˌwʌn ˈɛls ‖ |
| hmu | Hit me up | hit mee up | ˈhɪt ˈmi ˈʌp |
| wyd | What (are) you doing? | what yoo doo-ing | ˈwɑt | ˈɑr | ˈju ˈduɪŋ ‖ |
| idc | I don’t care | I don’t care | ˈaɪ ˈdoʊnt ˈkɛr |
| h8 | Hate | hayt | ˈheɪt |
Business abbreviations and acronyms
Abbreviations and acronyms are extremely important — even in the business world. This is especially important as English is one of the top languages for business, making these business acronyms extra important for anyone looking to make big business in one of the English-speaking countries.
Here are some of the most common business abbreviations and acronyms you might run into at the office.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| CC | Carbon copy | car-bohn coh-pee | ˈkɑrbən ˈkɑpi |
| BCC | Blind carbon copy | blind car-bohn coh-pee | ˈblaɪnd ˈkɑrbən ˈkɑpi |
| FTE | Full-time employment | full time em-ploy-ment | ˈfʊlˌtaɪm ɪmˈplɔɪmənt |
| EOD | End-of-day | end of day | ˈɛndəvˈdeɪ |
| RE | Regarding | re-gar-deeng | ɹɪˈɡɑrdɪŋ |
| P.S. | Post script | post screept | ˈpoʊst ˈskɹɪpt |
| PTO | Paid time off | payd taim off | ˈpeɪd ˈtaɪm ˈɔf |
| NB | Nota Bene | no-ta beh-nuh | ˈnoʊtə ˈbɛni |
| OOO | Out of office | aut of au-fees | ˈaʊt əv ˈɑfəs |
| OT | Overtime | o-ver-taim | ˈoʊvɚˌtaɪm |
| P&C | Private & confidential | pri-vait and con-fee-den-shal | ˈpɹaɪvət | ˌkɑnfəˈdɛnʃəl |
| SMART | Specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, time-bound | spuh-see-feec, muh-shoo-ruh-bol, ah-tain-uh-bol, re-uh-lis-tic, taim-baund | spɪˈsɪfɪk | ˈmɛʒɚɹəbəl | əˈteɪnəbəl | ˌɹiəˈlɪstɪk | ˈtaɪmˈbaʊnd |
| TIA | Thanks in advance | thanks een ad-vans | ˈθæŋks ˈɪn ədˈvæns |
| WFH | Work from home | work from hom | ˈwɝk fɹəm ˈhoʊm |
Abbreviations for time and space
You might already be familiar with some of these if you know how to tell time in English. Truthfully, many of these are used across languages, and a big chunk of them have origins in Latin. So, if you speak one of the Romance languages, you may already have a few of these in the bag!
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| AD | Anno Domini | ah-no do-me-ne | ˈæn(ˌ)oʊ ˈdɑmɪni |
| BC | Before Christ | be-for cry-st | bɪˈfɔr ˈkɹaɪst |
| CE | Common Era | co-mon eh-ruh | ˈkɑmən ˈɛrə |
| BCE | Before Common Era | be-for co-mon eh-ruh | bɪˈfɔr ˈkɑmən ˈɛrə |
| ETA | Estimated time of arrival | es-tee-may-ted taim of ah-ri-val | ˈɛstəˌmeɪtəd ˈtaɪm əv ɚˈɹaɪvəl |
| a. m. | Ante meridiem | an-te me-re-dee-em | ˈænti #meridiem# |
| p. m. | Post meridiem | post me-re-dee-em | ˈpoʊst #meridiem# |
| h | Hour | a-woor | ˈaʊɚ |
| min | Minute | me-noot | ˈmɪnət |
| s | Seconds | se-conds | ˈsɛkəndz |
| N | North | north | ˈnɔrθ |
| S | South | sauth | ˈsaʊθ |
| E | East | est | ˈist |
| W | West | west | ˈwɛst |
| NW | Northwest | north-west | nɔrθˈwɛst |
| NE | Northeast | north-est | nɔrθˈist |
| SW | Southwest | sauth-west | saʊθˈwɛst |
| SE | Southeast | sauth-est | saʊθˈist |
English abbreviations for months
Learning the months in English is one of the first things on any English learner’s agenda. But what about abbreviations? Truthfully, you’ll see the abbreviated versions of the months much more often, especially on event invitations and Zoom call invites.
Here are the most common abbreviations for all 12 months of the year in English.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| Jan | January | jan-oo-ary | ˈdʒænjəˌwɛri |
| Feb | February | feb-oo-ary | ˈfɛbjəˌwɛri |
| Mar | March | march | ˈmɑrtʃ |
| Apr | April | ay-prill | ˈeɪpɹəl |
| May | May | may | ˈmeɪ |
| Jun | June | joon | ˈdʒun |
| Jul | July | joo-ly | dʒʊˈlaɪ |
| Aug | August | o-goost | ɔˈɡʌst |
| Sept | September | sep-tem-bur | sɛpˈtɛmbɚ |
| Oct | October | oc-to-bur | ɑkˈtoʊbɚ |
| Nov | November | no-vem-bur | noˈvɛmbɚ |
| Dec | December | de-sem-bur | dɪˈsɛmbɚ |
Abbreviations for days of the week
Another big ticket item on an English learner’s agenda is learning the days of the week in English. Unlike other abbreviations in this article, the days of the week only use one or two letters for their shortened version. In fact, most of these are initialisms, although most initialisms are reserved for phrases or groups of words.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| M | Monday | mon-day | ˈmʌnˌdeɪ |
| T | Tuesday | toos-day | ˈtuzˌdeɪ |
| W | Wednesday | wens-day | ˈwɛnzˌdeɪ |
| Th | Thursday | thurs-day | ˈθɝzˌdeɪ |
| F | Friday | fri-day | ˈfɹaɪˌdeɪ |
| S | Saturday | sat-oor-day | ˈsætɚˌdeɪ |
| Su | Sunday | sun-day | ˈsʌnˌdeɪ |
Professions abbreviation
Abbreviating your profession is extremely common, especially for business cards and email signatures. Even if you’re not looking to do business in an English-speaking country, knowing these professions abbreviations will help you understand what those letters in people’s email signatures mean!
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| Acct | Accountant | ac-cown-tant | əˈkaʊntn̩t |
| Asst | Assistant | a-sis-tant | əˈsɪstənt |
| PA | Personal assistant | per-so-nal a-sis-tant | ˈpɝsənəl əˈsɪstənt |
| VA | Virtual assistant | vir-too-al a-sis-tant | ˈvɝtʃəwəl əˈsɪstənt |
| Capt | Captain | cap-tan | ˈkæptən |
| Dir | Director | dee-rec-toor | dɚˈɹɛktɚ |
| Exec | Executive | ex-eh-coo-tiv | ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer | cheef ex-eh-coo-tiv oh-fee-sehr | ˈtʃif ɪɡˈzɛkjətɪv ˈɑfəsɚ |
| COO | Chief Operation Officer | cheef o-per-ay-shon oh-fee-sehr | ˈtʃif ˌɑpɚˈɹeɪʃən ˈɑfəsɚ |
| CFO | Chief Financial Officer | cheef fye-nan-shal oh-fee-sehr | ˈtʃif fəˈnænʃəl ˈɑfəsɚ |
| CMO | Chief Marketing Officer | cheef mar-ket-eeng oh-fee-sehr | ˈtʃif ˈmɑrkətɪŋ ˈɑfəsɚ |
| VP | Vice president | vais pre-see-dent | ˈvaɪs ˈpɹɛzədənt |
| PM | Project manager | pro-ject ma-na-jer | ˈpɹɑˌdʒɛkt ˈmænɪdʒɚ |
| UX Designer | User interface designer | oo-ser in-ter-face de-si-ner | ˈjuzɚ ˈɪntɚˌfeɪs dɪˈzaɪnɚ |
| UI Designer | User experience designer | oo-ser ex-pe-re-ens de-si-ner | ˈjuzɚ ɪkˈspɪriəns dɪˈzaɪnɚ |
| CPA | Certified Public Accountant | ser-tee-faid poo-blic ac-cown-tant | ˈsɝtəˌfaɪd ˈpʌblɪk əˈkaʊntn̩t |
| CFA | Chartered Financial Analyst | char-terd fye-nan-shal a-na-list | ˈtʃɑrtɚd fəˈnænʃəl ˈænələst |
| QA Analyst | Quality Assurance Analyst | coo-a-lee-tee a-shoor-ans a-na-list | ˈkwɑləti əˈʃʊrəns ˈænələst |
| RN | Registered Nurse | re-gist-terd noors | ˈɹɛdʒəstɚd ˈnɝs |
| Prof | Professor | pro-feh-sur | pɹəˈfɛsɚ |
Abbreviations for education
Similar to professional abbreviations, educational abbreviations are used in business cards and email signatures. Instead of indicating a person’s current occupation, these abbreviations help people easily explain their level of education and any professional certifications they possess. These are usually initialisms and will follow a person’s full name after a comma.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| EFL | English as a foreign language | en-gleesh as a fo-ren lan-goo-aj | ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈæz ə ˈfɔrən ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ |
| ELT | English language teaching | en-gleesh lan-goo-aj tee-cheeng | ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˈtitʃɪŋ |
| ESL | English as a second language | en-gleesh as a se-cond lan-goo-aj | ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈæz ə ˈsɛkənd ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ |
| BA | Bachelor of Arts | bach-eh-lor of arts | ˈbætʃəlɚ əv ˈɑrts |
| BS | Bachelor of Science | bach-eh-lor of sye-ens | ˈbætʃəlɚ əv ˈsaɪəns |
| BFA | Bachelor of Fine Arts | bach-eh-lor of fain arts | ˈbætʃəlɚ əv ˈfaɪn ˈɑrts |
| MA | Master of Arts | mas-ter of arts | ˈmæstɚ əv ˈɑrts |
| MS | Master of Science | mas-ter of si-ens | ˈmæstɚ əv ˈsaɪəns |
| MBA | Master of Business Administration | mas-ter of bis-ness ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˈmæstɚ əv ˈbɪznəs ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
| MPhil | Master of Philosophy | mas-ter of fee-lo-so-fee | ˈmæstɚ əv fəˈlɑsəfi |
| MFA | Master of Fine Arts | mas-ter of fain arts | ˈmæstɚ əv ˈfaɪn ˈɑrts |
| LLM | Master of Laws | mas-ter of laws | ˈmæstɚ əv ˈlɔz |
| MSW | Master of Social Work | mas-ter of so-shall work | ˈmæstɚ əv ˈsoʊʃəl ˈwɝk |
| PhD | Doctor of Philosophy | doc-toor of fee-lo-so-fee | ˈdɑktɚ əv fəˈlɑsəfi |
| EdD | Doctor of Education | doc-toor of e-doo-ca-shon | ˈdɑktɚ əv ˌɛdʒəˈkeɪʃən |
| JD | Juris Doctor | yoo-rees doc-toor | ˈdʒʊrɪs ˈdɑktɚ |
| MD | Doctor of Medicine | doc-toor of meh-dee-seen | ˈdɑktɚ əv ˈmɛdəsən |
| ND | Doctor of Nursing | doc-toor of noor-sing | ˈdɑktɚ əv ˈnɝsɪŋ |
| TOELF | Test of English as a Foreign Language | test of en-gleesh as a fo-ren lan-goo-aj | ˈtɛst əv ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈæz ə ˈfɔrən ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ |
| IELTS | International English Language Testing System | een-ter-na-sho-nall en-gleesh lan-goo-aj tes-teeng sis-tem | ˌɪntɚˈnæʃənl̩ ˈɪŋɡlɪʃ ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ ˈtɛstɪŋ ˈsɪstəm |
Abbreviations for measurements
The United States is one of the very few countries that still uses the Imperial measuring system, so you’ll have to get used to much more than just a new set of abbreviations if you’re not from here! Although measuring in inches and feet rather than meters and centimeters can take some getting used to, we can help you get started with the abbreviations for measurements so you at least know what people are talking about.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| oz. | Ounce | auns | ˈaʊns |
| fl. oz. | Fluid ounce | floo-eed auns | ˈfluəd ˈaʊns |
| gal. | Gallon | ga-lon | ˈɡælən |
| pt. | Pint | pie-nt | ˈpaɪnt |
| qt. | Quart | coo-art | ˈkwɔrt ‖ |
| tbsp. | Tablespoon | tay-ble-spoon | ˈteɪbəlˌspun |
| tsp. | Teaspoon | tee-spoon | ˈtiˌspun |
| in. | Inch | eench | ˈɪntʃ |
| ft. | Foot | foot | ˈfʊt |
| mi. | Mile | ˈmaɪəl | |
| mph | Miles per hour | mails per awr | ˈmaɪəlz ˈpɝ ˈaʊɚ |
| n.m. | Nautical miles | naw-tee-cal mails | ˈnɔtɪkəl ˈmaɪəlz |
| sq. | Square | scoo-air | ˈskwɛr |
| yd. | Yard | yard | ˈjɑrd |
| lb. | Pound | paund | ˈpaʊnd |
| cm | Centimeter | sen-tee-mee-ter | ˈsɛntəˌmitɚ |
| m | Meter | mee-ter | ˈmitɚ |
| km | Kilometer | kee-lo-mee-ter | kəˈlɑmətɚ |
| g | Gram | gram | ˈɡɹæm |
| kg | Kilogram | kee-lo-gram | ˈkɪləˌɡɹæm |
| T | Ton | ton | ˈtʌn |
| ml | Milliliter | me-lee-lee-ter | ˈmɪləˌlitɚ |
| l | Liter | lee-ter | ˈlitɚ |
English slang abbreviations
Just as in any other language, slang is a crucial part of everyday conversations in English. However, even if you’re already familiar with English slang, you might be surprised to find out that slang words and phrases can be abbreviated too! You’ll get this as you continue making friends and having conversations, but for now, here’s a list of the most common English slang abbreviations.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| iktr | I know that’s right | I no that’s rite | ˈaɪ ˈnoʊ ˈðæts ˈɹaɪt |
| fomo | Fear of missing out | feer of mee-sing aut | ˈfɪr əv ˈmɪsɪŋ ˈaʊt |
| ikyl | I know you’re lying | I no yoor lie-ing | ˈaɪ ˈnoʊ ˈjɔr ˈlaɪɪŋ |
| smh | Shaking my head | shay-keeng my hed | ˈʃeɪkɪŋ ˈmaɪ ˈhɛd |
| tbh | To be honest | to be oh-nest | ˈtu ˈbi ˈɑnəst |
| rofl | Rolling on the floor laughing | roll-ing on thuh floor laf-ing | ˈɹoʊlɪŋ ˈɔn ðə ˈflɔr ˈlæfɪŋ |
| xoxo | Hugs and kisses | hugs and kee-ses | ˈhʌɡz ənd ˈkɪsəz |
| ikr | I know, right? | I no, rite | ˈaɪ ˈnoʊ | ˈɹaɪt ‖ |
| ofc | Of course | of cors | əv ˈkɔrs |
| tfw | The feel when | thuh feel wen | ðə ˈfil ˈwɛn |
| tfti | Thanks for the invite | thanks for thuh een-vait | ˈθæŋks ˈfɔr ði ɪnˈvaɪt |
| b/w | Between | be-tween | bɪˈtwin |
| dl | Down-low | down-low | ˈdaʊnˈloʊ |
| fr | For real | for reel | ˈfɔr ˈɹiəl |
| qt | Cutie | cue-tee | ˈkjuti |
| w/e | Whatever | what-eh-ver | wɑtˈɛvɚ |
| w/o | Without | with-aut | wɪˈðaʊt |
| ngl | Not gonna lie | not gon-na li | ˈnɑt ˈɡʌnə ˈlaɪ |
| obv | Obviously | ob-vee-os-lee | ˈɑbviəsli |
| grl | Girl | girl | ˈɡɝl |
English abbreviations by country
As a global language, English has many regional variations with their own distinct vocabularies. Although most English speakers can understand each other, perhaps it’d be difficult for someone with a heavy Essex accent to communicate with someone with a deep Southern accent. Not only are the accents different, but so is much of the slang.
Even if you stick to purely professional speech, there are many government agencies that don’t translate well across countries. Even within the USA, two abbreviations can mean different things depending on the context. So, let’s take a look at some local abbreviations by country.
Global
Before we dive into the different countries, let’s take a look at some abbreviations of global importance. These are abbreviations that either encompass several countries or straight-up involve the entire world, so make sure to keep them in mind!
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| UN | United Nations | oo-ni-ted nay-shons | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈneɪʃənz |
| OECD | Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development | ore-gah-ne-say-shon for ec-con-no-mic co-o-per-ay-shon and de-vel-op-ment | ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən ˈfɔr ˌɛkəˈnɑmɪk ˈkoʊˌɑpɚˈɹeɪʃən ənd dɪˈvɛləpmənt |
| UNESCO | The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization | tuh oo-ni-ted nay-shons eh-doo-cay-sho-nal, si-ehn-tee-feec and cool-too-ral or-ga-nee-say-shon | ðə jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈneɪʃənz ˌɛdʒəˈkeɪʃənl̩ | ˌsaɪənˈtɪfɪk ənd ˈkʌltʃɚɹəl ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən |
| EU | European Union | u-ro-pee-an oo-nee-on | ˌjʊrəˈpiən ˈjunjən |
| FIFA | International Federation of Football Association | in-ter-na-sho-nal feh-deh-ray-shon of foot-ball ah-so-see-ay-shon | ˌɪntɚˈnæʃənl̩ ˌfɛdɚˈɹeɪʃən əv ˈfʊtˌbɔl əˌsoʊsiˈeɪʃən |
| NASA | National Aeronautics and Space Administration | na-sho-nal air-oh-naw-teecs and spays ad-min-es-tray-shon | ˈnæʃənl̩ ˌɛrəˈnɔtɪks ənd ˈspeɪs ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
| NATO | North Atlantic Treaty Organization | north a-tlan-teec tree-tee or-ga-nee-say-shon | ˈnɔrθ ətˈlæntɪk ˈtɹiti ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən |
| USMCA | United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement | oo-ni-ted states mex-e-co ca-na-da a-gree-ment | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts | ˈmɛksɪˌkoʊ | ˈkænədə əˈɡɹimənt |
| WHO | World Health Organization | world health or-ga-nee-say-shon | ˈwɝld ˈhɛlθ ˌɔrɡənəˈzeɪʃən |
The United States
As a large and dynamic country, it’s very difficult to narrow down the abbreviations and acronyms used from coast to coast. Even within states, regional slang can vary significantly, as evidenced by the enormous difference between New York slang and California slang. With that said, there are a few essential acronyms and abbreviations that everyone must learn before stepping foot on U.S. soil.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| IRS | Internal Revenue Service | in-ter-nal reh-veh-new ser-vis | ɪnˈtɝnl̩ ˈɹɛvəˌnu ˈsɝvəs |
| DMV | Department of Motor Vehicles | de-part-ment of mo-tor ve-e-cls | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈmoʊtɚ ˈviəkəlz |
| JFK | John F. Kennedy | john eff keh-ne-dee | ˈdʒɑn ˈɛf ‖ ˈkɛnədi |
| MLK | Martin Luther King | mar-teen loo-ther keeng | ˈmɑrtn̩ ˈluθɚ ˈkɪŋ |
| USAF | United States Air Force | oo-ni-ted states air fors | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts ˈɛr ˈfɔrs |
| FBI | Federal Bureau of Investigations | feh-der-al boo-row of in-ves-tee-gay-shons | ˈfɛdɚɹəl ˈbjʊroʊ əv ɪnˌvɛstəˈɡeɪʃənz |
| CIA | Central Intelligence Agency | sen-tral een-teh-lee-jens ay-jen-see | ˈsɛntɹəl ɪnˈtɛlədʒəns ˈeɪdʒənsi |
| POTUS | President of the United States | pre-see-dent of the oo-ni-ted states | ˈpɹɛzədənt əv ðə jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts |
| SCOTUS | Supreme Court of the United States | soo-preem cort of the oo-ni-ted states | səˈpɹim ˈkɔrt əv ðə jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts |
| LA | Los Angeles | los an-gel-es | ˈloʊz ˈɑŋɡɛˌleɪs |
| NYC | New York City | new york see-tee | ˈnu ˈjɔrk ˈsɪti |
| SF | San Francisco | san fran-sees-co | ˈsɑn fɹænˈsɪskoʊ |
| SLC | Salt Lake City | salt layk see-tee | ˈsɔlt ˈleɪk ˈsɪti |
| MIA | Miami | my-ah-me | maɪˈæmi |
| DMV Area | Delaware-Maryland-Virginia | deh-la-ware mar-e-land veer-jee-nee-ah | ˈdɛləˌwɛrˈmɛrələndvɚˈdʒɪnjə |
| The Fed | The Federal Reserve Bank | thuh feh-deh-ral re-serv bank | ðə ˈfɛdɚɹəl ɹɪˈzɝv ˈbæŋk |
| BOFA | Bank of America | bank of a-mer-e-ca | ˈbæŋk əv əˈmɛrəkə |
| ASL | American Sign Language | ah-mer-e-can sin lan-goo-aj | əˈmɛrəkən ˈsaɪn ˈlæŋɡwɪdʒ |
| TSA | Transportation Security Administration | trans-por-tay-shon se-coor-e-tee ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˌtɹænspɚˈteɪʃən sɪˈkjʊrəti ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
| FAA | Federal Aviation Administration | fed-er-al ay-vee-ay-shon ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˈfɛdɚɹəl ˌeɪviˈeɪʃən ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
| USDA | United States Department of Agriculture | oo-ni-ted states de-part-ment of ag-ree-cool-toor | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈæɡɹɪˌkʌltʃɚ |
| DOD | Department of Defense | de-part-ment of de-fens | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv dɪˈfɛns |
| DHS | Department of Homeland Security | de-part-ment of home-land sec-oo-ree-tee | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈhoʊmˌlænd sɪˈkjʊrəti |
| DOJ | Department of Justice | the de-part-ment of jus-tees | dɪˈpɑrtmənt əv ˈdʒʌstəs |
| USPS | United States Postal Service | oo-ni-ted states pos-tal ser-vees | jʊˈnaɪtəd ˈsteɪts ˈpoʊstl̩ ˈsɝvəs |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration | food and drug ad-me-nees-tray-shon | ˈfud ənd ˈdɹʌɡ ədˌmɪnəˈstɹeɪʃən |
| EPA | Environmental protection Agency | en-vi-ron-men-tal pro-tec-shon a-gen-see | ɪnˌvaɪɹənˈmɛntl̩ pɹəˈtɛkʃən ˈeɪdʒənsi | ˌiˌpiˈeɪ | |
| CDC | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention | sen-ters for dee-sees con-trol and pre-ven-shon | ˈsɛntɚz ˈfɔr dɪˈziz kənˈtɹoʊl ənd pɹɪˈvɛnʃən |
The United Kingdom
Whether you’re just visiting the United Kingdom or planning to move there, there are a few abbreviations and acronyms you’ll want to get familiar with before you board your flight. Here are some of the most common United Kingdom abbreviations.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| BBC | British Broadcasting Corporation | bree-tish brod-cas-teeng cor-por-ay-shon | ˈbɹɪtɪʃ ˈbɹɔdˌkæstɪŋ ˌkɔrpɚˈɹeɪʃən |
| BA | British Airways | bree-tish air-ways | ˈbɹɪtɪʃ ˈɛrˌweɪz |
| BoE | Bank of England | bank of en-gland | ˈbæŋk əv ˈɪŋɡlənd |
| BR | British Rail | bree-tish rail | ˈbɹɪtɪʃ ˈɹeɪl |
| innit | Isn’t it? | isn’t it | ˈɪzn̩t ˈɪt ‖ |
| Sammie | Sandwich | sand-wich | ˈsændˌwɪtʃ |
| A cuppa | A cup of tea | a cup of tee | ə ˈkʌp əv ˈti |
| Soz | Sorry | sor-ry | ˈsɑri |
| Manc | Manchester | man-ches-ter | ˈmænˌtʃɛstɚ |
| P’s | Pounds (£) | paunds | ˈpaʊndz | |
Australia
If you’re visiting Australia soon, you must start preparing for the sheer number of abbreviations you will hear on a daily basis. Rather than an abundance of initialisms or acronyms, most Australian abbreviations are in the form of clipped words, usually as a shortened form of the first half of a word with a cute ending. You’ll see what we mean in the table below.
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| Chrissie | Christmas | crist-mas | ˈkɹɪsməs |
| Brekky | Breakfast | brek-fast | ˈbɹɛkfəst |
| Avo | Avocado | a-vo-ca-do | ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊ |
| Servo | Gas station | gas stay-shon | ˌɑvəˈkɑdoʊ |
| Maccas | McDonald’s | mac-doh-nalds | məkˈdɑnəldz |
| Bevos | Beverages | beh-vuh-ra-jes | ˈbɛvɹɪdʒəz |
| Sanga | Sandwich | sand-which | ˈsændˌwɪtʃ |
| Aggro | Aggressive | ah-greh-seev | əˈɡɹɛsɪv |
| Barbie | Barbecue | bar-be-cue | ˈbɑrbɪˌkju |
| Cab Sav | Cabernet Sauvignon | ca-ber-neh sah-vee-nyoh | ˌkæbɚˈneɪ ˌsɔˈvɪnjɑn |
| Devo | Devastated | deh-vas-tay-ted | ˈdɛvəˌsteɪtəd |
| Mushie | Mushroom | mush-room | ˈmʌʃrum |
| Ambo | Ambulance | am-byoo-lens | æmbjələns |
Other English acronyms
As we promised earlier, we’ve got English acronyms for you! While these don’t fall into any particular category, they are all extremely helpful and worth at least being aware of. We’re sure you’ll run into them in the wild at some point, and when you do, don’t forget to think about us!
| English | What it stands for | Pronunciation | IPA |
| DOB | Date of birth | dayt of burth | ˈdeɪt əv ˈbɝθ |
| TBA | To be announced | too bee ah-nounsed | ˈtu ˈbi əˈnaʊnst |
| TBD | To be determined | too bee de-tehr-minned | ˈtu ˈbi dɪˈtɝmənd |
| TBC | To be continued | too bee con-tee-newd | ˈtu ˈbi kənˈtɪnjud |
| VAT | Value-added Tax | va-lew a-ded tax | ˈvæljuˈædəd ˈtæks |
| DOA | Dead on arrival | ded on ah-ri-val | ˈdɛd ˈɔn ɚˈɹaɪvəl |
| GMO | Genetically modified organisms | guh-ne-tee-cuh-lee mo-dee-fyed ore-gah-neesms | dʒəˈnɛtɪkli ˈmɑdəˌfaɪd ˈɔrɡəˌnɪzəmz |
| MIA | Missing in action | miss-ing in ac-tee-on | ˈmɪsɪŋ ˈɪn ˈækʃən |
| OCD | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | ob-sess-iv com-pool-siv dis-ore-der | ɑbˈsɛsɪv kəmˈpʌlsɪv dɪsˈɔrdɚ |
| BOGO | Buy one, get one | bye wuhn get wuhn | ˈbaɪ ˈwʌn | ˈɡɛt ˈwʌn |
| ICYMI | In case you missed it | een case yoo missd eet | ˈɪn ˈkeɪs ˈju ˈmɪst ˈɪt |
| FWIW | For what it’s worth | fore wuht its worth | ˈfɔr ˈwɑt ˈɪts ˈwɝθ |
Skip the line and level up your English with abbreviations
Now that you know 275 different abbreviations, from texting abbreviations to acronyms don’t be shy to start using them! The more often you use these English acronyms and abbreviations, the sooner you’ll become proficient in them — and the more time you’ll save!
If you feel like you’ve already got these under control, why not try out our list of the hardest words in English? We’ve got over 250 incredibly challenging words, so you’re sure to find a few tricky new words regardless of your level! And if even that’s a piece of cake, take a look at our English language blog. We’re sure you’ll find something that will pique your interest!
