Popular text abbreviations and emojis you should know

Have you ever heard your grandchildren say phrases like “that’s dope!” or “I’m feeling Gucci”? Every year, there are new phrases, slang, and text abbreviations to decode, just so you can participate in everyday conversation in person and online.

And this isn’t the first time that social media lingo has ruled all. Back in 2015, Time Magazine reported that Oxford Dictionary made history by announcing that the ‘Word of the Year’ was the ‘crying with laughter’ emoji instead of an actual word.

did you know this #emoji was recognized as ‘Word of the Year’ by oxford dictionary in 2015 whaaaaa worth it pic.twitter.com/d21qyi8szi

— autoVRse (@AutoVRse) October 12, 2021

With a rapid increase in social media usage comes a surge of new text acronyms that need to be decoded. The current language has evolved so much to adapt to the growing desire to communicate faster than ever.

In fact, there are too many acronyms to keep track of. If you don’t want to feel like an outsider anymore, here are some of the most popular slang and text acronyms, decoded.

The top 10 text abbreviations

Basic abbreviations:

1. FR – For real
2. ROFL – Rolling on floor laughing
3. LOL – Laugh out loud
4. BRB – Be right back
5. CBF – Can’t be f****d
6. TBH – To be honest
7. GL – Good luck
8. TTYL – Talk to you later
9. SMH – Shakes my head
10. RN – Right now

Advanced abbreviations: 

1. IMHO – In my honest opinion
2. TLDR – Too long, didn’t read
3. LMK – Let me know
4. ICYMI – In case you missed it
5. FWIW – For what it’s worth
6. HMU – Hit me up
7. TBF – To be frank
8. NVM – Nevermind
9. TGIF – Thank god it’s Friday
10. TBA – To be announced

The top 10 slang words

1. Lit – Amazing, cool, or exciting
2. Salty – Another word for bitter, angry, or irritated
3. Dope – Explaining that something is awesome
4. Snatched – Meaning you look good or fashionable
5. Fire – Something that’s trendy
6. Tea – “What’s the tea?” refers to gossip
7. Thirsty – Trying to get attention
8. No cap – To say “no cap” after a sentence means you are telling the truth
9. Flex – To show off
10. Periodt – An end of statement emphasizer. For example: “This burger is delicious, periodt.”

The top 10 emoji meanings

There’s some funny emojis used frequently by teenagers that you could play with in the same way, and elicit a giggle out of your grandkids.

1. 1. Eggplant emoji – The eggplant emoji is commonly known as a phallic symbol or ‘the penis’
   2. Peach emoji – The peach emoji is commonly known to resemble a bottom or ‘an arse’
   3. Taco emoji – The taco emoji is also used in text to represent female genitalia or ‘the vagina’
   4. Smirking face emoji – The smirking face emoji is usually seen as very flirtatious and sexual
   5. Drooling face emoji – The drooling face emoji can also be seen as a reaction to something you are attracted to

If you hear or see more slang words, abbreviations, or emojis that aren’t on this list, don’t be afraid to ask about them. A simple question can help you decode the words you’ve always wanted to know.