The origins of the SMS language can be traced back to the early days of cell phones, when texting was a new and relatively expensive service. To save time and money, people started using acronyms and abbreviations to communicate their messages more effectively.
However, in the late 1990s and early 2000s, the SMS language became more common and texting became more common and affordable. With a limited character in SMS messages, users needed to find a more precise way to communicate, and SMS language became a standard.
In French, text slang and abbreviations have become an essential part of everyday communication. Are you having trouble understanding written conversations between your French friends or colleagues? Do you want to learn French commonly used chat acronyms and what they mean? In this article, we will discuss 25 acronyms and conversations in French, along with their meanings and examples in specific situations. Allez, c'est parti !
1.bcp (beaucoup) – a lot
bcp stands for beaucoup. In informal conversation, it is quite common to use "bcp" to express emphasis or exaggeration.
Example: J'ai bcp aimé le film "Avatar 2". I liked the movie "Avatar 2" a lot.
2. mdr (morte de rire) – laughing out loud
mdr is an abbreviation used in French for mort de rire, which is equivalent to Lol in English, rsrsrsrs in Portuguese and jajajaja in Spanish.
Example: La série "The Office" est vraiment marrante, j'ai été mdr tout le temps. The series "The Office" is hilarious, I was laughing out loud all the time.
3. stp or svp (s'il vous plait, s'il te plait) – please
Example: Peux-tu m'envoyer les photos de gala hier soir, stp? Can you send me the photo of gala last night, please?
4. dsl (désolé) – sorry
Example: Dsl, j'ai oublié de te répondre hier. Sorry, I forgot to reply to you yesterday
5. ajd (aujourd'hui) – today
Example: Je vais aller voir le film "La La Land" ajd. I'm going to watch the movie "La La Land" today
6. cc (coucou) – hi/hey
This word is used very often in everyday French conversation. It can be translated as "hi, my darling" in English and is often used among friends, family members, or acquaintances to greet in a very informal and affectionate way. What a warm-feeling word!
Example: Cc, ca va? Hi, how are you?
7. tjs (toujours) – always
Example: J'adore regarder les films de Wes Anderson, ils sont tjs très originaux. I love watching Wes Anderson's movies, they are always very special.
8. cmt (comment) – how
Example: Cmt s'appelle le personnage principal du film "Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain"? How is the main character of the movie "Amélie" called?
9. slt (salut) – hi/bye
The word "salut" has two meanings, to say "hi" or "bye" in informal situations.
Example: Slts, je dois y aller maintenant . Hi/Bye, I have to go now
Read also: Curse Words in the French Language: Using French Swear Words Like a Pro
10. mtn (maintenant) – now
Example: Je peux pas parler mtn, je suis en train de regarder un match. I can't talk now, I'm watching a football game
11. jpp (j'en peux plus) – I can't take it anymore
jpp is an informal and colloquial expression that can be translated to I can't take it anymore" or I've had enough in English. This expression is often used to express frustration, exhaustion, or exasperation with a situation or person.
Example: jpp de travailler autant, je suis crevé. I can't take working so much anymore, I'm exhausted.
12. tkt (t'inquiète) – don't worry
In speaking French people don't pronounce ne, so ne t'inquiète pas is shortened t'inquiète pas which can be translated to "don't worry" in English.Tkp is a shorter version of t'inquiète. You can see they cut off two words ne and pas to save time and space.
Example: Tkt, tout va bien se passer. Don't worry, everything will be fine.
13. d'acc (d'accord) – okay
Example: D'acc, on se voit demain alors. Okay, see you tomorrow then.
14. att (attends) – wait
Example: Att, je te reponds tout de suite. Wait, I'll reply to you right away.
15. A+ (à plus tard) – see you later
Example: Je dois y aller maintenant, A+. I have to go now, see you later.
16. jsp (je ne sais pas) – I don't know
jsp is an abbreviation for "I don't know" This expression is often used in responsibility for a question or when not sure about something
Example: Jsp on mange quoi ce soir, tu as une idée? I don't know what we will eat tonight, do you have any idea?
17. Askip (à ce qu'il parait) – apparently
"Askip" is a slang expression that is commonly used in French, especially among young people. It is an abbreviation of "à ce qu'il paraît" which means "apparently" or "so they say" in English.
Example: Askip, le film "Parasite" a remporté plusieurs prix cette année. Apparently, the movie "Parasite" won several awards this year.
18. qqc (quelque chose) – something
Example: Je veux regarder qqc de léger ce soir, t’as des recommandations. I want to watch something light tonight, do you have any recommendations?
19. cmb (combien) – how much
Example: Cmb ça coûte d'aller voir un film au cinéma ces jours-ci? How much does it cost to go to the cinema these days?
20. bg (beau gosse) – handsome guy
This slang term can be used to refer to someone attractive or good-looking, It is similar to the word handsome in English. You can refer to a girl as well as a boy as a bg.
Example: J'ai rencontré un bg au cinéma hier soir, il m'a invité à aller voir un film ensemble . I met a handsome guy at the cinema last night, he invited me to watch a movie together.
21. dcp (du coup) – so/therefore
It is often used to indicate a consequence or a result of something that has just been said, or to introduce a conclusion.
Example: Je suis fatigue, dcp je vais me coucher. I am tired, so I am going to bed.
22. pcp (parce que) – because
Example: J'ai décidé d'apprendre le Portugais pcp j'ai bien la musique brésilienne. I decided to learn Portuguese because I love Brazilian music.
23. oklm (au calme) – calm/relaxed
Example: J'ai regardé le film "Pulp Fiction" oklm chez moi hier soir, c'était super. I watched the movie "Pulp Fiction" calmly at home last night, it was great.
24. j'arv (j'arrive) – I'm coming
Example: J'arv dans 5 minutes, j’suis en train de finir d’acheter un Kebab. I'm coming in 5 minutes, I'm finishing buying a Kebab
25. jtm (je t'aime) – I love you
jtm is a shorthand way of saying je t'aime, which is a French expression that means "I love you." This particular expression is frequently used to convey feelings of love or affection towards someone.
Example: Jtm plus que tout. I love you more than anything.
Learning French slang and acronyms can be a fun and helpful way to communicate more effectively. But it's important to be aware of your friendliness and adjust your language accordingly. Using acronyms and conversations may not be appropriate in a professional setting or with people you don't know.
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By immersing yourself in the language, you can learn at your own pace and develop your hearing about how French speakers use slang text and acronyms in conversation in their daily lives. So why not try it? With Lingopie, learning French has never been easier and more fun!
