Top 15 Chat Slang Terms Used by American Gen Z

Hi, this is Awork Academy.

In Japan, LINE is hugely popular,
and people use everyday abbreviations (shorthand slang) like "ri," "kusa," and "eguchi."
The idea is to cut down on typing and chat more easily.

Actually, American Gen MZ (Millennials + Gen Z) use just as many abbreviations when chatting.

Many people who've studied abroad say,
"I was texting with a foreign friend,
and had no idea what half the expressions meant…"
and it's a common struggle.

So today, we're breaking down the top 15 English chat abbreviations used by American Gen MZ in an easy-to-understand way.

< Which messaging app do people use? >

As we mentioned in our earlier post "Must-Have Apps for Studying Abroad," WhatsApp is extremely common in English-speaking countries. If you want to make local friends during your study abroad, we recommend installing it before you leave.
Also, Facebook Messenger is widely used too.

< Top 15 English Chat Abbreviations Used by American Gen MZ>

1) ASAP

As Soon As Possible: as soon as possible!

2) BTW

By The Way: by the way / incidentally

3) LOL

Laughing Out Loud: cracking up (lol)

4) RIP

　Rest In Peace: may you rest in peace
　※As slang, it's also used lightly to mean "it's over…"
　e.g. "I didn't study at all" "RIP…"

5) ATM

At The Moment: right now / at the moment

6) TTYL

Talk To You Later: talk to you later

7) NP

No Problem: no problem!

8) IOU

I Owe You: I owe you one / thanks

9) JK

Just Kidding: just kidding

10) OMG

Oh My God: oh my god! / no way!

11) WTF

What The F***: what the heck!?
　※A strong expression, so be mindful of who you use it with and when

12) IMO

In My Opinion: in my opinion

13) IDK

I Don't Know: I don't know

14) BTW

By The Way: by the way
　※It's used so often it tends to come up twice

15) N/A

Not Available: not available / not applicable

Not knowing these abbreviations can be confusing

Much like Japan's abbreviation culture, these are formed by taking the first letters of words.

Still, the first time you see them, you might think, "Wait, is that even an English word?" and feel a bit lost.

The longer you live abroad, the more new abbreviations and slang you'll run into beyond what's listed here.

When that happens, just ask, "What does that mean?"
You pick up a language by staying curious and asking questions along the way.

Wrap-up | Knowing chat abbreviations makes conversations more fun

Today we introduced the English chat abbreviations commonly used by American Gen MZ.

Even knowing just a few can make chatting with local friends so much easier.

Awork Academy's official website features plenty of useful information for life as a language study abroad student.
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out anytime.