French Texting - Les Textos Francais
Learning French is one thing, but French on the internet — in chatrooms, forums, text messaging (SMS), and email can seem like a completely different language. Fortunately, help is at hand. Here are some common French abbreviations, acronyms, and symbols to help you communicate via text, followed by some helpful tips and pointers.
| French | Meaning | English |
| 12C4 | un de ces quatre | one of these days |
| 2 ri 1 | de rien | you're welcome |
| 6né | Ciné | Movie theater |
| A+ @+ | À plus | L8R, later CUL8R, see you later |
| A12C4 | À un de ces quatre | See you one of these days |
| a2m1 @2m1 | À demain | CU2moro, see you tomorrow |
| ALP | À la prochaine | TTFN, ta ta for now |
| AMHA | À mon humble avis | IMHO, in my humble opinion |
| AP APLS | À plus | TTFN, ta ta for now |
| ASV | Âge, Sexe, Ville | ASL, age, sex, location |
| a tt | à tout à l'heure | see you soon |
| auj | Aujourd'hui | Today |
| b1sur | Bien sûr | Of course |
| BAL | Boîte aux lettres | Mailbox |
| BCP | Beaucoup | A lot |
| bi1to | Bientôt | RSN, real soon |
| biz | bisous | kisses |
| bjr | Bonjour | Hello |
| bsr | Bonsoir | Good evening |
| C | C'est | It is |
| C1Blag | C'est une blague | It's a joke, Just kidding |
| CAD | C'est-à-dire | That is, i.e., |
| cb1 | C'est bien | That's good |
| C cho | C'est chaud | It's hot |
| Cé | C'est | It is |
| Ché | Chez Je sais | At the home of I know |
| Chu Chui Chuis | Je suis | I am |
| C mal1 | C'est malin | That's clever, sneaky |
| C pa 5pa | C'est pas sympa | That's not nice |
| CPG | C'est pas grave | INBD, it's no big deal |
| Ct | C'était C'est tout | It was That's all |
| D100 | Descends | Get down |
| d'ac dak | D'accord | OK |
| DSL | Désolé | IMS, I'm sorry |
| DQP | Dès que possible | ASAP, as soon as possible |
| EDR | Écroulé de rire | LOL, laughing out loud |
| ENTK EntouK | En tout cas | IAC, in any case |
| FAI | Fournisseur d'accès internet | ISP, internet service provider |
| FDS | Fin de semaine | WE, Wknd, weekend |
| G | J'ai | I have |
| G1id2kdo | J'ai une idée de cadeau | I have a great idea |
| GHT | J'ai acheté | I bought |
| GHT2V1 | J'ai acheté du vin | I bought some wine |
| G la N | J'ai la haine | H8, hate |
| GspR b1 | J'espère bien | I hope so |
| Gt | J'étais | I was |
| Jé | J'ai | I have |
| Je c | Je sais | I know |
| Je le saV | Je le savais | I knew it |
| Jenémar | J'en ai marre | I'm sick of it |
| Je t'M | Je t'aime | ILUVU, I love you |
| Je vé J'vé | Je vais | I'm going |
| JMS | Jamais | NVR |
| JSG | Je suis génial | I'm (doing) great |
| JTM | Je t'aime | I love you |
| K7 | cassette | cassette tape |
| KDO | Cadeau | Gift |
| Kan Kand | Quand | When |
| Ke | Que | that, what |
| Ké | Qu'est | What is |
| Kel | Quel, Quelle | Which |
| Kelle | Qu'elle | That she |
| Keske | Qu'est-ce que | What |
| kestufou Ksk t'fu | Qu'est-ce que tu fous ? | What the hell are you doing? |
| Ki | Qui | Who |
| Kil | Qu'il | That he |
| Koi | Quoi | What |
| Koi29 | Quoi de neuf ? | What's new? |
| Lckc | Elle s'est cassée | She left |
| L's tomB | Laisse tomber | Forget it |
| Lut | Salut | Hi |
| M | Merci | Thanks |
| MDR | Mort de rire | ROFL |
| mr6 | Merci | Thx, thanks |
| MSG | Message | Msg, message |
| now | maintenant | ATM, at the moment |
| NSP | Ne sais pas | Dunno |
| o | Au | In the, at the |
| Ok1 | Aucun | None, not one |
| OQP | Occupé | Busy |
| Oué | Ouais | Yeah |
| p2k | Pas de quoi | URW, you're welcome |
| parske | Parce que | COZ, because |
| p-ê pitit | Peut-être | Maybe |
| PK | Parce que | Because |
| Pkoi | Pourquoi | Y, why |
| Po Pô | Pas | Not |
| PTDR | Pété de rire | ROFLMAO, rolling on the floor laughing |
| q-c q queske | Qu'est-ce que | What |
| QDN | Quoi de neuf ? | What's new? |
| Quelques | Some | |
| qqn | Quelqu'un | Someone |
| raf | Rien à faire | Nothing to do |
| ras | Rien à signaler | Nothing to report |
| rdv | Rendez-vous | Date, appointment |
| RE | (Je suis de) retour, Rebonjour | I'm back, Hi again |
| ri1 | Rien | 0, nothing |
| savapa | Ça va pas ? | Is something wrong? |
| SLT | Salut | Hi |
| SNIF | J'ai de la peine | I'm sad |
| ss | (je) suis | I am |
| STP/SVP | S'il te/vous plaît | PLS, please |
| T | T'es | You are |
| tabitou | T'habites où ? | Where do you live? |
| tata KS | T'as ta casse ? | You have your car? |
| tds | tout de suite | right away |
| ti2 | T'es hideux | You're hideous. |
| tjs | Toujours | Always |
| tkc | T'es cassé | You're tired. |
| TLM | Tout le monde | Everyone |
| T nrv ? | T'es énervé ? | Are you irritated? |
| TOK | T'es OK ? | RUOK? Are you OK? |
| TOQP | T'es occupé ? | RUBZ? Are you busy? |
| tps | temps | time, weather |
| Tt tt | T'étais tout | You were all, every |
| V1 | Viens | Come |
| vazi | Vas-y | Go |
| VrMan | Vraiment | Really |
| X | crois, croit | believe |
| XLnt | Excellent | XLNT, excellent |
y a | Il y a | There is, there are |
The basic rule of texting is to express yourself with the fewest number of characters possible. This is done in three ways:
- Using abbreviations, like TLM for Tout Le Monde
- Using letters that are pronounced like the desired sounds, like OQP for occupé (O - CCU - PÉ)
- Dropping silent letters, especially at the end of a word, like parl for parle
- 1 replaces UN, EN, or IN
- 2 replaces DE
- C replaces C'EST, S'EST, SAIS, etc.
- É replaces AI, AIS, and other spellings of similar sounds
- K can replace QU (e.g., koi) or CA (kdo)
- O replaces AU, EAU, AUX, etc.
- T replaces T'ES and other spellings of the same sound
If all else fails, try reading the symbol out loud.