Notorious for its long compound nouns and complex grammatical system, the German language often receives a bad rap as being difficult to perfect.
However, with the ever-expanding world of social media and smartphones, the language is continually adapting.
Both Kurzdeutsch (short German) and Netzjargon (internet slang) are on the rise, in line with the ever-expanding, fast-paced world of technology and instant messaging.
READ ALSO: ‘Short German’ text speak spares you from grammar
Our short guide to German text speak will have you chatting online like a local in no time.
Photo: DPA
Bd – Bis dann (‘until then’)
A useful phrase that is an equivalent of ‘see you later’.
kD – kein Ding (‘no problem’)
Literally meaning ‘no thing’, this phrase can be used when you need to say that something is no bother or no issue.
kA – keine Ahnung (‘no idea’)
An all-important phrase for learners of the tricky German language, kA can stand for ‘keine Ahnung’, or ‘no idea’.
LG – Liebe Grüße (‘Best wishes’ / ‘Kind regards’)
This abbreviation is often used as a sign off at the end of a text message.
vlt/vllt – vielleicht (‘maybe’, ‘possibly’)
A shortened version useful for expressing uncertainty. Germans also use evt or evtl (short for ‘eventuell’) for the same purpose.
WE – Wochenende (‘weekend’)
This is a helpful phrase to arrange plans or express excitement for that Friday feeling – ‘Wochenende’ is the German word for weekend.
nix – nichts (‘nothing’)
Commonly seen on social media, Germans often shorten the word ‘nichts’ to ‘nix’ online.
Gn8 – Gute Nacht (‘goodnight’)
Perhaps a little outdated now, the German word for the number eight, ‘acht’, can be used in text language to form whole words, similarly to the English use of ‘gr8’.
IRL – im richtigen Leben (‘in real life’)
Equivalent to the English ‘IRL’, this abbreviation is used to denote something in the real world, rather than in the digital one.
hdl – Hab dich lieb (‘love you lots’)
Commonly used among family and close friends, this initialism is used to express love. For a romantic partner, you might see ild (‘Ich liebe dich’ – I love you).
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