In a globalization scenario, the culture of the United States is very present in our routine, including language. It is not uncommon to come across expressions in English, or even abbreviations and acronyms. They are present in instant messaging services, on social networks, in movies, serials, among others.
Some are well known and even easy to assimilate for those who already have contact with the language, such as OMG, ASAP and LOL. However, others can be a little “confusing”. Therefore, we decided to prepare a glossary with the meaning of the most popular and used acronyms in English on the web.
Acronyms of the web and their meanings
ASAP: Originating from the expression “As Soon As Possible”, which means “as soon as possible”, the acronym is used for something urgent and which, as the translation itself says, should be resolved as soon as possible.
BRB: Abbreviation for the phrase “Be Right Back” which, in Portuguese, means “I’ll be back soon”.
BTW: It is the acronym for the phrase “By the Way”, used to say “By the way”, “Before I forget”, “By the way”, or something like that.
FTW: It refers to the phrase “For The Win” which, in a literal translation, means “For the victory”. It is worth noting that the acronym FTW is used at the end of sentences to indicate enthusiasm. In general, it means “I recommend”. But, depending on the context, it can also indicate sarcasm.
FYI: In the corporate email universe, this is the most famous abbreviation. It is an acronym for “For Your Information” which, in good old Portuguese, means “For your information”. In other words, it indicates that the content of that message is a novelty or something of interest to the recipient.
LMAO: This is a reference to the phrase “Laughing My Ass Off” which means something like “I was laughing so hard”.
LOL: Cousin of LMAO, the acronym LOL is also very famous and has its origins in the already “deceased” MSN. In English, it means “Laughing Out Loud”, which can be translated as “Laughing out loud”. In practical terms, this acronym is used in reaction to something very funny.
