IMHO online communication is LOL, CMIIW. To find out what these and other abbreviations mean, read the story.

If you spend much in chat rooms talking to long-distance friends, or if you are an instant message fan, you may already know these abbreviations. If you don't yet use abbreviations to get your message out quickly, we know you will after you read this list.

These phrases help you communicate quickly with your online buddies. Try them out in the Call for Help Chat Room now. Remember, using all capitals signifies yelling in some online communities, so be sensitive. Use all caps or lowercase, depending on what others are doing.

  • AFK: Away from keyboard
  • ATM: At the moment
  • B: Back
  • BBFN: Bye bye for now
  • BBL: Be back later
  • B/C: Because
  • BFN: Bye for now
  • BFO: Blinding flash of obvious
  • BG: Big grin
  • BO: Brain overload
  • BRB: Be right back
  • BTW: By the way
  • BYKT: But you know/knew that
  • CMIIW: Correct me if I'm wrong
  • CU: See you
  • CUL8R: See you later
  • CYA: See ya
  • EG: Evil grin
  • FC: Fingers crossed
  • FIIOOH: Forget it. I'm out of here
  • FITB: Fill in the blank
  • G: Grin
  • G2G: Got to go
  • IBK: Idiot behind keyboard
  • IMHO: In my humble opinion
  • IRL: In real life
  • JK: Just kidding
  • L8R: Later
  • LMAO: Laughing my ass off
  • LOL: Laugh out loud
  • LYLAB: Love ya like a brother
  • LYLAS: Love ya like a sister
  • NE1: Anyone
  • OMG: Oh my gosh
  • ROFL: Rolling on the floor laughing
  • TIC: Tongue in cheek
  • TTYL: Talk to ya later
  • THX: Thanks
  • TTFN: Ta ta for now
  • WB: Welcome back
  • Y: Yawning