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The Ultimate Guide to Texting in German: Master Informal Communication and Abbreviations visualisation

The Ultimate Guide to Texting in German: Master Informal Communication and Abbreviations

Master informal German texting with our indispensable guide!

The search results did not yield direct detailed lists or explanations specifically focused on informal texting conventions and abbreviations in German texting communication. To provide a thorough and expert response on this topic, a concise summary based on common knowledge about informal German texting culture and abbreviations will be offered with potential relevant examples.


Informal Communication in German Texting

In German texting, informal communication is very common, especially among friends, family, and young people. It is characterized by a casual tone, shortened words, and the use of slang or chat abbreviations. The style is usually closer to spoken German than formal written German.

Common Features of Informal German Texting

  • Omission of Umlauts: Umlauts (ä, ö, ü) are sometimes replaced with a simple vowel or omitted. For example, “schön” might be written as “schoen” or “schon” (though “schon” is a different word, context matters).
  • Shortened Words: Many words are abbreviated or cut down to their roots to save time.
  • Phonetic Spellings: Words may be written as they sound, e.g., “tschüss” (bye) might be “tschüß” or “tschuß”.
  • Use of Anglicisms: Common English words like “okay,” “cool,” or “sorry” are frequently used.
  • Lack of Capitalization: Unlike formal German, which capitalizes all nouns, texting often ignores this rule.
  • Emoticons and Emojis: Used to convey tone and emotion since text can otherwise be ambiguous.
  • lg / LG – “Liebe Grüße” (kind regards)
  • hdgdl – “hab dich ganz doll lieb” (love you very much)
  • btw – “by the way” (borrowed from English)
  • ka – “keine Ahnung” (no idea)
  • lol – same as in English, “laughing out loud”
  • hdgdl – “Hab dich ganz doll lieb” (love you a lot)
  • cu – “see you”
  • mfg – “Mit freundlichen Grüßen” (formal, but sometimes used informally)
  • thx – “thanks”
  • pls – “please”
  • gn8 – “Gute Nacht” (good night)
  • wp – “weiter so / weiß nicht” (depends on context; “weiter so” means keep it up)
  • pls – “please,” used sometimes in casual German texting

Examples of Informal Sentences in German Texting

  • “lg und bis bald!” = “Liebe Grüße und bis bald!” (Kind regards and see you soon!)
  • “ka was du meinst” = “Keine Ahnung, was du meinst” (No idea what you mean)
  • “thx für die hilfe!” = “Thanks for the help!”

This summarizes the general style and some common abbreviations seen in informal German texting communication. If more specific or updated abbreviations or texting conventions are needed, I can look further. Would a list of recent or trending German texting slang and abbreviations be helpful next?

References

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