Nowadays, you’re most likely to go through a texting phase as you build a relationship with a Spanish speaker, whether for a friendship or a romance.
Texting in another language is helpful to improve your spoken Spanish. You have more time to think out your sentences, more confidence using new words, and most importantly, you can check google translate anytime!
For native Spanish speakers, it’s always enjoyable to chat on text with a foreigner who writes like a native!
But it’s tough. When Spanish speakers text, they use a lot of abbreviations that you probably won’t learn in regular Spanish lessons.
So, here are the abbreviations that Spanish people use the most when texting.
1) Sending messages in Spanish – the most common abbreviations:
| Tqm / Tkm | Te quiero mucho | I love you |
| Tel. | Teléfono | Phone |
| Cel. | Celular | Cell phone |
| Ud. | Usted | You (formal) |
| Uds. | Ustedes | You all (Latin American way) |
| X | Por | By, For |
| Xq / Pq / Pk | ¿Por qué? / Porque | Why? / Because |
| Xfa | Por favor | Please |
| No c | No sé | I don’t know |
| Bn | Bien | Good |
| Tb | También | Also / Too |
| Cdt | ¡Cuídate! | Take care of yourself! |
| Ej / Xej | Ejemplo / Por ejemplo | Example / For instance |
| Sr. | Señor | Mister/ Grown-up man / Gentleman |
| Sra. | Señora | Missis / Grown-up woman / Madam |
| P.D. | Posdata | Postscript |
| Atte. | Atentamente | Literally: attentively (Yours sincerely) |
| Esq | Es que | The thing is / It’s just that |
| Msj. | Mensaje | Message |
| Qepd | Que en paz descanse | Rest in peace |
| Maso | Más o menos | More or less |
2) Answering the phone in Spanish:
To answer the phone, just remember: ¿Aló? (Hello?)
| ¿Aló? / ¿Hola? | Hello? |
| ¿Quién es? / ¿Quién habla? | Who is it? |
| ¿A quién necesita(s)? | Who do you need? |
| ¿Qué se le ofrece? | How can I help you? / What do you want? (formal) |
| ¿Qué se te ofrece? | How can I help you? / What do you want? (informal) |
| Estoy ocupado | I’m busy |
| Sí, me interesa | Yes, I’m interested |
| No me interesa, gracias | I’m not interested thanks |
| ¿Podría(s) llamarme más tarde? | Could you call me later? |
| ¿Te puedo llamar más tarde? | Can I call you later? |
| Está(s) equivocado(a) / Número equivocado | You’re wrong / Wrong number |
| No lo(a) escucho bien | I can’t hear you well (formal) |
| ¿Podría hablar más fuerte, por favor? (formal) | Could you speak louder, please? |
| ¿Podría hablar más lentamente, por favor?(formal) | Could you speak more slowly, please? |
| Se escucha entrecortado | It sounds choppy (breaking up, intermittent) |
| ¡Adiós! | Bye! |
3) Sending and answering emails:
| Estimado(a) Señor / Señora | Dear Sir/Madam, | Formal |
| Queridos amigos | Dear friends | Slightly informal |
| Apreciado(a) Señor/ Señora | Dear Sir/ Madam | Slightly informal |
| Atentamente, | Best, | Slightly Formal (At the end) |
| Cordialmente, | Sincerely, | Formal (At the end) |
| Afectuosamente, / Amablemente, / Mis mejores deseos, | Warmly, / Kindly, / Best wishes, | Dear Sir/ Madam (At the end) |
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