TTYL
TTYL means “talk to you later.” It’s a friendly way to end a chat while making clear the conversation isn’t over for good.
How people use TTYL
It’s a sign-off. You’re heading out, the conversation has run its course, or something else needs your attention, and ttyl wraps things up without sounding abrupt. It usually suggests a longer break than brb: hours or days, not five minutes.
Most people type it in lowercase. It has a slightly old-school, instant-messenger feel, but it’s still common in texts and DMs.
Examples
- “Boarding now, ttyl!”
- “Ok I need to actually study. ttyl.”
- “Love you, ttyl 💕”
Where TTYL came from
TTYL is one of the oldest chat abbreviations still in daily use. The Oxford English Dictionary’s earliest citation is a Usenet post from 1988, and linguist Ben Zimmer later found an even older message, dated February 23, 1985, in an archive of early bulletin-board text files. The New Oxford American Dictionary added it in 2010, and the Oxford English Dictionary followed in 2016.
In 2004 it became the title of Lauren Myracle’s young-adult novel ttyl, the first novel told entirely in instant messages. The series went on to top the American Library Association’s list of most-challenged books in 2009 and 2011.
TTYL vs. BRB vs. GTG
- BRB: I’m stepping away and coming right back.
- GTG: I have to leave now, often in a hurry.
- TTYL: I’m done for now, and we’ll pick this up another time.
Related terms
See more terms like this in our texting abbreviations guide.
Notes
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