WYD

Wyd means “what (are) you doing?” It’s a casual way to start a conversation, check what someone is up to, or hint that you’d like to hang out.

What does wyd mean?

Wyd is short for “what you doing?”, the relaxed spoken form of “what are you doing?” Most of the time it’s just a conversation opener, like “what’s up.” The usual reply is short: “nothing, you?” or a quick update.

Context changes the meaning. From a friend in the afternoon, it’s small talk. A “wyd” late at night, especially from someone you’re dating or flirting with, often hints that they’d like to meet up, which is why it has a reputation as a flirty text.

How to use wyd

• “Hey wyd? Want to grab food?”
• A: “Wyd” B: “Just got home from work, you?”
• “Wyd this weekend? We’re going to the lake.”
• “Wyd up so late?”

How to reply to wyd

Answer the question and, if you want to keep talking, send it back: “Not much, watching a movie. Wyd?” If you don’t feel like chatting, a short answer without a question ends things politely.

Wyd vs. wya

Wya means “where you at?”, so it asks where someone is rather than what they’re doing. People often send both when making plans: “wyd? wya?”

Where wyd comes from

Wyd is a texting shortcut for the casual phrasing “what you doing,” which drops the “are,” as relaxed speech often does and as African American English regularly does. Its first written use isn’t documented. It has been everyday text-speak for well over a decade.

Related terms

• Wya: where you at?
• Idk: I don’t know.
• Fr: for real.
• Ngl: not gonna lie.

See more terms like this in our texting abbreviations guide.