Reddit has a ton of acronyms for the most seemingly unnecessarily mundane things. But they do exist for a good reason – it’s why everybody uses them. Before you log in to Reddit and get confused, check out 20 popular Reddit acronyms you should know.
Good to know: view and delete your Reddit history in a few easy steps.
1. OP (Original Poster)
When people say “OP,” they’re referring to whoever made the post in the first place. It has the same use as TS or Thread Starter/Setter in other forums, but is one of the most common Reddit abbreviations. In some rare moments of confusion, some folks may even call the original commenter “OP” or “the comment OP.” But that’s rare, and you’ll figure it out from the context.
2. ELI5 (Explain Like I’m 5)
ELI5 is not necessarily an explanation to a five-year-old. But if you really don’t get why the speed of light is the fastest thing in the universe, most folks would be happy to give you an ELI5 explanation if you ask nicely. This Reddit abbreviation is based on Albert Einstein’s famous quote: “If you can’t explain it to a five-year-old, then you don’t understand it yourself.”
3. TIL (Today I Learned)
Many people go to the Internet to share new things they’ve learned. Reddit users do the same. Sometimes you’ll see posts starting with “TIL” and a random interesting fact. Most of the time, it’s on a subreddit called r/TodayILearned, or some other sub where you share random facts with random strangers on Reddit.
Tip: try incognito browsing on Reddit if you don’t want people to know what subreddits you lurk in.
4. TIFU (Today I F*cked Up)
TIFU comes out when you do something you regret doing that’s worth sharing. If it didn’t happen within the day, you should add an “obligatory this happened X days ago” on your post. Some people share their TIFUs in comments and only write the “obligatory” part when they also write TIFU on them. Either way, it’s fairly common Reddit slang.
5. AMA (Ask Me Anything)
AMA is used for posts where people can ask you anything. It’s typically followed by something about you as the main topic, although people can ask unrelated things. There are two subreddits where this is mainly used. The r/AMA subreddit is meant for general things, while r/IAmA is for experts, scientists, and known professionals. AMAs at r/IAmA get so big that posts are scheduled with moderators days beforehand.
6. ETA (Edit to Add)
ETA is a Reddit slang alternative to “edit” when people update a post or comment. It’s considered good Reddiquette to tell people why you edited a comment you’ve already submitted. As for posts, this is an excellent way to give an update without it looking like the original part of the post.
Good to know: these top subreddits are definitely worth a follow if you enjoy spending time on Reddit.
7. IANAL (I Am Not A Lawyer)
IANAL is one of those Reddit acronyms for giving legal advice, but you’re also telling the OP that you’re neither a lawyer nor work in a law-related field. It’s mostly a piece of good Reddit etiquette and coaxes other people who may know more to add something to the advice.
8. AITA / WIBTA (Am I / Will I Be The A*shole)
AITA and WIBTA are typically used on r/AmITheAsshole, where people come to ask for social advice. If you think you did or might do something other people may think is bad manners, add an AITA or WIBTA to your post.
9. YTA / NTA / YWBTA / YWNBTA (You’re/Not/You Will/ Not Be The As*hole)
People reply to r/AmITheAsshole posts with YTA, NTA, YWBTA, and YWNBTA to vote on whether the OP did something wrong. However, YTA and NTA do sometimes spill over to other subreddits when people ask for advice, like relationship advice, for example.
Tip: if you really need a response to a question, try crossposting on Reddit to boost the views you receive.
10. DAE (Does Anyone Else)
DAE is used on posts where people ask whether people do something they think other people usually do. It’s a normal part of the r/DoesAnybodyElse and r/NoStupidQuestions subreddits.
11. LPT (Life Pro Tip)
LPT is Reddit slang people use when they have a tip that feels like an IRL cheat. People use this in posts and comments where they want to share advice that makes commonly difficult things easier. However, this has to be a legal or at least moral tip that anyone can follow. If it is illegal or immoral, people usually say it’s an ILPT (an Illegal Life Pro Tip).
12. MIC / AIC (More/Album In Comments)
MIC is a Reddit acronym that shows up in posts where other important information can’t fit the title, usually because the subreddit’s format does not allow anything written in the description area. Users do this to let people know that their extra info may get buried in the comments, especially when well-placed jokes are placed higher because of the upvotes. AIC is another similar acronym but with pictures. The comments usually feature an Imgur link to the album.
Good to know: use reverse image search to find the origin of a meme or other image someone shares on Reddit.
13. CMV (Change My View)
CMV is another Reddit acronym where the usage spilled over from a dedicated subreddit. It is used at r/ChangeMyView to challenge your belief in a specific topic. These days, people use this on any post where the OP or Original Poster wants to see a reasonable view opposing theirs.
14. YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary)
YMMV is an old Reddit acronym, perhaps even older than Reddit itself. People use this while introducing something reasonable, but other factors could affect how good (or bad) it can get. For example, someone could suggest buying a particular brand of ice cream. But since that specific brand may not have the same standards per store, yours may not be as good as everyone else’s. Using YMMV explicitly implies that.
15. OC (Original Content)
Reddit posts tend to have two kinds of content: those made by others and those made by you. Seeing “OC” on a post means it’s the OP’s original content. This is usually found on art subreddits, where people must provide the source of non-OC content.
Also helpful: you can download Reddit videos and watch them later.
16. ATBGE (Awful Taste But Great Execution)
Reddit users sometimes write “r/ATBGE” when seeing something that could look awful or tacky, but done so well with an artisan’s touch. It also has the horrendous counterpart, GTBAE, and self-affirming ones, such as GTAGE and ATAGE.
17. DM / PM (Direct/Private Message)
DM and PM typically mean to chat with someone privately everywhere else. But on Reddit, there are two ways to do precisely that. Traditionally, both are used to refer to the Private Message function, but most users now use these to refer to Private Messages or Chat unless told otherwise. Also, bots and moderators only use the Private Message function to talk with users.
18. R/M/F4R (Redditor/Male/Female for Redditor)
R4R subreddits are for Reddit users to meet up and personally get to know other Reddit users. It is usually found in dating subreddits, placed in brackets next to one’s age. For example, 38 [F4R] would mean a female user would want to meet up with any user, male or female. Other people could also use an “A” instead of an R if they want to meet with anyone.
Tip: use mobile dating apps to look for possible matches if Reddit isn’t helpful.
19. NRJD (New Response Just Dropped)
NRJD is a mainstay meme at r/AnarchyChess, which is commented on when someone makes a variation of the “holy hell” meme response. It sometimes appears on chess-related and meme subreddits whenever they mention anything about Anarchy Chess. The typical reaction to NRJD would be another “holly hell” joke or some other joke well-known to the Anarchy Chess community.
20. TLDR / TL;DR (Too Long; Didn’t Read)
TLDR is one of the most iconic Reddit acronyms ever used online. It is used to summarize a long text, typically a rant, with just a single sentence or two. People put these at the bottom of their posts and comments and sometimes make them bold.
All these Reddit acronyms may take some time to get used to, but you’ll get used to it. Redditors typically use these in context, so you can sometimes make out what they mean without knowing what the words stand for. Hopefully, this list can help so that you don’t get so overwhelmed by the abbreviations that you feel you have to delete your Reddit account.
Image credit: Unsplash
Subscribe to our newsletter!
Our latest tutorials delivered straight to your inbox
