Hey everyone! Lizzie here, from MosaLingua.
Many students studying English tell me that when they are in their English lessons, they understand everything
but when it comes to watching TV programs or films, or chatting to native English speakers,
they struggle to understand what people are saying.
This is due to many different factors, such as the speed at which they're talking, their accents,
but also because, in reality, native English speakers use many abbreviations and shorten their words.
So, learning common abbreviations in English will help you to understand what native speakers are saying.
Keep watching until the end to learn the most common abbreviations used in English…
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Now, let’s get into today’s topic…
The following shortened words are so commonly used
that many dictionaries list them without stating they are abbreviations.
Many of them are used more frequently (especially in spoken English) than the original, full word.
So, let’s start with number one…
1. Ok, number one is "info" (UK + US). Info means information.
Can you give me more info about the new job?
Would you like more info about the apartment?
I asked my teacher for more info about our lessons.
2. "Uni" (UK) Uni is short for university.
I studied at uni for 4 years.
I went to uni when I was 17.
I studied languages at uni.
3. "Pic" (UK + US) Pic is short for picture.
I took lots of pics on my holiday.
Can I see the pics you took?
Would you like me to take a pic of you?
4. "Fab" (UK + US) Fab means fabulous.
I use this one all the time.
Sarah is a fab singer.
There’s a fab new film out at the cinema.
We're meeting at 7:30? Fab!
5. "Intro" (UK + US) Intro is short for introduction.
The intro of this song is my favorite part.
Did you like the intro of this video?
6. "Veg" (UK) / "Veggie" (US) Veg means vegetable or vegetables
Because I’m vegetarian, I eat a lot of veg/veggie.
Make sure you eat lots of fruit and veg/veggie.
We need to buy some more veg/veggie.
7. "Sec" (UK + US) This means second.
Give me a sec means give me a second/wait.
I need a sec to finish off this work.
Wait a sec!
8. "Deffo" (UK) Deffo is short for definitely.
Are you deffo going to the party tonight?
Means: Are you definitely going to the party tonight?
I deffo want to go out for dinner on Friday.
I feel a bit ill. I’m deffo coming down with the flu.
9. "Meds" (UK + US) This means medicine.
The doctor prescribed me some meds.
Or... I need to take new meds.
Which meds do you take regularly?
10. "Sis" (UK + US) Sis is short for sister.
When we talk about more than one sister we can say "sisses."
So, I have two sisses.
My little sis is at university.
My big sis is a teacher.
We can also use "bro" for brother and "cuz" for cousin.
11. "Teen" (UK + US) This means teenager.
When I was a teen, I started working.
When Joe was a teen, he stopped playing football.
We can also use "teens," with an S, to refer to the period of time when you are a teenager.
We say “in my teens.”
For example, my sister is still in her teens.
She is still in her teenage years.
12. The next one is "comfy" (UK + US), which means comfortable.
I bought a really comfy sofa.
Is that chair comfortable? Is that chair comfy?
It’s important to have a comfy mattress in order to get a good night’s sleep.
13. "Abs" (UK + US)
If you watch English exercise or workout videos, you might have heard this one before.
Abs refers to your abdominals. These muscles here.
I did a really difficult ab workout at the gym yesterday.
My abs are really sore today!
I’m working on building my ab muscles at the moment.
14. "Brit" (UK + US) This means a British person.
Like me!
Brits love to shorten words!
Are you a Brit?
Many Brits enjoy going to Spain on holiday.
15. "Ad" (UK + US) Nowadays, we see many ads.
I hate how many ads there are on social media!
I saw a funny ad yesterday.
So ad or ads is short for advertisement(s).
16. "TV" (UK + US) This is short for television.
And, in British English, people often short television to “telly.” (UK)
I don’t watch telly/TV very often.
Have you seen anything good on the telly recently?
What’s your favorite TV series?
17. "App" (UK + US) App is short for application.
We use this to talk about software applications.
So... I have many apps downloaded on my phone.
Have you downloaded the MosaLingua app?
Which app do you use the most?
18. "Decaf" (UK + US)
Decaf is short for decaffeinated, which means without caffeine.
This is a useful one to know, if, like me, you prefer to drink tea or coffee without caffeine.
Can I order a decaf cappuccino please?
I only drink decaf coffee.
Would you like normal or decaf coffee?
19. "Celeb" (UK + US) This means celebrity.
After her viral video, she became a celeb.
Many celebs advertise beauty products.
Have you ever met a celeb in real life?
20. "Prep" (UK + US) Prep is short for preparation.
I always do a lot of prep before an exam.
I have to get home early to prep the dinner.
On Sunday, I always have a lot of prep to do for work on Monday.
21. The next one is "pro" (UK + US). This means professional.
For example, he is a pro tennis player.
This means: he is a professional tennis player.
Or... she is a pro singer. She is a professional singer.
But we also use this as slang to say you are really good at something.
For example: I am a pro at baking bread.
Now, I'm not saying that I'm a professional baker, or bread maker.
I’m just saying that I'm really good at it.
What are you a pro at? Tell me in the comments.
22. "Probs" (UK ) This means probably.
Often you’ll hear people say “No probs!” meaning: no problem.
Are you going to the party on Friday? Yeah, probs!
I enjoy learning new vocab.
23. "Vocab" (UK + US) Vocab is short for vocabulary.
I hope you learn lots of new vocab in this video.
It’s important to learn the most useful vocab when you're studying a language.
24. The next one is "fam" (UK + US) Fam is short for family.
I enjoy spending time with my fam.
Are you spending the weekend with your fam?
My fam are very loud and chatty.
25. "Beaut" (UK) Beaut is short for beautiful.
It’s such a beaut day today!
That new jumper you’re wearing is beaut.
She is very beaut. Which means: she is very beautiful.
26. "Cig" (UK + US) This means cigarette.
How many cigs do you smoke?
Can I have a cig?
Many people try to stop smoking cigs.
27. Delish (UK + US)
That meal was delish.
Can you guess what it means?
Yep, you guessed it. Delish is short for delicious.
Have you eaten anything delish recently?
Chocolate cake is delish!
28. "Fav" or "fave"
It can be spelled both of these ways, but the pronunciation stays the same. (UK + US)
Who’s your fav singer?
What’s your fav film?
My fav thing to do is go to the cinema.
If you haven’t already worked it out, fav is short for favorite.
29. "(At the) mo" (UK) "Mo" is short for moment.
British people often say “at the mo,” which means at the moment.
I’m very busy at the mo.
I’m pretty tired at the mo.
What are you doing at the mo?
30. And the final one today is "slo-mo." (UK + US)
Slo-mo is short for slow motion.
When they show replays in sports, they usually show it in slo-mo.
He was walking so slowly, it looked like it was in slo-mo.
The fighting scene was in slo-mo for added effect.
So, that’s the end of this vid!
(Oh, by the way, "vid" is short for video).
I hope you learned lots of new vocabulary or... vocab.
There are many many more abbreviations or shortened words used in English,
but the ones I’ve given you today are very common
and very useful for a range of different situations.
Can you think of any more?
Let me know in the comments.
I’d love to see what other shortened words you can think of!
Thank you for watching this video.
See you next time!
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