Russian SMS and chat slang is a mess of abbreviations, borrowed English, and Soviet-era relics. Here’s the stuff your textbook ignores.
Basic Abbreviations
- спс – Thanks (from spasibo)
- пжл – Please (pozhaluysta)
- нзч – No problem (ne za chto)
- мб – Maybe (mozhet byt’)
Emotion & Tone
лол
/lol/“LOL”
Same as English LOL. Used ironically more often than not.
ржунимагу
/rʐu nʲɪˈmaɡu/“LMAO”
Literally “I’m laughing, can’t [stop]”. The Russian equivalent of LMAO.
очень смешно
/ɐˈtɕinʲ smʲɪˈʂno/“very funny”
Sarcastic response to something unfunny. Often shortened to о.с.
Time Savers
| Shortcut | Full Phrase | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| щас | сейчас | Now/soon |
| всм | всмысле | What do you mean? |
| чзх | что за хрень | WTF (literally “what kind of crap”) |
Borrowed English
Yes, Russians use English words in chats. No, they don’t always spell them right:
- ок – OK (sometimes written окей for emphasis)
- сорян – Sorry (phonetic spelling)
- плиз – Please (phonetic spelling)
Warning: Using too many English borrowings can make you sound like a try-hard. Russians mix them sparingly.
Soviet-Era Holdovers
Some abbreviations predate smartphones. Older Russians still use these:
з.ы.
/zɛ ˈɨ/“P.S.”
Postscript. From the pre-Revolutionary alphabet where З (z) and Ы (y) looked like Latin P and S.
чм
/tɕɛ ˈɛm/“emergency”
Short for chrezvychaynoye mery (emergency measures). Used ironically for minor inconveniences.
Pro Tips
- Don’t overuse abbreviations with older people. They’ll either not understand or think you’re illiterate.
- Texting in all caps isn’t shouting - it’s how Russians emphasise words when they don’t use bold or italics.
- For more on how Russian slang evolved, see this guide.
