Have you ever wondered if it’s okay to describe something like that in French, or to use a certain emoji in a message? Or maybe you read a girl’s reply in the WhatsApp group of the club girls and thought:
“But what do these letters mean: mdr ????? tkt ?????”
This week, I want to give you a real boost to sound truly French in your messages… and for that, nothing works better than knowing the shortcuts and abbreviations that everyone uses on WhatsApp and SMS.
If you already know that “biz” means kisses, get ready: there are plenty more that your French friends love to use in their messages.
Must-know shortcuts
- tkt → don’t worry 😌
- pas de pb → no problem ✅
- ok / ça marche → ok, got it
- coucou → hi / little hello 👋
- grave !!! → totally! 😆
- mdr / ptdr → laughing 😄
- stp / svp → please 🙏
- rdv → meeting 📅
- bcp → a lot
- aprem → afternoon 🌞
- vs → you (formal)
- ras → nothing to report
- hs → off topic / tired
- dac → ok / agreed ✅
- oui / ouais / yep → yes
- non / nan → no
- dsl = désolé
Greeting and ending messages
Informal / friends
- Biz / bisous 😘 → to say goodbye or end a message
- À + → see you later
- À tout’ → see you soon ⏰
- À très vite → see you very soon ✨
💡 Tip WSF: You don’t need X’s everywhere. In French, a simple “biz” or “bisous” is enough to show affection.
A ❤️ or 😘 can seem very affectionate, so it’s usually reserved for close friends or family.
Formal / professional
- Bonne journée → Have a nice day
- Bien à vous → Kind regards / Best regards
- Cordialement → Sincerely / Regards
💡 Tip WSF: For formal SMS or emails, do not use abbreviations.
Make an effort to write correctly, because it’s very French 😅.
Top Tip WSF – Writing Formal SMS Correctly
And here’s the most important tip for your French messages:
When you write a formal SMS — to someone you barely know, your landlord, or any professional contact — take your time.
- Don’t use abbreviations.
- French people are more cautious with emojis in professional or semi-formal contexts.
- Check your spelling and phrasing (ChatGPT won’t help you speak, but for correcting writing it’s a useful tool — though not infallible).
French people really notice and appreciate the effort 😅.
At first, it might feel slow, but this attention to detail makes your French sound polished and respectful, even in short messages.
📩 Send me a French SMS here on WhatsApp : 06 64 14 57 75.
And don’t forget to tell me if you want a free session to talk about your projects and try my coaching (20 minutes, a virtual coffee, no obligation ☕💬).
Whether you’re a femme expat’, a compagne de joueur de rugby, or a joueur de rugby, it’s the perfect way to ask all your questions, practice, and get personalized tips to speak French naturally in real life.
