TTYL stands for talk to you later. It's how you end a chat: we're done for today, let's continue another time. The tone is light and friendly, and it lives in chats and messaging apps.
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message + ttyl (gtg, ttyl!); ok, ttyl; reply: ttyl / bye / later
- gtg, my mum needs help in the kitchen, ttyl!
- Sounds good, let's finish the plan tomorrow, ttyl.
- ttyl, I'm about to start my shift and can't check my phone.
What changed
First versionGoing to bed now, brb, see you tomorrow!
RevisionGoing to bed now, ttyl, see you tomorrow!
Brb means be right back: the person steps away for a couple of minutes, and the conversation is about to continue. Someone going to bed until tomorrow is ending the conversation, so ttyl is needed. With brb, your friend would be left waiting for a reply that only comes in the morning.
Ttyl often comes with gtg, got to go: gtg explains that you're leaving, and ttyl says goodbye. Out loud, people say it in full: Talk to you later or Catch you later. In an email to a teacher or colleague, write Speak soon or I'll get back to you tomorrow instead of ttyl, and essays don't use abbreviations at all.
Your turn
I need to finish my essay tonight, so I'm going offline now. Speak tomorrow, ___!
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ttyl — You're leaving until tomorrow and even write Speak tomorrow, so you're saying goodbye, and that's ttyl. Brb promises you'll be back in a couple of minutes, which clashes with talking tomorrow.
Write your last message to a friend before you go. Say where you're going and put ttyl at the end.
gtg, I'm off to my yoga class, ttyl
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