French uses acronyms extensively in formal writing, news media, and digital communication. An acronym is a word formed from the initial letters of a phrase, like NATO or NASA. Understanding them is essential for reading French texts and following informal online exchanges.

Informal and online acronyms

These acronyms are used in texting, on social media, and in informal emails. They are often borrowed from English but used differently. The level of formality varies from neutral to vulgar, so context matters.

• MDR
  • Meaning: Mort de rire
  • Translation: Dying of laughter
  • Register: Neutral and widely used
  • Usage: The equivalent of “LOL.” It expresses amusement.
  • Example: Il est tombé ! MDR !
    • He fell over! LOL!
• PTDR
  • Meaning: Pété de rire
  • Translation: Bursting with laughter, or farting with laughter.
  • Register: Very informal, mildly vulgar
  • Usage: A stronger version of MDR, equivalent to “LMAO.”
  • Example: Son chat a fait un backflip, PTDR !
    • Her cat did a backflip, LMAO!
• TG
  • Meaning: Tais-toi
  • Translation: Shut up
  • Register: Rude or aggressive; used among close friends or as an insult
  • Usage: A blunt way to tell someone to be quiet.
  • Example: TG, tu dis n’importe quoi.
    • Shut up, you’re talking nonsense.
• CV
  • Meaning: Ça va ?
  • Translation: How are you? / Is it okay?
  • Register: Informal
  • Usage: A quick way to ask “how are you?” or “is this okay?”
  • Example: Salut, CV ?
    • Hey, how are you?
  • Example: Je passe à 20h, CV ?
    • I’ll come by at 8 pm, is that okay?
• AJA
  • Meaning: Aujourd’hui j’ai appris
  • Translation: Today I learned
  • Register: Informal, used mainly on forums or blogs
  • Usage: Used to share a new piece of information, similar to “TIL” in English.
  • Example: AJA que la tour Eiffel devait être démontée après 20 ans.
    • TIL that the Eiffel Tower was meant to be dismantled after 20 years.
• STP / SVP
  • Meaning: S’il te plaît / S’il vous plaît
  • Translation: Please
  • Register: Polite informal / polite formal
  • Usage: Common in texts or casual messages.
  • Example: Tu peux m’aider stp ?
    • Can you help me please?
• BJR / DSL / A+
  • BJR – Bonjour (Hi)
  • DSL – Désolé (Sorry)
  • A+ – À plus tard (See you later)
  • Note: Many texting abbreviations simply shorten whole words rather than forming new acronyms.

Acronyms in formal and news contexts

These acronyms are used in newspapers, official documents, and academic writing. They are always written in uppercase and often differ from their English equivalents.

• UE
  • Meaning: Union européenne
  • Translation: European Union (EU)
  • Usage: The standard French acronym for the European Union.
  • Example: Les politiques de l’UE sur l’environnement.
    • The EU’s policies on the environment.
• ONU
  • Meaning: Organisation des Nations Unies
  • Translation: United Nations (UN)
  • Usage: The French term for the United Nations.
  • Example: Une résolution de l’ONU.
    • A UN resolution.
• OTAN
  • Meaning: Organisation du Traité de l’Atlantique Nord
  • Translation: North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
  • Usage: The French acronym for NATO.
  • Example: Les pays membres de l’OTAN.
    • NATO member countries.
• ONG
  • Meaning: Organisation non gouvernementale
  • Translation: Non-governmental organization (NGO)
  • Usage: Refers to charities and non-profit organizations like Médecins Sans Frontières.
  • Example: Une ONG internationale.
    • An international NGO.
• PDG
  • Meaning: Président-directeur général
  • Translation: Chief executive officer (CEO)
  • Usage: Refers to the top executive in a company, roughly equivalent to a CEO but combining the roles of chairperson and managing director.
  • Example: Le PDG a annoncé sa démission.
    • The CEO announced his resignation.
• SMIC
  • Meaning: Salaire minimum interprofessionnel de croissance
  • Translation: French minimum wage
  • Usage: Refers specifically to the legal minimum gross hourly wage in France, revised each year.
  • Example: Travailler au SMIC.
    • To work for the minimum wage.
• TGV
  • Meaning: Train à Grande Vitesse
  • Translation: High-speed train
  • Usage: Refers to the French high-speed rail service.
  • Example: Prendre le TGV pour Lyon.
    • Take the TGV to Lyon.
• CGT / CFDT
  • Meaning: Confédération Générale du Travail / Confédération Française Démocratique du Travail
  • Translation: French trade unions
  • Usage: These are acronyms for major French labor unions, often mentioned in news about strikes and labor agreements. The CGT is traditionally left-leaning.
  • Example: La CGT a appelé à la grève.
    • The CGT has called for a strike.
• SNCF / RATP
  • Meaning: Société nationale des chemins de fer français / Régie autonome des transports parisiens
  • Translation: National railway company / Paris public transport authority
  • Usage: Commonly seen on French transport signs and tickets.
  • Example: La SNCF a annoncé des retards sur la ligne TGV.
    • The SNCF announced delays on the TGV line.

Historical acronyms

These acronyms are frequent in historical or political discussions.

• URSS
  • Meaning: Union des Républiques socialistes soviétiques
  • Translation: Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR)
  • Usage: The standard French acronym for the Soviet Union.
  • Example: La chute de l’URSS en 1991.
    • The fall of the USSR in 1991.
• RDA
  • Meaning: République démocratique allemande
  • Translation: German Democratic Republic (GDR)
  • Usage: The French term for East Germany.
  • Example: Le mur de Berlin séparait la RDA de l’Allemagne de l’Ouest.
    • The Berlin Wall separated the GDR from West Germany.

The special case of “NDLR”

This acronym appears in editorial contexts as a note from the editor.

• NDLR
  • Meaning: Note de la rédaction
  • Translation: Editor’s note
  • Usage: Inserted in square brackets to clarify, correct, or update an article. It is similar to “Ed.” in English, but in French publications [NDLR] is kept as-is, even when translated.
  • Example: Le ministre a déclaré : “Je ne commenterai pas cette affaire.” [NDLR : Le ministre a démissionné le lendemain de cette déclaration.]
    • The minister stated: “I will not comment on this matter.” [Ed.: The minister resigned the day after this statement.]

Summary

French makes heavy use of acronyms in both casual and formal contexts. Informal ones (MDR, CV, TG, PTDR) dominate online communication, while formal ones (UE, ONU, PDG, SMIC) appear in news and official writing. Some, like URSS or RDA, belong mainly to historical contexts. Editors use NDLR to mark a note within published text.