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Slang file #006RisingTexting

What does BTW mean?

Say itbee-tee-DUB-ul-yoo/ˌbiː.tiːˈdʌb.əl.juː/abbreviation

Stands for
  1. BBy
  2. TThe
  3. WWay

A written short form of "by the way," used to add extra information, a side comment, or a question that is not the main point.

Written by the Second Language TeamWritten

BTW is short for by the way. You use it to add something extra: a side comment, a small fact, or a question that is related to the conversation but is not the main point. You will see it in texts, group chats, emails, and comments, written as BTW or btw.

BTW is mostly a written word. When people speak, they usually just say "by the way." It is informal but polite, so it works in texts and in everyday emails with coworkers. Leave it out of formal letters.

Word stats

How casual
Informal but not rude. It sits in the middle: fine in texts and friendly emails, too casual for a formal letter.
OK at work
Normal in work chat and everyday emails. In a report or a formal letter, write "also" instead.
Grandma-safe
Totally safe. Your parents probably use it too, maybe in all capital letters.
Cringe risk
Very low. BTW has been around for decades, so it sounds normal, not try-hard.
Freshness
BTW is older than the World Wide Web, and more people still look it up every year.

Spotted in the wild

Group chat · Friday, 5:10 pm
  1. Samdinner at 7 at the thai place?
  2. Anayes!! btw it’s cash only, bring some
  3. Yougood to know. btw did anyone find my umbrella from last week
  4. Samlol it lives at my place now

What it means here: Each btw adds an extra fact or question next to the main topic, which is the dinner plan.

Work chat · #design-team
  1. Jordanslides for tomorrow are in the shared folder
  2. Youthanks! btw, the meeting moved to 3 pm
  3. Jordanoh good catch, I’ll update the invite

What it means here: You thank Jordan first, then add a useful side fact. Polite and normal at work.

Text with Dad
  1. DadDid the package arrive?
  2. Youyes thank you!! btw the cookies are already gone
  3. DadThat was supposed to last two weeks 😐

What it means here: You answer the question, then use btw to add a small extra piece of news.

How to use it

  • BTW, + sentenceBTW, the store closes early today.
  • sentence + , btwI finished the report, btw.
  • answer first, then BTWYes, I can come. Btw, can I bring a friend?
  • oh btw (a sudden new topic)Oh btw, did you see the new trailer?

Don’t say it like this

  • Sounds offHi! BTW, I need the report by 5 pm today.

    Say thisHi! I need the report by 5 pm today. BTW, nice job on the slides.

    BTW is for the side note, not the main point. If the report is the reason you are writing, say it first and plainly.

  • Sounds offDear Professor Kim, BTW, I will be absent on Friday.

    Say thisDear Professor Kim, I also wanted to let you know that I will be absent on Friday.

    BTW is informal. In a formal email or letter, use "also" or a full sentence instead.

  • Sounds off"Bee-tee-DUB-ul-yoo, I’m leaving early."

    Say this"By the way, I’m leaving early."

    BTW is mostly written. Out loud, the five syllables of the letters take longer than the three words they replace.

BTW or not?

Is each of these BTW? Pick an answer to find out.

  1. You text a friend the movie time, then add that you found the earring they lost at your place.

  2. Your manager asks for the sales numbers. You reply, "BTW, here are the sales numbers."

  3. In a work chat, you answer a coworker’s question, then mention that the printer is broken again.

  4. On a shop receipt in Amsterdam, you see "BTW 21%."

The BTW family

  • FYIFor your information: a fact you think the other person should know.BTW whispers a side note. FYI hands you a memo.
  • by the byAn older, rarer way to say "by the way."BTW’s great-uncle, who still writes letters by hand.
  • P.S.Postscript: a short note added at the very end of a letter or email.BTW waits for no one. P.S. waits politely until the end.

Where it came from

  1. 1981The earliest example of BTW the Oxford English Dictionary has found is from 1981 [1].
  2. 2013The OED gives BTW its own entry as an adverb. Before this, it appeared inside the dictionary’s entry for the letter B. [1]
  3. TodayBTW is everywhere people write fast: texts, group chats, comments, and the end of almost every email that says "one more thing."

BTW or FYI?

Both are short ways to add information, but they do different jobs.

TermFull formUse it for
BTWby the wayA side note or an extra question, often a small change of topic
FYIfor your informationA fact you think the other person should know

"FYI, the office is closed on Monday" is news people need. "BTW, I tried the new café and it’s great" is a side note they can enjoy or ignore.

A simple test: if the other person may need to act on it, FYI fits better. If it is just extra, use BTW.

Sources

  1. BTW, adv. meanings, etymology and moreOxford English Dictionary, 2013 (entry first published)

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