The New British Slang That’s Replacing LOL
‘LDAB’, meaning laughing, doing a bit, is taking over messages across the UK and other English-speaking countries.
But while LDAB might be the latest way to show amusement here, other countries have their own unique ways of expressing laughter online.
The experts at Preply, a platform specialised in personalised human-led language learning, have explored the fascinating and often surprising ways laughter is shared online across different cultures:
English-speaking countries
In English, the most common way to express laughter or humour in text-based conversations is “lol”, an abbreviation of “laugh out loud”. It’s often used in a lighthearted way, to soften the tone of a message or indicate sarcasm.
Other common variations include “haha”, “hehe”, and the longer “hahaha”, each conveying different intensities of laughter. “Haha” is generally neutral and can fit a range of situations, “hehe” tends to sound slightly mischievous, while “hahaha” feels louder and more exaggerated.
Similar to lol, lmao (“laughing my ass off”) and rofl (“rolling on the floor laughing”) are other popular internet slang terms that can express someone is laughing very hard at something, or may be used sarcastically.
Spanish-speaking countries
Instead of haha, Spanish speakers use “jaja” as the letter ‘j’ in Spanish is pronounced like the letter ‘h’ in English, producing a breathy “ha” sound. Just like in English, it can be extended for a more exaggerated effect, like “jajajaja”.
For a more playful tone, “Jejeje” or “jujuju” may also be used, depending on the country and mood.
Portuguese-speaking countries
In Brazil, “kkkkkkk” is used as a form of internet slang used to express laughter, like “haha” or “lol” in English. The letter “k” mimics the sound of laughter, and repeating it several times intensifies the effect.
Another common way to indicate laughter is “rsrsrs”, an abbreviation of “riso”, which means “to laugh”. The number of “rs” can also signify the strength of laughter, for example, “rsrs” is a normal laugh, whereas “rsrsrsrsrs” might indicate a hearty, prolonged laugh.
French-speaking countries
In French, a popular expression for laughter is “mdr”, short for “mort de rire” meaning “dying of laughter”. It is used in a similar context to lol, but often suggests a stronger reaction.
French speakers also use “haha” or “hahaha” for a more natural laugh. Another slang term is “ptdr”, which stands for “pété de rire”, meaning “bursting with laughter”.
Korean
In Korean, the most common way to laugh online is with “ㅋㅋㅋ”, where each “ㅋ” represents a “k” sound, similar to a short, sharp chuckle. A single “ㅋ” might come across as sarcastic, while multiple “ㅋㅋㅋㅋㅋ” express genuine amusement.
A softer, more giggle-like laughter is shown with “ㅎㅎㅎ”, where “ㅎ” sounds like “h”. For louder, more dramatic laughter, Koreans might write “푸하하” (“puhaha”), representing a big, explosive laugh.
Japanese
Japanese internet users often type “www” to indicate laughter, as the word for laugh (“warau” / 笑う) and smile (“warai” / 笑い) both start with “w”. Over time, users shortened laughter to just “w”, and stacking them, like “wwwwww”, shows greater intensity. As a long string of “w”s resembles grass, the slang term “kusa” (草), meaning grass, is now also a connotation for laughter.
Chinese (Mandarin)
In Mandarin, laughter is commonly expressed with 哈哈哈 (hā hā hā) which sounds very natural and cheerful. Another expression, “呵呵” (hē hē), can sometimes be perceived as sarcastic or dismissive depending on the tone.
Another widely used term is “2333”, which originated from a popular forum where post number 233 featured a laughing emoticon. It has since become a playful shorthand for laughter.
Thai – 555
In Thailand, the number 5 is pronounced “ha”, so typing “555” sounds like “hahaha”. To express more intense laughter, users often write “55555555” and may even add “+” signs for extra emphasis.
Arabic-speaking countries
In Arabic, online laughter is shown as “ههههه”, a repetition of the letter “ه” which is pronounced “ha”. This is the equivalent of “hahaha” in English. Some Arabic speakers also use “loool”, sometimes adding extra “o”s to reflect greater laughter. As with many languages, repeating letters or words helps to show the intensity of the laugh.
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