LYAAF

What Does LYAAF Mean in a Text?

Expressing Love in a Text

There are over 100 novel ways to express love in a text message. Some of them were invented by the iKids (i.e., Millennials, Generation Z, and Generation A), making them just a few decades old, but many of them have been around for centuries. Here's the one that matters to you: LYAAF means "Love You As A Friend."

More Observations...

The abbreviation LYAAF is usually considered a diplomatic way of making it clear that you have no interest in a romantic relationship. It is sometimes used as a response to the abbreviation ILY and other such declarations of love. More rarely, the abbreviation LYAAF can be used to indicate appreciation for a friend. In this context, it is more likely to be used by female friends rather than by males. Of note, the abbreviation LYAAF can also be written as ILYAAF.

Image for LYAAF

When I write LYAAF, I mean this:

"Love You As A Friend"

Summary of Key Points

We have summarized the key points in the table below:

LYAAF
Definition:	Love You As a Friend
Type:	Abbreviation
Guessability:	3: Guessable
Typical Users:	Adults and Teenagers

Examples of LYAAF in Sentences

Here are examples of LYAAF in conversations:

Bill: These days I can't stop thinking of you.
Sally: Thanks Bill. I really LYAAF too.

Andrea: I think we are getting really close.
Simon: Thanks Andrea, but I can only LYAAF.

An Academic Look at LYAAF

LYAAF is an initialism abbreviation. Technically, this means it is pronounced using its individual letters (i.e., Ell Wye Eh Eh Eff), but as this is harder to say than "Love You As A Friend" it is not often uttered using its letters. In other words, the abbreviation LYAAF is for efficiency in writing and not efficiency in speech. The abbreviation LYAAF is normally used as a standalone declarative sentence (i.e., a statement) with the meaning "Love You As A Friend." LYAAF is not often used as another part of speech within a wider sentence.