What Does OFC Mean and When is it Used?

Have you ever come across a text or a person who uses a lot of short forms? Then you most probably would have come across one of the most commonly used abbreviations in texting, ‘OFC’. Now you must be thinking what ofc means, and if you now know, I am sure you had to read about it over the internet because not everyone is familiar with the ‘internet slang’.

Let’s take a look at what OFC really means

The word ‘of course’ is often written while texting as OFC, which basically shows your answer in affirmative of what has been questioned.

When one is talking face to face to someone, the word ‘of course’ usually represents that they understood the question and would ‘obviously’ be up for whatever they have asked.

The only difference is, when you text, you use the short form, which is OFC, and not the whole word ‘of course’, And with people texting so often, they often try to make abbreviations for pretty much anything. For instance, LOL for laugh out loud, RN for right now, and the list goes on.

How can OFC be used in texting by you

Using this abbreviation for texting can be super easy. You don’t have to really worry about whether I should add this in this sentence or not.  For example, if someone asks you if you would be showing up to a plan, instead of saying a simple yes as an answer, you can simply type ‘OFC’. This will show them that you are interested in coming to the plan and that obviously you would not miss it.

Another example of using the abbreviation OFC while texting is:

Person A: Do you think we should send the assignment late?

Person B: OFC not!

By adding the word ‘not’ the meaning of your message completely shifts from a yes to a no. So if you want to tell someone ‘obviously no, or obviously not’, you can simply text ‘ofc not’.

Is OFC a formal way of texting?

‘OFC not’ would be my reply to this. OFC is a texting slang, and you never use slang when you are talking to someone who is either your boss, your client or anyone who is linked with you because of your office work.

OFC should only be used when texting with peers, as with them, the level of frankness and the level of informality is completely different. In comparison to the boss, who has hired you and is talking to you mostly work related.

So be careful about it when in conversation with someone in authority. The more formally you talk to them, whether it is through messages or face to face, using abbreviations to convey your message to them is a big ‘NO’.

You can have a look at this example for yourself and analyse how informal it looks when you talk to your boss with short forms and abbreviations.

Boss:  Jen, have you emailed the parcel to the company? They needed it urgently today.
Jen: Ofc I have, sir.

Now compare this same conversation with the one below.

Boss: Ben, have you emailed the parcel to the company? They needed it urgently today.
Ben: Of course I have, sir.

Now you can be the better judge. Which out of the two, Jen or Ben, seems more professional in texting their boss? The better code of conduct would be to answer the boss like Ben did.

Right Place to use it?

The best place to use ‘ofc’ while texting is when talking to friends or someone you don’t have a formal relationship with. For instance, when messaging your parents, you can write ofc, but you would probably have to send them an explanation of what you just said. There are chances that they, just like you did not know the meaning of this new texting slang.

The word is most commonly used amongst friends. And it isn’t true just for this single abbreviation, but for all of the texting short forms and slangs are used with friends. The same level of thinking allows you to use the words informally with them. Without worrying about whether it is appropriate to send them an ‘ofc’ or not.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Habiba Rehman


Major love for reading, but writing is what keeps me going. Dream to publish my own novels someday.