Has it ever happened to you that you’re chatting with someone online and suddenly get a coded message from the other end that says “HBU”? I mean, you two were talking casually when you asked a question, and in reply, they said something along with the code containing three letters.
If this happened to you and you’re at a loss, as you don’t know what does HBU mean, don’t worry. In this blog, we‘ll explain to you the meaning of the acronym with examples. Also, this blog will tell you when you can use it and when you should not. Let’s not waste any more time and jump into the main discussion.
What Does HBU Mean?
No matter what HBU means anywhere else, if you come across this word in any online conversation or on social media, be sure that HBU refers to “how about you?” or to be precise, “how ’bout you?”
Usually, netizens use this abbreviation as a follow-up when you ask them what they are doing. After all, when we share some information about ourselves in a conversation, we all want to know the same thing from the other party.
For example, when you ask someone how are they, they often say in reply “I’m fine, hbu?”
The most common use of this acronym is found in text messaging or online communication. People write this abbreviation in both lowercase and uppercase, however, you’ll see it more often in all lowercase, which is “hbu” as people don’t usually bother to write in uppercase while chatting.
Besides one-to-one chatting, hbu is also popular in group chat, where a large number of people are involved. Nevertheless, a plural noun is added after it when more than one person is addressed with it, such as “hbu all” or “hbu guys.”
When to Use “HBU”
Even if you know what does hbu mean, you need to know how to use it and when. Usually, hbu is used in personal text conversations.
The rule of thumb is to use it as the abbreviation in place of how about you. However, you can use it in any conversation instead of repeating a question that you’ve just been asked.
“Which movie do you want to see?” “No special preferences, hbu?”.
Moreover, you can also use hbu to refer to a task they usually do. Such as:
“Who’s cooking today?” – “I dunno, hbu?”.
When Not To Use HBU
Just like all other internet slang, this abbreviation is also an informal language and should only be used in casual situations or conversations. Hence, avoid using it when you’re writing a professional or formal email to your boss, client, or professor; or engaging in a formal conversation over text or chat.
Remember, this abbreviation isn’t accountable for starting the conversation, it only starts a back-and-forth chat.
Concluding Words
Now that you know what does HBU mean, you can easily understand every context where it has been used. Moreover, you can follow the guide to know when and when not to use this abbreviation.
Readers interested in internet abbreviations might also want to know what does ikr mean.
Tamal is a freelance writer at AddictiveTips. After gaining substantial experience in technology, finance, and business processes in his previous job in an IT consulting company, he adopted writing as a full-time profession 3 years ago. While not writing about the latest technology, he loves to play COD and binge-watch
