Social media has created a new wave of slang that teenagers mostly use. It is not only limited to the internet but also includes social media platforms such as Instagram. There are many different types of slang on Instagram, which include OMG, LOL, BFF, YOLO, TBT, AF, etc. One of the top slang is AF which you may not be familiar with its uses.
Generally, AF is a shorthand for “As F*ck,” which you can also write ASF. It is used to say “very” to help people grasp its context. People often use this slang after an adjective to exaggerate what it means. You can use it on social media posts and text messages to accent the strength of the adjective it follows.
Unlike some everyday slang on social media with no clear-cut meaning, AF has a clear and cut meaning. Thou, its translation may be a swear word that restricts its usage. Yet, anytime you see it near a predicate adjective, you should know that it’s giving the word a super emphatic meaning. Also, you can write this slang in upper- and lower-case letters.
In this article, we will discuss everything you need to know about the slang AF on Instagram. Also, we’ll let you know when to use it and when not to.
All You Need To Know About the Meaning of AF on Instagram
With the rise of social media, it’s very common for people to use slang in posts and messages. Slang is a word or phrase that is not considered standard in the speaker’s dialect or language. The use of slang is often frowned upon and deemed to be improper. Like the ones with a swear word in its meaning, for example, the AF we’re discussing.
As with the case of ASF, it does not directly mean a swear word. This is why it is mainly used on social media among friends. Its meaning is always precise, that is, to help emphasize a predicate adjective. The predicate adjectives are adjectives that follow a linking verb.
From the statement ” The train station is huge,” an example of predicate adjectives here is the “huge.” Why do we consider it predicate? This is because it is directly in front of a linking verb “is” while qualifying the train station. Such situations are the perfect scenario to fit in the slang AF to help you emphasize the hugeness.
How To Use AF
Since we have discussed how to place the AF slang in a text, we must examine how to use it. The AF slang is straightforward and is used at the end of a sentence in most cases. An important thing to know about using it is that this slang changes the tone depending on the context. This implies that you can use the AF slang and sound severe and funny.
You may want to tease your friend with the AF slang in the case of having a funny tone. That is, you qualify a noun with sometimes obviously hilarious to bring a dramatic effect. An example is saying, ” You are dumb AF 😂” to your friend. Here, you must avoid having the other party feel offended by your words saying such a person is super dumb, making it look funny.
In the case of seriousness, you are backing up your words to the zenith or the lowest when it’s a negative quality. Here, you won’t need to add any effect, as the tone already suggests that you’re emphasizing the level of your textures. An example is, “The man we met at the club last night is rich AF.”
The example above emphasizes the guy’s wealth and lets you know it’s not just an ordinary rich but a super or extreme one. Other examples are “I’m tired AF,” which means the user is super tired. “The concert I went to yesterday was boring AF”; In other words, the user should not have gone to the show due to how boring it was.
These examples tell you how extreme the adjectives are by stressing the length. It is more like qualifying the adjective that was qualifying the noun. So whenever you feel the adjective isn’t doing the qualification enough, you can add the AF to stress its usage.
When To Use AF and When Not To Use It?
After knowing how to add the term to a sentence and use it, it is ideal to know when to use it and when to not. You can use it on social media platforms in chats and posts. When texting your friends and people you have an informal relationship with, you are free to use this slang. These users won’t mind its use and will understand the context instead of the phrase’s meaning.
Still, the term is not suitable for use in a formal setting. The F-word is a swearing word and is not appropriate among professionals. Here the people in this setting won’t care about the context but get offended that you used a vulgar word.
Conclusion
The AF slang is not new and has been around on the internet for a while. Its meaning is precise, and it is easy to use. Unlike some slang with many meanings, AF has just one purpose: an acronym for “As Fuck.” It is more suitable for informal settings to help you stress the predicate adjectives in a text or post.
