What Does BFFR Mean in Text & Online?

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Learn how to use this popular slang and discover where it came from

Co-authored by Candace Gasper and Janice Tieperman

Last Updated: May 28, 2024 Fact Checked

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• BFFR Meaning
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• How to Use BFFR
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• BFFR Origins
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• BFR Meaning

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BFFR: as shorthand for “be f*cking for real,” this acronym has definitely made the rounds on the internet—especially on TikTok. We’re here to take a closer look at exactly what this phrase means, including how to use it in a variety of digital ways. We’ll even touch on the origins of BFFR within the African-American community, along with the meaning of BFFR’s sister term, BFR.

What does BFFR mean?

BFFR is slang for “be f*cking for real.” It’s a snappy way to show doubt or cynicism in a message, show how surprised you are about something, or call out ridiculousness and foolishness in all its forms. Although this phrase has gone viral among Gen Z, it comes from African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

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Section 1 of 4:

BFFR Meaning

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1. 
   BFFR is short for “Be F*cking For Real.” IBFFR is a synonym to phrases like “be serious” or “are you for real?” and is commonly used as a reaction to something unbelievable, astonishing, suspicious, or generally foolish. BFFR incorporates the slang “FR,” which is short for “for real.”

   • “No way that’s trending on Twitter rn… bffr”
   • “You bumped into my brother at the airport?! Bffr”
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Section 2 of 4:

How to Use BFFR

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1. 
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   Use BFFR to acknowledge how ridiculous, suspicious, or unbelievable something is. Maybe you saw something blatantly foolish or untrue on TikTok, or you witnessed/are witnessing something totally nonsensical. BFFR is a succinct but effective way to reprimand a person or situation, particularly in a digital space (people don’t usually spell out “BFFR” in a verbal conversation).

   • “You’re telling me Taylor Swift needs to fly from Illinois to Missouri? It’s a 30-minute drive BFFR”
   • “I literally caught my partner cheating, and they’re still pretending like nothing happened… bffr”
   • “Is this ‘easy’ chocolate chip cookie recipe really telling me to separate eggs? Bffr”
2. 
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   Use BFFR to express astonishment or surprise. While it’s often used in a more critical or suspicious context, BFFR can also be used to show shock or astonishment to something unbelievable.

   • “You got a 100% on your chem final?! BFFR”
   • “Your post vent viral on TikTok?? Bffr”
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Section 3 of 4:

BFFR Origins

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1. 
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   BFFR originally came from African American Vernacular English (AAVE). Also known as Ebonics, AAVE is a dialect with its own unique history, grammatical structure, and vocabulary that’s commonly used within the Black community. BFFR being “adopted” by the internet isn’t a rare occurrence—plenty of other AAVE slang terms, including “period” and “turn up” have also gotten appropriated into general internet jargon.

   • Is it okay to use words like BFFR if I’m not part of the Black community? It’s typically frowned upon for people to adopt AAVE vocab words if they aren’t part of the Black community and AAVE cultural community.
   • For more insight on this topic, check out articles like “Kahlil Green Explores Blackness As A Social Currency” by Janice Gassam Asare and the Pratt Institute’s article on language appropriation.
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   BFFR became famous in 2022, but was used before that point. BFFR achieved widespread fame and usage in 2022 after a clip of rapper Slump6s saying the phrase out loud was used as TikTok audio on a number of videos. The phrase was also frequently used in TikTok comments (particularly by user @Khyahnextdoor). It’s important to note, though, that people had been using BFFR long before 2022, with some iterations of the phrase being seen as early as 2013.

   • There’s even a tweet all the way from 2009 that uses the wording “be f*cking for real”.
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Section 4 of 4:

What does BFR mean?

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1. 
   BFR is short for “Be For Real.” As you probably guessed, BFR is almost identical to BFFR—just with a certain expletive removed. Like BFFR, BFR can be used to acknowledge how ridiculous or unbelievable something is. Also like BFFR, BFR has ties to AAVE and the Black community.

   • “BFR for a second”
   • “You’re saying your cousin was in that movie? BFR”

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