Maybe somebody close to you texted you “IMY” and you’re now wondering “What does IMY mean?”
Well, that’s exactly what this article will explain to you. I will be explaining what the abbreviation means, the situations it could be used in, and other forms that could just as easily take its place.
I will also be discussing how to reply to the text based on the relationship between the receiver of the text and the sender.
If you’re here, chances are you need the guide too because this is your first rodeo.
What Does IMY Mean?
I’ll start with the obvious. IMY stands for I Miss You. You see it now, don’t you?
Well, there’s more to it. It is more of an informal communication text and it is just mainly used to show the receiver you’re thinking of them and that you care about them very much.
It means you would rather they (the receiver) were with you but because of something or the other, you’ve stuck away from them.
A Little Bit Of History About IMY
Songs have been made about this abbreviation (see Kodak Black’s I.M.Y) and it has been around for a while now.
In the early 2000s, the endearing term began to gain traction online and it began to be widely used.
This is because you could just send a lot of emotions in three letters especially if you were caught up at work but still wanted to let your significant other know that you’re thinking of them.
The world has not changed its fast-paced living if anything it has increased.
So this abbreviation now plays an even more major role than before in trying to show a little bit of care and love in the most efficient way possible.
Growing into one of the most popular abbreviations online, IMY is really the go-to term for when you want to show someone you’re thinking of them.
With the crisis (Coronavirus) that enveloped the world, it became more important to text people because meeting up became impossible so the IMY text even shot up in rankings of the most used abbreviations online.
How Do I Use IMY?
At least now you have answers to the “What does IMY mean?” question. But those answers probably just brought more questions about how you use IMY.
I will be explaining how to use IMY according to the relationship between you and the receiver so that you don’t come across as creepy, as a stalker or as both.
How To Use IMY (When The Receiver Is In A Relationship With You)
This is a really easy way because chances are, the receiver also misses you too.
Some of the sentences you could use include
- I’ve been thinking of you throughout the day, IMY
- Hey love, IMY so much
These texts invoke memories of love, care, and intense feelings. You will probably get responses along the same lines.
You can use IMY in texts in any format, at the beginning of the sentence, at the end, or somewhere in between. Just make sure you place it somewhere in between where it fits.
You can also just use IMY as the full text. Maybe you’re really swamped and you don’t have time to text a little bit longer, then IMY alone should tell the receiver all you’re trying to say.
How To use IMY (When The Receiver Is A Friend Or Close Acquaintance)
This part is tricky because there are a lot of angles to consider. Is the person a friend that could become more?
Does the person like you just as much as you do them? There are so many questions that you probably don’t have the answers too but you can still use IMY but with a little bit of restraint.
For one, you should not use IMY alone when you’re talking to someone you have shared feelings with.
It could cause a little bit of awkwardness between you two. Here are some sentences you can use IMY with to be a little bit more casual.
- Hello, how have you been? IMY
- Hey, IMY I hope you’re well?
These examples above show care but still a level of casualness that cannot be interpreted as intense or really emotional feelings.
You should use IMY casually in situations like this to avoid weird replies.
How To Use IMY (When The Receiver Is A Family Member)
This is probably the easiest of the lot. You’re talking to a family member who’s probably far away, you definitely should miss them.
You can use it in any format or sentence. There’s not much that can go wrong when sending IMY to maybe your mother, father, sister, or other family relatives.
You should probably be sure that the receiver understands it though.
Your grandma might be cool and hip but she might not be totally up to date on her online abbreviations so you might want to text IMY but also with the full text to ensure she or any other adult gets the text.
The IMY and ILY Debate
Since we now are now passed the what does IMY mean stage, let’s jump into some debate. Some online folks believe that IMY (I miss you) and ILY (I love you) are interchangeable. The idea is that if you’re using IMY, chances are you love the person too.
They are not totally wrong as evidenced above in two of the three ways you can use IMY above.
When talking to family and significant others, the abbreviations (IMY, ILY) can definitely be interchanged.
But when talking to acquaintances, you will only come across as a little bit hands-on or totally creepy if you interchange the abbreviation. You should be careful about switching the words.
They both mean generally the same feelings but when read, it matters what the receiver is thinking you mean.
This could be different from what you actually meant but that won’t stop the receiver from coming to a conclusion that might not be the intended message from you.
So just stick to IMY when that’s what you want to portray or send. Use ILY if that’s the message that you want to send across to the receiver.
Things Not To Do When Using IMY (I Miss You)
I have been explaining a lot about what you need to do but now this part is about what you must avoid.
There are two major things to avoid concerning the usage of IMY.
1. Avoid Using IMY In Formal Text And Emails
This is very important because IMY is an internet slang that’s only meant for interpersonal relationships and not formal relationships.
You shouldn’t be texting IMY to subordinates or bosses as that could probably get you sacked and accused of sexual harassment.
You should always stick to informal settings when you’re using IMY.
2. Avoid Using A Shorter Form Of IMY
Some users online now use an even shorter format “Miss You” (MY).
This does not make sense because “MY” is already a word and it will just serve confusion to the receiver.
You can definitely spare the time to add “I” to make sure your message is passed properly.
The proponents of shortening IMY say it is a more casual format that could work when addressing people you’re not totally close with.
I’ll say it’s just making things worse because the receiver won’t understand and just ignore your message.
3. Other Variations Of IMY You Might Come Across Online
- IMYT – I Miss You Too
- IMYM – I Miss You More
- IMYMTA – I Miss You More Than Anything
- IMYSM – I Miss You So Much
- MYT – Miss You Too
- MYMTA – Miss You More Than Anything
The above variations are sometimes used as replies but they could also be sent normally in the place of IMY.
Use any of them according to the message you’re trying to send.
Guide On How To Reply IMY Messages Based On Who’s Sending It
For people who aren’t totally comfortable with internet slang, this guide will be of great help to you.
Even if you’re a boss at online texting, it might be worth it skimming through to understand a little more about answering texts.
This guide works for both sides, it will help you reply to texts. It will also help you interpret the replies you get when you text somebody IMY.
Responding To IMY (When you really like or love the sender of the text)
This is really easy, you definitely want the text too and you are happy receiving it.
The options below range from loving to flirty, choose any below and add your own twists to it to reply to that IMY message you got.
I Miss You Too (Add Any Preferred Endearing Term Like “Baby”)
Standard response. You can use this to show that you’re feeling exactly the same way the sender feels.
Not too overly emotional but it definitely leaves no room for miscommunication.
I Miss Every Inch Of Your Body
Usually used when you’re far away from the person you love and you’re already in a relationship.
This is a bit more emotional and needy but it does tell the sender exactly what your feelings are.
What Would You Do If I Was Close To You?
Now, this reply is a bit naughty and the conversation will probably descend into a hot conversation if you sent it to somebody who actually loves or likes you in a sexual and emotional way.
You Mean A Lot To Me
This reply shows a little bit more emotional feeling than most.
You’re trying to tell the sender of the IMY that you really consider them an important part of your life.
Responding To IMY (When the sender isn’t really somebody you like)
The response will differ based on whether you care enough about the person’s feelings to not hurt them or if you’re just trying to get rid of a pest.
Woah, Thanks A Lot
This is the standard reply if you don’t really want the message but you don’t also want to hurt the person sending it.
You can just send this to end the conversation.
I Definitely Miss Me Too
This is a middle ground. You care but not enough to be patronizing.
So you try to be funny to reduce the effect of you brushing off the sender’s emotional IMY message.
I Don’t Feel The Same Way/ You’ll Get Over It
The texts above are pretty harsh but the sender should get the hint immediately and totally stop bothering you with emotional messages.
You should use this if, after several hints, the sender still didn’t get your lack of interest.
Conclusion
Using abbreviations like IMY can help us get a lot of emotions across in just three letters. It is an easy, fast, and effective way of transmitting feelings in text.
You can use IMY wrongly as evidenced above so take care to use it properly. If you don’t use it in the right situations, you might get embarrassed.
Other variations can be used and I always encourage people to put their spin on words to spice things up. Just make sure the receiver understands your message.
Replying to the IMY message is not hard but you should make sure not to lead people on and be direct with your replies.
Use the comment section below to share your experiences about using the IMY text. Thank you for reading. I hope this article helped with your “What does IMY mean?” question.
