You’re leaving the conversation.
How to use it
The polite exit: “gtg, this was fun!” — much nicer than disappearing.
Examples
- gtg dinner time, take care stranger 👋
Chat slang
What does GTG mean?
GTG
stands for “Got To Go”
Stranger: gtg, my break is over
You: no worries, good luck with the rest of your shift
Stranger: thanks, this was fun
You: same! take care 👋
Where it comes from
“Got to go”, one of the original instant messaging exits, alongside “g2g”.
Is it friendly or rude?
Polite. It is the considerate way to leave a conversation, and far better than simply disappearing.
Spellings and variations
“gtg” and “g2g” mean the same thing. “gtg ttyl” pairs leaving with “talk to you later”, and “gotta bounce” or “i’m off” are more casual spoken versions. Late in the evening “gn” (good night) often replaces it.
Common mistakes
The real pitfall is not using it: vanishing mid-conversation leaves the other person wondering what they said. The opposite mistake is trying to keep someone talking after they say gtg, which feels pushy. On StrangerChat you can say gtg and then tap Stop, and the conversation is not kept for either of you to scroll back through.
How to reply to “gtg”
- Send them off warmly: “take care, this was fun”.
- “gn, nice talking to you 👋”
Questions about GTG
What is the difference between gtg and g2g?
None. They mean exactly the same thing; g2g just swaps the word “to” for the number.
How do you reply to gtg?
Keep it warm and short, like “no worries, take care!” There is no need to try to keep them talking.
Related slang
More in Chat Slang Decoded and random chat etiquette.
Try it: use “gtg” on a real stranger
i’ve got 10 mins before i gtg, let’s make it a good chat
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