In texts, ur means either 'your' or 'you're'. Wiktionary lists both as internet slang and text messaging abbreviations, and Dictionary.com gives 'you are' as one of its meanings. 'Is that ur dog?' means your dog. 'Ur funny' means you're funny. The rest of the sentence tells you which one is meant.
Ur is a tiny word doing two jobs, and that's exactly why it trips people up. It's also, by coincidence, the name of one of the oldest cities in the world and a prefix that academics love. Here's how to read it in a message, how to avoid confusion when you use it, and the other meanings you might run into.
Ur means your, or you're
Wiktionary has two separate English entries for the texting sense. As a determiner, ur is an abbreviation of your. As a contraction, it's an abbreviation of you're, meaning you are. It lists u and r as coordinate terms, which makes sense, since 'r u ok' and 'ur late' come from the same sound-it-out habit.
Dictionary.com's entry for ur includes the abbreviation 'you are'. Between the two dictionaries, you've got both readings covered.
| Message | Ur means | Full version |
|---|---|---|
| Is that ur jacket? | your | Is that your jacket? |
| Ur so right | you're | You're so right. |
| Ur mum called | your | Your mum called. |
| Ur late lol | you're | You're late. |
| How's ur day? | your | How's your day? |
How to tell which ur you've got
Here's a simple test. Swap in 'you are'. If the sentence still works, it's you're. If it doesn't, it's your. 'Ur so kind' becomes 'you are so kind', so that's you're. 'Ur phone is ringing' becomes 'you are phone is ringing', which doesn't work, so that's your.
Ironically, ur is one place where texting solves a classic spelling headache. People mix up your and you're all the time in full English, and my guide to commonly confused words covers that pair and many more. In a text, ur hides the problem. In an email, it doesn't, so spell it out.
Ur in a real text
Wiktionary quotes a message from Jessica Burkhart's 2012 novel Popular, written by a dad to his daughter: 'How r u & ur roomie?' followed by 'We decided 2 turn ur room into storage'. It's a nice example because the first ur is your roommate and the second is your room. Same word, same meaning, both clear from context.
Wiktionary also lists 'ur mom' and 'ur mum' as derived terms. If you've spent any time in gaming chats, you'll know that's the start of a very old style of playground comeback rather than a question about your family.
Ur as a hesitation sound
There's a third ur that has nothing to do with spelling shortcuts. Wiktionary records an interjection, ur, used to express hesitation or not knowing what to say, like er or um. It gives a different pronunciation for it too, closer to 'er' than 'yer'. So 'ur... not sure' is someone stalling, not someone talking about you.
Ur, the ancient city
Dictionary.com's first meaning for Ur is a place. It describes Ur as an ancient Sumerian city on the Euphrates in southern Iraq, known for extensive excavations, especially of royal tombs. If you see Ur with a capital letter in a history post, that's what it means.
The ur- prefix: the original version
You may also see ur- stuck to the front of a word, as in ur-text. Dictionary.com lists Ur- as a combining form meaning original or primitive. So an ur-text is the original text that later versions come from. It's a favourite of critics and academics, and it often turns up online when someone calls a film the ur-example of its genre.
Wiktionary connects this to German, where ur- comes from Middle High German and Old High German, ultimately from a Proto-Germanic form meaning out. Dictionary.com also notes a medical ur-, a variant of uro-, used in words relating to urine. Context will make it obvious which one you're reading.
Ur in other languages
Wiktionary lists ur in about thirty languages, and some of the meanings are lovely surprises:
- Danish: ur means a watch or clock, from Middle Low German.
- Old English: ūr meant a bison or aurochs, and was also the name of a rune.
- Albanian: ur means ember.
- Azerbaijani: ur means a tumour.
- International codes: ur is the language code for Urdu.
None of these will turn up in your messages, but they're a good reminder that two letters can mean almost anything depending on where you are.
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Why people write ur instead of your
The short version is speed. Ur saves two or three letters and a shift of thought, and on a small keyboard that adds up. It also sounds right when you read it aloud, which is the whole logic of text spelling: u for you, r for are, 2 for to. Wiktionary's examples show that it isn't only teenagers who do it. In the 2012 novel it quotes, the person texting ur is the dad.
There's also a tone shift. Writing 'ur amazing' feels lighter and more casual than 'you're amazing', which can read as more serious. That's why ur turns up so often in compliments and jokes, and much less in arguments, where people tend to slow down and spell things out.
Not sure how to reply to a message like that? Our guide to PLS helps.
Should you use ur?
In casual chats, ur is completely normal and nobody will blink. In anything professional, I'd write your or you're in full. It's not that ur is wrong, it's that it signals you didn't take much care, and in a client email that's the last impression you want. If you're replying to a quick 'hru', my guide to HRU has some easy answers, and when someone thanks you, YW is the matching shortcut.
Frequently asked questions
What does ur mean in texting?
It means your or you're. Wiktionary lists both as text messaging abbreviations.
How do I know if ur means your or you're?
Swap in 'you are'. If the sentence works, it's you're. If not, it's your.
What does 'ur mom' mean?
It's 'your mom', and Wiktionary lists it as a derived term, often used as a playground-style comeback.
What is the ancient city of Ur?
Dictionary.com describes it as an ancient Sumerian city on the Euphrates in southern Iraq.
What does the prefix ur- mean?
Dictionary.com says it means original or primitive, as in ur-text.
Is it OK to write ur in a work email?
It's better to write your or you're in full in anything professional.
