Everything You Need to Know About Leetspeak and 1337

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A quick guide on the mysterious language of hackers, gamers, and trolls

Written by Darlene Antonelli, MA

Last Updated: July 3, 2024 Fact Checked

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Reading and Writing in 1337

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1337 Chart

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1337 Samples

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Q&A

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Tips

LEET (1337) is a written language or code used in online gaming, e-mails, text messaging, tweeting, and other electronic communication. The root of the term "leet" is the word "elite"--translated as 31337--and 1337 was initially developed as an exclusionary language: a way to encode text so that messages could only be read by the initiated. The defining characteristic of 1337 is the substitution of symbols and numbers for letters (for example, in the term "1337," 1=L, 3=E, and 7=T), but the language has also developed to include intentional misspellings, phonetic spelling, and new words. If you want to familiarize yourself with 1337, or if you're just curious about it, this article will explain the basics of how to read and write in this ever-changing language.

Easily Learn Writing in 1337

1337 is a cipher or coded language that some online users understand and know how to use. It's a way of encoding messages so only those with the knowledge of "Leet Speak" can understand it. Basically, 1337 is just replacing common alphabetical and numeric characters with others that look the same, like "o" as "0".

Section 1 of 2:

Reading and Writing in 1337

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Like all languages, 1337 isn't static. Reading 1337 can be difficult and the language may not always appear to make sense, especially since new words, random capitalizations, and alternative spellings proliferate. You can learn basic guidelines for 1337, but there are no rules, and individuals alter the language to suit their own needs. It is important to keep in mind, however, that the same can be said for any language. All languages are living and changing; 1337 is simply very alive and changing quickly.^{[1]
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For example, a 5 looks a bit like an S, as does a $, so either of these symbols (among others) could be substituted for an S. When writing in 1337, you can follow guidelines such as those below, you can use the same substitutions of symbols for letters that you see other people using, or you can make up your own substitutions.

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You can use |= for F or |3 for B. Again, you will find some frequently-used combination substitutions, but don't be afraid to be creative when you're writing, and don't be discouraged if you come across something unfamiliar when you're reading.
If you can't figure out the meaning of a symbol, try to guess its meaning based on the letters (symbols) around it. This is a bit like playing Hangman or Wheel of Fortune: you try to figure out the missing letter or letters by looking at the surrounding letters. The same can be said of whole words. If a word doesn't make sense, you might not be translating it right, or it might be unfamiliar slang. Try to guess its meaning by looking at adjacent words or the sentence which contains the word.
In addition to symbol-for-letter replacement, 1337 can include letters that substitute for other letters, sounds, or words. For instance, f = ph, cks = xx, s = z or r = are. This practice is certainly not unique to 1337--you don't have to be a 1337$p34|<3r (leetspeaker) to figure out the phrase "i luv u."
Some, such as "kewl" (for "cool") are phonetic replacements, while others such as "teh" (for "the"), or "ownt" and "pwned" (for "owned") have just grown into the language as an inside joke. Other variations, such as the omission of vowels, are also common. "Creative" spelling is just part of 1337.^{[2]
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1337 users often deviate from standard English grammatical structures, and they have invented some grammatical devices of their own. For example, the suffix "0rz" can be added to a word to make it plural or to add emphasis, as in "r0xx0rz" for "rocks," where "r0xx" would substitute for "rocks". Another common suffix is "3d," used to indicate the past tense such that "rocked" becomes "r0xx0r3d," as is "7h47 r0xx0r3d" ("that rocked"). It has also become something of a convention to change verbs to nouns by preceding the verb with "the" or, especially, "teh."
Though technically just chat-speak, the use of acronyms and abbreviations is common in 1337. There are a tremendous number of acronyms used in electronic communication, among them BTW ("by the way"), TTYL ("talk to you later"), and the ubiquitous LOL (generally meaning "laugh out loud"). Even the meaning of unfamiliar acronyms will probably become obvious if the letters are examined in context, for example, ROFLBBQCOPTER ("ROFLBBQCOPTER") or ROFLB52BOMBER ("ROFLB52BOMBER"), and you can always make your own.
Though most of the "new" words in 1337 are simply misspellings of English words ("taht", for example, or "pwn"), some are actually new coinages, such as "nooblet"--this could be written, for example, as "n008137"--which denotes a "noobie," or the "new guy". This is a variant of |\|3\/\/|3 (newb), someone new to 1337 or something else. The best way to learn the vocabulary is to read a lot of 1337.
Sometimes, you'll see people with 1337 "skillz," sometimes you'll see "5k1||5," and sometimes "$c1llz0r3d." Sometimes all three will be the same person writing in the same passage. There is a lot of inconsistency in 1337--get used to it.
Random capitalization is arguably an integral part of 1337. Some writers employ a consistent method, such as capitalizing all letters except vowels or only ending letters, but many simply capitalize letters (where they are not replaced by symbols), whenever they want.
The only way to really learn 1337 is to absorb it by reading and writing a lot of it. You may find the chart useful, but due to the work of creative leetspeakers it is obviously incomplete. After t1s j0o w13l B3 teh 1337 pr0. 1337 r0ck5

Section 2 of 2:

1337 Chart

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A = 4, /-\, @, ^, /\ , //-\\ /=\
B = 8, ]3, ]8, |3, |8, ]]3, 13
C = (, { , [[, <, €
D = ), [}, |), |}, |>, [>, ]]), Ð
E = 3, ii, €
F = |=,(=, ]]=, ph
G = 6, 9, (_>, [[6, &, (,
H = #, |-|, (-), )-(, }{, }-{, {-}, /-/, \-\, |~|, []-[], ]]-[[,╫
I = 1, !, |, ][, []
J = _|, u|, ;_[], ;_[[
K = |<, |{, ][<, ]]<, []<
L = |,1, |_, []_, ][_, £
M = /\/\, |\/|, [\/], (\/), /V\, []V[], \\\, (T), ^^, .\\, //., ][\\//][,JVL
N = /\/, |\|, (\), /|/, [\], {\}, ][\][, []\[], ~
O = 0, (), [], <>, *, [[]]
P = |D, |*, |>, []D, ][D
Q = commas are necessary: (,) or 0, or O, or O\ or []\
R = |2, |?, |-, ]]2 []2 ][2
S = 5,$,š
T = 7, +, ']', 7`, ~|~, -|-, '][', "|", †
U = (_), |_|, \_\, /_/, \_/, []_[], ]_[, µ
V = \/ , \\//,√
W = \/\/, |/\|, [/\], (/\), VV, ///, \^/, \\/\//, 1/\/, \/1/, 1/1/
X = ><, }{, )(, }[
Y = '/, %, `/, \j , ``//, ¥, j, \|/, -/
Z = 2, z, 7_,`/_

- Note:
- The commas are added to separate symbols
- The symbol | (Example: B = |3 ) is a "down-slash", or "pipe", and not a lower-case "L" or capital "i"
- The symbol ` (Example: T = 7` ) is not a standard apostrophe but is a "Grave Accent" and is found on the tilde (~) key
- Also keep in mind that the use of /-/ for H for example, isn't used nearly as often as the normal letter in a quick conversation. To write an entire sentence this way would take three times as long, thus the quicker single symbol or letter substitutions are more often used.

1337 Samples

1337 Cheat Sheet

Sample 1337 Paragraph

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Question

Can I get banned for using 1337 on Roblox?

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No, you cannot, unless you swear, bully, or say inappropriate things with it.

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How do I write the "@" symbol?

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Press and hold the shift key, then press 2 on your keyboard. You should be able to locate the symbol on your keyboard.

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Tips

For example, the license plate on a car says H4X0R2, or Hackers.

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If you want to get really creative, you can download language packs or even get special keyboards (Cyrillic language keyboards, for example), to increase the number of characters you can use.

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Do not take 1337 5p33k as an actual language, it's purely satirical.

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Warnings

Calling those who make fun of you for it "|\|0o8|3t5" is (while funny) not recommended anywhere that you can be booted from.

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Creativity is fun and is rewarded in 1337 circles, but keep in mind that 1337 is still primarily a means of communication. Avoid making your 1337 writing completely incomprehensible. If nobody but you can read what you are writing, what's the point?

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Be prepared to get flamed for using 1337 speak, as many see it as a vile form of communication.

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1337 is pretty harmless, but be prepared to get made fun of for using it!

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Use of 1337 on forums tends to annoy people and can get you banned. It is an indicator of your ignorance on most forums. Also, using 1337 to bypass spam filters is severely frowned upon.

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Make sure you do not forget real writing and how to use grammar and spelling correctly.

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