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EnglishWhat Does “lmdtfy” Mean and Is It the Same as LMDDGTFY?
Updated
“lmdtfy” is a misspelling or shorthand of LMDDGTFY, which stands for “Let Me DuckDuckGo That For You.” It refers to the tool at lmddgtfy.net, which generates a shareable DuckDuckGo search link so you can show someone the search instead of just telling them to search. If you typed “lmdtfy,” you almost certainly meant LMDDGTFY — the missing “ddg” is the DuckDuckGo part.
What LMDDGTFY actually does
LMDDGTFY is a search-sharing tool. You enter a query, and it produces a link that, when opened, runs that search on DuckDuckGo for the recipient. It’s the DuckDuckGo counterpart to the older “Let Me Google That For You” (LMGTFY) pattern.
The site’s own heading is “Let Me DuckDuckGo That For You,” and its page describes the core action as sharing your search, with two output options:
- Shorten URL — produces a compact link to the search
- Preview search — lets you see the search before sharing it
The page also notes: “Please enable JavaScript to share your search.” That’s a functional requirement, not a suggestion — the sharing mechanism depends on JavaScript running in your browser.
How it works in practice
- Go to lmddgtfy.net.
- Enter the search terms you want the other person to run.
- Choose Shorten URL or Preview search.
- Copy the resulting link and send it.
Expected result: the recipient opens the link and lands on a DuckDuckGo search for your query. If JavaScript is disabled, the share step won’t work — that’s the most common snag.
LMDDGTFY vs. related terms
| Term | What it is |
|---|---|
| lmdtfy | Typo/shorthand for LMDDGTFY |
| LMDDGTFY | “Let Me DuckDuckGo That For You” — the tool at lmddgtfy.net |
| DuckDuckGo (DDG) | The privacy-focused search engine the tool searches on |
| LMGTFY | The older “Let Me Google That For You” equivalent |
| Let Me StartPage That For You | A partner site listed on the LMDDGTFY page |
The site also lists partner sites DuckDuckStart and Let Me StartPage That For You. Dax, the DuckDuckGo mascot, and the word “DuckDuckGo” are copyrighted by DuckDuckGo; LMDDGTFY is a separate tool built by its own developers.
Key distinction
LMDDGTFY is not DuckDuckGo itself. DuckDuckGo is the search engine; LMDDGTFY is a third-party wrapper that creates shareable DuckDuckGo search links. So “lmdtfy” → LMDDGTFY → a link that runs a DuckDuckGo search.