Friends and Girlfriends

[MetalPants]

Just curious, do other people make a verbal distinction when they talk about a girl friend versus a girlfriend. Or ladies, do you make a verbal distinction between your boyfriend and a boy friend?

 

[Shazam!]

Do you not just call your friends 'friends'?

 

[Deckerd]

I think you occasionally hear women talking about girlfriends but never a heterosexual man talking about a boyfriend. Most people don't use the gender at all.

 

[Miss Chicken]

I think you occasionally hear women talking about girlfriends but never a heterosexual man talking about a boyfriend. Most people don't use the gender at all.

When I was younger I would girl female friends girlfriends nut the only time I would call a male a boyfriend is if I was romantic involved with him. Other men I just referred to as friends. Nowadays I don't use the term girlfriend for my female friends because they stopped being girls a lomg time ago.

 

[MetalPants]

Do you not just call your friends 'friends'?

If I started talking about a lady that I meet regularly at a bar, we go out partying together, and really enjoy each other's company, people might think we were romantically linked if I didn't make the distinction that we were just friends.

 

[Shazam!]

If I started talking about a lady that I meet regularly at a bar, we go out partying together, and really enjoy each other's company, people might think we were romantically linked if I didn't make the distinction that we were just friends.

Yes, so you say I am going to the cinema with my friend : /

 

[SilentP]

If I started talking about a lady that I meet regularly at a bar, we go out partying together, and really enjoy each other's company, people might think we were romantically linked if I didn't make the distinction that we were just friends.

Yes, so you say I am going to the cinema with my friend : /

Yeah I would have thought that was sufficient too If anyone asks if you're dating her, then you can clarify.

 

[Tiberius Jim]

If gender needs to be clarified, I would just refer to a friend who is a girl as a "female friend" and my girlfriend as...well, my girlfriend.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

I just say "friend." If I mean "girlfriend," I'll say "girlfriend."

 

[JustKate]

I don't usually differentiate, but now that I think about it, I might be inclined to refer specifically to my female friends as "girlfriends" if we were going to do something...girly. Like if I was going to a movie with a female friend (or a male friend, for that matter), I'd probably just say "I'm going to a movie with a friend." But if we were going to go shoe shopping, get our nails done (not that I ever do, but I think about it now and then), stop at the cosmetics counter...I might specify gender.

I realize this doesn't make a ton of sense. But I might do it anyway.

 

[Shazam!]

Do you not just call your friends 'friends'?

Although I do like saying 'My black friend' because it annoys him.

 

[JustKate]

^ Ain't friendship wonderful!

 

[Mr. B]

Girlfriend is a term reserved for one person, all other friends are "friends," regardless of gender. If you use their given name, the gender is pretty obvious anyway.

 

[sidious618]

I just say "friend." If I mean "girlfriend," I'll say "girlfriend."

Me, too.

 

[SmoothieX]

It's easier when you're married. My 'girlfriend' is my wife.

I just refer to friends as friends. If I need a gender qualifier, I'll say "...this guy/woman I'm friends with"

 

[John Clark]

If gender needs to be clarified, I would just refer to a friend who is a girl as a "female friend" and my girlfriend as...well, my girlfriend.

Ditto

If no clarification is needed, then just friend will work

 

[All Seeing Eye]

I just say friends, if the conversation requires me to clarify what sex they are I usually say "female friend" or "male friend".

 

[K'Ehleyr]

My boyfriend is "My Man".
My male friends are my "consorts" ~ they escort me to lunch, theatre, etc. when Man does not want to go.
Female friends are "girlfriends".
I prefer to go out with consorts as they always foot the bill

 

[RoJoHen]

If gender needs to be clarified, I would just refer to a friend who is a girl as a "female friend" and my girlfriend as...well, my girlfriend.

Ditto

If no clarification is needed, then just friend will work

I agree. Occasionally it's come up that I've needed to clarify whether or not the friend was a female...like my female friend Kyle. If I just said "my friend Kyle," people would naturally assume she was a boy.

 

[MetalPants]

Okay, looks like I'm just different then.