girlfriends

girlfriends — noun

1. a woman or girl that someone is dating or has a romantic relationship with — the

1.名詞A2
釋義

a woman or girl that someone is dating or has a romantic relationship with — the word works the same whether the speaker is a man, a woman, or non-binary, and it covers both current and regular partners.

例句

Mei-Ling introduced her new girlfriend to her parents at the family dinner.

possessive + new + girlfriend

After dating for two years, Priya and her girlfriend decided to rent an apartment together.

同義詞
  • partner

    more neutral and gender-inclusive; often preferred in formal or legal contexts

  • significant other

    more formal; used when the speaker wants to avoid specifying gender or relationship status

  • date

    refers to someone you are currently seeing but not necessarily in an exclusive relationship

反義詞

文法句型

[possessive] + girlfriend

have + (a) + girlfriend

用法筆記

The plural form 'girlfriends' can be ambiguous — it may mean multiple romantic partners (less common, and more common in the context of polyamory) or a group of female friends (sense 2). In everyday conversation, native speakers rely on context to tell the difference.

常見錯誤

❌She is my girlfriend friend.
✅She is my girlfriend.
💡'Girlfriend' already means a romantic partner; do not add 'friend' after it.
❌I have a girl friend' (two words, meaning romantic partner).
✅I have a girlfriend.
💡The one-word spelling is standard for a romantic partner; two words ('girl friend') is old-fashioned and may confuse readers.

2. a female friend of a woman or girl — used when a woman talks about her close pla

2.名詞A2
釋義

a female friend of a woman or girl — used when a woman talks about her close platonic female friends as a group, without suggesting any romantic connection.

例句

Amara spent Saturday afternoon shopping with her girlfriends from university.

with + [possessive] + girlfriends

When Lin felt down, she called her girlfriends and they came over to cheer her up.

同義詞
  • friend

    gender-neutral; the safest choice when the context is clear

  • bestie

    informal slang for a very close friend, commonly used among younger women

  • gal pal

    informal, slightly old-fashioned term for a female friend

文法句型

[possessive] + girlfriends

with + my/your/her + girlfriends

用法筆記

This sense is used almost exclusively by women referring to their own female friends. A man would not typically call a female friend his 'girlfriend' because the romantic sense (sense 1) would be understood instead. The plural 'girlfriends' strongly signals the platonic meaning, whereas the singular 'girlfriend' may be ambiguous out of context.

常見錯誤

❌I am going out with my girlfriend tonight' (when meaning a female friend who is not a romantic partner).
✅I am going out with my girlfriends tonight.
💡The plural makes the platonic meaning clear.
❌He introduced me to his girlfriends from work' (said by a man about female colleagues).
✅He introduced me to his friends from work.
💡Men do not typically use 'girlfriends' for platonic female friends.

3. a friendly or approving way for a woman to address or refer to another woman she

3.名詞B1
釋義

a friendly or approving way for a woman to address or refer to another woman she knows well, similar to saying 'dear' or 'hon' — often used to show support, excitement, or solidarity.

例句

Girlfriend, you look absolutely stunning in that dress! Where did you buy it?

vocative use at start of sentence

You go, girlfriend! Show them what you have got at the singing competition.

fixed phrase: go, girlfriend

同義詞
  • hon

    short for 'honey'; used in similar informal friendly contexts, especially in certain US regions

  • sis

    short for 'sister'; popular in casual speech among younger women and in AAVE

  • girl

    very common vocative among women friends; e.g. 'Girl, you won't believe what happened!'

文法句型

girlfriend + [clause]

[imperative] , girlfriend

用法筆記

This use of 'girlfriend' as a form of address is limited to informal, friendly situations between women who already have a close relationship. Using it with a stranger or in a formal setting (e.g., a job interview, a business meeting) would sound odd or rude. It is most common in American English and African American Vernacular English (AAVE).

常見錯誤

❌Calling a stranger 'girlfriend' at a store.
✅Use 'excuse me' or 'ma'am' instead.
💡The vocative 'girlfriend' is for people you know well.
❌Girlfriend, can you help me with this report?' (said to a female colleague in a formal office).
✅Hey, could you help me with this report?
💡In a workplace, the vocative 'girlfriend' is too casual.