French · People & Family
"Best friend" in French: meilleur ami / meilleure amie
le meilleur ami / la meilleure amie
Best friend in French is le meilleur ami for a man and la meilleure amie for a woman. Say mon meilleur ami or ma meilleure amie; the adjective agrees.
Introducing someone
C'est mon meilleur ami depuis le collège.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce meilleur ami / meilleure amie
Say it
meh-YUHR ah-MEE
/mɛ.jœʁ a.mi/
Meilleur is meh-YUHR; amie is ah-MEE. Soft y in meilleur, clear final r.
"Best friend" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| le meilleur ami | the best friend (m.) Male friend. | Male friend. |
| la meilleure amie | the best friend (f.) Female friend. | Female friend. |
| mon meilleur ami | my best friend (m.) Possessive. | Possessive. |
| ma meilleure amie | my best friend (f.) Possessive. | Possessive. |
How to use meilleur ami / meilleure amie in real life
- 1Introducing someone
C'est mon meilleur ami depuis le collège.
He's been my best friend since middle school.
Mon meilleur ami for a male friend.
- 2Weekend plans
Je sors avec ma meilleure amie ce soir.
I'm going out with my best friend tonight.
Ma meilleure amie agrees in gender.
- 3Talking about trust
Tu es mon meilleur ami, je te le dis vraiment.
You're my best friend, I'm really telling you.
Warm spoken praise.
Mistakes English speakers make with meilleur ami / meilleure amie
Incorrect: Ma meilleur amie.
Correct: Ma meilleure amie.
Meilleure takes -e with feminine amie.
Incorrect: Mon meilleure ami.
Correct: Mon meilleur ami.
Masculine ami needs meilleur, not meilleure.
Good to know
French speakers often keep the gender clear: meilleure amie vs meilleur ami. Copain/copine can mean close friend too, but meilleur ami names the top spot.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Choosing who to call first after good news
ChatPal
Tu appelles d'abord ton meilleur ami ?
Are you calling your best friend first?
You
Oui, c'est mon meilleur ami depuis dix ans.
Yes, he's been my best friend for ten years.
ChatPal
Parfait. Dis-lui qu'on fête ça demain.
Perfect. Tell him we're celebrating tomorrow.
You
Je lui envoie un message tout de suite.
I'll text him right away.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Best friend" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Best friend" in French
How do you say best friend in French?
Le meilleur ami or la meilleure amie, depending on gender.
Do I change mon/ma?
Yes: mon meilleur ami, ma meilleure amie.
Is copain the same?
Copain/copine means friend or boyfriend/girlfriend in context; meilleur ami is clearer for best friend.
How do you pronounce meilleur?
meh-YUHR, with a soft y sound.
Learn a word, then use it out loud
- Step 1: See it in context
- Step 2: Say it out loud
- Step 3: Get feedback
- Step 4: Use it in real scenarios
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