French · People & Family
"Friend" in French: ami / amie
l'ami / l'amie
Friend in French is ami for a man and amie for a woman. Both sound the same, ah-MEE, so the difference shows in writing and in the small words around them: un ami, une amie. In casual speech you will also hear copain, copine, and pote.
Introducing someone at a party
Je te présente Karim, un ami de la fac.Speak with an AI partner · 7 days free
How to pronounce ami / amie
Say it
ah-MEE
/a.mi/
Say ah-MEE, with a little stress on the last syllable, as in most French words. The extra e in amie is silent. After les, des, or mes, the s links to the vowel: mes amis sounds like may-za-MEE.
"Friend" in French: quick reference
| French | English | When to use |
|---|---|---|
| l'ami / l'amie | friend (male / female) The standard word, often for a close friend. | The standard word, often for a close friend. |
| le copain / la copine | friend, pal Casual. With mon or ma it often means boyfriend or girlfriend. | Casual. With mon or ma it often means boyfriend or girlfriend. |
| le pote | buddy, mate Informal slang for a friend, used for men and women: un pote, une pote. | Informal slang for a friend, used for men and women: un pote, une pote. |
| le meilleur ami / la meilleure amie | best friend Both words change for a woman: ma meilleure amie. | Both words change for a woman: ma meilleure amie. |
How to use ami / amie in real life
- 1Introducing someone at a party
Je te présente Karim, un ami de la fac.
This is Karim, a friend from university.
La fac is the everyday word for university. Je te présente is how you introduce someone.
- 2Talking about weekend plans
Samedi, je dîne chez une amie à Nantes.
On Saturday I'm having dinner at a friend's place in Nantes.
Chez une amie means "at a friend's place". Une tells you the friend is a woman.
- 3Introducing yourself in class
Je m'appelle Alexandre, mais mes amis m'appellent Alex.
My name is Alexandre, but my friends call me Alex.
Listen for the liaison: mes amis sounds like may-za-MEE.
Mistakes English speakers make with ami / amie
Incorrect: C'est ma amie Julie.
Correct: C'est mon amie Julie.
Before a word starting with a vowel, ma becomes mon, even for a woman. It is easier to say, and it sounds the same as mon ami.
Incorrect: Il est un ami de mon frère.
Correct: C'est un ami de mon frère.
When a noun comes with un or une, French uses c'est, not il est or elle est.
Good to know
French speakers often keep ami for people they are really close to. A friendly classmate or colleague is more likely to be un copain or une copine, and someone you only know a little is une connaissance. Be careful with mon copain and ma copine: they very often mean boyfriend or girlfriend.
Try it in a ChatPal conversation
Chatting with a classmate in Lyon about your weekend
ChatPal
Salut ! Tu as fait quoi ce week-end ?
Hi! What did you do this weekend?
You
J'ai vu des amis à Annecy. On a fait le tour du lac.
I saw some friends in Annecy. We walked around the lake.
ChatPal
Super ! Ce sont des amis d'ici ou de ton pays ?
Great! Are they friends from here or from your country?
You
Une amie d'ici et deux amis de chez moi.
One friend from here and two friends from back home.
This is a sample. In ChatPal you have this conversation out loud and get feedback on what you say.
Practice this conversation in ChatPal"Friend" in other languages
FAQ
Common questions about "Friend" in French
What is the difference between ami and amie?
Ami is a male friend and amie is a female friend. They sound identical, so in speech you tell them apart by un or une and by the adjectives: un ami gentil, une amie gentille.
Why is it mon amie and not ma amie?
French avoids two vowels bumping into each other, so ma, ta, and sa become mon, ton, and son before a vowel sound. The word is still feminine: mon amie est très drôle.
Does mon copain mean my friend or my boyfriend?
Usually boyfriend, and ma copine usually means girlfriend. To talk about a friend without that meaning, say un copain, une copine, or un ami.
How do you say best friend in French?
Mon meilleur ami for a man and ma meilleure amie for a woman. Among young people you will also hear mon meilleur pote or ma meilleure pote.
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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