Spanish · People & Family

"Friend" in Spanish: amigo / amiga

el amigo / la amiga

Say it: ah-MEE-goh / ah-MEE-gahmasculine / feminine · el amigo / la amiganoun/aˈmiɣo/ /aˈmiɣa/

Friend is el amigo or la amiga. Match the ending to the person: amigo for a man, amiga for a woman. Mi amigo means my friend.

Introducing someone

Ella es mi amiga Ana.
She is my friend Ana.
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How to pronounce amigo / amiga

Say it

ah-MEE-goh / ah-MEE-gah

/aˈmiɣo/ /aˈmiɣa/

ah-MEE-goh / ah-MEE-gah. Stress mee. Hard g in amigo, as in go.

"Friend" in Spanish: quick reference

SpanishEnglish
el amigo / la amigafriend

Default pair; change -o/-a for gender.

mi amigo / mi amigamy friend

Everyday possessive forms.

mejores amigosbest friends

Close friends; mis mejores amigas for women.

amigo íntimoclose friend

A very close friend, not a romantic partner.

amigosfriends

Mixed or all-male group; amigas for all women.

How to use amigo / amiga in real life

  1. 1Introducing someone

    Ella es mi amiga Ana.

    She is my friend Ana.

    Amiga matches a woman.

  2. 2Weekend plans

    Voy al cine con un amigo.

    I'm going to the movies with a friend.

    Un amigo for a male friend.

  3. 3Group chat

    Mis amigos llegan a las ocho.

    My friends arrive at eight.

    Amigos can be mixed or all male.

Mistakes English speakers make with amigo / amiga

Incorrect: María es mi amigo.

Correct: María es mi amiga.

Match gender: amiga for a woman, amigo for a man.

Incorrect: Él es mi amiga mejor.

Correct: Él es mi mejor amigo.

For a man say amigo. Put mejor before amigo.

Good to know

In Latin America amigo/amiga usually means a platonic friend. For a romantic partner people more often say novio or novia, not amigo alone.

Try it in a ChatPal conversation

Meeting someone's friend at a café

  1. ChatPal

    Te presento a mi amigo Carlos.

    I'd like you to meet my friend Carlos.

  2. You

    Hola, Carlos. Soy amiga de Laura.

    Hi, Carlos. I'm a friend of Laura's.

  3. ChatPal

    Qué bien. ¿Pedimos algo?

    Great. Shall we order something?

  4. You

    Sí. Un café para mi amigo también.

    Yes. A coffee for my friend too.

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"Friend" in other languages

FAQ

Common questions about "Friend" in Spanish

How do gender forms work?

Amigo for a man, amiga for a woman. Amigos for mixed groups.

Does amigo mean boyfriend?

Usually no. Novio is boyfriend; amigo is a friend.

How do I say best friend?

Mi mejor amigo or mi mejor amiga.

Is there a formal register?

Amigo/amiga are everyday. In very formal writing you may see compañero.

Learn a word, then use it out loud

  1. Step 1: See it in context
  2. Step 2: Say it out loud
  3. Step 3: Get feedback
  4. Step 4: Use it in real scenarios

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