boyfriend
gb/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/ us/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
A1
English
~ 800
barát, pasi
NOUN
A1
1
Usage pattern:
[someone]'s boyfriend
She introduced her boyfriend to her parents last weekend.
Múlt hétvégén bemutatta a barátját a szüleinek.
My boyfriend and I are planning a trip to Italy.
A barátommal Olaszországba tervezünk utazni.
He's been her boyfriend since high school.
She broke up with her boyfriend after three years together.
Her boyfriend sent her flowers for her birthday.
Learner examples
This is my boyfriend, Tom.
Ő itt a barátom, Tom.
I go to the movies with my boyfriend.
A barátommal járok moziba.
Her boyfriend is very kind.
She talks to her boyfriend every day.
My boyfriend likes football.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'boyfriend' with 'male friend'. 'Boyfriend' always implies a romantic relationship, not just friendship.
Meaning
a man in a romantic relationship
Collocations
ex-boyfriend
|long-term boyfriend
|new boyfriend
|serious boyfriend
|former boyfriend
Synonyms
partner (More gender-neutral and can refer to any gender in a romantic relationship.)
|
lover (More intimate or sexual connotation, sometimes used in more formal or literary contexts.)
Antonyms
girlfriend (Refers to a female romantic partner instead of a male one.)
|
ex-boyfriend (Refers to a former male romantic partner, no longer in the relationship.)
Themes
relationships
|daily life
|emotions
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A man who is your romantic partner.
A man with whom someone is having a romantic or sexual relationship.
Grammar
Dictionary form
boyfriend
IPA
GB/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
US/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
Syllables & stress
boy - friend (2 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (boy)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: boyfriend
- Plural: boyfriends
Word family
Expressions
boyfriend material
1/bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd mətˈɪɹiəl/
fixed phrase
informal
man seen as suitable for dating
A man who has qualities that make him a good boyfriend.
Examples
- Everyone says he's total boyfriend material.
- She thinks he's nice, but not exactly boyfriend material.
ex-boyfriend
1/ˈɛks bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
fixed phrase
former male romantic partner
A man who used to be your boyfriend but is not anymore.
Examples
- She ran into her ex-boyfriend at the supermarket.
- His ex-boyfriend still calls him sometimes.
new boyfriend
1/njˈu bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
fixed phrase
recent male romantic partner
A man who has recently become your boyfriend.
Examples
- She brought her new boyfriend to the dinner.
- Her friends were curious about her new boyfriend.
steady boyfriend
1/stˈɛdi bˈɔɪfɹˌɛnd/
fixed phrase
long-term male romantic partner
A boyfriend you have been with for a long time and see regularly.
Examples
- She's had a steady boyfriend since college.
- I met her steady boyfriend at the party.