🤝Friends and neighbours
Friend, neighbour, colleague, boss — the people around you who aren't family.
4 concepts
Columns follow the languages switched on at the top. Gender after the word (m/f/n); IPA beneath; notes, alternatives and origins underneath — nothing is hidden.
| Concept | English | Français | Español |
|---|---|---|---|
friend noun | friend also: mate (UK, spoken), buddy (US) The i is silent. 'A friend of mine' — English says it with a double possessive. | amim also: pote (familiar), copain Feminine amie, same sound. 'Mon copain / ma copine' often means boyfriend / girlfriend. | amigom also: colega (Spain), cuate (Mexico), pana (Venezuela, Caribbean) Feminine amiga. The slang for 'mate' changes in every country. |
neighbour noun | neighbour US spelling neighbor. The gh is silent. | voisinm Feminine voisine. Also an adjective: 'neighbouring'. | vecinom /beˈsino/ in Latin America. Also 'resident' of a town (los vecinos de Madrid). |
colleague noun | colleague also: workmate (UK, spoken), co-worker (US) Stress on the FIRST syllable, unlike French collègue. | collèguem/f Same form for both: un / une collègue. | compañero de trabajom also: colega Just 'compañero' in context. In Spain colega is mostly 'mate'; in Latin America it is the professional colleague. |
boss noun | boss also: manager From Dutch baas, 'master'. | patronm also: chef, boss (familiar) Patron is the owner or boss; chef is your direct superior — chef does not mean cook on its own. | jefem Feminine jefa. Mexico: 'jefe/jefa' also = dad/mum, familiar. |