boyfriend/girlfriend etc

[jiang]

Dear teachers,

I have two questions to ask:

No.1
According to my dictionaries: 'boyfriend' means ' a man that you are having a romantic relationship with'.'girlfriend' means a girl or woamn tha you have a friendly, loving relationship with'. 'a woman who you are having a romantic relationsip with' and a woman's female friend.

That means if two boys are good friends, one can't say 'He is my boyfriend'. He can only say 'He is my friend'. If two girls are close friends one can say 'She is my girlfriend'. Is that right?

No.2
According to my dictionary 'Lover ' means ' a sexual partner' 'people who are in love'. If a man who is not my sexual partner and if I say 'He is my boyfriend so we are lovers will that cause misunderstanding? I mean will people interpret my message as 'He is my sexual partner'. If they will, which word I should use to avoid this misunderstanding?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

[Harry Smith]

Dear teachers,

I have two questions to ask:

No.1
According to my dictionaries: 'boyfriend' means ' a man that you are having a romantic relationship with'.'girlfriend' means a girl or woamn tha you have a friendly, loving relationship with'. 'a woman who you are having a romantic relationsip with' and a woman's female friend.

That means if two boys are good friends, one can't say 'He is my boyfriend'. He can only say 'He is my friend'. If two girls are close friends one can say 'She is my girlfriend'. Is that right?

No.2
According to my dictionary 'Lover ' means ' a sexual partner' 'people who are in love'. If a man who is not my sexual partner and if I say 'He is my boyfriend so we are lovers will that cause misunderstanding? I mean will people interpret my message as 'He is my sexual partner'. If they will, which word I should use to avoid this misunderstanding?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

You really explained the meanings of "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" very well. You want to know if a girl can say "She is my girlfriend" ]. No. A girl can say she is my close friend or my best friend meaning another gilr.
What's the difference between a lover and a boyfriend or a girlfriend?
I think the lover is a sexual partner for you. But your boyfriend is both your sexual partner and future husband. So as I am a married man I can't be your boyfriend, I can only be your lover. Sorry for becoming your lover in my explanation without asking you.
Best wishes Harry Smith

[jiang]

Hi Harry,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

You really explained the meanings of "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" very well. You want to know if a girl can say "She is my girlfriend" ]. No. A girl can say she is my close friend or my best friend meaning another gilr.
What's the difference between a lover and a boyfriend or a girlfriend?
I think the lover is a sexual partner for you. But your boyfriend is both your sexual partner and future husband. So as I am a married man I can't be your boyfriend, I can only be your lover. Sorry for becoming your lover in my explanation without asking you.
Best wishes Harry Smith

[Harry Smith]

Hi Harry,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

You're welcome! I'll be happy to hear from you in future.
Good luck! Harry

[Ouisch]

You really explained the meanings of "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" very well. You want to know if a girl can say "She is my girlfriend" ]. No. A girl can say she is my close friend or my best friend meaning another gilr.

Actually, women use the word "girlfriend" quite often to describe their female friends (friends meaning pals or companions, not lovers):
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Oh, a bunch of my girlfriends are coming over and we're going to make some popcorn and watch some movies."

They also use it as an interjection, for emphasis:
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing, I guess. I had a date, but Roger just called at the last minute and cancelled."
"Girlfriend, how long are you going to let him treat you that way? It's time to get a clue!"

[MikeNewYork]

Hi Harry,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.

Jiang

Ouisch is correct. Women use "girlfriend" for their female friends even when they are not lovers. Males after the age of puberty do not do that.

[jiang]

Dear Quisch,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.
I'd like to ask a relative question:
If two men love each other, that is to say they are gays. Do they call each other 'boyfriend'?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Actually, women use the word "girlfriend" quite often to describe their female friends (friends meaning pals or companions, not lovers):
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Oh, a bunch of my girlfriends are coming over and we're going to make some popcorn and watch some movies."

They also use it as an interjection, for emphasis:
"What are you doing tonight?"
"Nothing, I guess. I had a date, but Roger just called at the last minute and cancelled."
"Girlfriend, how long are you going to let him treat you that way? It's time to get a clue!"

[jiang]

Dear Mike,

Thank you very much for your explanation. Now I see.
I'd like to ask one more question:
If a girl and a boy have a sexual relationship for a long time but haven't got married are they 'boyfriend' and 'girl friend' or 'lovers'? Or only when a girl/boy has a sextual relationship with a married person can she/he be called 'lover'?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Ouisch is correct. Women use "girlfriend" for their female friends even when they are not lovers. Males after the age of puberty do not do that.

[jiang]

Dear Mike,
I'd like to ask a relative question:
If two men love each other, that is to say they are gays. Do they call each other 'boyfriend'?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang[/quote]

Ouisch is correct. Women use "girlfriend" for their female friends even when they are not lovers. Males after the age of puberty do not do that.

[jiang]

Dear Mike,
Terribly sorry the more I think of it the more questions I have. So I have to bother you with one more question:
If a girl is a boy's good friend like classmates she should say 'He is my good friend' instead of 'He is my boyfriend'. Is that right?

Looking forward to hearing from you.

Thank you in advance.

Jiang

Ouisch is correct. Women use "girlfriend" for their female friends even when they are not lovers. Males after the age of puberty do not do that.