friend, intimate

[Joe]

1. Does "ordinary friends" make sense? I want to use it as a general term for all of one's friends except his/her girlfriends/boyfriends. Am I right?

2. "Intimate" seems like a delicate word. "intimate relationships" can be referred to either general ones or sexual ones. So, what is the "line" here? Suppose I say, "you two must be intimate", or "we are intimate friends", can it cause any possible offenses or confusions?

Thank you!!! :)

[gonghai]

Originally Posted by Joe

1. Does "ordinary friends" make sense? I want to use it as a general term for all of one's friends except his/her girlfriends/boyfriends. Am I right?

2. "Intimate" seems like a delicate word. "intimate relationships" can be referred to either general ones or sexual ones. So, what is the "line" here? Suppose I say, "you two must be intimate", or "we are intimate friends", can it cause any possible offenses or confusions?

Thank you!!! :)

in canada we sometimes use the phrase ordinary friends but i am not sure about it in formal writing

i never heard anyone use the prase intimate friends

[Casiopea]

Originally Posted by Joe

1. Does "ordinary friends" make sense? I want to use it as a general term for all of one's friends except his/her girlfriends/boyfriends. Am I right?

2. "Intimate" seems like a delicate word. "intimate relationships" can be referred to either general ones or sexual ones. So, what is the "line" here? Suppose I say, "you two must be intimate", or "we are intimate friends", can it cause any possible offenses or confusions?

Thank you!!! :)

Friendship
1. We are just friends. (Meaning, not dating)
2. We are friends. (with emphasis on 'friends'. Meaning, not dating)
3. We are good friends. (We have known each other for some time)

Dating
1. We are seeing each other.
2. We are dating.
3. S/he's my partner.
4. S/he's my significant other.
5. She's my girlfriend/fiance. / He's my boyfriend/fiance.

All the best, :D