melhor amigo
/meˈʎɔʁ aˈmi.ɡu/word by wordmasculine
In Portuguese, "best friend" is translated as melhor amigo. Wiktionary also lists melhores amigos and melhor amiga.
Meaning: an especially close and trusted friend (noun)
Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| melhor amigo | /meˈʎɔʁ aˈmi.ɡu/ (Brazil, word by word) | masculine |
| melhores amigos | masculine, plural | |
| melhor amiga | /meˈʎɔʁ aˈmi.ɡɐ/ (Brazil, word by word) | feminine |
| melhores amigas | feminine, plural |
The phrase is used to describe an especially close and trusted friend.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of melhor (best) and amigo (friend).
Which one should you use?
melhor amigo is used for a male best friend or to refer to a mixed-gender group of best friends. Use melhor amiga when referring to a female best friend, and melhores amigas when referring to a group of best friends that is exclusively female.
How does it change in a sentence?
When referring to a female best friend, the noun changes to the feminine form amiga. Use the plural form melhores amigas specifically for a group of best friends that is exclusively female.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /meˈʎɔʁ aˈmi.ɡu/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- Because amigo is rooted in the verb 'to love', the Portuguese language often views the boundary between 'friendship' and 'affection' as much more porous than English-speaking cultures might.
- While melhor amigo is the literal translation, Brazilians often use parceiro to describe a best friend who is a 'partner in crime' or a loyal companion.
- The word melhor is a direct relative of the English word 'more'. They both descend from the same Proto-Indo-European root used to describe things that are 'greater' or 'stronger'.
Examples in context
- Tom é meu melhor amigo.Tom is my best friend.This sentence shows how to use melhor amigo to identify someone's best friend.Tatoeba #5170660 by bill, translation #1524561 by Spamster
- Eu sou teu melhor amigo.I'm your best friend.This sentence shows how to use melhor amigo to state that you are someone's best friend.Tatoeba #8026921 by lucasmg123, translation #1841620 by CK
- Ele é o meu melhor amigo.He's my best friend.This sentence shows how to use melhor amigo with a definite article.Tatoeba #2139538 by alexmarcelo, translation #1149142 by CM
- Conheço o Luís há anos e ele é meu amigo do peito.I've known Luís for years, and he is my best friend.
- O Ricardo é meu brother de longa data.Ricardo is my longtime best friend.
- O Rui é o meu mano. Estamos sempre juntos.Rui is my best friend. We're always together.
- 114 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Lucas and Juliana are talking about their childhood memories.
- LucasVocê lembra do Pedro?Do you remember Pedro?
- JulianaSim, ele era meu melhor amigo.Yes, he was my best friend.
- LucasEle era muito engraçado.He was very funny.
- JulianaVerdade, ele era o melhor.True, he was the best.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “best friend” translations, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (melhor, amigo, amiga) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amiga, amigo, melhor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
