What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of melhor, meaning best and amigo, meaning friend.
Which one should you use?
The phrase melhor amigo is used for a male best friend, whereas melhor amiga is used when referring to a female best friend. To refer to a group of best friends or a mixed-gender group, use the plural form melhores amigos.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
While melhor amigo is a standard way to express the concept, Portuguese speakers, especially younger generations, often use the English loanword 'bestie' in informal digital contexts.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes gender to melhor amiga when referring to a female best friend. For the plural, use melhores amigos to describe a group of friends or a mixed-gender group.
How do you pronounce it?
The pronunciation is /meˈʎɔʁ aˈmi.ɡu/. It has 4 syllables, and the stress is on the 2nd syllable.
Did you know?
- Depending on the region, the word amigo can be used as a polite way to address a complete stranger, which is the opposite of the intimacy implied by melhor amigo.
- The word melhor comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'strong' or 'big'.
- While melhor amigo is common, many Brazilians use parceiro or brother to describe a best friend in a more masculine, street-level context.
Examples in context
- Ela é minha melhor amiga.She is my best friend.
- Eu considero ele um amigo íntimo.I consider him a close friend.
- Ele é meu parceiro de todas as horas.He is my buddy for all occasions.
- Ele é o meu melhor amigo.He is my bestie.
- O Pedro é meu melhor amigo de infância.Pedro is my childhood bestie.
- Eu quero ser seu melhor amigo.I want to be your bestie.
Example conversation
Lucas and Camila are talking about their social circle at a cafe.
- LucasVocê conhece o João?Do you know João?
- CamilaSim, ele é meu melhor amigo.Yes, he is my bestie.
- LucasEle é uma pessoa muito legal.He is a very cool person.
- CamilaCom certeza, Lucas!For sure, Lucas!
Sources
- IPA marked “word by word” joins the Wiktionary pronunciations of each word (melhor, amigo) and can differ in connected speech.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amigo, melhor, CC BY-SA 4.0.
