我有男朋友
wǒ yǒu nánpéngyou
To say "I have a boyfriend" in Chinese, you use 我有男朋友 (wǒ yǒu nánpéngyou).
This phrase is a statement used to inform someone that the speaker is in a romantic relationship with a man. It is commonly used as a polite but firm way to reject unwanted romantic advances or social solicitation.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of 我 (I), 有 (have) and 男朋友 (boyfriend).
How does it change in a sentence?
To emphasize a change in status, such as implying you were single before, you can add the particle 了 to the end of the phrase to say 我有男朋友了, which translates to "I have a boyfriend now".
How do you pronounce it?
wǒ yǒu nánpéngyou
Did you know?
- The term 男朋友 is a relatively modern loan-translation from English, as traditional Chinese kinship and relationship terms focused more on marital status than 'dating'.
- In some social contexts, a person might say 我有男朋友 even if they are single to avoid an awkward social obligation or a persistent suitor.
- In modern internet slang, young people may use the term 脱单 (tuō dān), meaning 'to shed the single status', to describe the moment they can finally say 我有男朋友.
Examples in context
- 不好意思，我有男朋友了。Bù hǎoyìsi, wǒ yǒu nán péngyǒu le.Sorry, I have a boyfriend.
- 请不要追求我，我有男朋友。Qǐng bùyào zhuīqiú wǒ, wǒ yǒu nán péngyǒu.Please don't pursue me, I have a boyfriend.
- 不用担心，我有男朋友照顾。Bùyòng dānxīn, wǒ yǒu nán péngyǒu zhàogù.No need to worry, I have a boyfriend to take care of me.
Example conversation
A man tries to ask a woman out at a cafe.
- 梓涵 Zihan你好，我们可以认识一下吗？Nǐ hǎo, wǒmen kěyǐ rènshi yīxià ma?Hello, could we get to know each other?
- 俊杰 Junjie很抱歉，我有男朋友。Hěn bàoqiàn, wǒ yǒu nánpéngyǒu.I'm very sorry, I have a boyfriend.
- 梓涵 Zihan噢，没关系，不好意思打扰了。Ō, méiguānxì, bù hǎoyìsi dǎrǎo le.Oh, that's okay, sorry for bothering you.
- 俊杰 Junjie没关系，再见。Méiguānxì, zàijiàn.No problem, goodbye.
