vieil ami
The English phrase 'old friend' is translated into French as vieil ami.
The term vieil ami refers to a person who has been a friend for a long time. It focuses on the duration of the relationship rather than the person's chronological age.
What does it mean word for word?
The word vieil is a special form of the adjective meaning 'old' used specifically before a masculine singular noun that starts with a vowel or a silent H.
Which one should you use?
In French, vieil ami describes the longevity of the friendship. If you were to use the phrase un ami âgé, you would be implying that the friend is elderly in age.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the phrase changes depending on the gender and number of the friends being discussed. Use vieil ami when the friend is male and vieille amie when the friend is female. If you are referring to a group consisting only of female friends, use vieilles amies.
Did you know?
- While vieil ami refers to the length of the friendship, using the word ancien instead of vieil can imply that the friendship has ended.
- The word vieil stems from the Latin diminutive vetulus, which implies a sense of being 'little old' or 'elderly'.
Examples in context
- Salut, vieil ami !Greetings, old friend!This example is useful for seeing how to use vieil ami in a greeting.Tatoeba #1099462 by sacredceltic, translation #1097930 by cntrational
- C'est mon vieil ami.He is my old friend.This example shows how to use vieil ami to introduce someone.Tatoeba #15438 by Julien_PDC, translation #297849 by CK
- C'est un vieil ami à moi.He is an old friend of mine.This example demonstrates a way to say 'an old friend of mine' using vieil ami.Tatoeba #1340546 by sacredceltic, translation #297769 by CK
- Salut vieux pote,Hey old friend,
- Ça fait longtemps, vieux copain !It's been a long time, old friend!
- 43 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon and Gabriel are at a cafe.
- ManonRegarde, c'est un vieil ami !Look, it is an old friend!
- GabrielAh oui, je me souviens de lui.Ah yes, I remember him.
- ManonTu veux lui parler ?Do you want to talk to him?
- GabrielOui, allons le voir.Yes, let's go see him.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ami, vieil, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
