viejo amigo
/bjexo amiɡo/from spelling rules
The English phrase 'old friend' is translated into Spanish as viejo amigo.
This phrase refers to a person who has been a friend for a long time.
Which one should you use?
While viejo amigo is a common way to express this, you may use amigo de hace mucho tiempo to say 'a friend from a long time ago'. This helps avoid any potential ambiguity where viejo might be misinterpreted as describing the person's physical age rather than the length of the friendship.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Spain, colega de toda la vida is a common informal way to express the idea of an old friend.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase changes gender and number to match the friend. Use vieja amiga for a female friend. For a group of male or mixed-gender friends, use viejos amigos. If the group consists specifically of female friends, use viejas amigas.
Did you know?
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, the word viejo can be used as a nickname for a father, transforming 'my old friend' into a potential reference to one's own parent depending on the context.
- In many Spanish-speaking countries, calling a person amigo can actually create distance or even sound sarcastic if the tone is not warm.
- The word amigo is derived from the Latin verb amō, meaning 'to love'. In its earliest roots, a friend was literally someone who is loved.
Examples in context
- Yanni es un viejo amigo.Yanni is an old friend.This sentence is useful for identifying someone as a viejo amigo.Tatoeba #10024694 by manufrutos, translation #10024138 by Amastan
- Me invitó un viejo amigo.I was invited by an old friend.This sentence shows how an old friend can extend an invitation.Tatoeba #1623351 by marcelostockle, translation #511791 by freedman
- Tom es un viejo amigo mío.Tom is an old friend.This sentence demonstrates how to describe a person as a viejo amigo using a possessive construction.Tatoeba #2428431 by marcelostockle, translation #1868230 by CK
- ¡Hola Juan! ¿Cómo estás, viejo amigo? Hace mucho tiempo que no nos vemos.Hi Juan! How are you, old friend? It's been a long time since we last saw each other.
- ¡Eh, amigo de toda la vida! ¿Vas a venir a la fiesta esta noche?Hey, lifelong friend! Are you coming to the party tonight?
- Oye, ¿te acuerdas de cuando íbamos a todas partes juntos? ¡Tú eres un colega de toda la vida!Hey, do you remember when we used to go everywhere together? You are a lifelong buddy!
- 38 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Javier and Sofía are having coffee in a cafe.
- Javier¿Conoces a este hombre?Do you know this man?
- SofíaSí, es un viejo amigo mío.Yes, he is an old friend of mine.
- JavierParece una persona muy simpática.He seems like a very nice person.
- SofíaLo es, lo conozco hace años.He is, I have known him for years.
Sources
- IPA marked “from spelling rules” is derived from standard Spanish spelling, where Wiktionary gives none.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries amigo, viejo, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
