amigo
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friend, pal, mate, boyfriend, lover
/aˈmi.ɡu/
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A friend or, in some contexts, a romantic partner, and as an adjective something friendly, favorable, or welcoming.
Examples
Nas cartas antigas, ela chamava o amado de amigo.
In the old letters, she called her beloved friend.
Ela encontrou um amigo antigo no mercado.
She met an old friend at the market.
A equipe recebeu um acolhimento amigo.
The team received a warm welcome.
Ninguém sabia que ele era o amigo dela.
No one knew that he was her lover.
A família achava que o amigo era apenas colega.
The family thought her boyfriend was only a colleague.
Similar words
gentil
colega
amistoso
afável
namorado
confidente
parceiro
aliado
amigão
pretendente
Meanings
Usage
Use amigo for a friend, with amiga for a female friend and amigos or amigas for plural forms.
Examples
Meu amigo me ajudou a mudar de casa.
My friend helped me move house.
Ela encontrou um amigo antigo no mercado.
She met an old friend at the market.
Posso levar um amigo para o jantar?
Can I bring a friend to dinner?
Ele sempre foi um amigo leal.
He has always been a loyal friend.
Fiz muitos amigos na universidade.
I made many friends at university.
Um bom amigo sabe ouvir.
A good friend knows how to listen.
Common mistakes
Agreement and articles are often missed, especially when moving between singular and plural.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Ele tem amigo.
| Ele tem um amigo.
|
| Nós somos amigo.
| Nós somos amigos.
|
| Ela é meu amigo.
| Ela é minha amiga.
|
Similar words
companheiro
camarada
colega
parceiro
confidente
amigão
aliado
Usage
Use amigo this way only when the context clearly points to romance, otherwise namorado is clearer.
Examples
Ela chegou à festa com o amigo.
She arrived at the party with her boyfriend.
Na cantiga, a moça espera o amigo junto ao mar.
In the song, the young woman waits for her beloved by the sea.
Ninguém sabia que ele era o amigo dela.
No one knew that he was her lover.
A família achava que o amigo era apenas colega.
The family thought her boyfriend was only a colleague.
Nas cartas antigas, ela chamava o amado de amigo.
In the old letters, she called her beloved friend.
O poema fala da saudade do amigo ausente.
The poem speaks of longing for the absent beloved.
Common mistakes
The romantic sense can be ambiguous, so namorado is better when the relationship must be explicit.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Ele é meu amigo, vamos casar.
| Ele é meu namorado, vamos casar.
|
| Minha amiga homem chegou.
| Meu amigo chegou.
|
| Ela trouxe o amigo dela, seu marido.
| Ela trouxe o marido dela.
|
Similar words
namorado
amado
companheiro
pretendente
par
Usage
Use adjective amigo for a friendly tone, relationship, place, or policy, and use amigável when plain friendly is intended.
Examples
Ele tem um sorriso amigo.
He has a friendly smile.
A equipe recebeu um acolhimento amigo.
The team received a warm welcome.
O clima da reunião foi amigo.
The meeting atmosphere was friendly.
Ela respondeu de forma amiga.
She answered in a friendly way.
O acordo abriu caminho para relações amigas.
The agreement opened the way for friendly relations.
A empresa quer criar um ambiente amigo do usuário.
The company wants to create a user-friendly environment.
Common mistakes
The adjective must agree with the noun, and amigável may sound more natural for a person’s general character.
| Incorrect | Correct |
| Ela tem um sorriso amiga.
| Ela tem um sorriso amigo.
|
| As nações amigo assinaram o tratado.
| As nações amigas assinaram o tratado.
|
| Ele está muito amigo com todos.
| Ele é muito amigável com todos.
|
Similar words
amigável
afável
cordial
gentil
acolhedor
favorável
amistoso
Usage
Use amigo mainly for a friend, let context show when it means a romantic partner, and use the adjective for friendly or favorable things.
Common mistakes
Meu amigo agrees in number and gender, and the adjective sense often sounds more natural as amigável in everyday speech.
Etymology
From Old Galician-Portuguese amigo, from Latin amīcus, meaning friend or friendly, from amō, meaning to love.
FAQ
What does amigo mean in Portuguese?
Amigo most often means friend.
Can amigo mean boyfriend?
In some contexts, amigo can suggest a romantic partner, though namorado is the clearer everyday word for boyfriend.
Can amigo be an adjective?
Yes. It can mean friendly, favorable, or welcoming, as in um sorriso amigo.
What is the feminine form of amigo?
The feminine form is amiga.
What is the plural of amigo?
The plural forms are amigos and amigas.
What is the opposite of amigo?
A common opposite is inimigo, meaning enemy.
Is amigo formal or informal?
Amigo is neutral and common in both everyday and polite contexts.
Where does amigo come from?
It comes from Latin amīcus, related to amō, meaning to love.
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