Thread: друг can be applied for female?

I know there's друг and there's подруга, but подруга is more for a relationship. Is there a better equivalent for друг or is друг also applied for females?

Друг can also be applied to female. When applied to female by male it explicitly denies sexual/romantic relationships. When applied to female by female it often implies and emphasizes stronger mutual obligations than just "подруга".

I was told that a male can say "подруга" and it's not used for a relationship just for friendship. I have been using that the last few years with no issues.

Scott

Originally Posted by Valda

I know there's друг and there's подруга, but подруга is more for a relationship. Is there a better equivalent for друг or is друг also applied for females?

Похоже дискуссионная тема

Originally Posted by fortheether

I was told that a male can say "подруга" and it's not used for a relationship just for friendship. I have been using that the last few years with no issues.

Scott

It depends on the context. In its direct meaning "подруга" is just female friend. But it can be used as an euphemism for a "relationship".

подруга = girlfriend
друг = friend or boyfriend

Meanings are the same as in English

If "подруга" can be used as just a friend also then it's not the same as American English in my opinion. In my opinion girlfriend is used only for a relationship when a male says it about a female. I'm not sure if a female can say it about another female but not imply a relationship.

Scott

Originally Posted by Doomer

подруга = girlfriend
друг = friend or boyfriend

Meanings are the same as in English

Originally Posted by fortheether

I'm not sure if a female can say it about another female but not imply a relationship.

I'm sure they can, that's why I'm saying it's the same meaning

Originally Posted by fortheether

I was told that a male can say "подруга" and it's not used for a relationship just for friendship. I have been using that the last few years with no issues.

Scott

I've heard a guy saying "подруга" referring to all girls in his circle, he had a lot of female colleagues (he was not in relationship with any of them), he just couldn't find another word. But still it sounded a bit strange (may be it was OK in his circle of liberal city boys and city girls), because in most cases when a guy says "подруга", in most contexts that would be his girlfriend. So an innocent word would be "моя знакомая" - can't imply any relationship. It seems to me this area of language in Russian is rather complicated, sometimes even native speakers are somewhat in doubt as to what word to use.

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