гёрлфренд

Russian

Etymology

Borrowed from English girlfriend.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [ɡʲɵ(r)ɫˈfrɛnt] (phonetic respelling: гё(р)лфрэ́нд)
• IPA^(key): [ˈɡʲɵ(r)ɫfrɨnt] (phonetic respelling: гё(р)лфрэнд)

Noun

гёрлфре́нд or гёрлфренд • (gjorlfrɛ́nd or gjórlfrɛnd) f anim (indeclinable)

1. (colloquial, neologism) girlfriend

   Synonyms: подру́га (podrúga), подру́жка (podrúžka, also “female friend”); возлю́бленная (vozljúblennaja), люби́мая (ljubímaja, “sweetheart”); де́вушка (dévuška, also “young girl”); неве́ста (nevésta, “fiancée”); любо́вница (ljubóvnica, “lover, mistress”); партнёрша (partnjórša, “female partner”); сожи́тельница (sožítelʹnica, “female cohabitant, concubine”); да́ма се́рдца (dáma sérdca)

   Antonyms: бойфре́нд (bojfrɛ́nd), бо́йфренд (bójfrɛnd)

Usage notes

• The term is sometimes pronounced imitating English and is frowned upon by purists, as it is considered an Anglicism or a code-switch, but it is also considered less ambiguous or indirect than other terms.