Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

Love & Relationships: Essential Vocabulary for Talking About Romance (B1–B2)

Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

Hello, dear English learners! Romantic relationships have inspired poets, films, novels, and — quite often — long conversations over coffee. Whether you’re describing a first date, a break-up, or a lifelong partnership, using the right vocabulary helps you express emotions clearly and naturally. Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

In today’s lesson, we’ll explore useful vocabulary, collocations, and phrasal verbs connected to love and relationships. These expressions will help you sound more fluent in everyday conversations and will serve you well in Cambridge exams such as FCE and CAE.

Let’s take it step by step through the typical stages of a romantic relationship — with plenty of example sentences to guide you.

Stages of a Romantic Relationship

Asking someone out

This is usually the starting point. If you like someone, you might ask them out — invite them for a drink, a walk, or a film.

• Darren finally asked me out. He wants to take me to the new Italian restaurant.
• If you never ask her out, you’ll never know if she likes you.

You can also say invite someone on a date.

Going out / dating

If things go well, you start going out with someone or dating them. This means spending time together and developing a relationship.

• Our son is going out with a doctor from the local hospital.
• We’ve been dating for three months, and it’s going surprisingly well.
• Many people use dating apps to meet new people nowadays.

Getting to know someone

During the early stages, you try to get to know someone — to learn what they’re like, what they enjoy, and what values you share.

• He’s very shy at first, but once you get to know him, he’s great fun.

Other useful expressions: Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

click immediately (feel a natural connection)

have chemistry (feel attraction or connection)

• Sarah and Tom clicked immediately on their first date.

Falling in love

Ah, the classic stage. To fall in love means to develop strong romantic feelings.

• They fell in love during a summer internship in Italy.
• It’s easy to fall in love, but not always easy to stay in love.

You can also use:

head over heels in love (deeply in love)

Being in a relationship

Once you’re officially together, you’re in a relationship or in a serious relationship.

• They’ve been in a serious relationship for two years now.
• I think they’re perfect for each other.

Other useful expressions:

be committed to someone

make it official (publicly call yourselves a couple)

Challenges in a Relationship

No relationship is perfect — and English has plenty of vocabulary for the ups and downs. Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

Having an argument

Couples sometimes argue, fall out, or have a disagreement.

• We fell out over something silly, but we apologised afterwards.

Growing apart

• Sometimes people slowly change in different ways and grow apart.
• After she moved to another city, they grew apart and eventually ended the relationship.

Breaking up

When a relationship ends, the couple breaks up or splits up.

• Mary broke up with Ryan and has been upset ever since.
• They decided to split up but remain friends.

Making up

If the couple decides to continue, they might make up — become friendly again after an argument.

• Robby and Sam had a terrible row, but they made up the next morning.

You can also say:

patch things up (repair the relationship)

Things fall into place

When problems disappear and everything begins to work well, we say things fall into place.

• Once we talked honestly, everything fell into place. Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

Long-Term Commitment

Getting engaged

When a couple decides to marry, they get engaged.

• Sean and Susan got engaged last weekend — it was such a romantic proposal.

Useful collocations:

engagement ring, engagement party, engagement photos

Getting married

To officially join your life with someone is to get married.

• They got married last year, and they still look as happy as on their wedding day.

We also use:

tie the knot (informal)

Starting a family

When a married couple decides to have children, they start a family.

• Many couples choose to start a family later nowadays.

Getting divorced

If the marriage doesn’t work out, the couple may get divorced.

• They got divorced after years of trying to make things work.

Bonus Vocabulary

Here are extra expressions you might like:

be single – not in a relationship

be seeing someone – casually dating

be on the same wavelength – understand each other easily

love at first sight – immediate attraction

have a crush on someone – feel attracted to someone (usually secretly)

move in together – start living in the same home

pop the question – ask someone to marry you

Essential Vocabulary for Talking about Romance

Discussion Questions

Practise using today’s vocabulary by discussing these questions:

1. Do you believe in love at first sight?
2. How did your first relationship start?
3. Do you think people grow apart more easily nowadays? Why?
4. Have you ever made up with someone after a serious argument?
5. What do you think is the secret to a long-lasting relationship?
6. Would you rather get to know someone slowly or fall in love quickly?

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