Talking about Friends and Friendship in English
Talking about Friends and Friendship in English
Hello English learners, and welcome to a new lesson. Friendship is one of the most common — and most meaningful — topics in everyday conversation. When we’re young, we often have a wide circle of friends. As life moves on, that circle usually becomes smaller, but deeper. If we’re lucky, we keep a few close friends who truly matter.
Friends help us feel less lonely, support us through difficult moments, and share our joys as well as our worries. They can be close friends, lifelong friends, or simply people we enjoy spending time with. In English, there is a rich collection of expressions and idioms to talk naturally about friends and friendship — and that’s exactly what we’ll focus on today.
(For adjectives such as loyal, supportive, trustworthy, encouraging, and a good listener, see our separate lesson on describing friends.)
Useful expressions & idioms for friendship
Make friends
Meaning: to become friends with someone.
- Our daughter finds it very easy to make friends at her new school.
- It can take time to make friends in a new country.
On friendly terms
Meaning: having a polite, kind, and friendly relationship, even if people are no longer close.
- Although they divorced years ago, they remain on friendly terms.
- We’re not close, but we’re on friendly terms.
Fair-weather friend
Meaning: someone who is only around when things are going well.
- You quickly discover who your fair-weather friends are when life gets tough.
- He stopped calling once the problems started — a classic fair-weather friend.
Win someone’s trust
Meaning: to make someone believe that you are honest and reliable.
- It took time, but she eventually won his trust.
- Once trust is broken, it’s hard to win it back.
Get on like a house on fire
Meaning: to become close friends very quickly.
- They met at university and got on like a house on fire.
- I was worried about the introduction, but they got on like a house on fire.
Hit it off
Meaning: to like someone immediately when you first meet them.
- I knew they would hit it off the moment they started talking.
- She hit it off with her new colleagues on the first day.
See eye to eye
Meaning: to agree or have similar opinions.
- We don’t always see eye to eye, but we respect each other.
- True friends don’t have to see eye to eye on everything.
Through thick and thin
Meaning: during both good times and bad times.
- She has supported me through thick and thin.
- Real friends stay with you through thick and thin.
A shoulder to cry on
Meaning: someone who listens and offers emotional support.
- When I was struggling, he was always a shoulder to cry on.
- Everyone needs a shoulder to cry on from time to time.
Stand the test of time
Meaning: to remain strong and last for many years.
- Their friendship has stood the test of time.
- Not all friendships stand the test of time, and that’s normal.
Final tip for learners
These expressions are extremely common in spoken English, personal stories, and Cambridge B2–C1 speaking and writing tasks. Try using them when talking about relationships, experiences, or important people in your life — they’ll make your English sound warmer, more natural, and more confident.
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