How to Say "girlfriends" in Spanish
The most common Spanish word for “girlfriends” is “amigas” — use 'amigas' when referring to a group of female friends who are not romantic partners.
amigas
ah-MEE-gahsaˈmi.ɣas
Examples
Mis amigas y yo vamos al cine esta noche.
My friends and I are going to the cinema tonight.
¿Tienes muchas amigas en tu clase de español?
Do you have many friends (female) in your Spanish class?
Ellas han sido amigas desde la escuela primaria.
They have been friends since primary school.
Gender Rule for Groups
'Amigas' is the plural, feminine form. It refers only to groups of females. If the group includes even one male person, Spanish requires you to use the masculine plural word, 'amigos'.
The Singular Form
Remember, the singular form is 'amiga' (one female friend). The plural simply adds the '-s' to show there is more than one.
Confusing Gender
Mistake: “Using 'amigas' to refer to a mixed-gender group.”
Correction: Use 'amigos' (masculine plural) when the group has both males and females, or just males. Use 'amigas' only for groups that are exclusively female.
novias
no-vyahsˈno.βjas
Examples
Mis hermanos presentaron a sus novias ayer.
My brothers introduced their girlfriends yesterday.
Ellas son las novias de mis mejores amigos.
They are my best friends' girlfriends.
Making it Plural
To talk about more than one girlfriend, we just add an 's' to 'novia' to get 'novias'.
Confusing Girlfriends with Friends
Mistake: “Using 'novias' to mean female friends.”
Correction: Use 'amigas' for female friends. 'Novias' almost always implies a romantic relationship.
Platonic vs. Romantic
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