女友指浪漫或性關系中相對穩定的女性伙伴，但通常不屬于長期承諾性的關系，這種情況需要用或的說法。

特別隨意的場合可以用gf或GF，如短信或網聊。eg: Have you been seeing a guy pretty steadily and would like to know if he wants you to be his girlfriend?

這個詞不突出性別，只強調親密關系，所以也可用于男方。類似漢語的‘另一半兒’、‘那口子’、‘他那位’等，但不透露或假設婚姻狀態或性取向，用于故意模糊以避免冒犯別人。eg: Anyone NOT having their Significant Other in the Delivery Room?

但與漢語不同的是它也可以指親密的終身伙伴，無論同性還是異性。Partner也可以指life partner。eg: I feel more optimistic being in this relationship. We decided we are going to be life partners.

也可以指未必有親密關系的精神伴侶，有一定的神秘或宗教意味。另外，mate也可以指女友。這幾個詞不區分性別。eg: So did "God" give attractive people a much higher chance of meeting their soulmate?

相對概念是fiancé，及訂婚男友。eg: A 45-year-old man and his fiancée were celebrating a family holiday in their apartment. Out of the blue the man thought that his girlfriend was taking the form of a hideous monster from a horror movie.

，如true love、date、steady、darling、love、lover、paramour、squeeze等。

，如companion、sweetheart、heartthrob、babe等。

eg: Picasso’s painting of his mistress will go under the hammer at London

指關系不到girlfriend的程度，但卻好于friend；沒有mistress或lover那種明顯的性意味。通常作為委婉語使用，或者在情況不明的情況下作為一種保守的提法。Lady friend也用于指女方明顯大于男方的情侶關系。eg: A millionaire took his lady friend to dinner. He told her he had eaten in the finest restaurants in the world and assured her this place served the best.

沒有浪漫關系或性關系的女性朋友可用girl friend或female friend一詞。Girl friend和girlfriend也有所不同，前者可用于指一般女性朋友。eg: The fine line between girl friends and girlfriends lies in sexual attraction and flirting.