Relationships & People — A2 Essential Words

married /ˈmærid/ adjective A2 Relationships

Meaning: Having a husband or wife; joined in marriage.

Example: They've been married for ten years.

Another example: My sister got married last June.

Collocations: get married · married to · married life

Synonyms: wed, hitched (informal)

Antonyms: single, divorced

Word family: marriage (n) · marry (v)

⚠ Common mistake: Get married TO someone (never 'with'). Marriage is the noun; married is the adjective/state.

🗣 In spoken American English: 'Happily married' is the fairy-tale ending phrase of a million stories.

Register: Neutral — life events essential.

single /ˈsɪŋɡəl/ adjective A2 Relationships

Meaning: Not married and not in a romantic relationship; also only one.

Example: He's single and lives alone in Denver.

Another example: Every single ticket costs ten dollars.

Collocations: single person · a single room · every single

Synonyms: unmarried, solo, one

Antonyms: married, double

Word family: singles (n pl) · singly (adv)

⚠ Common mistake: Two lives: relationship status (single) and quantity (a single room, every single day). Questions about status can be personal — tread kindly.

🗣 In spoken American English: Forms ask it coldly: Single / Married / Divorced — the three boxes of official life.

Register: Neutral — forms and conversation.

couple /ˈkʌpəl/ noun A2 Relationships

Meaning: Two people in a romantic relationship; also two of anything.

Example: The couple danced at their wedding.

Another example: I need a couple of minutes.

Collocations: a young couple · a couple of · married couple

Synonyms: pair, two, partners

Word family: couples (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: 'A couple of' means two — and loosely 'a few' in speech: a couple of days can be two or three.

🗣 In spoken American English: Restaurants seat them: 'A table for the happy couple.'

Register: Neutral — relationships and quantities.

husband /ˈhʌzbənd/ noun A2 Relationships

Meaning: The man a woman is married to.

Example: Her husband works in Boston.

Another example: My husband and I met in college.

Collocations: my husband · husband and wife · a good husband

Synonyms: spouse (formal, both), hubby (informal)

Antonyms: wife

Word family: husbands (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Spouse is the formal word for husband OR wife. 'Hubby' is the playful informal short form.

🗣 In spoken American English: Introductions run on it: 'This is my husband, James.'

Register: Neutral — family essential.

wife /waɪf/ noun A2 Relationships

Meaning: The woman a man is married to.

Example: His wife teaches at the local school.

Another example: He introduced his wife to the team.

Collocations: my wife · wife and mother · a loving wife

Synonyms: spouse (formal), partner

Antonyms: husband

Word family: wives (n pl — irregular)

⚠ Common mistake: Plural is WIVES (f→v), like life/lives. One wife, two wives.

🗣 In spoken American English: Introductions again: 'Meet my wife, Emma.'

Register: Neutral — family essential.

boyfriend /ˈbɔɪfrend/ noun A2 Relationships

Meaning: A man or boy in a romantic relationship with someone.

Example: Her boyfriend sent her flowers.

Another example: She met her boyfriend at the gym.

Collocations: my boyfriend · boyfriend and girlfriend · ex-boyfriend

Synonyms: partner, boyfriend (only word)

Antonyms: girlfriend

Word family: boyfriends (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: Boyfriend/girlfriend name the relationship before marriage. 'Ex-' in front means former: ex-boyfriend.

🗣 In spoken American English: Teen talk lives here; adults also say 'partner' for serious long-term relationships.

Register: Neutral — relationships basics.

girlfriend /ˈɡɜːrlfrend/ noun A2 Relationships

Meaning: A woman or girl in a romantic relationship with someone; also a woman's female friend in some regions.

Example: His girlfriend studies medicine.

Another example: He bought his girlfriend a ring.

Collocations: my girlfriend · girlfriend and boyfriend · ex-girlfriend

Synonyms: partner

Antonyms: boyfriend

Word family: girlfriends (n pl)

⚠ Common mistake: For men: romantic partner. Women also call close female friends 'girlfriends' in casual US speech — context separates them.

🗣 In spoken American English: Valentine's Day shopping starts with this word.

Register: Neutral — relationships basics.

wedding /ˈwedɪŋ/ noun A2 Relationships

Meaning: The ceremony where two people get married, and the celebration after it.

Example: Their wedding is in September.

Another example: We danced all night at the wedding.

Collocations: wedding day · at the wedding · wedding dress

Synonyms: ceremony, marriage celebration

Word family: weddings (n pl) · wed (v — formal)

⚠ Common mistake: Wedding = the event; marriage = the life after. People are invited TO a wedding.

🗣 In spoken American English: American weddings run on a script: ceremony, photos, reception, dancing.

Register: Neutral — celebrations essential.

date /deɪt/ noun / verb A2 Relationships

Meaning: A romantic meeting with someone; to go out with someone romantically. Also the day of the month.

Example: He asked her out on a date.

Another example: They've been dating for six months.

Collocations: on a date · first date · date night

Synonyms: meeting (romantic), appointment (calendar twin)

Word family: dates (n pl) · dating (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Two giant meanings: calendar day (today's date) and romance (a date). Asking 'Is it a date?' plays on both.

🗣 In spoken American English: Couples protect it: 'date night' is the married pair's weekly plan.

Register: Neutral — relationships and calendar.

engaged /ɪnˈɡeɪdʒd/ adjective A2 Relationships

Meaning: Having agreed to marry someone in the future; also busy (a line or toilet) in formal British use.

Example: They got engaged in New York last winter.

Another example: She's engaged to a pilot.

Collocations: get engaged · engaged to · engagement ring

Synonyms: betrothed (old/formal), promised

Antonyms: single, unattached

Word family: engagement (n)

⚠ Common mistake: Engaged TO the person you'll marry. The ring announces it before the words do.

🗣 In spoken American English: Social media's happiest post: a hand, a ring, one word — 'Engaged!'

Register: Neutral — life events.