copain vs ami

[daring citrus]

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copain vs ami

[fiery ether]

It's like friend and buddy

ami is the word for friend

copain/copine can also be used to say "boyfriend/girlfriend", but not ami 🙂

However, if you add petit: petit copain and petit ami both mean "boyfriend"

Same thing for petite amie/petite copine = "girlfriend"

[pastel peak]

So it wouldnt be unreasonable to call a weird in between stage copain instead of ami?

[oak vector]

It's not in between, it can just be one or the other depending on context

[fiery ether]

I use ami for people I feel are closer

I would use copain for someone I just like to hang out with

Else it's just someone I know, une connaissance

[pastel peak]

Im assuming thats in direct relation to connaître

[fiery ether]

connaissance also means "knowledge"

And yes it's related to connaître

[pastel peak]

Naturally