Various Terms of ‘Teman’ in English

Familiarity is the basis of friendship relationships that make relationships feel closer or deeper. In the English-speaking community, the concept of friends is not limited to a number of very close relationships. Here are the various terms of ‘Teman’ in English.

Friend

This word means Teman in Indonesian. In English, the term ‘friend’ is used specifically to refer to people who are personally and emotionally close to us.

Acquaintance

Even though we are not very closely related, someone we know is often referred to as a friend in Indonesian. However, in English, the proper term is acquaintance. Acquaintances don’t have a personal and emotional closeness to us, but we don’t feel awkward when we meet them.

-mate

We often use the word ‘friend’ to refer to people in the same class or boarding house (commonly in Indonesian called Teman sekelas, Teman sekamar, etc.). In English, the terms used are classmate and roommate/flatmate, and they are not always friends with us.

Colleague

This word is used to refer to a coworker or colleague. Even though in Indonesian it is called a work friend/teman kerja, in English a colleague is not always our friend because the relationship is only a professional matter.

Best friend

Best friend is the English equivalent of ‘good friend.’ Best friend is the person closest to us besides family and is always there in times of joy and sorrow. In informal English, ‘best friend’ is also referred to as bestie, homie, or buddy.