Phrase guide

make friends

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • /meɪk fɹɛn(d)z/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

verb

Meaning 1

To form friendships with others.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

Examples

  • He hasn't made friends easily at his new school.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To befriend.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • He made friends with his new neighbour.
  • I tried to be a friend to Jane but we never really made friends. She was never a friend to me.
  • Sara and I made friends right away.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

From Middle English maken frendes, equivalent to make + friends.

Across languages

Translations

96 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Abkhaz: а́иҩызцәахара (áijwəzcwaxara) — to create friendships
  • Armenian: ընկերանալ (ənkeranal) — to create friendships
  • Belarusian: пасябрава́ць (pasjabravácʹ) — to create friendships
  • Belarusian: пасябры́цца (pasjabrýcca) — to create friendships
  • Belarusian: падружы́ць (padružýcʹ) — to create friendships
  • Belarusian: падружы́цца (padružýcca) — to create friendships
  • Belarusian: папрыя́зніцца (papryjáznicca) — to create friendships
  • Bulgarian: създа́вам прия́телства (sǎzdávam prijátelstva) — to create friendships
  • Bulgarian: създа́м прия́телства (sǎzdám prijátelstva) — to create friendships
  • Chinese Mandarin: 結交 /结交 (jiéjiāo) — to create friendships
  • Chinese Mandarin: 交友 (jiāoyǒu) — to create friendships
  • Chinese Mandarin: 交朋友 (jiāo péngyǒu) — to create friendships
  • Wu Chinese: 軋朋友 /轧朋友 — to create friendships
  • Czech: spřátelit se — to create friendships
  • Dutch: bevriend raken — to create friendships
  • Estonian: sõbrunema — to create friendships
  • Finnish: saada ystäviä — to create friendships
  • French: se faire des amis — to create friendships
  • French: se lier d'amitié — to create friendships
  • Georgian: დაიმეგობრებს (daimegobrebs) — to create friendships
  • Georgian: დაუმეგობრდება (daumegobrdeba) — to create friendships
  • Georgian: იმეგობრებს (imegobrebs) — to create friendships
  • Georgian: უმეგობრდება (umegobrdeba) — to create friendships
  • German: Freunde finden — to create friendships
  • German: sich anfreunden — to create friendships
  • Hungarian: barátkozik — to create friendships
  • Hungarian: barátokat szerez/talál — to create friendships
  • Hungarian: barátságokat köt — to create friendships
  • Irish: déan cairdeas — to create friendships
  • Italian: fare amicizia — to create friendships
  • Japanese: 友達になる (tomodachi ni naru) — to create friendships
  • Japanese: 味方になる (mikata ni naru) — to create friendships
  • Korean: 친구를 사귀다 (chin'gureul sagwida) — to create friendships
  • Latin: amīcum parāre — to create friendships
  • Latin: amīcam parāre — to create friendships
  • Latin: amīcōs parāre — to create friendships
  • Māori: whakahoa — to create friendships
  • Māori: tauhoa — to create friendships
  • Old English: frīend wyrċan — to create friendships
  • Polish: zaprzyjaźniać się — to create friendships
  • Polish: zaprzyjaźnić się — to create friendships
  • Portuguese: fazer amigos — to create friendships
  • Romanian: a se împrieteni cu — to create friendships
  • Russian: подружи́ться (podružítʹsja) — to create friendships
  • Russian: дружи́ть (družítʹ) — to create friendships
  • Russian: сдружи́ться (sdružítʹsja) — to create friendships
  • Serbo-Croatian: спријатељити се — to create friendships
  • Serbo-Croatian: sprijateljiti se — to create friendships
  • Slovak: spriateliť sa — to create friendships
  • Spanish: hacer amigos — to create friendships
  • Spanish: entablar / trabar amistades — to create friendships
  • Swahili: unda urafiki — to create friendships
  • Tamil: நட்புவை (naṭpuvai) — to create friendships
  • Tày: cáp — to create friendships
  • Tày: pậu — to create friendships
  • Turkish: arkadaş edinmek — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: подружи́тися (podružýtysja) — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: здружи́тися (združýtysja) — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: подружи́ти (podružýty) — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: заприятелюва́ти (zapryjateljuváty) — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: поприятелюва́ти (popryjateljuváty) — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: заприязни́тися (zapryjaznýtysja) — to create friendships
  • Ukrainian: затоваришува́ти (zatovaryšuváty) — to create friendships
  • Vietnamese: kết bạn — to create friendships
  • Zazaki: embaz biyen — to create friendships
  • Arabic: صَادَقَ (ṣādaqa) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Bulgarian: сприятеля́вам се (sprijateljávam se) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Bulgarian: сприятеля́ се (sprijateljá se) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 交朋友 (jiāo péngyǒu) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Chinese Mandarin: 成朋友 (chéng péngyǒu) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Esperanto: amikiĝi — to befriend, to become closer
  • Finnish: ystävystyä — to befriend, to become closer
  • French: se lier d'amitié — to befriend, to become closer
  • Georgian: დაიმეგობრებს (daimegobrebs) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Georgian: დაუმეგობრდება (daumegobrdeba) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Georgian: იმეგობრებს (imegobrebs) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Georgian: უმეგობრდება (umegobrdeba) — to befriend, to become closer
  • German: sich anfreunden — to befriend, to become closer
  • Hungarian: összebarátkozik — to befriend, to become closer
  • Hungarian: barátságot köt — to befriend, to become closer
  • Italian: fare amicizia — to befriend, to become closer
  • Japanese: 仲よくなる (nakayoku naru) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Japanese: 親しむ (shitashimu) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Māori: takahoa — to befriend, to become closer
  • Polish: zaprzyjaźniać się — to befriend, to become closer
  • Polish: zaprzyjaźnić się — to befriend, to become closer
  • Romanian: a se împrieteni — to befriend, to become closer
  • Russian: подружи́ться (podružítʹsja) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Russian: сдружи́ться (sdružítʹsja) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Russian: сбли́зиться (sblízitʹsja) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Spanish: hacerse amigos — to befriend, to become closer
  • Spanish: hacerse amigo de — to befriend, to become closer
  • Spanish: entablar / trabar amistad con — to befriend, to become closer
  • Tamil: பழகு (paḻaku) — to befriend, to become closer
  • Turkish: arkadaş olmak — to befriend, to become closer
  • Zazaki: nezdı biyayen — to befriend, to become closer