Phrase guide

on a first-name basis

adv · 1 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

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1

adv

Meaning 1

Having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name, as opposed to their surname.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic, not-comparable

Examples

  • We are not yet on a first-name basis.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: on first-name basis

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

8 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Chinese Mandarin: 關係已經親密到直呼其名了 /关系已经亲密到直呼其名了 (guānxì yǐjīng qīnmì dào zhíhūqímíng le) — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • Dutch: bekend — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • Finnish: sinutella — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • French: à tu et à toi — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • German: per Du — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • Hungarian: tegez — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • Polish: na "ty" — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name
  • Russian: на "ты" (na "ty") — having enough familiarity with another person to call them by their first name