Dating and relationships are two topics that people want to talk about all the time. There are few things more interesting than your best friend's new boyfriend or girlfriend! In this lesson, you will learn all of the words you need to speak about dating, relationships and love in English.

Whether you want to talk about these topics with friends, family or coworkers, these words will be useful for you. Even better, after this lesson you will feel confident the next time you want to go on a date in English.

What we call love, however, is not always true love, but merely infatuation or " a crush": if you have a crush on someone, that means that you are very attracted to them but you are not in a relationship with them. A "crush" can be a thing that you have and it can also be the noun used to describe someone that you have a crush on.

If all goes well and there's an approach, after you've made a pass at your crush, chatted him or her up or you're hooked together, you've used a matchmaker to pick him or her up, then you'll probably go on a date: "going on a date" or "dating" means spending time with someone that you are romantically interested in, going for drinks and outings together to get to know each other before you formalize, i.e., you become boyfriend and girlfriend. Your "date" is the person that you are going on a date with or dating or seeing or going out with.

Your date

Fiancé

If you are planning on marrying someone you've been going steady with for some time, "fiancé" is the word used to describe that person if he is a man. That person can be referred to as "your steady" before you get engaged to be married.

Fiancée

If you are planning on marrying someone, "fiancé" is the word used to describe that person if she is a woman.

The proposal in the American, movie-like way!
That's when they pop the question!!!

Partner

Your "partner" is a person you are in a romantic relationship with. That person can be called a partner whether they are male or female.

Husband/ Husby/Spouse
The man that you are married to is called your husband.

Wife/My mistress/My old lady/ Spouse
The woman that you are married to is called your wife.

Better half or other half: Sometimes, people use the expression "better half" or "other half" to describe their husband or wife.

Useful adjectives to describe your date

Cute
If someone is "cute," that means that they are nice looking.

Charming
A person is charming if they have a nice way of acting and people enjoy being with them.

Fun
A person can be described as "fun" if it is pleasant to be around them and if you have fun when you are with them.

Funny
A person is "funny" if they make you laugh.

Good looking
"Good looking" means that a person is physically attractive.

Pretty
"Pretty" is a word used to describe a woman who is nice to look at.

Gorgeous
"Gorgeous" is a word used to describe a man or a woman who is very, very good looking.

Handsome
The word "handsome" is used to describe a man who is good looking.

Hot/A hot chick/ A smoking hot girl (for girls) Slang/ A hunk of meat/ A stud (for men) Slang
"Hot" describes a person who is physically attractive.

Smart

Someone is smart if they are intelligent, which means that they know a lot of things.

Clever
Someone is clever if they learn things quickly.

Caring
A caring person is a person who cares about other people and is kind and helpful to them.

Thoughtful
A person is thoughtful if they think about the needs to other people and then try to meet those needs.

Considerate
A person is considerate if they consider what other people need and try to help them.

Common dates

Go for a coffee
To "go for a coffee" means to go to a restaurant or café and have a drink, usually coffee, and perhaps a snack together.

Go for a drink
To "go for a drink" means to go to a bar and drink alcohol and spend time together.

Grab a bite to eat
To "grab a bite to eat" means to eat a quick and casual meal together.

Go for a meal
To "go for a meal" means to eat together at a restaurant.

Go out to eat
To "go out to eat" means to eat a meal together at a restaurant.

Eat out
To "eat out" means to eat a meal in a restaurant together.

Catch a movie
To "catch a movie" means to go to a movie theater together to watch a movie.

Check out a museum
To "check out a museum" means to visit a museum together.

Celebrate an anniversary
An "anniversary" is the day and month that is the exact day and month of a special event, such as the day two people got married. So to "celebrate an anniversary" means to do something special because it is an anniversary, such as to eat a meal at a special restaurant.

Showing affection

Kiss
"Kiss" can be both a noun and a verb. As a verb, is describes to action of touching your lips to someone else's lips to show affection. As a noun, it describes the act of kissing someone.

Make out (or French kiss)
To make out (or "to French kiss") means to kiss with open mouths and touching tongues.

Give someone a peck on the cheek
A "peck on the check" is a small kiss where the lips touch the cheek instead of the mouth.

Hug
"Hug" can be a noun or a verb. As a verb, it means to put your arms around someone to show affection. As a noun, it describes the act of hugging.

Cuddle

To "cuddle" is to hold someone close to your body in order to show affection.

Hold hands
To "hold hands" means to link your hand to someone else's hand in order to show affection.

Be affectionate
To "be affectionate" means to do any physical act, such as hugging or kissing, in order to show affection.

Verbs and expressions

To have a fling

To "have a fling" means to have a short, intense relationship with someone.

To have an affair: to have a romance especially being married to someone or with a married person.

To ask someone out
To "ask someone out" means to ask them if they want to go out on a date with you.

Meet through a (common) friend
If someone has "met through a friend" that means that they are in a relationship with someone that they met because they have a friend in common who introduced them to each other.

Set people up
To "set people up" means to tell two people that they should date each other.

Treat
To "treat" means to pay the cost for another person's meal or activity when on a date.

Chat up
To "chat up" someone means to have a casual conversation with someone in order to get to know them better.

Flirt with
To "flirt with" someone means to talk and act a certain way in order to make clear to them that you are attracted to them.

Break up
To "break up" with someone means to end your romantic relationship with them.

Split up
To "split up" with someone means to end your romantic relationship with them.

Fall out
To "fall out" with someone means to not agree with them about something and to have bad feelings for each other as a result of it.

Have a fight
To "have a fight" with someone means to not agree with them about something and to have an argument over it.

To pop the question
To "pop the question" means to ask someone to marry you.

To tie the knot
To "tie the knot" means to get married.

To be on the rocks
To be "on the rocks" means to be having an unpleasant time in a romantic relationship because you are not getting along.

To make up
To "make up" means to forgive someone after an argument so that you both feel better and are no longer angry at each other.

To play hard to get
To "play hard to get" means to act as if you are not interested in someone so that they will try harder to get you to be interested in them.

Words to describe being in love and out of love

to fall (head over heels) for sb.
To "fall for" someone means to begin to have romantic feelings for that person.
to fall (madly/blindly) in love with sb.

To "fall in love" means to begin to feel loving feelings for that person.
to be attracted to sb.

To "be attracted to" someone means that you have romantic feelings for them.

to be compatible with sb.
To "be compatible" with someone means that it is easy for you to get along with them and that you enjoy spending time with each other.

to have a lot in common with sb.
To "have a lot in common" means that you have a lot of the same interests and hobbies as another person and so you find it easy to talk to them.

to really get along/hit it off with sb.: to have a very good relationship

to be interested in sb./to be keen on sb.
To "be interested in" someone means that you have romantic feelings for them and you would like to know them better.

to get engaged to sb.
To be "engaged" to someone means that you have agreed to marry them but have not yet married them.

to propose to sb.
To propose means to ask someone to marry you.
to stand someone up

If you "stand someone up," it means that you had a date planned with them but you did not show up or tell them that you were not going to show up.
to dump sb:
to leave sb. you were having a relationship with, usually all of a sudden, the rough way
to get married to sb.

To be married means that you are in a permanent romantic relationship with someone.
to remain in the single club: be a spinster (old-fashioned)= to remain unmarried as a woman

To be in the pudding club (Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Newfoundland, colloquial, slang and offensive) Pregnant. Possibly less offensive to pregnant women than other terms such as up the duff.

Marry in haste (repent at leisure...) (Saying)

to break up with sb.

to hit rock-bottom with sb.

to fall out of love with sb.

to cheat on sb.

to get divorced from sb./ be become a divorcee

Other words related to relationships

a blind date
A "blind date" is a date where the people have not met each other before. Usually the date has been suggested by someone who is friends with both of the people who go on the date.

a double date
A "double date" is when two couples go out together on a date.

a Dutch treat

A "Dutch treat" is when each person pays for their own activities and food on a date.

to be smitten

"Smitten" describes the feeling of beginning to be in love with someone.

Someone's sweetheart
Your "sweetheart" is the person that you have romantic feelings for.

Unrequited love

If you have romantic feelings for someone but they do not have romantic feelings for you, your love for them is "unrequited."

A stalker

A "stalker" is someone who pays too much attention to someone who is not interested in them and makes that person feel uncomfortable or unsafe.

a long Distance Relationship

If you are in a long distance relationship with someone, that means that you are in a romantic relationship with them but that they live far away from you.

a matchmaker

A "matchmaker" is someone who likes to introduce people to each other who they think might be romantically interested in each other.

Old-school expressions

to court sb.:to woo sb.

to arrange a marriage

courtship - a period of time during which a man tries to convince a woman to marry him (not generally used in modern English, but common in English literate)

Matchmaker or "go-between"

A "matchmaker" is someone who likes to introduce people to each other who they think might be romantically interested in each other.

a match made in heaven - two people who are perfect for each other

Bob and Kim are a match made in heaven. I'm sure they'll have a happy and healthy marriage.

love at first sight - what happens when someone falls in love the first time they see someone

betrothal - a literary term synonymous with engagement (not commonly used in modern English)

to ask for someone's hand in marriage - to ask someone to marry you

to wed - to get married

to say "I do" - the agree to marry the other person at a wedding

The bride and groom said "I do" after their vows.

matrimony - the state of being married (used less commonly than 'marriage')

The matrimony withheld the test of time.

wedlock - the state of being married (used less commonly than 'marriage')

We've been in wedlock since 1964.

vow - the promise made between two people during a wedding

We exchanged our vows in front of our family and friends.

dowry: Spanish: la dote

bride - the woman who marries

The bride was so beautiful. They looked so happy together.

groom - the man who marries.

The groom looked arrived twenty minutes late for the wedding. Everyone was very nervous.

beau

What it used to mean: A person you’ve been “going steady” with for a while - this is a term of endearment for a significant other.

What it means now: You have a work holiday thing, and plus ones are encouraged. This person would likely be offended if you brought someone else instead of them, so you nervously mention it in passing while “grabbing drinks” at a bar.

Dear John letter

What it used to mean: A break-up letter. The phrase originally referred to letters sent to soldiers from their disenchanted significant others.

What it means now: (Sent via Gchat): “Hey, I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you this in person, but, you know, we were just hooking up, and now I’m hanging out with Linda.” “Yeah, the one from OkCupid.”

Getting pinned

What it used to mean: A young man gives his school pin to his beau. It’s sort of like wearing your significant other’s letter jacket. Basically, it’s very serious.

What it means now: FACEBOOK OFFICIAL!

Little black book

What it used to mean: A book of names and phone numbers, often used when a person is lonely or recently single.

What it means now: Tinder.

Carry a torch

What it used to mean: To harbor feelings for someone, especially a person who doesn’t reciprocate your feelings; this phrase refers to slightly more developed feelings than, say, a crush. You’re a little more than “keen.”

What it means now: You’ve definitely Googled this person, and nothing too shady came up, aside from some poorly-written articles penned for their college newspaper. No big deal, though. You’d still grab drinks with them.

Line (Sugaring the pill)

What it used to mean: An insincere compliment or other form of flattery.

What it means now: The tactics used by that guy. You know the one - he is so lazy that he copy and pastes the exact same OkCupid message to about 20 different people: “Hi. You have a great smile.”

Back seat bingo

What it used to mean: Kissing, in all of its various forms and locations (namely, on the neck, in the back seat of a parked car).

What it means now: Hooking up, hanky panky, fondling or necking in the back seat.

The cost of dating

Now let's go hot....

Umbrella term:

to have sexual intercourse: to have sex (Formal/neutral).

to have the hots for someone

to hook up with sb: To have sex with someone. However, for some people it might mean anywhere from making out to sex.

to get laid: to have sex, Slang.

to get sb. in the sack: to go to bed with sb. Slang:

to bang: to shag (British English) to fornicate, Slang

to drool over sb: to look or stare at someone with obvious desire.

To ogle sb.: To look or stare at someone in a way that shows you’re sexually interested in that person.

Resultado de imagen para ogle at someone

The guy is ogling the woman's bottom.

to give sb. a hickey: to leave a dark-coloured skin mark on the body, usually the neck, after having sucked for a long time.

to have good game: (also got game) To have a good technique and way of seducing and chatting up girls.

to have chemistry with sb: To have very good energy. You vibe with them either personally or sexually. (Also, to have a spark)

to make advances/passes at sb: (also to advance on someone) To say or do things that will get you closer to kissing or sleeping with someone (usually a man to a woman.)

to make eyes at sb/Give sb. the eye: To stare at someone because you like him or her. (similar to "to drool over sb.")

to play hard to get: If a girl plays hard to get, they resist getting seduced easily to make the man more interested.Pull moves on: Similar to make advances on someone. If you pull moves on a girl, you attempt to get further in the dating process by saying or doing the things that would seduce her.

to fondle sb: to caress lovingly and erotically.

to neck with somebody: to kiss and engage in erotic foreplay with sb.

Also : to pet/ petting/ heavy petting Slang

A creep (or creeper): A guy who likes a girl and tries way too hard to catch the girl’s attention, making the girl feel uncomfortable and totally uninterested in him.

Nouns:

A friend with benefit: A guy or girl who you’re not dating, but with whom you have a sexual relationship.

A jailbait: An extremely sexy-looking girl that you can’t legally have sex with because she’s younger than 18 (the legal age one can be in a relationship with someone over 18). If you do have sex with a jailbait girl, you might end up in jail. Just like the term suggests, she is a bait (object or piece of food used to attract prey) to jail.

A player: A man who is skilled in seduction, and sleeps with many women (sleeps around), especially through manipulation.

A wingman: A guy’s friend who helps him find sexual partners, and who would sacrifice himself by accepting to be with an unattractive girl so that his friend can seduce her more attractive friend. A woman’s wingman is another woman that helps her avoid men who are looking for sex.

A grenade man: A guy who accepts to be with the less attractive girl of a group so that their friends can be with the unattractive girl’s friends.

A womanizer: A guy who manipulates women to have sex with him. As opposed to a ‘player’, womanizer is a negative term.

Idioms:

First, second, third base: In the process in which you’re dating someone, first base stands for kissing. Second base is heavy touching above the waist. Third base is touching below the waist or oral sex.

Hit a home-run: Finally, a home-run is sex.

Hold your horses: This expression can be used in many different contexts, but if you’re hitting on a girl, she might tell you to hold your horses, which means to take your time or not go so fast. This might happen in a early-stage relationship when one of the two people involved is going too fast.

Out of one’s league: We say a girl is out of your league when you think she’s too beautiful to possibly want to date you.

Take one for the team: To sacrifice oneself for the general good of the team. In the context of a group of guys looking for girls to have sex with, the guy who takes the less attractive girl can be said to be taking one for the team.

One night stand: To have sex with someone with no intention of talk to that person again.

Single and ready to mingle: This is what people might say when they’re single. ‘To mingle’ means ‘to socialize’ and when someone says this, he or she implies that he’s interested in getting to know people.

Catcall: (also sometimes referred to as wolf whistle) The whistle men make when they see a sexy-looking girl on the street.

Deal-breaker: Something that causes you to not want to continue dating someone. You might like a person, but a deal-breaker is something that you can’t accept in them, and therefore you decide to stop seeing them. For example, for many people it is a deal-breaker when they find out that the person smokes.

Flirtatious remark: A playful and sometimes innocent thing you say to a person you’re attracted to.