Mes meilleurs potes du lycée - are these girls and boys? Friends informal in French. I don’t know ‘pot’ ‘pote’.

Deborah F.A2Kwiziq community member

Mes meilleurs potes du lycée - are these girls and boys? Friends informal in French. I don’t know ‘pot’ ‘pote’.

Asked 3 years ago
Maarten K.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor Correct answer

"Pote" (not 'pot') is a 'familiar' word, originally only applied to a male friend/mate. In more recent usage, it is also applied to females (and that is clearly accepted here with the reference to 'une pote' in the vocabulary list).  'Mes potes" - 'my friends/mates' - only context will tell you whether 'mes potes' is all male, mixed group, or all females as the singular is always 'pote' and the plural 'potes'.

Deborah F.A2Kwiziq community member
Also, why is it feminine, it sounds like a boy speaking, surely he might have male and female friends, therefore why not just ‘pots’
Jim J.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Hi Deborah,

Suggest you have a look here to help with your query:-

https://www.wordreference.com/fren/pote

Jim

Chris W.C1 Kwiziq Q&A super contributor

Agree with Maarten. It's similar in usage to the American "guys". Even though mostly used for a male group, it is now increasingly being applied to mixed and female groups as well.

Mes meilleurs potes du lycée - are these girls and boys? Friends informal in French. I don’t know ‘pot’ ‘pote’.

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