Summary of English Vocabulary: Relationships and Social Interactions

## Introduction Briefly: this material covers common English vocabulary related to relationships — family, friends, partners, and social connections. It focuses on meaning, usage, and example sentences to help you recognize and use these words in everyday conversation. ## Basic relationship roles ### People and their roles > **Definition:** A word that names a person in a social or personal relationship. | English | Czech | Part of speech | | --- | ---: | --- | | classmate | spolužák | n | | close friend | blízký kamarád | n | | colleague | kolega | n | | couple | pár | n | | ex | ex | n | | fiancé | snoubenec | n | | fiancée | snoubenka | n | | flatmate | spolubydlící | n | Practical examples: - "My classmate helped me study for the exam." — Use for people who attend the same class. - "She met her fiancé at university." — Use *fiancé* for a man who is engaged; *fiancée* for a woman. ## Verbs and phrases about relationships ### Actions people take in relationships > **Definition:** Verbs and multi-word phrases describing how people connect, begin, maintain, or end relationships. | Phrase | Czech | Notes | | --- | ---: | --- | | fancy | chtít, najít zalíbení v | verb: to like someone romantically | | get in touch | (z)kontaktovat | to contact someone | | get married | oženit se / vdát se | to become husband and wife | | get on | vycházet, rozumět si | to have a good relationship | | get to know | poznat | to learn about someone | | go out together | chodit spolu | to date | | have something in common | mít něco společného | shared interests | | lose touch | ztratit kontakt | to stop communicating | | meet | setkat se, seznámit se | to encounter or be introduced to someone | Examples in context: - "They started to get to know each other at work." — using *get to know* for initial stages. - "We lost touch after graduation." — *lose touch* for relationships that end because of distance or time. ### Small breakdowns (how to use multi-word verbs) - Phrasal verbs often change meaning from the main verb: *get* + preposition/particle gives different ideas: *get on* (have a good relationship), *get in touch* (contact), *get married* (change marital status). - Many relationship verbs can be used in different tenses: "They are going out together." "They went out together last year." ## Comparison table: similar expressions | Idea | Short phrases (casual) | Formal / neutral | | --- | ---: | --- | | Start dating | go out together | begin a relationship | | Keep contact | get in touch / stay in touch | maintain contact | | End contact | lose touch | cease communication | | Romantic liking | fancy | be attracted to | ## Usage tips - Use *fiancé* / *fiancée* when referring to someone formally engaged; avoid mixing genders. - *Ex* is neutral and casual — it usually refers to a former partner without specifying gender. - *Colleague* is for work relationships; *classmate* and *flatmate* are context-specific (school, shared housing). - Phrasal verbs like *get on* and *get to know* are common in spoken English. Fun fact: The English word "fiancé" and "fiancée" come from French, where the extra "e" marks the feminine form ## Quick practice exercises 1. Fill the gap: "After college we \_\_\_\_ contact and eventually lost touch." (hint: two words) 2. Choose the correct word: "My new \_\_\_\_ is a very supportive person; we work on the same team." (colleague / couple) 3. Make a sentence: Use *get married* in future tense. Answers: 1. get in touch 2. colleague 3. Example: "They will get married next summer." ## Summary This sheet introduced common relationship vocabulary: people (classmate, colleague, fiancé/fiancée, ex, flatmate), actions and phrases (fancy, get in touch, get married, get on, get to know, go out together, have something in common, lose touch, meet), plus usage tips and practice. Use the examples and comparison table to choose the right word for the situation.