WOMEN have a vast array of words at their disposal to keep men in the friend zone. Here are some that strongly suggest you’ve got no chance.
‘Mate’
Ever so subtle, but still a firm reminder that the recipient should cease any dreams of romance instantly. Only two people call each other ‘mate’: actual mates, and men trying to sound tough when confronting other men who aren’t their mates. When a woman calls a man ‘mate’, even when she’s saying it nicely, she’s doing the latter.
‘Buddy’
The slight hint of condescension always makes this one sting. When a woman calls a male acquaintance ‘buddy’, she’s not only saying that she does not see him as a sexual being, she doesn’t even see him as a man. In her eyes, he is nothing more than a little boy or a lost dog looking for its owner.
‘Dude’
If you don’t live in California or the mid-90s, hearing someone referred to as ‘dude’ always sounds a bit weird. It’s even more jarring when you add romantic tension to the mix because this is a woman’s verbal equivalent of flaring her nostrils and kicking dirt in the man’s direction. If he’s smart he’ll pick up on these cues, but usually she’ll have to lie about already having a boyfriend.
‘Bro’
This couldn’t be clearer. Dropping a bro bomb is a dead giveaway that a woman thinks she and a man should remain less than even just friends. There’s no hint of comradeship when a woman says it, just snark. She may even be vaguely thinking of Elon Musk or Mark Zuckerberg. That’s you stuffed.
‘Amigo’
More of a deterrent than a threat. Saying ‘amigo’ will confuse an interested man and hopefully distract him from the woman’s attractive appearance and fascinating personality. It’s her intention that the man pauses, reflects on whether he could stand to be called ‘amigo’ everyday by a girlfriend, then decides to pursue somebody less weird instead.
