amigo

Amigo is a Spanish noun meaning friend. In its standard use, it denotes a person with whom one has a close and friendly relationship. The masculine form is amigo, the feminine form is amiga, and the plural forms are amigos (masculine or mixed gender) and amigas (feminine). Beyond its literal sense, amigo can function as a casual vocative or term of address toward someone one knows well.

Etymology traces amiko to Latin amicus, with Old Spanish development contributing to the modern form. Cognates appear across Romance languages, including Portuguese (amigo), Italian (amico), and French (ami), all sharing the same root meaning “friend.”

In everyday speech, am igo is used for both close friends and acquaintances, and it can convey warmth, camaraderie, or teasing. It also appears in idiomatic expressions and titles, and is commonly heard in Latin American media and popular culture. The term is frequently used in both formal and informal contexts, and the feminine amiga is used when referring to a female friend.

In English, am igo is often used as a loanword to evoke Spanish-speaking settings or to convey a friendly, informal tone. It also appears in film titles, music, and branding. One notable example is the 2010 film Amigo, directed by John Sayles, which deals with historical events in the Philippines during the Philippine–American War.

See also: amiga (feminine form), amical, ami, amigo in popular culture.