[atrinioman]

I am curious. Some people refer to their mates as their SO and others as their BF. What's the difference? Is it a matter of how long you've been dating? How serious you are in the relationship? Or is it just a matter of terminology and they mean the same thing?

[Label Addict]

it's basically terminology and what the person feels comfortable with as far as I know there is no oo I have been with X 5 years so now he's my SO not BF KWIM.

I tend to use BF on the forum but IRL I refer to him as my partner we've been together 7 years & I'm 27 so I feel a little silly calling someone my boyfriend,

[merika]

Once they move in with you they become a SO - at least that's my criteria! IRL yes, I refer to him as my partner also.

[GUCCI_COOCHIE]

Sometimes I use BF sometimes I use SO, for me there's no difference because my BF is my SO!

[caxe]

A significant other (SO) can be a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, whatever. It's someone that you're involved with in a romantic capacity. For example, If you're a woman in a same sex relationship you can refer to your same sex lover as SO, because boyfriend (BF) obviously wouldn't apply. If you're a male, you can refer to your wife, girlfriend, etc. as your SO, regardless of the status of your relationship. If you're a male in a same sex relationship you may refer to your partner as BF or SO, whatever. It can be used by anyone of any gender who is involved with someone of any gender, regardless of whether they're dating, married, cohabitating, etc. BF is a significant other of someone who is involved with a man, and the word "boyfriend" implies that they are not married, but it does not lend a lot of information as to what status they do hold. As an example, I am a heterosexual woman and I live with my SO. We're not married yet. When I mention him on the subforums I generally type "BF" to represent boyfriend. I also call him my boyfriend in day to day life. But SO would still apply.

SO - general term for someone a person is involved with.
BF -a specific term referring to a male a person is involved with and is not married to

Note: some people on the forum also use BF to mean "best friend." So you frequently have to figure out what the abbreviations mean through the context of what was written.

[nawth21]

i use SO to avoid confusion as BF can also be best friend. But technically he's my fiance so..DF? But then some people get confused so..he's my SO until he becomes my DH.

Clear as mud? :)

[Jahpson]

i always take BF as best friend. SO as significant other

[jenarae]

I use BF even though we have been together for 2 and a half years BF does not confuse me with Best friend because i see people alot on the forum say BFF for Best friend, which is how i use it as well.

[helium]

I thought maybe, when i'm 30, and if I am still not married (that would make... 14 years with my boyfriend, so that counts as one of those.. marriages... de facto I think? Sorry my English... is um... yes...) then I wouldn't be calling my boyfriend a 'boyfriend' anymore.

That was what I thought anyway.

[Veelyn]

IMO: BF means boyfriend.. someone you are with, together, physically and emotionally, until you get married then he's your DH Dear Hubby, no matter how long it takes.

ETA: Of course that time when you are engaged.. then he is your DF.

[wordpast]

Originally Posted by GUCCI_COOCHIE

Sometimes I use BF sometimes I use SO, for me there's no difference because my BF is my SO!

ditto.

[claireZk]

Originally Posted by Label Addict

I tend to use BF on the forum but IRL I refer to him as my partner we've been together 7 years & I'm 27 so I feel a little silly calling someone my boyfriend,

That's why I use SO instead of BF. Also I feel like bf somehow seems less serious

[illinirdhd]

I have always felt silly calling a guy my "boyfriend." It seems to 9th grade, KWIM? In real life, I would hardly ever use the word boyfriend, and I almost never use "fiance" either. Online, he's SO or DF and in person, he's just Greg. Not sure how I'll feel about "husband." Going to try it out next weekend & see!

[Minnie05]

Originally Posted by caxe

A significant other (SO) can be a boyfriend, girlfriend, husband, whatever. It's someone that you're involved with in a romantic capacity. For example, If you're a woman in a same sex relationship you can refer to your same sex lover as SO, because boyfriend (BF) obviously wouldn't apply. If you're a male, you can refer to your wife, girlfriend, etc. as your SO, regardless of the status of your relationship. If you're a male in a same sex relationship you may refer to your partner as BF or SO, whatever. It can be used by anyone of any gender who is involved with someone of any gender, regardless of whether they're dating, married, cohabitating, etc. BF is a significant other of someone who is involved with a man, and the word "boyfriend" implies that they are not married, but it does not lend a lot of information as to what status they do hold. As an example, I am a heterosexual woman and I live with my SO. We're not married yet. When I mention him on the subforums I generally type "BF" to represent boyfriend. I also call him my boyfriend in day to day life. But SO would still apply.

SO - general term for someone a person is involved with.
BF -a specific term referring to a male a person is involved with and is not married to

Note: some people on the forum also use BF to mean "best friend." So you frequently have to figure out what the abbreviations mean through the context of what was written.

that's why i ask people who i don't know well how their SO is doing...NOT their 'BF'


...because what if that certain someone is in a relationship with another woman. i guess i just use SO to be more sensitive to other people's relationships

[jellybebe]

I use bf because I'm scared of the words SO and partner. I guess I'm a little immature, since my bf is my SO but I don't totally consider him my partner just because we're not married and we don't share finances. That's what being a partner means to me.

Ok, another question - what does PHH mean? It's been bugging me!