A guide to saying it like a local
How to Say "We should be friends" in Italian
Suggest friendship after a good connection, signaling you're not looking for romance right now.
Dovremmo essere amici.
doh-VREH-moh BEH-reh ah-MEE-cheecasual
Italian TTS · 0:01
Use this after you've met someone and had a nice conversation, but you're pretty sure you just want to be pals. It's a polite way to steer the interaction away from dating.
Alternatives
- Possiamo essere amici.Slightly softer, more of a suggestion.
- Mi piacerebbe essere tuo amico/a.More personal and direct about your own feelings.
Ways to get it wrong
Confusing 'dovremmo' with 'dobbiamo'
'Dovremmo' means 'we should' (a suggestion), while 'dobbiamo' means 'we must' (an obligation).
Mispronouncing 'amici'
Make sure the 'c' sounds like a 'ch' in 'church', not a 'k'.
A small cultural note
Italians can be very warm and friendly, so sometimes a compliment or a shared laugh might be misinterpreted as romantic interest. This phrase helps clarify your intentions.
Frequently asked
When is it okay to say 'we should be friends' in Italy?
Say this after you've established a rapport and want to ensure the other person knows you see them as a platonic friend. It's best used when you've been chatting for a bit.
How to say 'we should be friends' if I'm a woman speaking to a man?
The phrase 'Dovremmo essere amici' works for both genders. If you want to be more personal, you could say 'Mi piacerebbe essere tua amica'.
What if I want to be friends but don't want to sound too direct?
You could try a softer approach by saying 'Mi trovo bene con te, potremmo vederci ancora come amici' which means 'I enjoy your company, we could still see each other as friends'.
