FRIENDS has been a part of our lives and lingo for 23 years and there’s not one dull season that we can’t pick up and start watching all over again. Come to think of it, why do we love this mad bunch of New Yorkers so much? I guess it’s simply because we all have an equally mad gang of buddies, and FRIENDS is an easy and effective source of sharp, witty, sarcastic and lovable dialogues that we can make our own, just like that.
We Were on a Break!
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The best dialogue from the show is actually the fist bang. You don’t need actual words to say ‘go to hell’ or ‘f*ck you’. It’s the perfect signal to use when you can’t abuse, especially when parents are around. You’ve definitely used this in a break-up situation.
How You Doin’?
Joey brings out the true Italian inside him with three simple words ‘How you doin?’. And the best part is, he says it exactly the same way to a beef burger and to a hot chick passing by. There’s got to be a Joey in your gang of besties. Have you spotted him yet?
I Grew Up With Monica! If You Didn’t Eat Fast, You Didn’t Eat!
Ross isn’t as big a foodie as Joey is, but he definitely is the biggest nerd, who grew up being bullied by kids at school and Monica at home. How many times have you used this line for your slightly overweight sibling?
I’m Not So Good With the Advice, Can I Interest You in a Sarcastic Comment?
There’s always the cynical friend around who is at his/her sarcastic best in the trickiest of situations. Who needs advice when you have sarcasm! We all have a Chandler within.
She’s So Great. She Kisses Like My Mom Cooks.
It’s hard to say what Joey loves more... hot girls or his mom’s cooking! Every guy is secretly Joey when it comes to mom’s cooking.
Oh My God!
No one can say ‘Oh my god’ as annoyingly as Janice. It’s easy to spot the shrill-voiced, high-maintenance Janice in your group of girls, who takes the lord’s name in vain all the bloody time.
Guys Can Fake It? Unbelievable! The One Thing That’s Ours!
You can’t keep Monica away from competition and one of your closest BFFs is always the fighter who thrives on winning and being the best.
If We Were in Prison, You Guys Would Be Like, My Bitches
Every Phoebe has her Monica and Rachel, her partners in crime. They hatch evil plans together and can take on the world, even if it means going to prison together.
Oh Ho Ho! You Almost Had Me There
Remember your dumb moments, when you catch on to what everyone around is talking about after a good ten minutes? And you realise that it was your dim wit they were laughing at? Joey wins hands-down at ‘not getting it’ and you certainly have a Joey in your life.
Why Can’t We Use the Same Toothbrush? We Use the Same Soap!
If you’ve ever lived in a hostel, you’ve undeniably had this moment with your roomie. Haina, bolo bolo?
This is the First Time I’ve Walked Down the Aisle Without the Possibility of it Ending in Divorce
Spotting a Ross within your group isn’t rocket science. He falls in love easily and thinks every relationship has the potential to end up in marriage. In fact, you’ve had to hold him back from taking the plunge again after a recent break up or divorce.
When the Package is This Pretty, No One Cares What’s Inside
The self-obsessed, selfie clicking, cute friend of yours believes he/she is the best thing that happened to the opposite sex and is cool with being the hot one with nothing intelligent to say. You’ve said this at a party too, when you know how well that dress fits you and your hair is behaving itself.
Oh, I wish I Could, But I Really Don’t Want To
Thank god for friends like Phoebe, who are honest as hell and don’t have the slightest clue about the concept of sugar-coating. They have a knack of getting out of really awkward situations with a cute smile and a ton of cheekiness.
I Don’t Share Food!
Take a bite of from your foodie friend’s plate of nachos at your own risk. Dude, you definitely have one food obsessed friend who just won’t share his meal. That’s Joey for you.
Can You See My Nipples Through This Shirt?
No guy wants his nipples to pop up in that freezing movie hall. But who puts on a vest under that designer t-shirt anymore? Guys are conscious as hell and it’s so damn funny.
Don’t Forget the Rules – Heads I Win, Tails You Lose
You’ve tried this with kids in your neighbourhood and with that dumb friend who takes a while to process the trick behind ‘Heads I win, tails you lose’. Chit main jeeta, pat tu haara. I bet you’ve used this one every time you’ve had a bet with someone.
You Can’t Fire Me. I Make Your Decisions and I Say, ‘I’m Not Fired.’ Ha!
Your control-freak best friend loves giving you advice. What she loves even more is being right. You might have always run big decisions by her, but when you’ve had enough, she’s impossible to fire.
(This article is from The Quint’s archives and was first published on 22 September 2016. It is now being republished to mark 23 years of FRIENDS.)
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