For a female friend, natural alternatives to “buddy” include friend, pal, bestie, mate, and girlfriend in the non-romantic sense, though some terms vary by region and can be ambiguous.
Friendly Options by Tone
- Friend
- Pal
- Bestie
- Mate
- Close friend
- Best friend
- Girlfriend
- Sister
- Sis
- Gal pal
- Companion
- Confidante
- Sidekick
- Partner in crime
- BFF
Friend
The safest and most universal option.
Example: She’s a close friend from university.
Pal
Casual and friendly, with no gender implication.
Example: I’m meeting an old pal for lunch.
Bestie
Very informal and affectionate for a best friend.
Example: My bestie and I have known each other since school.
Mate
Common and gender-neutral in British, Australian, and other varieties of English.
Example: She’s a good mate of mine.
Close friend
Clear when you want to emphasize the strength of the friendship.
Example: She’s one of my closest friends.
Best friend
Direct and universally understood for a particularly close friendship.
Example: My best friend is coming with me.
Girlfriend
Can mean a female friend in some contexts, especially in American English, but it is often interpreted as a romantic partner.
Example: She’s going away for the weekend with her girlfriends.
Sister
Affectionate slang for a very close female friend, though it implies closeness rather than literal kinship.
Example: You’ve always been like a sister to me.
Sis
A casual shortened form of “sister,” often used affectionately.
Example: Thanks, sis—you always know what to say.
Gal pal
Playful and explicitly female, though somewhat informal or dated for some speakers.
Example: I’m having dinner with a few gal pals tonight.
Companion
More formal and broader than “buddy”; it emphasizes company rather than friendship alone.
Example: She was my travelling companion for the trip.
Confidante
A female friend or trusted person with whom you share private thoughts.
Example: She became a trusted confidante during a difficult year.
Sidekick
Playful for a friend who is often by your side.
Example: My sidekick and I are heading to the concert.
Partner in crime
Humorous for a close friend you often have fun or get into harmless mischief with.
Example: My partner in crime persuaded me to book the trip.
BFF
Very informal abbreviation for “best friend forever.”
Example: I’m going to the wedding with my BFF.
Watch for Ambiguity
Girlfriend may mean either a female friend or a romantic partner, depending on the speaker and context. If you want to avoid ambiguity, use friend, close friend, best friend, or mate.