Here is some vocabulary to describe some of the different stages of a relationship. Practice your love vocabulary with Philip your Skype Class Teacher.
MP3 Download about marriage and relationships from the BBC.
Chat up – starting a relationship
to chat (somebody) up
to talk to somebody in the hope of starting a romantic or sexual relationship
to flirt (with somebody)
to behave playfully towards another person who you are – or pretend to be – attracted to romantically or sexually
a flirt
a person who likes to flirt – behave as though sexually attracted to someone, but playfully rather than with serious intentions.
“she began to tease him, flirting with him in order to attract his attention”
a blind date
a meeting (arranged by a third party) with a person you might be interested in romantically but who you have never met before
lonely hearts
small ads (in newspapers, magazines or on the internet) which give a short description of a person you would like to date. To save space, some of these abbreviations are used:
WLTM – would like to meet
GSOH – good sense of humour
LTR – long-term relationship
Loved up – being in a relationship
to be smitten with somebody
to be deeply affected by your love for somebody
to fall for somebody
to fall in love with somebody
it was love at first sight
two people fell in love with each other as soon as they met
to take the plunge
to get engaged/married
I can hear wedding bells
I suspect that they are going to get married soon
terms of endearment
names people in love give each other or call each other:
darling
sweetheart
love
pet
babe/baby
cutey pie
honey bunny
Break up – finishing a relationship
they are having a domestic (informal)
they are having an argument
they have blazing rows
they have very serious, often noisy arguments
(s)he is playing away from home
(s)he is having an affair
to break up with somebody
to finish a relationship with somebody
to split up
to break up
to dump somebody
to finish a relationship with somebody without much thought for the other person
break-up lines
(fixed) expressions, often sweet or apologetic, used to tell a partner, girlfriend or boyfriend that the relationship is finished or is going to finish:
We need to talk
I just need some space
It’s not you, it’s me
I hope that we can always be friends
This is hurting me more than it is hurting you
It’s not enough that we love each other
It simply wasn’t meant to be