Search from various English teachers...
Svetlana
Hello everyone! What the difference between “my friend” and “friend of mine”? Thanks !
Jul 22, 2019 4:04 PM
Answers · 2
4
'My friend' is specific.
'A friend [of mine]' is non-specific.
If you say 'my friend', it implies that the listener or reader already knows who this friend is - maybe the speaker only has one friend, or they have only one friend in a given context or they've already said who this friend is. (The same as if you said 'My dad' or 'my boss' or 'my boyfriend/girlfriend' - we'd know who this person was).
When we say 'a friend of mine', it means 'one of my friends' i.e. just one of several. It's normal to use the phrase 'a friend of mine' the first time the person is mentioned, and thereafter just 'my friend'. For example:
'I went shopping with a friend of mine last week. We were just getting off the bus, when my friend suddenly said...'
If you began the story by saying 'I went shopping with my friend ..', it wouldn't be wrong, but it would be a little odd.
July 22, 2019
No difference actually
July 22, 2019
Still haven’t found your answers?
Write down your questions and let the native speakers help you!
Svetlana
Language Skills
English, Russian
Learning Language
English
Articles You May Also Like

Same Word, Different Meaning: American, British, and South African English
11 likes · 8 Comments

How to Sound Confident in English (Even When You’re Nervous)
13 likes · 11 Comments

Marketing Vocabulary and Phrases for Business English Learners
10 likes · 4 Comments
More articles