You usually call a male friend bro; my bro means my friend, my buddy. Don't say bro to a teacher, colleague or stranger, or in IELTS Speaking; use the person's name, and call a friend my friend instead.
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hi/hey/thanks + bro; my bro = my friend
- Bro, are we still meeting at the gym at six?
- Thanks, bro, I owe you one for covering my shift.
- My bro from uni is visiting this weekend, want to join?
What changed
First versionHi bro, could you send me the slides from your lecture on Monday?
RevisionHi Professor Lee, could you send me the slides from your lecture on Monday?
Bro is a slang form of address that only works between close friends. A message to a professor needs a neutral form of address by name and title, so Hi bro is replaced with Hi Professor Lee.
A close British equivalent is mate: Cheers, mate. Dictionaries mark bro as more of an American word, while in Britain and Australia mate is used not only with friends but also, say, with a taxi driver or a bartender.
Your turn
Jake isn't related to me, he's just my ___ from uni.
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bro — Jake isn't a relative, so he isn't a brother — he's a friend. Talking casually with your own circle, you'd call a friend my bro. Brother means an actual sibling, so it doesn't fit here.
Write a short message to a friend the way you'd actually text it. Use bro as a form of address and mention a specific plan for the day.
Bro, let's meet at the gym after work and then grab some food.
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