Dude is an informal word for a guy or a man: a nice dude, some random dude. It's also a friendly way to address a mate: Dude, look at this! It sounds laid-back and more American. It fits conversations with friends and chats, but not with your boss, a teacher or a stranger.
Could you drop dude into a text?
Write a short message — we'll show the mistakes right away and suggest how to say it more naturally.
The check is taking longer than usual. Your feedback will appear here automatically.
a + adjective + dude; some random dude; dude, + comment; hey, dude
- Some random dude on the train asked me where I bought my jacket.
- Dude, you have to see the view from this hotel balcony!
- Her brother is a really friendly dude, you'll like him.
What changed
First versionMy new flatmate is cool dude and always cleans up after himself.
RevisionMy new flatmate is a cool dude and always cleans up after himself.
Dude here refers to one person among many, so it needs a before cool dude, like any singular countable noun. It's the same mistake as He is good teacher.
Guy also means a man, but it sounds more neutral: you can say a guy from work in almost any conversation. In British English, bloke is often used in the same sense: He's a nice bloke. In IELTS Speaking, use guy or man instead of dude, and in an essay, man or person.
Your turn
I asked a ___ at the bus stop for directions, and he walked me all the way to the museum.
Show the answer
dude — You need a noun here: I asked a guy at the bus stop, with a in front of it. Dude works exactly like that. Bruh is a form of address or a reaction, so you can't call a stranger a bruh.
Tell a friend about a stranger who recently helped you. Use dude and say where it happened and what he did.
A dude at the petrol station helped me change a flat tyre yesterday and didn't even want any money.
Learn to use new words without mistakes
Write phrases with the words you are learning. LetsWords shows mistakes in usage and grammar, suggests corrections and explains them, and review helps the words stick.