# "In a relationship" **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 5, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906 "2009-01-05T03:44:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/1 "2009-01-05T03:44:51Z")
That phrase is so boring! As is “_Taken_” or “_I have a boyfriend/girlfriend_” “_Having sex on a regular basis_” is too crude. “_With the old ball and chain_” is vaguely distasteful. I want something funny, something different and creative…so I turn to you Dopers! Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/2 "2009-01-05T04:10:44Z")
Well, it depends on who you’re talking to. If it’s someone who sort of needs to know where they (and you) stand, the standard terms tell them exactly what they need to know. If it’s just goofing around with buddies, you can call it whatever you want. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/3 "2009-01-05T04:14:46Z")
“I’m snuggling with my bunny-wunny exclusively.” ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/4 "2009-01-05T04:18:15Z")
This is one of the reasons people break down and get married\* \*not me. I was smote. ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/5 "2009-01-05T04:23:03Z")
> [@featherlou](#): > > Well, it depends on who you’re talking to. If it’s someone who sort of needs to know where they (and you) stand, the standard terms tell them exactly what they need to know. If it’s just goofing around with buddies, you can call it whatever you want. For both goofing around and letting strangers know. I’d like to do something besides the standard line. Been a long time since I’ve been in a real relationship; I want to have a little fun with it! ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 4:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/6 "2009-01-05T04:49:01Z")
Being in an open marriage makes this even more fun. I’m particularly fond of, “I’m somebody’s “it’s complicated” right now!” 😃 For quite a while I used, “This is [name], my Whatever,” but only if I knew they’d take it in good spirits. ---
**Author:** ![E.Thorp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@E.Thorp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/E.Thorp)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/7 "2009-01-05T05:19:04Z")
Before I was married, at moments when “girlfriend” or “fiancée” seemed too conventional, I used “This is [name], my Person To Contact In Case Of Emergency.” ---
**Author:** ![Alienhand](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8edcca/32.png) [@Alienhand](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alienhand)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/8 "2009-01-05T05:24:40Z")
Depending on the age bracket, “hooked up” in context usually works for me, or “this is my emergency contact” if the SO is present. Of course, I prefer “got a piece and I’m not sharing” with people I know. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/9 "2009-01-05T07:46:07Z")
“Accounted for”? “Paired off”? ---
**Author:** ![Marienee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Marienee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marienee)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/10 "2009-01-05T07:49:24Z")
> [@Lionne](#): > > That phrase is so boring! As is “_Taken_” or “_I have a boyfriend/girlfriend_” > “_Having sex on a regular basis_” is too crude. “_With the old ball and chain_” is vaguely distasteful. > > I want something funny, something different and creative…so I turn to you Dopers! Any ideas? (Southern) He’s my boo. (This works better if you say “Da’s mah boo”). (Southern) He’s my home skillet. I’ll see if I can remember any others. (West coast, refers only to women) She’s my breezer. ---
**Author:** ![maggenpye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecc23a/32.png) [@maggenpye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/maggenpye)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/11 "2009-01-05T09:05:51Z")
This is _name_ , you can’t have him, he’s mine. I gottim and I ain’t lettin’ go. The reason why I grin in the morning. Your bedwarmer, your honey, your lover, your mutually beneficial friend. Mind you, I always got along fine with; “That’s, you know, _him_.” ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/12 "2009-01-05T09:34:14Z")
Off-limit? ---
**Author:** ![Eva\_Luna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e495f1/32.png) [@Eva\_Luna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eva_Luna)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/13 "2009-01-05T09:44:32Z")
My favorite was at my first job after college, when my (50-ish) then-boss introduced me at a party to his S.O. with the following words: “This is my lover, Taffy.” (Also, Taffy was a dentist. I thought that was a great name/profession combo.) ---
**Author:** ![Angua](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8baadc/32.png) [@Angua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Angua)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 9:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/14 "2009-01-05T09:49:43Z")
This worked for us at a conference we were at: “My um, collaborator.” 😉 ---
**Author:** ![lawoot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/35a633/32.png) [@lawoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lawoot)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/15 "2009-01-05T10:34:52Z")
“This is the current user of my genitals.” ? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![legalsnugs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@legalsnugs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/legalsnugs)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/16 "2009-01-05T12:12:49Z")
> [@Marienee](#): > > (Southern) He’s my boo. (This works better if you say “Da’s mah boo”). Maybe in Southern Holland. In the Southern United States, it’s “beau,” pronounced to rhyme with “toe.” And a beau is male only. My suggestion: “Going steady.” What? :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![Marienee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/73ab20/32.png) [@Marienee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marienee)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/17 "2009-01-05T12:20:59Z")
> [@legalsnugs](#): > > Maybe in Southern Holland. In the Southern United States, it’s “beau,” pronounced to rhyme with “toe.” And a beau is male only. I first heard “boo” used by the urban poor in Atlanta. Then I heard it again later when I lived in Winder, Georgia (which is north-ish, near Athens). Beau is for people with money. I didn’t know many of those. ---
**Author:** ![buns3000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c89c15/32.png) [@buns3000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buns3000)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/18 "2009-01-05T12:25:00Z")
Romantically enshackled. ---
**Author:** ![Wallenstein](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b5a626/32.png) [@Wallenstein](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallenstein)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/19 "2009-01-05T13:52:25Z")
An um-friend As in “this is my, um, _friend_” ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2009, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906/20 "2009-01-05T15:27:46Z")
“I’m currently benefitting.” “With whom I’m embedded.” “Co-starring.” Or “This is my Co-Star” “Collaborating” [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/in-a-relationship/479906.md?page=2)