Freind or Friend: Which Spelling Is Correct?

If you’re wondering whether to write freind or friend, you’re not alone. Many words in the English language are tricky to spell, including this one.

So, which spelling are you supposed to use?

The correct spelling is friend, with the I before the E.

Read on to learn more about how to spell the word friend correctly.

How Do You Spell Friend?

Friend is a noun that refers to a person you know, like, and trust.

The word friend is spelled with an I-E. The word freind with an E-I isn’t a real English word; it’s just a common misspelling.

Here are a few examples of what the correct and incorrect spellings look like:

Incorrect: Jonathan is my best freind.

Correct: Jonathan is my best friend.

Incorrect: How long have the two of you been freinds?

Correct: How long have the two of you been friends?

How Do You Spell Friendship?

If you can spell the word friend, you can spell the word friendship.

Friendship is spelled the same way as friend, with the I before the E. All you need to do is add the suffix -ship to the end.

Here are a few examples of what the correct and incorrect spellings look like:

Incorrect: Platonic freindship is just as important as romantic love.

Correct: Platonic friendship is just as important as romantic love.

Incorrect: My freindship with Rebecca has lasted over ten years.

Correct: My friendship with Rebecca has lasted over ten years.

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Examples of the Spelling Friend in Sentences

The best way to remember how to use a word is to see it in action! Here are some examples of the word friend in sentences from popular English books.

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.”—Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling

“There is nothing I would not do for those who are really my friends. I have no notion of loving people by halves, it is not my nature.”—Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

“What really knocks me out is a book that, when you're all done reading it, you wish the author that wrote it was a terrific friend of yours and you could call him up on the phone whenever you felt like it.”—The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

“Things change. And friends leave. Life doesn't stop for anybody.”—The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky

“You are my best friend as well as my lover, and I do not know which side of you I enjoy the most. I treasure each side, just as I have treasured our life together.”—The Notebook by Nicholas Sparks

“Nobody likes being alone that much. I don't go out of my way to make friends, that's all. It just leads to disappointment.”—Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

How ProWritingAid Can Help You Spell Friends

If you’re not sure you’re spelling friend or other tricky words correctly, you can always run your work through ProWritingAid. The spelling checker will catch spelling errors and help you correct them with a single click!