a friend of hers

USAGE SUMMARY

The part of the sentence "a friend of hers" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to a female person and their friend. For example, "She was telling a story to a friend of hers who had recently visited Europe."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Then a friend of hers took her own life.

The Guardian

A friend of hers turned her on to it, and Hayao Miyazaki films in general.

The Guardian - Books

A friend of hers sent her the article a few months later.

Huffington Post

In fact, according to a friend of hers, Britney Spears credits her father for saving her life.

Forbes

A friend of hers was telling her about an acquaintance of theirs who started her own VA company.

Bplans

She is my "friend" and I am a "friend" of hers, well, one of her 2500 "friends".

Huffington Post

"I moved her with a friend of hers named Sam – we moved her to another restaurant nearby.

Independent

She also said that a friend of hers now puts her mail in a cardboard box.

The New York Times

A friend of hers said that, with her death, democracy has died.

The Economist

She said a friend of hers, an actress in her mid-sixties, needed a roommate -- somewhere cheap.

Huffington Post

In her tweet, she accused me of hitting on her and a friend of hers.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a friend of hers", ensure the context clearly indicates that 'hers' refers to a specific female individual. Avoid ambiguity by specifying the individual if needed.

Common error

Avoid confusing "a friend of hers" with "a friend of her". The former is grammatically correct, indicating a friend belonging to her circle, while the latter is incorrect.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a friend of hers" functions as a possessive construction, identifying a friend associated with a specific female individual. It's commonly used to introduce someone within her social circle, as demonstrated by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

10%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

2%

Wiki

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a friend of hers" is a common and grammatically correct way to refer to a female's acquaintance. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is widely accepted in written English and suitable for diverse contexts. The most common context is News & Media, and there are many alternative expressions if you want to provide different connotations or nuances to your writing, as seen in the related phrases. When using this phrase, remember to avoid confusing it with similar but incorrect constructions like "a friend of her".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

one of her friends

Rephrases to specify that the person is among her circle of friends.

a close friend of hers

Adds the adjective 'close' to indicate a stronger bond of friendship.

a companion of hers

Substitutes 'friend' with 'companion', emphasizing companionship and shared experiences.

a buddy of hers

Replaces 'friend' with 'buddy', suggesting a more informal relationship.

a pal of hers

Uses 'pal' instead of 'friend', suggesting a casual and friendly connection.

someone she knows well

Uses a more general phrase to indicate familiarity without specifying the type of relationship.

a confidante of hers

Highlights the aspect of sharing secrets and intimate thoughts.

an acquaintance of hers

Changes 'friend' to 'acquaintance', indicating a less intimate relationship.

a colleague of hers

Indicates a professional relationship rather than a personal one.

a peer of hers

Emphasizes that the person is on the same level or in the same group as her.

FAQs

How do I properly use "a friend of hers" in a sentence?

Use "a friend of hers" to indicate that someone is a friend belonging to a specific woman. For example, "She went to the movies with "a friend of hers" from college".

What's a good alternative to "a friend of hers"?

Alternatives include phrases like "one of her friends" or "a companion of hers", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is there a difference between saying "a friend of hers" and "one of her friends"?

While similar, "a friend of hers" is a general statement, while "one of her friends" implies that the person is part of a larger group of friends she has. Both phrases are grammatically correct.

When should I use "a friend of hers" instead of "her friend"?

Use "a friend of hers" when you want to emphasize that the friend is just one among many, or when introducing a friend without implying any special significance. Use "her friend" when the specific friend is important or has already been mentioned.