Are They a Good Friend?

Take this quiz to find out!

You have a friend—but how good of a friend are they? Are they a bestie? Or a frenemy?

Answer these 12 quick questions about your pal, and we’ll tell you exactly how good of a friend they are to you. To find out if they’re really your best friend, click “Start Quiz” now.

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Questions Overview

1. Your friend calls unexpectedly. Why do you think they’re calling?
  1. Just to chat, of course!
  2. They were probably bored and wanted to gossip.
  3. They wanted to complain to me about their problems.
  4. I don’t know, but they’re probably going to tease me or make fun of me.
2. You confess to your friend that you’ve got a major crush on someone. How do they react to hearing who it is?
  1. “Fun! You should go for it. Honestly, you’re out of their league, but in my opinion, no one is in your league!”
  2. “Nice!”
  3. “Them? Why?”
  4. “I doubt they’d go for you.”
3. Your crush asks you out! How does your bud react?
  1. They’re super excited for you and want to hear all the details.
  2. They’re happy for you, and then the conversation moves on.
  3. They scoff and say, “Good luck, I guess.”
  4. They’re shocked that your crush even looked in your direction.
4. You just got dumped. What does your friend do when you tell them?
  1. They enfold you in a big hug and say, “It’s going to be OK.”
  2. They say they’re sorry and ask if they can do anything.
  3. They shake their head and say, “Well, I can’t say I didn’t see it coming.”
  4. They laugh in your face.
5. How often does your friend compliment you?
  1. All the time!
  2. Frequently.
  3. Not too often.
  4. Never.
6. You overhear someone gossiping about you, and your friend is in the crowd. How does your friend react?
  1. They defend you immediately.
  2. They sit there silently, but they tell you what was said as soon as the conversation is over.
  3. They laugh and join in.
  4. My friend probably was the person saying mean things about me...
7. You’re going through a tough time. Is your friend there for you?
  1. Yes, definitely.
  2. Sometimes.
  3. Not really.
  4. Definitely not.
8. You’ve got good news. Is your friend one of the first people you share it with?
  1. Yes, the very first!
  2. Definitely one of the first.
  3. Probably not.
  4. No way.
9. Does your friend ever make you feel bad about yourself?
  1. No, never.
  2. Not often.
  3. Sometimes.
  4. All the time.
10. Your friend is having a party. Are you invited?
  1. Of course—I’m co-hosting!
  2. Yes, most likely.
  3. Maybe—haven’t gotten an invite yet.
  4. No, they distinctly said I’m not invited.
11. What do you love most about your friend?
  1. They’re always there for me when I need them, and they know just what to say.
  2. They don’t judge me.
  3. They’re fun.
  4. I’m not sure, to be honest.
12. Do they tell you the truth?
  1. Always, even when it’s hard. But they make sure to do it in a gentle, kind way.
  2. Usually. I don’t think my friend would tell me the truth if it would hurt my feelings.
  3. Maybe? I don’t know.
  4. No definitely not. I’ve caught them lying to me a couple of times already.

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You two have the perfect friendship: there\u2019s fairly even give and take, but it\u2019s not a transactional relationship. You enjoy the same interests, spend loads of time together, and even finish each other\u2019s sentences. You both genuinely enjoy, appreciate, and care about one another, and neither of you could imagine doing life without the other. BFF goals!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-a-Great-Best-Friend"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Fun-With-Friends"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be a Better Best Friend","id":92749,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-a-Great-Best-Friend","image":"\/images\/thumb\/1\/14\/Be-a-Great-Best-Friend-Step-20.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-a-Great-Best-Friend-Step-20.jpg","alt":"How to Be a Better Best Friend"},{"title":"How to Have Fun With Friends","id":1393997,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Have-Fun-With-Friends","image":"\/images\/thumb\/0\/00\/Have-Fun-With-Friends-Step-17.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Have-Fun-With-Friends-Step-17.jpg","alt":"How to Have Fun With Friends"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"They\u2019re a pretty good friend.","meaning":"Based on your answers, your friend knows you well and loves you a lot. They might not be your number-one BFF, but they\u2019re a good friend and they\u2019ve generally got your best interests at heart. Maybe you\u2019re just not as compatible as you are with some of your other buds, or maybe you just need more time to warm up to one another! As it is right now, you probably hang out in the same friend group, but they\u2019re not your go-to pal when you\u2019re going through a crisis or need someone to vent to.

But who knows? In time, they could become one of your most trusted pals! If you\u2019d like to become better friends, try inviting them to hang out one-on-one now and again. Maybe you could catch a movie together, become study buddies, get ice cream, or do some other activity that\u2019s always more fun with a buddy!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-a-Good-Friend"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-a-Best-Friend"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be a Good Friend","id":27354,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-a-Good-Friend","image":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Be-a-Good-Friend-Step-20.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-a-Good-Friend-Step-20.jpg","alt":"How to Be a Good Friend"},{"title":"How to Make a Best Friend","id":131304,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-a-Best-Friend","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/5b\/Make-a-Best-Friend-Step-11.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Make-a-Best-Friend-Step-11.jpg","alt":"How to Make a Best Friend"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"They might not be a great friend.","meaning":"Based on the answers you gave, this person doesn\u2019t seem to have your best interests at heart. Maybe they just don\u2019t really know how to be a good friend\u2014maybe they\u2019ve never had one! But if hanging out with them leaves you feeling unsure of yourself or doubtful about your relationship, it may be time to get some distance from them.

However, it could also be that they don\u2019t realize how their behavior makes you feel, and it might be worth it to gently confront them about it. Try taking them aside next time they disrespect you, gossip about you, or criticize you, and tell them how it makes you feel when they do that. Maybe all they need is a kick in the pants!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-a-Good-Friend"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Friends"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Be a Good Friend","id":27354,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Be-a-Good-Friend","image":"\/images\/thumb\/b\/bd\/Be-a-Good-Friend-Step-20.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Be-a-Good-Friend-Step-20.jpg","alt":"How to Be a Good Friend"},{"title":"How to Make Friends","id":8041,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Friends","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/53\/Make-Friends-Step-19-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Make-Friends-Step-19-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Make Friends"}],"minimum":0},{"text":"They sound like a bad friend.","meaning":"Based on the answers you gave, this person sounds more like a bully than a buddy. It\u2019s tough to realize someone you\u2019d like to be on better terms with might not really have your best interests at heart, but trust us, you\u2019ll probably be happier getting some distance from them. If you can\u2019t get distance from them\u2014say they\u2019re in your friend group or you have a lot of classes together\u2014there are some steps you can take to get some emotional<\/i> distance from them and maybe deter them from bullying you.

Being confident and laughing off a rude comment from them will show them they can\u2019t get to you\u2014even if what they say is hurtful, and you have to \u201cfake it \u2018til you make it.\u201d It might also be worth it to try talking to them about how their behavior affects you. It\u2019s possible they just don\u2019t really realize the effect they have, and they\u2019ll back off when they realize they\u2019re losing friends over their actions. No matter what route you take, stay strong! It\u2019s tough dealing with a wolf in sheep\u2019s clothing in your friend group, but we have faith in you!","edit_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Deal-With-Bullies"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Friends"}],"link_data":[{"title":"How to Deal With Bullies","id":15682,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Deal-With-Bullies","image":"\/images\/thumb\/7\/75\/Deal-With-Bullies-Step-13-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Deal-With-Bullies-Step-13-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Deal With Bullies"},{"title":"How to Make Friends","id":8041,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Make-Friends","image":"\/images\/thumb\/5\/53\/Make-Friends-Step-19-Version-3.jpg\/-crop-200-200-200px-Make-Friends-Step-19-Version-3.jpg","alt":"How to Make Friends"}],"minimum":0}]" class="quiz_results_data"/>\"Does<\/picture>","alt":"Does He Like Me Quiz"},{"title":"Couple Compatibility Test","id":13816755,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relationships\/Couple-Compatibility-Test","image":"\"Couple<\/picture>","alt":"Couple Compatibility Test"},{"title":"Did My Parents Have a Negative Parenting Style Quiz","id":13840209,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Negative-Parenting-Test","image":"\"Negative<\/picture>","alt":"Did My Parents Have a Negative Parenting Style Quiz"}],"number":1},{"text":"I want to learn about the way my brain works. ","result":"Try one of these quizzes about psychology:","next_quizzes":[{"title":"Do I Have Synesthesia Quiz","id":14248845,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Synesthesia-Test","image":"\"Synesthesia<\/picture>","alt":"Do I Have Synesthesia Quiz"},{"title":"Am I Smart Quiz","id":14334648,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Am-I-Smart","image":"\"Am<\/picture>","alt":"Am I Smart Quiz"},{"title":"Am I a Narcissist or an Empath Quiz","id":13393224,"url":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/Relationships\/Am-I-a-Narcissist-or-an-Empath-Quiz","image":"\"Am<\/picture>","alt":"Am I a Narcissist or an Empath Quiz"}],"number":2}]}" class="quiz_questionnaire_data"/>

What Makes a Good Friend?

What makes some friends better than others? Sometimes, it comes down to compatibility—you might just have more in common or share more values with one person versus another. Or maybe you’d love to be better friends with someone who’s just not really available for a new friend at the moment, whether because they’re busy, already have a lot of close relationships, or just…aren’t interested (which hurts, but it’s no crime).

But other times, what makes a good friend comes down to a person’s willingness and ability to show empathy, respect, and care to their friends, and the energy they put into keeping up the relationship.

In other words, someone might not be a great friend to you—but whether it’s because they just aren’t compatible or they don’t know how to be a kind, respectful, generous pal just depends on the situation!

Want to learn more?

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  • Anonymous

    Oct 9

    "I loved that there weren't too many questions and it was realistic!"
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