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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

to find it odd to refer to someone as your "life partner"?

106 replies

HarlowEver · 17/10/2014 19:18

A new guy started at work today and he said something along the lines of he was glad to have got the job as he had recently moved in with his "life partner"

He is straight, as he later referred to his girlfriend.

Would you ever refer to your husband or boyfriend as a "life partner"

OP posts:
wooooosualsuspect · 17/10/2014 19:50

What's wrong with partner?

I've been with my partner for 30 odd years. I'm a bit long in the tooth to call him my boyfriend.

mrsmalcolmreynolds · 17/10/2014 19:50

My first thought was the same as Andrew's - I'm a partner in a business and often get referred to by colleagues as "my partner" professionally. However I can't say it's ever occurred to me to use life partner for other contexts - that could be because DH is DH not DP and we got married in our twenties before calling each other GF and BF felt weird.

Original poster
HarlowEver · 17/10/2014 19:50

I think some people use if to avoid confusion with business partner. And some say business partner to make clear that the person mentioned is just that and no more.

If someone told me they had just moved in with their partner, I very much doubt I would ever think they were living with their business partner Grin

OP posts:
Ragwort · 17/10/2014 19:50

Partner does sound like a business term to me, my husband is also my business partner Confused.

And, Rebecca - at 25 I would certainly use the term 'boyfriend' - I had boyfriends until my mid 30s when I married one. Grin.

merrymouse · 17/10/2014 19:52

I think 'life partner' sounds a bit Adrian Mole in a 23 year old.

wooooosualsuspect · 17/10/2014 19:53

What do you suggest I call my partner then?

He is not my husband. We are not married.

FindoGask · 17/10/2014 19:54

"So what am I suppose to call them?"

Whatever you like.

mrsmalcolmreynolds · 17/10/2014 19:54

Harlow very true but I think the point is that if someone werw used to using partner in a business context (or hearing it in that context) they might automatically use "life partner" in the personal context?

Moln · 17/10/2014 19:54

Are the dislikers of partner married?

He probably said 'life partner' because it seems more commited, or possibly just used a term that described a person he's in a commited relationship with, seemimg he also used girlfriend too

fertilityFTW · 17/10/2014 19:56

Is he South Asian? I've heard it a lot in South Asia.

DealForTheKids · 17/10/2014 19:56

Better than "significant other", I suppose! Confused

heebiegeebie · 17/10/2014 19:57

This is the main reason I got married Grin

TheDogsMissingBollock · 17/10/2014 19:59

Agree, it's bollocks.

Azquilith · 17/10/2014 20:00

I have to stop myself referring to my significant other as my 'DP' at work

wooooosualsuspect · 17/10/2014 20:00

It's one of the reasons I didn't get married. The thought of being someones wife makes me shudder.

merrymouse · 17/10/2014 20:04

I think that in general day to day conversation people assume that your partner is somebody with whom you have a romantic relationship.

If you work for a law firm or in some other business partnership there might the odd occasion where there would be some confusion, but generally not.

raltheraffe · 17/10/2014 20:05

I am married to my husband. Not partner.

Eminybob · 17/10/2014 20:07

Although I would never ever use "life partner" I do call DP my partner. There really isn't any other way to describe him. We're not married, but we've been together 10 plus years and have a DS. He's not merely my boyfriend.

Devora · 17/10/2014 20:10

I'm not going to start talking about my girlfriend - I'm 50!

I'm not going to call her my lover - my kids would die of shame.

I tend to avoid calling her anything (other than her name) unless I have to. Sometimes I have to, and then I say 'partner' quietly and furtively.

60sname · 17/10/2014 20:19

I started saying 'partner' when dh and I got engaged, because fiance felt a bit wanky and attention-seeking. A few people did think it meant I was gay (probably as I was still just about young enough to get away with 'boyfriend')

Thebodyloveschocolateandwine · 17/10/2014 20:25

Life partner is at least hopeful! Bless him.

wantstolickwilliamgraham · 17/10/2014 20:29

I liked partner, my DH hated it. He used to just say I was his girlfriend or fiance- i used partner.

I think partner sounds more professional in work situations when describe boy/girlfriend but it sounds odd if used to describe someone you've only been dating a few weeks.

Life partner is fine if you've been together a while and are in it for life- though DH would disagree, he gt annoyed when i recently called him my partner instead of my husband.

Iamyourmil · 17/10/2014 20:29

Partner sounds too business like.

wantstolickwilliamgraham · 17/10/2014 20:30

I do prefer husband but he's been my partner for ten times the amount of time.

SeattleGraceMercyDeath · 17/10/2014 20:33

DH before he was DH used to get called 'my fella', since he was the father of my two kids and joint owner of our home, 'boyfriend' didn't seem to cover it. Mind 'my fella' looking back makes us sound like we're in a Martine Cole novel so I don't know what is preferable.