When does a BF become DP?

[hoops997]

That's it really, when did you consider your bf to be your Dp?

I say partner because it sounds more grown up. Not that I'm that grown up(!)

I used DP on here once the relationship started to get serious. I don't get all the vitriol - it's just a word!

I also use it in a general sense if I want to say something like "partners welcome" if addressing a group who may have a mixture of husbands, wives, girlfriends, boyfriends, civil partners.

I feel it's when you start thinking of a future together. I started thinking of my DP as my partner from when we started dating, but we've been great friend's for so long that to think he was a new 'boyfriend' would be a bit weird and we wouldn't have got into a relationship if we didn't think we could have a future together iyswim?

I prefer partner though. bf/gf is very childish to me and I found that when looking for work with a previous bf prospective employers didn't take me as seriously when I said I was looking for work with my boyfriend as opposed to partner.

To be honest, I think 'dh' has more gravitas to it than 'dp'. Don't get me wrong; it's not as if marriage is watertight at all (as if that needs pointing out here on mn!) but at least it can be said for a fact that the couple have legally-bound themselves together (for what it is worth).
'Dp' could mean ANYTHING; it's really subjective and I wouldn't set any store upon the seriousness of the relationship just because somebody calls their love interest a 'partner'. I mean it might very well be serious but then again it may not be. It just shouldn't be use as a guide to how serious a relationship is or not, that's all.

I call my husband my "babydaddy" when we meet new people. I feel it gives us that respectable edge. He also calls his business partner "my partner" in casual conversation which causes all sorts of confusion and makes people think he's gay.

I continued to call him my boyfriend when we were engaged and he used to correct me because we had children by then and he didn't like how it sounded.

I love him really.

I was rather indifferent about getting married but the best thing about being married was not having to refer to Dh as my 'partner' anymore.

How did you feel when he called you that OP? Had you discussed it?

When you live together.

All this is really subjective, but I wouldn't necessarily use living together as being a sign to use the word 'partner'. Are two 18-year-olds who have shacked up for a months 'partners'? 'Boyfriend' and 'girlfriend' seems far more appropriate.

Living together means nothing -or, more appropriately, doesn't confer anything at all about the seriousness of a relationship. Marriage most definitely does.

"I think after about 30 it sounds a bit childish to say BF or GF."

That kind of puts people over 30 in a bind... It's childish to say BF/GF but you can't be a DP unless you live together, so... what's one to do? Rushing into cohabitation isn't wise just to get an "appropriate" title :)

I'm 34 and my BF is definitely a BF, I'm not sure he'd be my DP even if we did live together. I prefer BF. For what it's worth I've never lived with a partner/boyfriend, so I guess I've never had a DP

'partner' always makes me think of 'sexual partner' for some reason. and makes my teeth itch because of that. but maybe i'm just odd...

Sorry, didn't mean to post and run, I'm 33 and he's 30, I do think he's going to much more than my BF, got a bit of a tingly feeling when he introduced me as his partner