"from my father's friend" vs "from a friend of my father"

Question

"from my father's friend" vs "from a friend of my father"

Both phrases are correct, but they convey slightly different meanings. 'From a friend of my father' implies that the person is a friend of the user's father, while 'from my father's friend' indicates that the person is primarily the father's friend. The choice between the two depends on the emphasis the speaker wants to place on the relationship between the father and the friend.

Last Updated: March 25, 2024

This phrase is used to indicate that the person in question is primarily the father's friend.

Examples:

The invitation came from my father's friend.
I got some advice from my father's friend.

Alternatives:

from a friend of my father
from a friend of my dad
from one of my father's friends
from my father's acquaintance
from my father's circle of friends

This phrase is used to indicate that the person in question is a friend of the user's father.

Examples:

I received a gift from a friend of my father.
The message was from a friend of my father.

Alternatives:

from one of my father's friends
from a friend of my dad
from a friend of my father's
from a friend of my father's acquaintance
from a friend of my father's circle

Answer 1

from my father's friend

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

Answer 2

from a friend of my father

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English.

"from my father's friend" vs "from a friend of my father"

from my father's friend

from a friend of my father

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