Top 10 Friends Lines We Use All the Time

“The One Where Everybody Finds Out”
No one really wants to see their good friends in an intimate moment. Unfortunately for Phoebe, she had no say in the matter. In the fifth season, she and Rachel are checking out a new apartment for Ross when Phoebe happens to look across the way to Monica’s place. There, she witnesses Chandler and Monica begin to hook up. Poor Phoebe is left traumatized and dramatically screaming while Rachel tries to calm her down. It’s a pretty well-known exclamation at this point, and something about Lisa Kudrow’s cadence just makes it funnier. And to think, we’d never have this line if Monica or Chandler had closed the curtains.

“The One with George Stephanopoulos”
The first season of “Friends” had plenty of memorable lines. In the fourth episode, the girls gather together for a slumber party. During the festivities, Rachel gets a notice from her credit card company, prompting her to get distressed about her finances. This, understandably, bums the other girls out. But, in her typical way, Phoebe is somehow able to make us laugh in the midst of despair. Agreeing with Monica about how she doesn’t have a plan, she cuts the last word short to further illustrate her lackluster situation. It’s a wonderful way of articulating just how lost she feels.

Various
Everyone loves a good catchphrase. Several of the friends had memorable ones — we love Rachel’s hilarious, elongated way of saying “no.” But none were quite as simple as Monica’s trademark. Known for her tendency to be a bit of a know-it-all, it makes sense that her catchphrase would be these two simple words. Whether she’s cooing over her dollhouse, freaking out about a haircut, or even getting married, Monica just can’t help herself. The situations and seasons may change, but she’s just got to let you know that she knows.

“The One with the Birth Mother”
Picture this: You go on a date with someone, and you both order different things. Maybe you try a little bit of your partner’s meal off their plate — that’s normal, right? If you’re Joey Tribbiani, the answer is no. In the tenth season of “Friends,” Phoebe reluctantly sets Joey up on a date with her friend Sarah. But he won’t call her back because apparently, Sarah committed the cardinal sin of taking some food off of Joey’s plate. If you haven’t inserted your name into this statement while jokingly yelling at someone when they take one of your french fries, are you even a real “Friends” fan?

“The One with the Blackout”
Chandler Bing could perfect a phrase — no matter how awkward that phrase may be. Stuck inside an ATM vestibule with model Jill Goodacre in the first season, Chandler puts that skill to the test. In an attempt to break the tension, Jill asks Chandler if he would like some gum. After agonizing over how to speak to the model for what feels like forever, this is his chance. After fumbling his reply by asking a follow-up question, refusing, then reversing course, Chandler eventually settles on accepting a piece with a strange turn of phrase. It’s such a silly way to answer any question, but over the years, this faux pas has become a favorite among “Friends” fans.

“The One with the Prom Video”
If you have even a morsel of “Friends” knowledge, we can bet it has something to do with a certain crustacean. According to Phoebe — although, we’re not sure if this is actually true in real marine biology — lobsters mate for life. With Ross and Rachel going through their habitual romantic issues, Phoebe insists that things will be okay because they’re each other’s lobsters, meaning they mate for life. The cutest invocation of the phrase comes right after Ross and Rachel watch an old prom video where Ross was prepared to take Rachel to the dance if her date didn’t show up. Phoebe’s glee is unmatched.

“The One with the Cop”
If there’s one thing Ross is going to do, it’s yell — and probably pretty loud. Whether it’s about self defense or sushi, the man likes to up his decibels. But there’s one moment that stands far above the rest. The image of Rachel, Chandler, and Ross trying to move a couch up a narrow apartment staircase is an iconic one. The scene is made hilarious by Ross’s continuous yelling of one word. He yells “pivot” so much the word eventually loses all meaning. But that doesn’t stop us from yelling it whenever we have to do any sort of moving work.

“The One with the Jellyfish”
Rachel and Ross end up alright in the end, but there’s always been one question about their relationship dividing “Friends” fans. And no, we’re not talking about whether it’s reasonable to expect someone to read an 18-page letter — front and back. We’re talking about the debate that gave Ross perhaps his most famous line in the show. Were they on a break? The question comes up as a recurring gag, and we know fans could still argue about the answer. No matter what you believe, it’s way too much fun to yell this one out into the ether, David Schwimmer-style.

“The Pilot”
As early as the series pilot, Phoebe was giving us one liners that would last a lifetime. This quote is the perfect excuse for getting out of something you don’t want to do — just tell the truth. After his wife leaves him, Ross asks the gang for help moving his furniture. The guys are reluctantly in, but Phoebe has other plans. Feigning regret, she simply states that she’s not interested in helping out. The scene is proof that sometimes, honesty is the best policy. Try this one out next time you simply don’t want to.

Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.

Joey’s Chandler Impression Never Gets Old

Note to Self: Never Steal Ross’ Sandwich

Joey May Be Wrong about the Saying, But a Cow’s Opinion Is Moo

Monica Schools Chandler on Erogenous Zones

Did Joey Invent the Friend Zone?

Various
Joey Tribbiani is a man of few words. Sometimes, just three will suffice. When it comes to catchphrases, it’s possible that none have really caught on quite like Joey’s favorite pick up line. As far as cheesy remarks go, “how you doin’” is a simple one. But Matt LeBlanc’s delivery is just so charming, he doesn’t need grand gestures. We’re not sure how well the line works in the real world, but we’re sure many have given it a try. If anyone out there has used or been on the receiving end of this iconic catchphrase, we would love to hear about it.