I’ve just come across the term ‘work friend’ for the first time, isn’t that interesting ;-)? So, how and when do you say ‘work friend’ and how is it different from ‘coworker’ or ‘colleague’? Vielen Dank im voraus.[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, talks: Potential byer leaves voice message expressing his interest in purchasing a used car advertised online[YSaerTTEW443543]
For ‘work friend’, I would rely on the Urban dictionary definition there: “Someone you connect with at work (ie send same-time messages all day, take bathroom breaks together and share your lunch)”.
The point is that you both feel comfortable in each other’s company when at your office hours. Perhaps needless to say that’s not always the case with your colleagues\coworkers\fellow workers.
I’m just trying to imagine how I would take bathroom breaks together with another person and I’m failing miserably ;-)[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, talks: Employee announces mark-downs at several departments in a hypermarket[YSaerTTEW443543]
You mean it’s all different in your neck of the woods?
As a student\employee, those bathroom breaks\smoking breaks were the instances to me to loosen up, to have a chat and a proper work friend on hand was never looked at as an inconvenience. 
Well, I personally can’t recall a single time I went to the bathroom with another person so maybe this is a generation issue rather than a cultural one ;-)[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, talks: TV presenter gives traffic report including news of a broken down vehicle and other delays[YSaerTTEW443543]
Maybe it’s just me, but when I hear talk about having a friend on hand for my bathroom break, my mind goes down the wrong paths - I guess I’m just corrupted. To me “work friends” would be the subset of your coworkers whom you might go out for drinks after work with.
Oh. My. God.
What papers do you read and what TV channels do you watch over there to be that obsessed with that bathroom theme?
I’ve just cited, partly, the dictionary’s definition. In full, it goes;
“Someone you connect with at work (ie send same-time messages all day, take bathroom breaks together and share your lunch). The way in which you interact at work leads people to believe you are best friends when in reality you would never been seen outside work with them.
Steve: So are you inviting Tonya to the Pub Crawl?
Jessica: No bro, she’s a total work friend.” urbandictionary.com/define. … k%20friend
–They state (and I agree) that a work friend and a real friend are more often than not, two persons, not one. You chat, you crack a joke, you can go for advice, then you say ‘bye’ and don’t think about the person till next office day. And when I said “you both feel comfortable in each other’s company”, I didn’t mean anything ‘post-watershed’, upon my word!
In my view, though that is a new term, we may take it literally to mean that a work friend is a person who may be your colleague but not necessarily a friend. When you say someone is your colleague you mean a relationship closer than when you say he is your work friend.
Have you heard of “work wife” or “work husband”?
That refers to a colleague of the opposite gender with whom you have a close but totally platonic relationship at work.
No, but they look really strange, Jim.
The concept of a ‘work wife’ sounds very intriguing How about a ‘working wife’?[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, talks: Radio commercial for special sale days for mattresses[YSaerTTEW443543]
I’m afraid changing into ‘working wife’ or ‘working husband’ completely alters the concept.
Don’t be afraid of anything, TH ;-)[YSaerTTEW443543]
TOEIC listening, talks: School authority official announces cancellation of after-school programs because of bad weather[YSaerTTEW443543]
Thanks, Torsten, for your advice.
You’re welcome. Gern geschehen)