22 different types of relationships (which one are you in?)

We all want love, whether it is a significant other, friendship, or family. 

For most of us, relationships are something that we do not take lightly. Why?

Because not all relationships are the same. Some might be long-term and others short-term, with some being as simple as platonic. 

We know the importance and value of a relationship and how it can enrich our life, but it can be hard to really understand what a relationship is. 

Here is a guide to understanding different types of relationships and how they work.

Some of these types of relationships might just be what you need in life!

1) Friendship

What is friendship?

A friendship is a relationship between two people who interact on a regular basis. Friendships can be casual or long-lasting, and they can be as simple as having lunch with someone once a month or going out to dinner every week. 

You might have multiple friends, and you might have different types of friends (work friends, gym buddies, etc.). 

A friendship is usually considered one of the most important relationships in your life. You will probably have multiple friendships throughout your life, and they are all different in their own way. 

2) Dating

Have you ever dated anyone?

If so, did you consider it serious?

Have you ever wondered why dating is such an overrated relationship at all?

It’s the question you secretly dread and the answer you wish you could avoid. 

Dating is a type of relationship that is defined by its uncertainty. It’s the period in which two people are getting to know each other and they are not yet committed to each other. It is usually a short-term relationship, but it can be long-lasting if both parties agree that it should be. 

Dating can be casual or serious, and it can have varying degrees of commitment (i.e., dating someone casually vs. being exclusive).

And you’d be right if you thought that dating isn’t completely serious. Why?

Because you don’t necessarily have to date just one person; you might date several people at the same time or go on multiple dates with one person before deciding whether or not to commit to them.

3) Platonic relationship

Have you ever loved somebody platonically?

Admit it. I know the feeling too.

It begins with a feeling of comfort and familiarity. 

You feel a sense of belonging, and it is not uncommon that you feel like that person is your best friend. However, things are much more complicated when you love someone platonically.

The relationship between a platonic best friend and her or his friend is one of the most important relationships in life. This person will be your rock, your partner in crime, and the best listener you could ever have.

A platonic relationship can be an incredibly intense connection, and it can have an impact on both parties’ lives. You might find yourself thinking about this person all the time, even though you don’t have romantic feelings for them. In fact, you might love this person more than anyone else in your life!

Not surprisingly, this is usually considered one of the most important types of relationships in your life because you are spending so much time with this person and opening up to them.

4) Romantic relationship

Have you ever been in love?

It’s an amazing feeling, but it is not something that everyone gets to experience. Some people are lucky enough to find love in their lifetime; they feel butterflies in their stomachs and can’t get the object of their affection off their minds.

However, others will never fall in love because they have such a negative view of relationships that they don’t allow themselves to feel true love at all.

Romantic relationships are the most common type of relationship, and this is probably why we hear so much about them in pop culture and music.  They are often portrayed as passionate, intense, and exciting.

Sometimes, it is easy to fall into the trap of thinking that all relationships should be like this. But the truth is that not all relationships are romantic, and there’s nothing wrong with that at all!

5) Engagement (i.e. marriage)

Do you believe in marriage?

Then, chances are high you’ll like this one.

It is not as popular nowadays as it used to be, but there are still many people who prefer this type of relationship.

It is basically a big commitment, so you should only enter into such a relationship if you are ready for it. What exactly does an engagement involve? You have to make your partner your best friend and share everything with them – your feelings, problems, and plans for the future. In return, you can expect them to do the same.

Did you know that in most countries, getting married is considered the ultimate way to show that you love someone?

However, believe it or not, there are people who don’t believe in marriage at all. They argue that it is just another way of trapping people in relationships they don’t want to be in. 

Some even say that marriage was created by men so they could own their wives and make them do whatever they wanted. Is this true? Do we need to get married to prove our love for someone? What do you think about all of it?

One thing is for sure – there’s no escape from the relationship until death does you apart! But if that’s what you want, then engagement is the perfect choice for you!

6) Business relationship

Do you have any business partners in life?

If so, then this relationship is definitely familiar to you!

To me, however complex they might sound, business relationships are much easier than social relationships. How so?

In fact, this type of relationship doesn’t involve a lot of emotional connection. It is about getting the job done, and that’s it.

For instance, you might have met someone in the gym and agreed to meet up again at some point. If you have ever been in such a situation, then you know what I am talking about.

It can be a great opportunity to get to know someone better and see if there could be something more between the two of you. However, if your goals are different from each other’s, then chances are high that things might not work out after all!

7) Family relationships

Have you ever heard the saying “family is everything”? I’m sure you have!

But do you actually understand what it means?

To me, it means that family relationships are of the utmost importance to us. It is where we learn about love, commitment, and responsibility – all the things that are essential for a happy and successful life.

And can I be totally honest with you?

There’s no chance that you can find deeper love outside of your family. Why?

Because your family members will always be there for you.

And not only that – the relationships we have with our family members are important to us no matter what.

But the thing is that not all families are created equal. And that’s what makes family relationships so interesting.

From my point of view, they are the hardest relationships to maintain because they require a lot of work and sacrifice on our part. But in return, we get something priceless!

That’s why if you ever get into a fight with your brother or sister, you will most likely find a way to make up. You might even apologize for something you didn’t do!

8) Intimate relationships

What is intimacy?

Intimacy is a feeling of closeness and emotional connection with another person.

It is a form of bonding that is characterized by trust and the sharing of personal and private information, thoughts, feelings, beliefs, and dreams. Intimacy generally refers to a romantic or sexual relationship, but can also be shared among other people in relationships such as friendships, which are intimate in their own way.

As you can see, intimacy is much more than just physical attraction.

Think I’m exaggerating?

Actually, I’m not because it’s about getting to know someone on a deeper level and sharing your deepest fears and desires with them.

But why do we need intimacy anyway? Why do we feel the need for another person? 

Well, I think that it’s because we need someone who can lift us up when we’re down. We need someone to share our joy with.

And the best part is that we’re not looking for a perfect person.

We just need someone who will be there for us, no matter what happens.

9) Work relationships

Working in an office can be pretty stressful sometimes, especially when you have a boss that doesn’t understand you or your needs.

What’s even more frustrating is when your boss gives you more work than you can handle!

Sounds familiar, doesn’t it?

But what if I told you that you could have a better working environment?

What if I told you that it’s possible to have a boss that will help you grow, who will support you and make your work not only more enjoyable but more productive as well?

But how can you get this type of relationship?

Well, first of all, you must understand that the best way to get what you want is by being nice. You see, when we’re nice to people they are more likely to be nice back. And the same thing applies in relationships.

So, if you want to have a better relationship with your boss or co-workers, just be nice!

10) Acquaintance relationships

Do you know what makes relationships last for long?

If not, then I’ll tell you that it’s emotional attachment and commitment.

But in acquaintance relationships, there’s no commitment, isn’t it?

It means that you can choose to end the relationship whenever you want.

But the thing is that we tend to bring all of our insecurities and fears into this type of relationship. We don’t want to look bad or be rejected, so we try to control the situation before it gets out of hand.

And it doesn’t even matter if this person is your best friend or just someone that you talk to every now and then; you will still feel insecure.

11) Long-distance relationships

If you enjoy watching modern romantic comedies, chances are that you’re aware of the struggles of long-distance relationships.

In simple words, long-distance relationships are hard.

It’s challenging to stay in a relationship when you don’t see your partner every day. And it can be even more challenging when you’re not even sure if they will last.

But the thing is if you want to have a long-distance relationship, just know that it requires patience, dedication, and commitment from both sides.

12) Unhealthy relationships

Not all relationships are healthy.

Do you understand what makes a relationship healthy?

I think it’s the ability of both partners to be themselves.

The thing is that some people don’t know how to have a healthy relationship, and some people have no desire to have one. So, they just keep on having unhealthy relationships over and over again. 

Still, how can a relationship be unhealthy?

Well, it can be unhealthy if one of the partners doesn’t feel safe or respected. And I’m not talking about physical safety here.

I’m talking about emotional safety.

And you can tell that a relationship is unhealthy when you feel like your partner doesn’t respect you or they don’t really care about your feelings.

And if you’re in an unhealthy relationship, then it’s time to make a change!  You deserve better than that! 

13) Relationship with yourself

I know this might sound weird to you, but do you actually love yourself? Or better yet, do you even like yourself? If not, then why is that? 

If we don’t love ourselves, the chances of someone else loving us are highly unlikely.

However, if we don’t like ourselves, then it’s even more unlikely that someone else will like us.

But wait a minute.

Have you ever thought about what it actually means to have a healthy relationship with yourself?

What does it mean to have a relationship with yourself at all?

Well, to me, it means being yourself.

• It means not caring what other people think about you.
• It means doing what you want to do, no matter what others tell you to do.
• If we have a relationship with ourselves, then we will know exactly how our partner feels about us.

And that’s because we will know how we feel about ourselves.

14) Cross-cultural relationships

How do you make a new friend?

Well, you probably just go up to someone and say “Hey!  What’s your name?  Do you want to be my friend?”  And then they say yes. And then you have a friend. Right?

But what if we are in different countries, different cultures? What if we don’t even speak the same language? How can we be friends with someone who doesn’t speak our language?

It’s not easy, but it’s possible. And it is possible because we have the power to love and accept people no matter where they come from or what they look like.

How do I know this?

Well, I know this because I have friends from all over the world. And I know that if we love, accept, and understand each other, then we can all be friends.

Still, cross-cultural relationships are different from the usual types of relationships. They can be friendships, romantic love, platonic love, casual relationships, or business relationships, but they can still be cross-cultural.

15) Toxic relationships

I know I already mentioned unhealthy relationships, but toxic relationships are on a completely new level.

Toxic relationships are relationships that are very unhealthy. They can be abusive, violent, or even dangerous.

People who have toxic relationships are usually people who have been hurt in the past and don’t know how to deal with it. They don’t know how to forgive or forget the past, and they keep on hurting people in different ways.

Believe it or not, I think every relationship is toxic at some points.

But there are some relationships that are more so than others.

For example, if you have a romantic relationship with someone who has been physically or emotionally abusive towards you, then that’s a really bad one.

If you have a romantic relationship with someone who is mentally unstable or has been diagnosed with any mental illness, then that’s also a really bad one.

If you have a romantic relationship with someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, then it’s definitely not

How can we tell if we have a toxic relationship?

Well, there are some signs of a toxic relationship:  

• The person being abused is too afraid to leave
• The person being abused is too afraid to tell anyone what’s happening
• The person being abused is too afraid to get help
• The person being abused doesn’t talk about their

And these are just a few examples of toxic relationships.

16) Online dating and internet-based relationships

Have you ever used online dating apps like Tinder?

Have you ever swiped right on someone and thought, “Who is this person?”

Admit it. We’ve all been there. And if you haven’t before, you should definitely try it!

Internet-based relationships have become more popular over the years.

And I don’t think it’s a coincidence that they have become so popular.

In the past, people didn’t have access to the internet, so it was hard to meet people who lived far away from you. But now, everyone has access to the internet. And this means that people can meet each other without having to meet in person.

Internet-based relationships are different from typical relationships because they are virtual and not face-to-face. And guess what?

Online dating is a way for people to find a potential mate through the internet. You can use it to meet people from all over the world. You can have a one-night stand or you can meet someone and fall in love.

It’s completely up to you. You can just go on online dating sites for fun, or you can go on them like a job, looking for a potential partner.

Sometimes people think that online dating is cheating because it involves meeting someone face-to-face without being in the same town as them. But that’s not always true. Some people use online dating apps to just get to know someone before they meet them in person.

It’s completely up to you, and it’s completely up to the person you’re meeting online. You can do whatever you want. So just be careful with your choice because it can have a huge impact on your life and on the relationship that you end up having with that person.

17) Complicated relationships

If you haven’t had a complicated relationship ever, it might be a bit hard to explain.

But if you haven’t had a complicated relationship ever, you might think that it’s easy to explain.

Complicated relationships are very common in today’s society. In fact, I bet that there are tons of people out there who have gone through a complicated relationship before.

It’s not always easy to find someone who is right for you. Sometimes, you feel like things are going well, and then suddenly everything goes wrong and it gets really hard to get back on track no matter how hard you try.

And sometimes it just doesn’t work out at all, and the relationship ends up being horrible. And if this happens, no one is sure what will happen next because they don’t know what to expect from the other person.

And because of all the uncertainty, it’s hard to get back on track and make things right again. So if you’re in a complicated relationship, you might not know what to expect from the other person next.

18) On and off relationship

Have you watched the TV show called “Normal People”?

Actually, it’s one of my favorites. And it’s the definition of an “on and off relationship”.

It’s a show about two people who are best friends. And then they start dating, and it works out for a while. And then the person gets bored, and the relationship ends up falling apart.

And then they get back together, and it works out for a while again. And then the person gets bored, and their relationship falls apart again.

I’m not trying to spoil you here, but you should know the dangers of this type of relationship.

And if that happens, there’s no telling when the other person will get bored or if they’ll ever get back together again.

In simple words, it’s like a rollercoaster ride where the two people are riding on top of it, but they don’t know which way it will go next or how long they have to ride on it before they fall off of it completely.

19) Love-hate relationship

Have you ever been in a relationship where you just don’t like the person, but they still make you feel like you do?

It can be really hard to not like someone, even though deep down inside, you know that they’re bad for you.

And if this happens to you, it can be really hard to get over it and move on.  You might think that if the person leaves or dies, then everything will go back to normal again. But it doesn’t work out like that at all.

You might think that things will get better after a while and that the other person will change for the better. But it doesn’t work out like that either.

And because of all the pain and suffering, you might never be able to get over it.

20) Soulmate relationship

What do you know about twin flames?

Twin flames are people who are meant to be together.  These two people have a “soul mate” connection, and their souls are one and the same.

What makes this type of relationship so special?

Well, it’s basically the love of your life. And you can’t live without that person.

And even if you do, it’s not the same as when you were with them before, because it’s different now.  It’s also like a new relationship because your soulmate has a different energy from the person they were before.

Twin flames can have many things in common. They might even look alike, they might have the same personality traits, or they might even be really good friends with each other.

But no matter what, these two people will always know that they’re soul mates and that they were meant to be together for eternity.

So if you’ve ever heard of this term before, then you should know that it’s just another way of saying “soulmate relationship“.

21) Friends with benefits (casual relationship)

Have you ever dated someone just for fun?

If so, did you consider it serious?

If not, do you think it’s possible?

Whether you like it or not, casual relationships are all about fun and sex. Some people argue that this type of relationship is just a one-night stand, but there are a few differences between them.

For starters, casual relationships can last for several months or years; they have an emotional connection and physical intimacy, so they are not just about sex. There’s no commitment in this kind of relationship, and both parties know that from the beginning.

Does it mean that you don’t care about the other person? Not necessarily! It is possible to have feelings for someone and still not want to commit to them.

22) Love triangle relationship

Ever wondered why love triangles are so common in movies and books?

Well, it’s because they’re actually very common in real life.

But what is a love triangle?

A love triangle is a relationship where there are three people involved. There’s someone who likes you, someone who likes them, and then there’s a third person that nobody likes.

It’s basically when you have two people who like each other and want to be together.  But there’s also another person who wants them to be together too.

And these two people don’t know how to choose between the two of them, because they all want them to be with each other. This can cause a lot of stress and confusion in the relationship. And sometimes, things can get really bad between the three of them.

Final thoughts

Relationships are a part of life. They may be hard and complicated, but relationships won’t always be what you want them to be. This is something that we all have to deal with.

Whether you’re in a relationship or just looking for one, we hope this guide helped you figure out the different types of love and romance that exist.