Friends: 10 Most Iconic Quotes

Friends is arguably one of the most iconic TV shows of all time. The characters are all memorable, and this is partly due to their distinct quirks and personalities. This has led to each character having a number of quotes that have stuck out amongst the 10 seasons of the show.

Out of all the hilarious jokes and emotional moments, some singular lines manage to shine. This can be due to how funny they are, how well they embody the character, or just how much of a gut punch they are to hear. Either way, these Friends quotes are worth discussing.

Joey: Multiple Episodes

“How You Doin’?”

Joey is one of television’s most beloved flirts, and this quote epitomizes that. Viewers likely can’t read the quote without picturing Joey’s exact expression and hearing the quote in his voice. While the quote actually didn’t appear until the fourth season, it feels like it was around for the show’s whole run, for just how quintessentially Joey it is. Joey first uses the quote on Pheobe, who can’t help but smile and giggle.

Throughout the other seasons, the other friends get to put their own spin on the pick-up line, such as Rachel drunkenly responding to Joey, “I’m doin’ good baby, how you doin’?” Overall, it’s a short but iconic quote.

Rachel: “The Last One”

“I Got Off The Plane”

If there was any climactic moment of the show, this would be it. After a decade of will-they-won’t-they, Ross and Rachel finally get together for good in the show’s final episode. This happens after Ross asks Rachel not to take a job in Paris, right before she gets on the plane. Rachel initially turns him away, but then Ross hears over the phone that she wants to get off the plane. She suddenly appears and says that she managed to do just that.

While some fans now wonder if Rachel made the right decision, there’s no denying that this is an iconic moment and the culmination of the show’s longest-running relationship.

Monica: “The One Where It All Began”

“Welcome To The Real World! It Sucks, You’re Gonna Love It.”

Adulthood is hard, and this was made apparent through the show’s first episode. Rachel leaves her wedding, along with her life of wealth and privilege, to make it on her own in the real world. Initially, she doesn’t fully commit, as she relies on her father’s credit cards.

But after the friends make her cut them all up, Monica welcomes her to their world, a world that is filled with a lot more hardships, but one that will ultimately be more fulfilling. This quote has become the pinnacle of young adulthood, as people find out just how tough the real world can be, and every person must find a way to love it.

Ross: “The One With Ross’s Wedding”

“I Ross, Take Thee, Rachel.”

This quote may be one of the cringiest moments on Friends, but that’s part of what makes it so memorable. By this point in the show, Ross and Rachel had technically split up twice. However, Rachel realizes that she is still in love with Ross and goes to stop his wedding. While she doesn’t end up doing that, Ross seems to share the same feelings, as he mistakenly says Rachel’s name while marrying Emily.

This quote was shocking, which can be heard by the gasps in the audience. This moment was so impactful, that it led to the disintegration of Ross’s marriage to Emily, and it’s considered one of the most memorable parts of Ross and Rachel’s timeline.

Chandler: “The One With Ross’s New Girlfriend”

“Okay, You Have To Stop The Q-Tip When There’s Resistance!”

Constantly mocking his intelligence is probably one of the worst things that Chandler does to Joey on Friends, but it’s almost never not funny. This one particular quote is said after Joey gets mixed up about how long he’s known his tailor. Chandler then insinuates that Joey must have some form of brain damage after using a cotton swab in his ear too harshly.

According to Refinery29, Matthew Perry has called this quote his favorite quip on the whole show, which definitely means something when one considers how many he has made. It definitely helps break up the drama of the episode, since Rachel has to come to terms with Ross dating Julie.

Joey: “The One With The Birth Mother”

“Joey Doesn’t Share Food!”

This quote is everything for all the foodies out there. Joey arguably became more childlike as the show went on, and this affected his long-time love of food. He complains that a date took some fries off of his plate, and when Phoebe asks why that’s such a problem, Joey responds with the aforementioned quote. Sure, maybe it’s a selfish sentiment, but it sure is funny.

Joey’s petulant way of saying the quote is hilarious, and viewers probably can’t imagine the quote in anything but Matt LeBlanc’s voice. This is also definitely a very relatable quote, which has helped it stand the test of time as an iconic saying.

Ross: Multiple Episodes

“We Were On A Break!”

Ross and Rachel had many romantic moments, but this was not one of them. During their initial breakup, when Ross sleeps with another woman, there is confusion about whether or not he cheated. According to Ross, they were on a break, so it didn’t count. This led to a years-long argument between the pair, about whether or not they were on a break.

The quote shows how toxic the pair could be at times, but it certainly is funny. The saying has been memed relentlessly, and even the other characters started quoting it as time went on, including the guest star, Hugh Laurie.

Janice: Multiple Episodes

“Oh. My. God!”

Janice is a Friends side character with main character energy, and this quote proves it. She managed to have a catchphrase that was just as iconic as the main six’s sayings, in fact, this quote is probably even more memorable than a lot of them.

This quote was meant to get across how obnoxious and annoying Janice could be, and some of the other characters even mocked her by imitating her. But it became a great quote for whenever the friends became shocked at some turn of events, such as when Chandler realizes that the girl he’s been chatting with online has been Janice all along.

Phoebe: “The One With The Prom Video”

“He’s Her Lobster!”

This quote has now pretty much become a hallmark of relationship sayings and can be found on a lot of Friends merch. Ross and Rachel had a very tumultuous relationship, but they definitely had their highlights. This includes when they officially get together in season 2 after Rachel sees how Ross tried to take her to her prom back in high school.

This quote is said by Phoebe, who initially uses it to convince Ross how he and Rachel are meant to be together. And when the pair eventually do get together, with all of the other friends watching on and smiling, Phoebe smirks and repeats the quote, reminding everyone how she was right all along.

Ross: “The One With The Cop”

“Pivot!”

This is definitely one of the funniest quotes in the whole show, despite only being one word. When Ross, Rachel, and Chandler try to get Ross’ new couch up his stairs, they get stuck in the middle of the staircase, leading to Ross yelling at them to pivot.

Ross begins repeating this quote, getting louder and drawing out the word more and more, which makes it funnier and funnier as the scene goes on. Eventually, Chandler yells at him to shut up in the same manner, resulting in an incredibly hilarious scene. There’s even a blooper of the cast breaking down in laughter during the scene’s filming, which is definitely worth a watch.

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