Looking up...
She is my best friend.
C'est ma meilleure amie.
Personne avec qui on a une relation d'affection, de confiance et de loyauté.
I met a friend for coffee yesterday.
J'ai rencontré un ami pour prendre un café hier.
She has been a loyal friend for many years.
Elle est une amie fidèle depuis de nombreuses années.
In French, 'friend' can be translated as 'ami' (male) or 'amie' (female), or more generally as 'copain' (informal) or 'camarade' (in a group context like school).
Remember that 'ami' is masculine and 'amie' is feminine. Use 'amis' for a group of male friends or a mixed group, and 'amies' for a group of female friends.
From Old English 'frēond', meaning 'lover, friend', derived from Proto-Germanic '*frijōndz' (lover, friend), related to 'free' (in the sense of 'beloved'). Cognates include German 'Freund', Dutch 'vriend', and Swedish 'vän'.
In French, 'ami' is the most common translation, but context matters. 'Copain' is more informal and can imply a romantic relationship in some contexts. 'Camarade' is used in group settings, like school or work.