Sims 4 relationship types, statuses and romance dynamics
The Sims 4 tracks two separate relationship bars between any two Sims: friendship and romance. Each can go from negative to positive, and together they produce statuses such as acquaintance, friend, best friend, enemy, romantic interest, partner and spouse. Since the Lovestruck expansion (2024), a romantic relationship can also have a dynamic, such as Steamy, Strained or Unpredictable, that describes how the couple gets along. Family links like parent, sibling and grandparent are tracked separately in the family tree.
Friendship
- Acquaintance. You have just met.
- Friend and good friend. The friendship bar has grown through positive interactions.
- Best friend. Sims with a very high friendship can become best friends through a social interaction.
- Disliked and enemy. Mean interactions push the bar below zero.
Romance
- Romantic interest. Flirting has started.
- Boyfriend or girlfriend. A romantic relationship you can ask for when romance is high enough.
- Engaged and married. Propose, then hold a wedding or elope.
- Ex and divorced. After a breakup or divorce.
- WooHoo. The game's term for Sims having sex.
Romance settings and identity
Base-game updates added more options over time. You can set a Sim's sexual orientation, choose whether they are interested in romance or WooHoo at all (including asexual and aromantic options), and set custom pronouns. Romantic boundaries let you decide whether a Sim gets jealous and whether they are open to multiple partners.
Romance dynamics (Lovestruck)
The Lovestruck expansion, released in 2024, adds romance dynamics: labels on a romantic relationship that describe its style. A Steamy couple is driven by passion and physical attraction, a Strained one is going through tension and arguments, and an Unpredictable one swings between highs and lows. The dynamic changes which interactions and moods come up between the two Sims, and it can shift over time as they interact. Lovestruck also adds turn-ons and turn-offs and a romantic satisfaction level.
Family and other relationships
The family tree records parents, children, siblings and extended family. Some expansions add their own ties, such as roommates, coworkers or neighbors.
FAQ
Can Sims be polyamorous in The Sims 4?
Yes. With romantic boundaries set to allow it, a Sim can have multiple partners without jealousy.
What are romance dynamics in The Sims 4?
They are labels from the Lovestruck expansion, such as Steamy, Strained or Unpredictable, that describe the character of a romantic relationship and affect the interactions available to the couple. You need Lovestruck to get them.
What does spouse mean in The Sims 4, and how is it different from a partner?
A spouse is a Sim you are married to. A partner, boyfriend or girlfriend is a committed romantic relationship without marriage; you become spouses only after a proposal and a wedding or elopement.
Can you be married and have a girlfriend in the Sims?
Yes, but by default the spouse gets jealous if they find out, unless both Sims' boundaries allow multiple partners.
Can family members have romantic relationships?
No. The game blocks romance between close relatives.