Summary

• Jennifer Aniston has some great line deliveries in her quotes as Rachel in Friends.
• Many of her best quotes demonstrate Rachel's growth as a character.
• Rachel has just as many memorable emotional quotes as she does hilarious ones.

More than a decade after Friends (1994-2004) wrapped up with an emotional finale, the show remains iconic - and incredibly quotable. While plenty of the humor didn't age well (or just doesn't apply in the modern world), much of it is as relevant as ever, and fans still love to talk about what happened to Monica, Chandler, Joey, Phoebe, Ross, and of course, Rachel, after the cameras stopped rolling. Rachel Green (Jennifer Aniston) has arguably the best arc on the show - starting out as a spoiled Daddy's girl, she learns how to stand on her own two feet, and then how to pursue a career that she loves, deal with a surprise pregnancy, and even figure out her relationship with Ross.

Her best lines in the show are the ones where Jennifer Aniston's film career has continued to soar since her time on the show, she is always going to be Rachel Green to Friends fans.

21 "No Uterus, No Opinion." (To Ross)

The One With the Secret Closet (Season 8, Episode 14)

When Rachel is pregnant, she's dealing with a lot - not just her pregnancy, and what that may mean for her career, but also her relationship with Ross.

When Rachel is pregnant, she's dealing with a lot - not just her pregnancy, and what that may mean for her career, but also her relationship with Ross. While they may not be romantically involved, Ross wants to be a good (and present) father, and is struggling with missing out on big moments in Rachel's pregnancy (and trying to balance that with his relationship with Mona).

This scene, where Rachel goes to the hospital with Braxton-Hicks contractions, perfectly sums up the dynamic. Joey is the one who takes her, and Ross rushes in at the end - and then tells Rachel that "most women don't even feel them". His dismissive phrasing, especially after an equally dismissive doctor, pushes Rachel to snap 'no uterus, no opinion'.

It's funny and relatable, but this quote has more depth than it seems to at first. Rachel is standing up to Ross, without agonizing over it, which shows how far their relationship has come. However, it also shows just how Joey has become the one man in her life that is really listening to her, and caring for her during the pregnancy. On top of that, it's a brilliant reminder that Ross does already have a child, even if he doesn't see him often.

20 “Everything You Need To Know Is In That First Kiss.” (To Chandler, Ross, And Joey)

The One With The Sonogram At The End (Season 1, Episode 2)

In just the second episode of the series, the group of friends have a discussion about dating and physical intimacy. While the guys are all about sex, Rachel explains to them that the first kiss in a relationship is enough to tell if two people are physically compatible or not. It’s one of the many times in the show that a clear divide is placed between the men and women of the group of friends.

While the guys go on to compare a kiss to the opening act of a band they really want to see, Rachel points out that plenty of women are going to prefer the opening act, and the guys shouldn’t just write it off. The frank discussion is one of the first the group has about sexuality and relationships, and it paves the way for them to be willing to talk with one another about anything.

19 “Will You Guys Stop? Giving Birth Is One Of The Most… Oh My... Why Is That Child Torturing That Lady???” (To Chandler And Monica)

The One With The Birthing Video (Season 8, Episode 15)

As the friends age, marriage and children become part of the norm in the show. While most dramas would paint childbirth as the best thing in the world, Friends is a sitcom, so it doesn’t entirely take that approach. While children and families are loved on the show, the actual birthing process, not so much.

Phoebe brings a recording of one of her friends giving birth for Monica to see the full birthing process. Chandler actually gets a hold of it before Monica does, and the video terrifies them both. Rachel is one of the last to see the recording, not understanding why everyone is making a big deal out of it, until she actually watches part of the video.

Childbirth, though it is a miracle, is said to be one of the most painful processes a woman can go through. It fundamentally alters her body, shifting organs, and is incredibly dangerous. It can be both a miracle and terrifying, and fodder for comedy, and Friends pulls all of that off with Jennifer Aniston’s delivery of this line as she starts talking mid-video.

18 “Isn’t That Just Kick-You-In-The-Crotch, Spit-On-Your-Neck Fantastic?” (To Everyone)

The One With Ross’s New Girlfriend (Season 2, Episode 1)

Ross and Rachel are the ultimate will-they-or-won’t-they couple in television. Though season 1 sees Ross spend a lot of time pining over Rachel, Rachel finds out how he feels about her by the end of the season. As season 2 kicks off, Rachel is prepared to tell Ross she might have feelings for him too. Unfortunately for Rachel, when Ross comes back to New York from China in the season 2 premiere, he does so with a new girlfriend.

Rachel tries to put on a brave face when she finds out, but she’s hurt and angry, and this line is what comes out to express how “happy” she is for Ross. Aniston’s delivery of the line manages to be upbeat, sarcastic, and angry all at once, which is why it’s one of Rachel’s most memorable responses in the show.

17 “I Got The Date. I’m Just Not On It.” (To Ross)

The One With Rachel’s Crush (Season 4, Episode 13)

Rachel has always found herself popular with men, not having to ask someone out, because she’s always the one getting asked. That changes in the fourth season of Friends. Unfortunately, Rachel makes a mistake when she attempts to ask a guy out with two tickets to a game. When she mentions her tickets, she doesn’t mention that she wants to go with him, prompting this exchange between Joey, Rachel, and Ross:

Joey: OK, for next time, what do you say?

Rachel: I have an extra ticket, an extra ticket, not two tickets. I have an extra ticket.

Ross: So the first time you asked a guy out he turned you down?

Rachel: He didn't turn me down. He's at the game isn't he? I got the date, I'm just not on it.

While Ross finds the entire thing hilarious since he spent so much time pining for Rachel, but they didn’t work out (yet), Rachel tries to save the situation. She believes that she was successful, because he took the tickets, just that there was a slight miscommunication. It’s a hilarious moment in which Rachel realizes she has to be more specific about what she wants.

16 “Everyone I Know Is Either Getting Married Or Getting Pregnant Or Getting Promoted, And I'm Getting Coffee! And It's Not Even For Me!” (To Everyone)

The One With George Stephanopoulos (Season 1, Episode 4)

...it doesn’t take long for her to feel like waiting tables is leaving her standing still while everyone she knows is moving forward.

In the first episode of the series, Rachel has never had to have a job, and when she runs out on her wedding, she has to start her life over completely, needing a job to help with the bills in Monica’s apartment. She gets a job waiting tables at Central Perk in just the second episode, but it’s made very clear that Rachel is a terrible waitress. She hates the job, and it doesn’t take long for her to feel like waiting tables is leaving her standing still while everyone she knows is moving forward.

There is nothing wrong with waiting tables to pay the bills or waiting tables because someone loves working in a restaurant. For Rachel, however, waiting tables is a symbol of what she doesn’t want in life. She doesn’t see it as a way to move forward, and she has a brief breakdown in which she worries about the future. Of course, because it’s Jennifer Aniston, the breakdown isn’t just Rachel being sad and dramatic, but also her being petulant and whiny, making the audience laugh, because Rachel hasn’t yet had much of her character arc.

15 “Why Can’t Parents Just Stay Parents, You Know? Why Do They Have To Become People?” (To Joey)

The One With the B**bies (Season 1, Episode 13)

Throughout the show, the Friends' parents show up from time to time - and usually, in a way that causes chaos for the gang. In this early episode, Joey has a visit from his father... and his father's mistress. He is, understandably, furious about the situation, and tells his father to break things off. However, Mrs Tribbiani also makes an appearance to tell him that she knew all along, and that she genuinely didn't mind.

Now, however, Joey's well-intentioned meddling has caused all kinds of trouble. Rachel's part in the episode is largely as the start of a series of ridiculous mishaps, where the gang all try and catch each other naked in the shower, but she does also deliver this great line of comfort to Joey.

Throughout the show, Rachel deals with her own parental issues - including her parents' divorce in season two, and this is a nice bit of foreshadowing for that. However, it also speaks to one of the biggest truths of growing up: that eventually, it's time to realize that parents are actual people, not just parents.

14 “Oh, I’m Sorry. Did My Back Hurt Your Knife?" (To Monica)

The One With The Breast Milk (Season 2, Episode 2)

Although Monica and Rachel have been best friends since High School, they still have their fights - starting in season 2, when Rachel is pining over Ross, who is dating Julie. Although Rachel hates Julie for this, Monica likes her, and the two even go shopping together. However, when Rachel finds out that Monica not only went shopping with her, but went with her to Bloomingdales, the two have a big fight about the betrayal.

Of course, they make up, but what makes this so good isn't just the quip itself, as Rachel slams Monica for stabbing her in the back (as she sees it), but because it is one of the earliest examples in the show of the characters acting more like romantic partners than just friends. This is seen again and again in the show, especially with Joey and Chandler, and it's something that speaks to the depth of their relationships.

13 “You Know What? I Just Shouldn’t Be Allowed To Make Decisions Anymore.” (To Monica And Phoebe)

The One With All The Kissing (Season 5, Episode 2)

Rachel might have a point, with this one! After her disastrous attempt to fly to London and stop Ross and Emily's wedding, Rachel decides that she is no longer capable of making decisions, and puts Monica in charge of her life. However, as she quickly figures out, she would rather make her own decisions, even if they are the wrong one (like telling Ross she loves him, and then realizing just how ridiculous that is to say).

It's a fantastic storyline as a whole, because Rachel is far from the only twenty-something who struggles with making decisions - or with figuring out what the right decision is! While the extremes of her relationship with Ross are less likely to happen in real life, the hope that just being told what to do would fix everything is a common one. And with this episode, Rachel shows that even while that might seem like an answer, sometimes we just have to make those tough choices ourselves.

12 “We Are Dessert Stealers. We Are Living Outside The Law.” (To Chandler)

The One with All the Cheesecakes (Season 7, Episode 11)

While many of the Friends episodes with the best quotes are the more emotional ones, this is a perfectly lighthearted episode that still includes some gems. In season 7, Rachel and Chandler are still living across the hall from each other (ittedly, having swapped apartments), and when a cheesecake keeps getting delivered to their door by mistake, they end up eating it... multiple times. The cheesecake is just so good that they can't resist, even when they know it's stealing, and even when it leads to them literally eating it off the floor.

Rachel says this relatable and hilarious line to describe their life of crime that isn't really that terrible — except for the people who ordered the cheesecake in the first place. It's one of those lines that is delivered with a perfectly straight face, too, and that serves to ground the show, by highlighting just how silly it can be.