Do native New Yorkers consider all five boroughs the "City" or just Manhattan?

Question

An acquantance of mine, from Long Island, says only Manhattan but I've always thought all boroughs combined were considered the City, with Long Island being regarded as a suburb.

Answer 1

Your cousin is correct - Manhattan is, metaphorically "the city" in New York. Of course the literal city is made up of the five boroughs but anyone who tells you "I'm going to the city" means Manhattan. There's "I gotta go to the Bronx", "I'm passin' through Staten Island", "I live in Queens", I work in Brooklyn", but Manhattan is the only one really known worldwide as 'the' city. I grew up in NJ and spent 10 years in Long Island. Long Island is just east of Queens (and minutes from "the city") and that is probably why it's considered a suburb of the city of New York more than a NY state type town.