Ways to say it
| French | IPA |
|---|---|
| chérir | /ʃe.ʁiʁ/ |
| tenir (à) |
The verb is used to express having a deep appreciation of something. In everyday conversation, it is much more common to use tenir (à) to say you care about or hold something dear. While chérir is often reserved for literary or poetic contexts, such as describing a profound love for a person or an abstract concept like freedom, you might also use adorer in France to express deep affection, though this is frequently used for passions involving hobbies or activities.
Which one should you use?
Chérir is a poetic and intense way to express cherishing, whereas tenir (à) is the common way to express that you value or care about something in standard, everyday speech.
How does it change in a sentence?
The past participle of chérir can be used as an adjective or noun to mean 'darling' or 'beloved'.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃe.ʁiʁ/
When do people say it?
To add warmth and endearment to your speech, you can use terms such as mon chéri/e (my dear) or ma perle rare (my rare pearl).
Did you know?
- The verb chérir is built from the word cher, which means both 'dear' in an emotional sense and 'expensive' in a financial sense.
- While chérir is the root of 'darling' terms, the English word 'cherish' is actually a direct loan from this French verb via the Old French cheriss-.
- The French language uses the verb tenir to describe both the act of cherishing a person and the physical act of holding a door open.
Examples in context
- Homme libre, toujours tu chériras la mer.Free man, always you will cherish the sea.This sentence shows the use of chérir in a poetic sense regarding the sea.Tatoeba #5155663 by Adelpa, translation #5155893 by Adelpa
- Les gens me demandent : "pourquoi veux-tu chérir un tas de ferraille comme ça ?" Mais cette petite merveille veut tout dire pour moi.People ask me, "Why would you want to cherish a piece of junk like that?" But this little beauty means the world to me.This sentence illustrates using chérir to describe a deep connection to a cherished object.Tatoeba #549774 by Scott, translation #41674 by rul
- J'adore ma familleI cherish my family
- Je chéris notre amitiéI cherish our friendship
- J'aime énormément cette photoI cherish this photo a lot
- Il faut chérir chaque instant de bonheur.One must cherish every moment of happiness.
Example conversation
Gabriel and Chloé are talking about an old family photo.
- GabrielCette photo est précieuse, je vais la chérir.This photo is precious, I will cherish it.
- ChloéMoi aussi, elle rappelle des souvenirs formidables.Me too, it brings back wonderful memories.
- GabrielIl faut chérir ces moments de famille.We must cherish these family moments.
- ChloéTu as tout à fait raison, Gabriel.You are absolutely right, Gabriel.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “cherish” translations and entries chérir, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chérir, tenir, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
