chéri
/ʃe.ʁi/masculine
The English phrase darling translates to French as chéri.
chéri is used as an affectionate term of address for a person who is very dear to someone. It can also function as an adjective meaning beloved, cherished or favourite.
Meaning: often used as an affectionate term of address: person who is very dear to one (noun)
Which one should you use?
While chéri is used as a noun to mean darling, it is also the past participle of the verb chérir, which means to cherish.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
The form of the word changes based on the gender and number of the person being addressed. The masculine singular is chéri, the feminine singular is chérie, the masculine plural is chéris and the feminine plural is chéries. It is very common to precede these terms with a possessive adjective, such as mon for masculine or ma for feminine.
How do you pronounce it?
/ʃe.ʁi/ (2 syllables)
When do people say it?
French speakers often use other food or animal-related terms as informal endearments. For example, you might hear mon chou (my cabbage), mon poussin (my chick) or mon lapin (my rabbit).
Did you know?
- The etymology of chéri suggests a surprising connection to Arabic and Ottoman Turkish roots, rather than the Latin roots one might expect for a Romance language word.
- Even if the person being addressed is female, you may hear the masculine mon used in some specific traditional endearments rather than the feminine ma.
- In French, some people use the diminutive chouchou to refer to a favourite person or a 'teacher's pet' in a classroom setting, which carries a slightly different nuance than a romantic 'darling'.
Examples in context
- Bien sûr que non, mon chéri.Of course not, darling.This sentence shows how to use chéri in a negative response.Tatoeba #8648799 by Micsmithel, translation #10797605 by letsgolanguages
- Tu es légère comme une plume, ma chérie.You are light as a feather, my darling.This sentence demonstrates using chéri to address someone.Tatoeba #746818 by Cocorico, translation #9006498 by carlosalberto
- Veux-tu prendre le petit-déjeuner, chéri ?Do you want some breakfast, darling?This sentence shows how to use chéri when offering breakfast.Tatoeba #3473607 by sacredceltic, translation #3467750 by Hybrid
- Bonjour mon chéri/chérie! Comment s'est passée ta journée?Hello, darling! How was your day?
- 26 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Hugo and Manon are deciding what to eat for dinner.
- HugoQu'est-ce que tu veux manger, chéri ?What do you want to eat, darling?
- ManonJe ne sais pas, je n'ai pas faim.I don't know, I'm not hungry.
- HugoOn peut commander une pizza alors.We can order a pizza then.
- ManonC'est une excellente idée, Hugo !That's an excellent idea, Hugo!
Sources
- Wiktionary, “darling” translations and entries chéri, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries chéri, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
