יקיר
yakir
The Hebrew word for darling is יקיר (yakir).
יקיר is used as an affectionate term of address to describe a person who is very dear to someone.
Meaning: often used as an affectionate term of address: person who is very dear to one (noun)
Which one should you use?
While יקיר serves as the base noun for darling, the related adjective יַקִּיר means very dear, cherished or beloved.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
Using יקיר or its possessive forms is more formal and literary than common colloquial terms of endearment in modern Hebrew. For a more elevated or formal sense of 'dear' or 'precious', you can use יקירי. Conversely, in an informal setting, one might use חמוד to mean 'cute' or 'adorable' when addressing loved ones.
Related words
How does it change in a sentence?
When adding a first-person possessive suffix to create 'my darling', the form changes based on gender: יקירי is used for a masculine darling, while יקירתי is the feminine form.
How do you pronounce it?
yakir
Did you know?
- The root of יקיר is shared with the word for 'expensive' or 'costly', יקר. In Hebrew, describing someone as 'darling' is linguistically identical to calling them 'high-priced'.
- If you call a stranger יקירתי, it might be perceived as condescending or patronizing rather than sweet, depending on your tone.
- While יקיר sounds poetic, using it in a casual text message to a partner might actually sound sarcastic or overly dramatic because it belongs to a high literary register.
Examples in context
- מה קרה, יקירתי?What's the matter, darling?This sentence shows how to use the feminine form of יקיר to ask someone what is wrong.Tatoeba #3799704 by fekundulo, translation #3799200 by Hybrid
- אהובי, אני מאוד שמח לראותך היום.Ahuvy, I'm so glad to see you today.
Example conversation
Noa and Daniel are talking at home.
- נועה Noaהאם אתה רוצה תה, יקיר?Ha'im atah rotze teh, yakir?Do you want some tea, darling?
- דניאל Danielכן, זה נשמע נהדר.Ken, ze nishma nehedar.Yes, that sounds great.
- נועה Noaאני אכין לנו עוגה גם.Ani akhin lanu uga gam.I will make us a cake too.
- דניאל Danielתודה רבה, נועה.Toda raba, Noa.Thank you very much, Noa.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
