cher ami
The English phrase "dear friend" is translated into French as cher ami.
This phrase is a term of affection used to address a close friend in a letter or speech.
Which one should you use?
While cher ami is used for affection, it is more common in written correspondence or formal speeches than in casual, spoken conversation between modern friends.
How does it change in a sentence?
The phrase must agree in gender with the person being addressed: use chère amie for a female friend and cher ami for a male friend. To address multiple friends, use the plural forms chers amis for a group of males or a mixed group and chères amies for a group of only females. In French, it is very common to add the possessive adjective mon (my) before cher ami to make the expression sound more natural and warm.
Did you know?
- In much of the French-speaking world, if you call someone mon cher ami in a conversation, it can sometimes be used sarcastically to sound patronizing or mockingly formal.
- The word ami shares a common ancestor with the English word 'amorous', linking the concept of friendship to the very root of desire and love.
- In French, the word cher is a homonym that means both 'dear' in terms of affection and 'expensive' in terms of price.
Examples in context
- Mon cher ami !My dear friend!This example shows how to use cher ami as an exclamation.Tatoeba #1281367 by sacredceltic, translation #3631514 by thegui
- Que vous arrive-t-il, cher ami ?What happened to you, dear friend?This example demonstrates asking a question addressed to a cher ami.Tatoeba #6768928 by felix63, translation #6900578 by kaiperkins271
- Je vous crois sur parole, mon cher ami.I'll take your word for it, my dear friend.This example shows how to express trust in someone using the phrase cher ami.Tatoeba #3225134 by nimfeo, translation #11817210 by calypsow
- 1 more sentence on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Manon is writing a letter to Lucas.
- ManonCher ami, je t'écris pour prendre de tes nouvelles.Dear friend, I am writing to see how you are.
- LucasC'est très gentil de ta part, Manon.That is very kind of you, Manon.
- ManonTu me manques beaucoup.I miss you a lot.
- LucasMoi aussi, j'espère te voir bientôt.Me too, I hope to see you soon.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries ami, cher, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
