Bonjour, mon cher
The English phrase "good morning, dear" is translated into French as Bonjour, mon cher.
This phrase is a friendly morning greeting used for someone the speaker loves or cares about.
Which one should you use?
The phrase mon cher / ma chère is more formal or literary than the common affectionate terms like mon chéri / ma chérie.
How does it change in a sentence?
Use the feminine form ma chère instead of mon cher when addressing a woman. While mon cher is grammatically correct, mon chéri (masculine) or ma chérie (feminine) is the much more common way to say 'my dear' or 'darling' in an intimate, romantic context.
Did you know?
- Using mon cher with a sarcastic tone can transform this affectionate greeting into a condescending way to address an opponent during a disagreement.
- In French, the word cher carries a double meaning and is used both to describe someone you love and to describe something that is expensive.
- The word cher in mon cher shares an ancient ancestor with the English word 'desire', stemming from a root meaning 'to wish' or 'to want'.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, mon cher, comment vas-tu ?Good morning, dear, how are you?
- Bonjour, mon cher, tu as bien dormi ?Good morning, dear, did you sleep well?
- Bonjour, mon cher, le café est prêt.Good morning, dear, the coffee is ready.
Example conversation
Hugo and Emma are having breakfast in the kitchen.
- HugoBonjour, mon cher, tu veux un toast ?Good morning, dear, do you want some toast?
- EmmaOui, s'il te plaît, Emma.Yes, please, Emma.
- HugoTiens, voilà ton toast et ton thé.Here, here is your toast and your tea.
- EmmaMerci beaucoup, c'est très gentil.Thank you very much, that is very kind.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries Bonjour, bonjour, cher, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
