bonjour mon cher
The English phrase "good morning my dear" is translated into French as bonjour mon cher.
This is a warm greeting used in the morning for someone the speaker loves or cares for. Note that while bonjour literally means "good day", it is the standard greeting used for both "good morning" and "good afternoon" in French.
Which one should you use?
The form mon cher is the masculine version used when addressing a man. If you are addressing a woman, use the feminine form ma chère.
How does it change in a sentence?
If the person you are addressing is female, you must change the masculine mon cher to the feminine ma chère. In the phrase mon chéri/ma chérie, ma is used when addressing a feminine individual.
Did you know?
- While cher means 'dear' in an emotional sense, it also means 'expensive'. This creates a linguistic link between something that is highly valued and something that costs a lot of money.
- In French, bonjour is often accompanied by la bise, a social custom of kissing both cheeks. The number of kisses varies by region and can be two, three or even four depending on the town.
- Using mon cher with a stranger or a professional colleague can inadvertently sound condescending or patronizing rather than affectionate.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, mon chéri. Tu as bien dormi?Good morning, my dear. Did you sleep well?
- Coucou, ma puce. Prête pour une belle journée?Hey, my dear. Ready for a lovely day?
- Bonjour mon cher, je t'ai préparé un café.Good morning my dear, I made you a coffee.
- Bonjour mon cher, passe une excellente journée.Good morning my dear, have an excellent day.
Example conversation
Chloé greets Lucas in their kitchen at the start of the day.
- ChloéBonjour mon cher, tu as bien dormi ?Good morning my dear, did you sleep well?
- LucasOui, merci Chloé. Et toi ?Yes, thank you Chloé. And you?
- ChloéTrès bien, j'ai hâte de prendre mon petit déjeuner.Very well, I can't wait to have my breakfast.
- LucasLe café est déjà prêt.The coffee is already ready.
