Hallo, mein Schatz
/haˈloː maɪ̯n ʃat͡s/word by word
In German, "hello, my love" is expressed as Hallo, mein Schatz.
This phrase is an affectionate greeting used for a romantic partner or a very close loved one. The term Schatz is the most common way to say "my love" or "sweetheart" in German.
What does it mean word for word?
The word Schatz literally means treasure.
Which one should you use?
While Hallo, mein Schatz literally translates to "Hello, my treasure", it functions as the standard way to say "my love". Other variations include Hallo, mein Liebling, which translates to "Hello, my darling/favorite" and Hallo, Liebling, which means "Hello, darling".
How does it change in a sentence?
If you want to use the literal word for "love" (Liebe) as a term of endearment, you must use the feminine form meine Liebe because Liebe is a feminine noun.
How do you pronounce it?
/haˈloː maɪ̯n ʃats/
When do people say it?
Schatz is a gender-neutral term of endearment. It can be used for both men and women.
Did you know?
- The word Schatz traces its roots back to the Proto-West Germanic *skatt, which originally meant 'cattle' or 'treasure'.
- While Schatz is the standard for partners, German has a vast array of animal-based terms of endearment, such as Mäuschen for 'little mouse' or Hasi for 'bunny'.
- Unlike 'honey' or 'sugar' in English, German romantic endearments like Schatz focus on the value of the person rather than sweetness.
Examples in context
- Hallo, meine Liebe. Es ist schön, heute Abend hier mit dir zu sein.Hello, my love. It's beautiful to be here with you tonight.
- Servus, mein Herz. Wie war dein Tag?Hello, my love. How was your day?
- Hallo, mein Schatz, wie war dein Tag?Hello, my love, how was your day?
- Hallo, mein Schatz, ich bin endlich zu Hause.Hello, my love, I am finally home.
- Hallo, mein Schatz, ich habe dich vermisst.Hello, my love, I missed you.
Example conversation
Felix arrives home from work and greets Hannah.
- FelixHallo, mein Schatz, ich bin da!Hello, my love, I am here!
- HannahHallo, Felix, wie war die Arbeit?Hello, Felix, how was work?
- FelixEs war anstrengend, aber schön, dich zu sehen.It was exhausting, but good to see you.
- HannahKomm rein, ich habe Tee gemacht.Come in, I made tea.
