tesoro
/teˈzɔ.ro/
The English term of endearment 'hon' can be expressed in Italian as tesoro.
tesoro is used as a term of endearment for a loved one, much like the English word 'honey' or 'hon'.
What does it mean word for word?
Literally, tesoro means 'treasure'.
How does it change in a sentence?
The plural form of tesoro is tesori.
How do you pronounce it?
The word has 3 syllables, with the stress on the 2nd syllable: /teˈzɔ.ro/.
Did you know?
- The word tesoro shares an ancestral root with the word 'thesaurus', which is a collection of words or a 'storehouse' of knowledge.
- Because tesoro is a masculine noun, it remains tesoro even when addressing a woman or a girl.
- In some Italian contexts, calling someone 'tesoro' can be used ironically or patronizingly to sound condescending, much like 'sweetie' might be used in English.
Examples in context
- Grazie, tesoro.Thanks, hon.This sentence is useful for expressing thanks using tesoro.Tatoeba #3116677 by Guybrush88, translation #1905862 by Spamster
- Sei bellissima, tesoro.You are beautiful, honey.
- Tutto bene, tesoro?Is everything okay, honey?
Example conversation
Francesco and Sofia are cooking dinner together at home.
- FrancescoTi serve aiuto, tesoro?Do you need help, honey?
- SofiaNo, sto quasi finendo.No, I am almost finished.
- FrancescoAllora preparo io la tavola.Then I will set the table.
- SofiaGrazie mille, caro.Thanks a lot, dear.
Sources
- Pronunciation: Wiktionary entry tesoro, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries tesoro, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
