petit mignon
The English phrase "little cutie" can be translated into French as petit mignon.
The term petit mignon is an affectionate way to describe someone, often a child or pet, who is small and adorable. Other informal ways to express endearment include petit chou (literally "little cabbage"), mon bijou (meaning "my jewel") and mon poussin (similar to "my little chick").
Did you know?
- The word mignon shares an ancient root with the English word 'mind', stemming from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning 'to think'.
- If you call a person mignon, you are using a word that once described a 'dandy' or a man who was very concerned with his elegant appearance.
- French has a vast collection of food-based terms of endearment. Beyond 'cabbage', people use words for 'sugar' and 'honey' to convey the same feeling as 'little cutie'.
Examples in context
- Bonjour, petit chéri. Comment ça va aujourd'hui?Hello, little cutie. How are you today?
- Tu es mon petit chouYou are my little cutie
- Viens ici, mon poussinCome here, little cutie
Example conversation
Manon and Lucas are looking at a photo of Lucas's new puppy.
- ManonC'est qui sur la photo ?Who is this in the photo?
- LucasC'est mon nouveau chiot.It's my new puppy.
- ManonOh, il est trop petit mignon !Oh, he is such a little cutie!
- LucasMerci, il est très gentil.Thank you, he is very sweet.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries mignon, petit, CC BY-SA 4.0.
