mon cher chéri
The English phrase "my dear darling" is translated into French as mon cher chéri.
mon cher chéri is an affectionate term used to address a romantic partner or someone loved very deeply.
What does it mean word for word?
The phrase is composed of mon (my), cher (dear) and chéri (darling/beloved).
Which one should you use?
While mon cher chéri is grammatically correct, it is more common and less redundant in everyday French to simply say mon chéri (masculine) or ma chérie (feminine).
How does it change in a sentence?
If addressing a woman, the masculine mon cher chéri changes to the feminine ma chère chérie.
Did you know?
- French has several 'pet names' for partners that involve animals, such as mon chou which refers to a cabbage.
- The word chéri has a surprising connection to the Middle East, as it was borrowed from the Ottoman Turkish word for 'law' or 'path'.
- In French, the word cher can mean both 'dear' in an affectionate sense and 'expensive' in a commercial sense.
Examples in context
- Mon petit chou, je t'aimeMy little cabbage, I love you
- Viens ici, mon amourCome here, my love
- Mon petit chou, prépare-moi une tasse de thé s'il te plaît.My little cabbage, can you make me a cup of tea, please?
Example conversation
Manon is greeting Gabriel after he arrives home from work.
- GabrielSalut Manon !Hi Manon!
- ManonBonsoir, mon cher chéri.Good evening, my dear darling.
- GabrielComment s'est passée ta journée ?How was your day?
- ManonC'était bien, merci.It was good, thank you.
Sources
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries cher, chéri, mon, CC BY-SA 4.0.
