ma chère
feminine, affectionate
To a woman say ma chère for "my dear" or ma chérie for "my darling". Both are feminine and take ma. It is also called chère madame.
Meaning: term of endearment (phrase)
Ways to say it
| French | Note |
|---|---|
| ma chère | feminine, affectionate |
| chère madame | formal |
| ma chérie | feminine, warm |
Ma chère is affectionate and slightly formal, used among friends and family. Ma chérie is warmer and also used for partners and daughters.
Is there a formal and an informal way to say it?
In letters, Chère madame opens a polite message to a woman, and Chère Marie opens a personal one.
How does it change in a sentence?
For a man the words become mon cher and mon chéri.
Did you know?
- The adjective cher means both "dear" and "expensive" in French, depending on where it stands.
Examples in context
- Merci, ma chère.Thank you, my dear.
- Viens ici, ma chérie.Come here, darling.
- Chère madame, je vous remercie.Dear madam, I thank you.
Example conversation
Jeanne speaks with her friend Odile over tea in Aix-en-Provence.
- JeanneComment vas-tu, ma chère ?How are you, my dear?
- OdileJe vais bien, merci.I am well, thanks.
- JeannePrends un autre thé.Have another tea.
- OdileAvec plaisir.Gladly.
