יקירי
yakiri
In Hebrew, "my dear" is translated as יקירי (yakiri).
This term is a way to address someone the speaker loves or cares for, such as a romantic partner, a close friend or a family member. Depending on the context, it can sound slightly old-fashioned or overly sentimental.
What does it mean word for word?
The word consists of the root י–ק–ר, which relates to being precious or dear and the first-person singular possessive suffix –י, meaning "my".
Which one should you use?
While English uses "my dear" for any gender, Hebrew requires you to choose a form based on the person you are addressing: use יקירי for a male and יקירתי for a female.
How does it change in a sentence?
The form יקירי is the masculine singular form used when addressing a male. The feminine singular form is יקירתי.
How do you pronounce it?
yakiri
Did you know?
- The root י-ק-ר also forms the basis for the Hebrew word for 'expensive', linking the concept of someone being 'dear' to the concept of high cost.
- In modern Israeli Hebrew, using יקירי in a casual setting can sometimes come across as ironically overly dramatic or even slightly sarcastic, depending on the tone.
- In modern Israeli slang, people often replace the formal יקירי with the word מותק, which literally means 'sweet' or 'sweetie'.
Examples in context
- טוב, יקירי, לילה טוב!OK, my dear, good night!This sentence shows how to use יקירי in a good night greeting.Tatoeba #2011139 by Eldad, translation #737671 by Eldad
- "תוכלי להביא לי כוס קפה?" "בשמחה, יקירי.""Would you get me a cup of coffee?" "With pleasure, my dear."This sentence demonstrates a polite response using יקירי.Tatoeba #1867570 by Eldad, translation #1867384 by CM
- שלום יקירי, איך היה היום?Hello my dear, how was your day?
- אהובי, תוכל להסביר לי שוב את המשימה?My dear, could you explain the task to me again?
Example conversation
Maya and Daniel are talking about their plans for the weekend.
- מאיה Mayaיקירי, לאן נלך מחר?yekiri, le'an nelekh makhar?My dear, where shall we go tomorrow?
- דניאל Danielאני חושב שיהיה נחמד ללכת לים.ani khoshev she-yihye nekhmad lalehkhat layam.I think it would be nice to go to the beach.
- מאיה Mayaזה נשמע כמו רעיון מצוין.ze nishma kmo ra'ayon metzuyan.That sounds like a great idea.
- דניאל Danielאז נסגור על זה, מאיה.az nisgor al ze, Maya.Then let's settle on that, Maya.
Sources
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
