حبيبي
habibieveryday, to a man or boy
In Lebanese Arabic you call a man حبيبي (habibi) and a woman حبيبتي (habibti), both meaning "my love" or "my dear".
Meaning: term of endearment for a loved one (noun)
Ways to say it
| Lebanese | Romanization | Note |
|---|---|---|
| حبيبي | habibi | everyday, to a man or boy |
| حبيبتي | habibti | everyday, to a woman or girl |
Partners use these words, but so do parents, friends and even shopkeepers. In Lebanon حبيبي (habibi) is warm and casual rather than strictly romantic.
How does it change in a sentence?
The choice depends on who is addressed, not on who speaks: a woman always hears حبيبتي (habibti) and a man حبيبي (habibi), whoever says it.
Did you know?
- The word حبيبي (habibi) comes from the root حب (hobb), "love", which is also the root of the verb بحب (bhebb).
Examples in context
- صباح الخير حبيبي.sabah el-khayr habibi.Good morning, my love.
- شو بدك حبيبتي؟shu badde habibti?What do you want, my dear?
Example conversation
Georges calls his wife Carla from work on his lunch break.
- Georgesألو حبيبتي، كيفك؟alo habibti, kifek?Hello my love, how are you?
- Carlaمنيحة حبيبي. إنت؟mnihe habibi. inte?Fine, my love. And you?
- Georgesتمام. شو طبخت اليوم؟tamem. shu tabakhet el-yom?Good. What did you cook today?
