In English, we often use pet names and specialty words to express affection toward people we love. French terms of endearment are no different, relying on phrases involving animals, nature, and even food to express love and appreciation.
You might be familiar with phrases like mon amour – and that’s a great place to start. But do you know which terms of endearment are reserved for males? How about female terms of endearment? Is there a difference between words used for children, and phrases used in romantic relationships?
Discover the answer to all of your questions with this comprehensive roundup of French endearment terms.
Common French Terms of Endearment
Some of these terms may be old news, but others are likely new. Learn these common terms of endearment so you can say and understand expressions of affection.
Mon amour
The most well-known French endearment term, meaning my love.
Mon beau
My handsome.
Ma belle / ma beauté
My beautiful. Think: Michelle my belle.
Ma chérie / mon chéri
This means my darling or my sweetheart. Say ma chérie when speaking to a female, and mon chéri when speaking to a male.
Mon bébé
This one is easy. It means my baby, and it can be said to pretty much anyone (or anything) you care for.
Mon chou / chouchou
Set aside the fact that this term means my cabbage, and you’ll come to find that it’s actually pretty cute. Plus, it technically refers to a chou à la crème, which is a sweet and yummy cream puff.
There are many ways you can alter this term to express endearment more uniquely. For example, you might say:
Male:
Mon petit chou
Say mon petit chou to men and young boys to mean my little cabbage.
Mon choupinou / mon chouchou
Two more ways to express the same phrase in an even more cutesy and endearing way.
Female:
Ma choupette
This is the female-only version of my cabbage.
Ma choupinette / ma chouchoute
Additional ways to call your lady friend a cute little cabbage.
Ma poupée
In English, it’s normal to refer to a female friend or lover as doll. Ma poupée is how you’d express this saying in French. Say Ma poupette to further enhance the cuteness of this phrase. This expression is also commonly used as a term of endearment when talking to children.
Mon bijou
The French are known for loving their gems and adornment. So, it’s no surprise that they say mon bijou, or my jewelry, as a loving term.
Mon cœur
My heart, or my sweetheart.
Ma moitié
We often say my better half to refer to best friends and significant others. Ma moitié means the same thing, translating literally to my other half.
Mon trésor
This endearment term is equivalent to saying my treasure. It means the same as saying my precious in English.
Mon ange
Say mon ange to express my angel to a loved one.
Mon bonheur
A simple phrase with a great deal of meaning. Mon bonheur translates to my happiness.
Mon gros
Although this term technically translates to my fat one, it’s a positive slang term for a male friend. In English, it’s similar to saying my dude or bro.
Mon petit monstre
Similar to English, a mother might say this endearingly to or about her son or daughter to mean my little monster.
Romantic Terms of Endearment
Many terms of endearment can be applied to anyone you love, but this list is reserved for boyfriends, girlfriends, husbands, wives and other romantic relationships.
Mon doudou
Mon doudou literally means my cuddly toy in English, but it conveys endearment similarly to a term like pookie. Use it as a cute, sweet way to refer to a loved one.
L’amour de ma vie
How you’d express strong affection for someone by calling them the love of your life.
Ma raison d’être / Ma raison de vivre
Want to voice a deep passion for your significant other? Here’s how you’d say that he or she is your reason for being or reason for living.
Ma tigresse / mon tigre
Ma tigresse is an especially kind way to refer to a woman that you love and adore. It essentially means my tiger in a slightly fierce and romantic way. Say mon tigre when speaking to a man.
Mon grand / Ma grande
Grand means big or tall, but this is an endearing way that a woman might say my big guy when speaking of her boyfriend.
A parent might also call their son mon grand or their daughter ma grande. This is more or less equivalent to “my big boy” or “my big girl” in English.
Mon prince / Mon Roméo
These translations are fairly straightforward, but they’re still a fun way to refer to your special man or boy in French.
Mon préféré
How you’d say my favorite when expressing love to another.
Mon indispensable
Adopts a similar meaning to mon préféré. Literally, it’s a way of calling someone indispensable – meaning you can’t live without them.
Mon rêve
We often say the man / woman of my dreams. Within that context, here’s a simple way to say my dream.
Mon mignon
My cutie, or my little cute one.
Unique Terms of Endearment
Whether you’re trying to impress a love interest or simply discover a new phrase, these unique French terms of endearment have you covered.
Mon ciel étoilé
Refer to someone as a beautiful, mystical wonder with this phrase, which means my starry sky.
Mon rayon de soleil
Do you think of your loved one as your ray of sunshine? This is the perfect phrase for you.
Mon sucre d’orge
This phrase literally means my candy cane, but is used as a fun and unique way to call someone your sweetie or sweetheart.
Mon coco
Coco can mean many things, but the main meaning is coconut. In French, mon coco is a general term equivalent to “my darling”.
Ma crevette
Another endearment term involving food is ma crevette. Crevette means shrimp, and saying mon crevette is kind of like saying, my munchkin!
Mon saucisson
This one is just plain fun to say. But it also means my sausage when speaking fondly of a loved one.
Mon plaisir quotidien
Show someone how much their presence matters to you by saying mon plaisir quotidien, or my daily pleasure.
Mon trognon
It’s common to say the apple of my eye when referring to a loved one in English. French speakers say mon trognon, which translates literally to my fruit core.
Ma petite sirène
You may have heard the term siren to refer to a mythological, mermaid-like creature. This term is how you’d call a woman my little mermaid.
Ma mie
Even if you enjoy the crust of bread, you can probably admit that the soft, fluffy inner part is still the best. Ma mie refers to that part of the loaf.
Mon lutin
Mon lutin means my elf. Most elves are adorable, so that’s what this term is referring to.
Animal Terms of Endearment in French
In English, we say words like kitten to refer to our loved ones. French people follow suit, which makes some terms especially easy to remember.
Mon chaton
Use this simple term to say my kitten. Once you’ve mastered that, you can say mon p’tit chaton to mean my little kitty toward either gender.
Mon loulou / mon loup
We don’t really say my wolf to someone that we love in English, but that’s exactly what this phrase means. While mon loulou can only be said to men or boys, you can say ma louloutte to say this expression to a woman.
Ma biche / ma bichette
This female-only term means the equivalent to my doe or my little deer.
Mon nounours
My little teddy bear. Use this sweet term on your son, husband or boyfriend, but never a lady.
Mon lapin
Translated as my rabbit or my bunny, this endearment term can apply to nearly anyone. Although it’s more commonly said to young boys and males, saying it to a female isn’t wrong.
Ma puce
Calling someone my flea in English wouldn’t exactly be endearing. But in French, this phrase works! Say it to boys or girls to express affection similarly to honey or sweetie pie. You can also say ma petite puce to mean my little flea.
Ma coccinelle
This word means ladybug, and it’s only used to express affection towards girls and women.
Endearment Terms Involving Birds
Birds play such a popular role in French endearment that on this list, they have an entire category dedicated to them.
Mon petit oiseau
This is a sweet term that can be used to call a person of any gender my little birdy. Mon oisillon works just the same.
Ma caille
Meaning my quail.
Mon poussin
A unisex way to call someone my chick. Unlike in English, it’s not a flattering way to refer to an attractive girl. Instead, it refers to a baby chicken, or a cute and small animal.
Ma poule
Calling someone a chicken in English isn’t always nice. But, like ma poussin, ma poule means something more like chickie.
Mon poulet
The same meaning, but for males only.
Ma poulette
How to call a woman your little chick.
Mon caneton
My duckling can be said to both boys and girls.
Ma colombe
Doves are commonly associated with love and peace. Likewise, this is a reassuring way to express adoration towards a girl or woman.
Mon colibri
Say mon colibri to mean my hummingbird. It’s a simple way to express endearment, kind of like saying my sweetie.
Using French Terms of Endearment
Equipped with these phrases, you’ll be able to express affection and adoration for anyone special in your life. For more help with French, check out our roundup of common French phrases that are great for travelers, or get started learning thousands of French words and phrases in context with Clozemaster.
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These are wonderful ways to express a familiarity, which is endearing in France. I use most, but am happy to learn more. Well studied and now I understand that my french friends are being lovely too. Thank you for putting this together, it really helps with living in France.