The first time someone in France called me mon chou /mɔ̃ ʃu/, I honestly thought they were comparing me to a cabbage. I froze, wondering if this was a compliment, an insult, or a very specific salad order.
Later, I realized it was just a normal, sweet nickname — the kind French people toss around like confetti: mon cœur, ma puce, mon ange, ma belle. Some are romantic, some are family-only, and some you really don’t want to use on your boss (unless you want exciting HR emails).
By the end of this guide, you’ll know:
- The most common French terms of endearment and what they really mean
- Which ones fit romantic partners, family, kids, or friends
- How to avoid sounding too flirty, too formal, or just… weird
- How to answer when someone calls you mon amour /mɔ̃ na.muʁ/ or mon lapin /mɔ̃ la.pɛ̃/ without melting into awkward silence
Let’s upgrade your “I love you” game from basic je t’aime to full yak-level French affection.
Quick Primer: How French Pet Names Work
A few building blocks first.
On first mentions:
- mon /mɔ̃/ — my (before masculine words or vowels)
- ma /ma/ — my (before feminine words)
- mes /me/ — my (plural)
- mon amour /mɔ̃ na.muʁ/ — my love
- mon cœur /mɔ̃ kœʁ/ — my heart
- mon chéri /mɔ̃ ʃe.ʁi/ — my darling (to a man)
- ma chérie /ma ʃe.ʁi/ — my darling (to a woman)
Very often, French endearments follow:
- mon/ma + noun
- mon ange /mɔ̃ nɑ̃ʒ/ — my angel
- ma puce /ma pys/ — literally “my flea”, actually “sweetie”
- mon ange /mɔ̃ nɑ̃ʒ/ — my angel
Important little twist: sometimes grammar bends for sound:
- amour /a.muʁ/ is masculine, but in everyday life people often say:
- mon amour (correct with masculine “mon”)
- but also je t’aime, mon amour, ma petite amour in songs or speech — you’ll see some poetic flexibility.
- mon amour (correct with masculine “mon”)
And of course, register:
- With partners: lots of mon/ma + noun
- With kids: cute animals, sweets, and vegetables (yes, really)
- With friends: more casual things like ma belle /ma bɛl/, mon vieux /mɔ̃ vjø/ for men
Now, let’s tour the French love zoo.
Classic Romantic Mots D’amour (Partners & Lovers)
These are the “Netflix subtitles can’t keep up” words you’ll meet in romance films, texts, and phone calls at midnight.
Core Romantic Terms
| French | IPA | English |
| mon amour | mɔ̃ na.muʁ | my love |
| mon cœur | mɔ̃ kœʁ | my heart |
| mon chéri (to a man) | mɔ̃ ʃe.ʁi | my darling / my dear |
| ma chérie (to a woman) | ma ʃe.ʁi | my darling / my dear |
| mon trésor | mɔ̃ tʁe.zɔʁ | my treasure |
| mon ange | mɔ̃ nɑ̃ʒ | my angel |
| ma moitié | ma mwa.tje | my other half |
Example sentences:
- Je t’aime, mon amour.
/ʒə tɛm mɔ̃ na.muʁ/
I love you, my love. - Tu me manques, mon cœur.
/ty mə mɑ̃k mɔ̃ kœʁ/
I miss you, my heart. - Bonne nuit, ma chérie.
/bɔn nɥi ma ʃe.ʁi/
Good night, my darling.
Tone:
- Safe for partners, long-term relationships, or very clear romance.
- mon amour, mon cœur, ma chérie are extremely common in texts and calls.
Softer, Everyday Couple Talk
Not every moment is movie-level dramatic. These are great for daily affection.
| French | IPA | English |
| mon chouchou | mɔ̃ ʃu.ʃu | sweetie, darling (informal, playful) |
| mon petit cœur | mɔ̃ pə.ti kœʁ | my little heart |
| ma belle | ma bɛl | beautiful (to a woman, also friendly) |
| mon beau | mɔ̃ bo | handsome (to a man) |
| mon soleil | mɔ̃ sɔ.lɛj | my sunshine |
Example:
- Ça va, ma belle ?
/sa va ma bɛl/
You okay, beautiful? / How are you, beautiful? - Merci, mon petit cœur.
/mɛʁ.si mɔ̃ pə.ti kœʁ/
Thank you, my little heart.
Usage note:
ma belle can be romantic or friendly (between women, or close friends). Context + tone decides.
Cute And Playful Nicknames (Pets, Vegetables, And Other Chaos)
French has a wild sense of humor with pet names. A lot of them are technically… food or animals.
On first mentions:
- mon lapin /mɔ̃ la.pɛ̃/ — my bunny
- mon chat /mɔ̃ ʃa/ — my cat
- mon poussin /mɔ̃ pu.sɛ̃/ — my chick
- mon petit chou /mɔ̃ pə.ti ʃu/ — literally “my little cabbage”, meaning “sweetie”
| French | IPA | English |
| mon lapin | mɔ̃ la.pɛ̃ | my bunny |
| mon chat | mɔ̃ ʃa | my cat |
| mon poussin | mɔ̃ pu.sɛ̃ | my little chick |
| mon petit chou | mɔ̃ pə.ti ʃu | my little cabbage / sweetie |
| mon petit loup | mɔ̃ pə.ti lu | my little wolf |
| ma biche | ma biʃ | literally “my doe”, used like “sweetie” |
| mon nounours | mɔ̃ nu.nuʁs | my teddy bear |
Example:
- Ça va, mon lapin ?
/sa va mɔ̃ la.pɛ̃/
How are you, bunny? - Viens là, mon petit chou.
/vjɛ̃ la mɔ̃ pə.ti ʃu/
Come here, sweetie.
Tone:
- Often used with partners or kids.
- With adults, these usually imply pretty strong closeness or romance.
- Using mon lapin on your accountant: not recommended.
Family-Friendly Terms Of Endearment (Parents & Kids)
French parents basically have an infinite menu of cute names for kids.
On first mentions:
- mon petit /mɔ̃ pə.ti/ — my little one (to a boy)
- ma petite /ma pə.tit/ — my little one (to a girl)
- mon grand /mɔ̃ ɡʁɑ̃/ — literally “my big one”, used affectionately
- ma puce /ma pys/ — literally “my flea”, actually “sweetie”
| French | IPA | English |
| mon petit | mɔ̃ pə.ti | my little one (boy) |
| ma petite | ma pə.tit | my little one (girl) |
| mon grand | mɔ̃ ɡʁɑ̃ | my big one (affectionate) |
| ma puce | ma pys | sweetie (literally “flea”) |
| mon trésor | mɔ̃ tʁe.zɔʁ | my treasure |
| mon ange | mɔ̃ nɑ̃ʒ | my angel |
| mon bébé | mɔ̃ be.be | my baby |
Examples:
- Ça va, ma puce ?
/sa va ma pys/
You okay, sweetie? - Bravo, mon grand !
/bʁa.vo mɔ̃ ɡʁɑ̃/
Well done, big guy!
These can also show up in couples, but they’re very common between parents and children.
Friends, Flirting, And Not Being Creepy
This is where nuance really matters.
Friendly Terms Between Adults
Between friends (especially women to women), you might hear:
| French | IPA | English |
| ma belle | ma bɛl | beautiful / lovely (friendly or flirty) |
| ma grande | ma ɡʁɑ̃d | “girl” / “hey you”, literally “my tall one” |
| mon vieux | mɔ̃ vjø | mate / buddy (between men, informal) |
| ma chérie (close friends) | ma ʃe.ʁi | girl / darling (close, informal) |
Examples:
- Salut ma belle !
/sa.ly ma bɛl/
Hey beautiful! (often between friends) - Ça va, mon vieux ?
/sa va mɔ̃ vjø/
How’s it going, mate?
Flirty Territory
Some expressions lean clearly romantic or flirty, especially if you don’t know the person well:
- ma belle, ma jolie /ma ʒɔ.li/ — can be flirty if used by a stranger
- mon beau, ma chérie, mon cœur — very intimate if you’re not already close
General rule from the yak:
- With friends: ma belle, ma grande, mon vieux are okay if you already have that vibe.
- With strangers or in public: avoid throwing ma chérie, ma belle at random women. It can feel patronizing or creepy.
Usage Notes & Common Mistakes
- Using romantic terms too soon
Calling someone mon cœur on the second date can feel a bit intense. Start with lighter things like tu es très sympa before diving into heavy romance. - Mixing up professional and personal
Even if you’re super friendly at work, calling your manager ma belle or mon lapin is… a bold life experiment. Stick to neutral compliments there. - Confusing gender
- mon chéri — to a man
- ma chérie — to a woman
- ma belle — to a woman
- mon beau — to a man
- mon chéri — to a man
When in doubt, listen to what people use with you and mirror something similar but slightly less intense.
Mini Dialogues: Love, Family, And Friends In Real French
Each line: French, IPA, English.
1. Romantic Text Messages
Bonne nuit, mon cœur.
/bɔn nɥi mɔ̃ kœʁ/
Good night, my love.
Bonne nuit, mon amour, à demain.
/bɔn nɥi mɔ̃ na.muʁ a də.mɛ̃/
Good night, my love, see you tomorrow.
Tu me manques déjà.
/ty mə mɑ̃k de.ʒa/
I miss you already.
Moi aussi, dors bien.
/mwa osi dɔʁ bjɛ̃/
Me too, sleep well.
2. Parent And Child
Ça va, ma puce ?
/sa va ma pys/
You okay, sweetie?
Oui, maman, je suis juste fatiguée.
/wi ma.mɑ̃ ʒə sɥi ʒyst fa.ti.ɡe/
Yes, mom, I’m just tired.
Viens faire un câlin, mon ange.
/vjɛ̃ fɛʁ œ̃ ka.lɛ̃ mɔ̃ nɑ̃ʒ/
Come get a hug, my angel.
Merci, maman.
/mɛʁ.si ma.mɑ̃/
Thanks, mom.
3. Close Friends
Salut ma belle, ça va ?
/sa.ly ma bɛl sa va/
Hey beautiful, how’s it going?
Ça va, et toi ma grande ?
/sa va e twa ma ɡʁɑ̃d/
Good, and you, girl?
J’adore ta tenue aujourd’hui.
/ʒa.dɔʁ ta tə.ny o.ʒuʁ.dɥi/
I love your outfit today.
Merci, t’es trop gentille.
/mɛʁ.si te tʁo ʒɑ̃.tij/
Thanks, you’re so sweet.
Quick Reference: French Terms Of Endearment Cheat Sheet
| French | IPA | English |
| mon amour | mɔ̃ na.muʁ | my love |
| mon cœur | mɔ̃ kœʁ | my heart |
| mon chéri | mɔ̃ ʃe.ʁi | my darling (to a man) |
| ma chérie | ma ʃe.ʁi | my darling (to a woman) |
| mon trésor | mɔ̃ tʁe.zɔʁ | my treasure |
| mon ange | mɔ̃ nɑ̃ʒ | my angel |
| ma moitié | ma mwa.tje | my other half |
| mon lapin | mɔ̃ la.pɛ̃ | my bunny |
| mon chat | mɔ̃ ʃa | my cat |
| mon poussin | mɔ̃ pu.sɛ̃ | my little chick |
| mon petit chou | mɔ̃ pə.ti ʃu | my little cabbage / sweetie |
| ma biche | ma biʃ | sweetie (literally “doe”) |
| mon nounours | mɔ̃ nu.nuʁs | my teddy bear |
| mon petit | mɔ̃ pə.ti | my little one (boy) |
| ma petite | ma pə.tit | my little one (girl) |
| mon grand | mɔ̃ ɡʁɑ̃ | my big one (affectionate) |
| ma puce | ma pys | sweetie (literally “flea”) |
| mon bébé | mɔ̃ be.be | my baby |
| ma belle | ma bɛl | beautiful (romantic or friendly) |
| mon beau | mɔ̃ bo | handsome |
| ma grande | ma ɡʁɑ̃d | “girl” / hey you (friendly) |
| mon vieux | mɔ̃ vjø | mate / buddy (to a man) |
Five-Minute “Mon Cœur” Practice Plan
- Core Romantic Trio (1 minute)
Slowly repeat, focusing on rhythm:
mon amour, mon cœur, ma chérie
Say each in a full sentence:
Je t’aime, mon amour.
Tu me manques, mon cœur.
Bonne nuit, ma chérie. - Family Mode (1 minute)
Practice talking to an imaginary child:
Ça va, ma puce ?
Viens ici, mon petit.
Bravo, mon grand !
Picture a real kid you know; it helps your brain link tone and phrase. - Friendly vs Flirty Drill (1 minute)
Out loud, label each as FRIENDLY or ROMANTIC for yourself:
Salut ma belle !
Bonne nuit, mon cœur.
Ça va, mon vieux ?
Merci, mon ange.
This trains your instinct for register. - Answering To Pet Names (1 minute)
Imagine someone calling you:
Tu parles très bien français, ma chérie.
Answer with:
Merci, c’est gentil.
Merci beaucoup.
Merci, toi aussi tu es adorable. - Mini Dialogue Out Loud (1 minute)
Act out this short scene:
— Bonne nuit, mon amour.
— Bonne nuit, mon cœur, fais de beaux rêves.
Repeat three times, changing mon amour / ma chérie / mon trésor.
Bonus mission: send one small, safe French endearment today — a ma belle to a close friend, or a mon cœur text to someone who already knows you like them.
From “Je T’aime” To Real French Affection
French isn’t just the language of je t’aime whispered dramatically by the Eiffel Tower. It’s also the language of ma puce shouted across the supermarket, mon vieux over a beer, and mon petit chou when someone brings you coffee.
Once these mots d’amour feel natural in your mouth, your French stops sounding like a textbook romance and starts sounding like real relationships: messy, sweet, funny, and very human. Pick a few nicknames that fit your people, test them carefully, and enjoy the moment when someone smiles and calls you mon cœur right back.