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- Here in this article, we’ll take a look at the different English terms of endearment. From the traditional darling and the old-fashioned British poppet to more recent American slang such as bae, let’s check them all out here.
myenglishroutine.com/english-terms-endearment/The Sweetest English Terms of Endearment to Call Your Loved Ones
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- English Terms of Endearment
- American Terms of Endearment
- British Terms of Endearment
- Australian Terms of Endearment
- Old-Fashioned Terms of Endearment
- Spanish Terms of Endearment
- Mexican Terms of Endearment
- French Terms of Endearment
- German Terms of Endearment
- Korean Terms of Endearment
1. Baby
This is a common way to address a romantic partner (male or female). It would be weird if you said it to someone you’re not in a relationship with. Sometimes this is shortened to “babe”. However, “babe” is also a slang term for an attractive woman.
2. Sweetheart
A very affectionate term for a loved one or romantic partner. “Sweetie” is also common.
3. Sugar
Another term of endearment that plays on the theme of sweetness. As we’ll see, this is a common theme in terms of endearment around the world.
5. Buddy
“Buddy” is an all-purpose American term of endearment, usually for a male friend.
6. Honey
Yet another sweet term of endearment, “honey” often abbreviated to “hun”.
7. Son
“Son” is common in the American south, especially when said to a younger male.
9. Love
This is sometimes written “luv”. You don’t have to be in love with someone to use this word – it’s a more general term of affection, usually said to a member of the opposite sex. In some parts of the UK people might also call you “my love” or “my lover” – even if they’re not literally your lover. Needless to say, this sounds strange to American ears.
10. Pet
Some find it weird or even offensive to be called “pet”, but in the northeast of England this is a common term of affection, especially among the older generation.
11. Duck
“Duck” or “my duck” is a term of endearment used in some regions of England, and especially said by older people. It’s thought to be a mutation of the word “duke”, rather than referring to the quacking bird.
12. Mate
I could have included this one under “British terms of Endearment”, because it’s very common in the UK as well. But for some reason the word “mate” is stereotypically associated with Australians, as in the classic Australian greeting “g’day mate”.
13. Possum
A possum is a smallish marsupial mammal that’s native to Australia. The word “possum” is also, strange though it may seem, a term of endearment that’s native to Australia.
14. Cobber
Not to be confused with “copper” (police officer), “cobber” is a generic Australian term of endearment that’s similar in meaning to “mate”.
Terms of endearment are apparently as old as language itself. For some reason, humans have never had a big thing for calling each other by their real names. With that in mind, let’s take a quick look at some (English) terms of endearment that aren’t so common anymore.
Oh, Spanish, romance and romantic language. Do you know how to share the love and say “I love you” in Spanish?
25. Vato – “Guy”
Vato is a Mexican slang term for “guy”, similar to tíoin European Spanish.
26. Mijo/Mija – “My Son/My Daughter”
Mijo and mija are contractions of mi hijo/mi hija(“my son/daughter”). They’re both endearing terms for a loved one that you’ll hear all throughout Central and South America. They’re sometimes written as m’hijo and m’hija. Coincidentally, the noun mijoalso means “millet” (a type of cereal.)
For many people, French means France, and France means Paris… The city of love! If you’re into being romantic in French, check out this post on how to say “my love” in French. When you’re done, come back here to discover more French terms of endearment!
35. Schatz – “Treasure”
By far the most common term of endearment in German is Schatz, which literally means… “treasure”, yet again. Remember that nouns in German are always capitalised, so Schatzis written with a capital “S” even when it’s not at the beginning of a sentence.
36. -chen / -lein
Once again, German has diminutive suffixes that can be added to any noun or someone’s name. In Spanish, you had to pick the right diminutive ending to match the noun’s gender. German doesn’t quite work like that. Recall that German has three genders: masculine, feminine, and neuter. Regardless of a noun’s gender, you can add -chen or -leinto the end. There’s no real difference in meaning, but -chenis more common. This now changes the word’s gender to neuter, if it wasn’t already. You usually...
37. Liebling – “Favourite”
The most literal translation of Liebling is “favourite”, but if you address someone as Liebling, it can also mean something like “darling” or “dear”. The clue is in the first syllable – Liebemeans “love”.
Sharing love in Korean is a bit tricky: you need to know how to do it right. However, there are plenty of nice terms of endearment to use once you know how to do that appropriately.
- Love/luv. The term love in Britain is often written as luv, and it gets used simply as a title most of the time. For example, if a woman runs into a man in the street he might say “Watch where you’re going, luv!”
- Honey/hun. Another word that tends to get shortened slightly in common usage – this happens often with terms of affection. Honey is a word that’s typically used between couples, but rarely by strangers.
- Sweetheart. Another term that involves sweetness, sweetheart is used as a term of affection between loved ones and also as a familiar term of address, as in hun or luv.
- Dear/dearie. This is another old term of endearment, dating back to at least the early 14th Century. It comes from the Old English deore meaning precious, valuable, costly, loved, beloved.
May 16, 2024 · From the traditional to the trendy, terms of endearment are the affectionate nicknames you give to the people you love. And these terms aren’t just limited to relationships, they can be used to express affection to friends, family, and anyone else you care about.
Feb 13, 2020 · These terms of endearment run the gamut from classic to cute to bizarre. Pet names like “sweetheart” and “honey” have been around for hundreds of years (since the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries, respectively), while newcomer “bae” is a twenty-first-century invention.
Let’s dive deep into the realm of common English terms of endearment. These sweet and affectionate nicknames are a universal way to express love, care, or friendship towards someone special. They’re not just for romantic partners; they can be used for family members, friends, and even pets.
What are English terms of endearment? Although they go by many monikers—"pet names" and "nicknames," to name a few—their purpose is the same. Terms of endearment are used to strengthen relationships. The relationship can be familial (e.g., between a mother and child) or platonic (e.g., between good friends).
