30 French Terms of Endearment for Partners (With Pronunciation)

French has more terms of endearment than almost any other language. Most lists on the internet are wrong — they include words nobody says anymore or miss the Haitian Creole layer entirely. This one's curated by a francophone Caribbean editorial team.

Classic French terms (use anywhere)

• Chéri / chérie — "darling" — pronounced shay-REE — the safest, most universal one
• Mon amour — "my love" — moh-nah-MOOR — for serious relationships
• Mon coeur — "my heart" — moh-KUR — gentle, tender, perfect for daily use
• Mon trésor — "my treasure" — moh-tray-ZOR — sweet, slightly formal, beautiful in writing
• Ma puce — "my flea" — mah-POOS — yes, flea — affectionate, used for partners and kids
• Mon petit chou — "my little cabbage" — moh-puh-TEE-shoo — playful, classic, a little ironic

Romantic French (use with intention)

• Mon âme soeur — "my soulmate" — moh-NAHM SUR — heavy, save it for the right moment
• Ma moitié — "my other half" — mah-mwa-TYAY — also weighty
• Mon ange — "my angel" — moh-NAHNZH — sweet without being saccharine
• Ma vie — "my life" — mah-VEE — quiet declaration
• Mon bébé — "my baby" — moh-bay-BAY — works in French; works less well translated

Playful French (use when laughing)

• Mon nounours — "my teddy bear" — moh-noo-NOORSE
• Mon lapin — "my rabbit" — moh-lah-PEHN
• Ma biche — "my doe" — mah-BEESH
• Mon poussin — "my chick" — moh-poo-SEHN
• Ma crevette — "my shrimp" — mah-kruh-VET — yes, this is real

Haitian Creole — the diaspora layer

• Cheri — like French chéri, used universally
• Doudou — "sweetie" — extremely common, soft, beloved
• Boubout — affectionate, kid-or-partner
• Mon ti zwazo — "my little bird"
• Bèl bagay — "beautiful thing"
• Lamou mwen — "my love" — direct translation
• Sirèt mwen — "my candy" — playful, sweet

Worth knowing (regional / older)

• Mon canard — "my duck" — old-school, still used by older couples
• Mon loulou — generic affectionate, kid-coded
• Ma belle — "my beautiful" — works as a greeting
• Mon beau — "my handsome"
• Mon roi / ma reine — "my king / my queen"
• Mon soleil — "my sun" — yes, like the app

How to actually use them

Don't memorize ten. Pick two — one daily, one for the small moments — and use them on purpose for a month. Repetition is what builds the warmth, not variety.

In Soleil, the daily Le Petit Moment field is the obvious home for this. One sentence, one petit mot, sealed into your Mémoire. Try it for a week and watch how the tone of your relationship shifts.