On this 14th day of February, or what the French call “le quatorze février” (a.k.a. “Le jour du Saint-Valentin“* and “la fête des amoureux“*) we begin with a string of lip-swaying nouns. Go ahead and pronounce the first line in the next paragraph and just feel your lips move to and fro–the exercise is a perfect warm up for…a kiss.
A smack, a smooch, a peck, a pash, and a bee-zoo* were once upon a time (and only in the land of lavender) known simply, humbly, endearingly as a kind of “poutoun” (poo-toon). And in the Provence of yesteryear, Marilyn’s “a kiss on the hand” might be, and rhymingly so, “un poutoun sur la main”.
Given that this letter comes to you just a few beats away from the heart of Provence, not far from where La Festo di Poutoun, or “Kiss Festival,” is soon to be underway, I hope you’ll give today’s word–un poutoun / a kiss–more than lip-service by sharing this edition with friend (or “other”…). Thank you for reading and I’ll now sign off with a welcome change to “cordialement,”* “amicalement,”* “best regards,” and even “cheers” :
Poutouns,
Kristin
Les Mots Doux ~ Terms of Endearment
It may seem strange that the French, widely regarded as one of the most sophisticated and beautiful people on the globe, use some of the most strange (and not so beautiful) terms to refer to their belle/beau (loved one). Take, for example, “ma puce” which means “my flea” (very popular here); also “mon chou” or “my cabbage” (beau, n’est-ce pas?). Here are a few more ways to call your darling “sweetheart” in French:
mon amour (mohn a-moor) = my love
mon bébé (mohn bay-bay) = baby
ma belle (mah bel) = my beautiful (one)
ma biche (mah beesh) = my doe
ma caille (mah kahy) = my quail
mon canard (mohn ka-nar)= my duck
ma chérie/mon chéri (mah/mohn shay-ree) = my dear
mon chou* (mohn shoo) = my cream puff (sweetie-pie, cupcake)
mon coeur (mohn ker) = my sweetheart
mon lapin (mohn la-pahn) = my rabbit
ma moitié (mah mwa-tyay) = my half
mon poulet (mohn poo-lay) = my chicken
mon trésor (mohn tray-zor) = my treasure
mon poussin (mohn poo-sahn) = my chick
ma puce (mah poose) = my (little flea)
mon sucre d’orge (mohn sookr-dorzh) = my barley sugar
*from mon chou à la crème
More Love Vocabulary / Vocabulaire Amoureux
les billets doux = valentines
fréquenter = to see / go out with someone
amouracher & s’amouracher de = to become infatuated with
tomber amoureux = to fall in love
………………………………………………………………………………………………
References: Le jour du Saint-Valentin = Valentine’s Day; la fête des amoureux = the lovers’ celebration; bee-zoo = pronunciation for “bisou” = kiss; cordialement = cordially; amicalement = best wishes, yours
Selected “heart” expressions:
un coup de coeur = a spontaneous attraction
vider son coeur = to reveal one’s feelings
Aimer de tout son coeur = to love with all one’s heart
Laisser parler son coeur = to let one’s heart speak
Donner son coeur à quelqu’un = to give one’s heart to someone
un bourreau des coeurs = a ladykiller
Faire le joli coeur = to seduce
joli(e) comme un coeur = ravishing
Treasury of French Love: Poems, Quotations & Proverbs : In French and English
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These terms are wonderful and very helpful! I must find some people to use them on.
It’s our 25 anniversary this month so I need to pick a term of endearment for my husband. Rabbit and cabbage don’t work for me and since he is an Oregon State alum, I certainly can’t call him a duck (rival school). So I thought I might call him “mon castor” (my beaver), but bievre sounds better. Could I use that?
What about “mon petite chou”? I’ve heard that more often. Imagine calling someone “my little cabbage”!
Je suis tombée amoureuse avec French Word-A-Day. Merci beaucoup!
Amicalement,
Susan
What a fabulous list! I just bought my daughter-in-law, who is enceinte, a baby towel with the words “mon coeur” embroidered on the corner. Makes me smile…. Now I have an entire list of endearing words to call my new grandchild.
Merci toujours, Kristin.
My second year en retrait from my French classes … I was suffering withdrawal pangs, just because we always had a fun Valentine’s Day … merci infiniment, Krisin, pour les mots d’amour.
c’est a dire, Kristin … must have been thinking of kisses!
Years ago during a sabbatical in France someone told me that “mon ecureuil” was a term of endearment. I guess squirrels were in at that time. Janine in Port Townsend
ma chérie/mon chéri: will always be my favs…but this one…
Aimer de tout son coeur = to love with all one’s heart
I think has now become my new favorite! It is so beautiful to say. 🙂
Merci, Happy Valentin’s Day!
Formidable!!!
A long time ago, I taught high-school French for a year. I did various things to try to interest the students in French. Although it was an all-girs’ school, they were very interested in boys. During the year, I arranged for them to buy, if they wished, T-shirts with French sayings on them. The most popular was, “Je parle francais, la langue d’amour”!
Since my 11 year old daughter is learning French in school, I can surprise her with these expressions..Happy learning.
I remember “mon petit chou from French class many many years ago. I’m glad to know that it it is still in fashion, but probably not as up to date as other expressions.
The french words of love bring back many fond memories from my youth….. __ca me rajeunis…..
(unfortunately my computer does not have the accents for French)
Happy Valentine’s Kristin! *bisou
For us…I use: Mon Ange / Mon Coeur / Ma Cherie / Mon Amour
She uses for me: Mon Cowboy / Mon Coeur / Ma Cheri / Bebe / Doudou
Kristin, parce que je suis celibataire – pas chou – et seul, pas petite ami, Je ferai la fête et célébrez mon amour pour moi et mon appréciation de moi à moi, et parle les mots doux a moi.
(Pardonnez s’il vous plaît pour les erreurs dans la grammaire et la sélection de mot, C’est ma premier fois pour moi pour créer une pensée et une sentence dans le français. Les baisers / poutoun beezou vous revenant.
thank you so much for your french term