Words of love

French words of love for your child

French parents call their children mon cœur (my heart), mon chéri or ma chérie (my darling), mon trésor (my treasure), ma puce (my flea) and mon petit chou (my little cabbage), often several times before breakfast. Here's what each one means and how to say it.

In this guide

Twenty words of love, at a glance

French English Say it
mon cœur my heart, sweetheartFor a boy or a girl. Say it mon KUR
mon chéri, ma chérie my darlingChéri to a boy, chérie to a girl. They sound the same. Say it mon shay-REE, ma shay-REE
mon trésor my treasure Say it mon tray-ZOR
mon amour my loveSaid to children as often as to partners. Say it mo-na-MOOR
mon ange my angel Say it mo-NAHNZH
ma puce my fleaOften to little girls, but boys get it too. It's always ma puce. Say it ma POOSS (u with rounded lips)
mon petit chou my little cabbageOr my little cream puff, depending on who tells it. Say it mon puh-tee SHOO
mon bébé my baby Say it mon bay-BAY
mon lapin my rabbit Say it mon la-PAN
mon poussin my chick Say it mon poo-SAN
mon chaton my kitten Say it mon sha-TON
mon loulou my little wolf, used fondlyFrom loup, wolf. Cosy, not scary. Say it mon loo-LOO
ma biche my doe Say it ma BEESH
ma cocotte my little henFor little girls, with a grandmotherly ring. Say it ma ko-KOT
ma belle, mon beau my beautiful Say it ma BEL, mon BOH
mon grand, ma grande my big boy, my big girlFor praise: Bravo, mon grand ! Say it mon GRAHN, ma GRAHND
mon bonhomme my little man Say it mon bo-NOM
ma princesse, mon prince my princess, my prince Say it ma pran-SESS, mon PRANSS
mon petit cœur my little heart Say it mon puh-tee KUR
mon doudou my comfort toy; my sweetheart in the French Caribbean Say it mon doo-DOO

Mon or ma? Follow the word, not the child

Mon and ma both mean my. Which one you use depends on the word, not on your child. Cœur is a masculine word, so a daughter is mon cœur. Puce is feminine, so a son is ma puce.

The ones that do change with the child are easy to spot: chéri and chérie, beau and belle, grand and grande.

How French parents use them

Often, and stacked: mon petit cœur, ma puce adorée, mon bébé d’amour. They turn up in the middle of ordinary sentences, even in the middle of a telling-off: Non, mon cœur, on ne mord pas. No, sweetheart, we don’t bite.

Are they romantic?

Some are both. Mon amour, mon cœur and mon chéri go to partners and children alike, and nobody in France blinks. The tone does the work.

One to start with tonight

Pick one and use it every time you say goodnight: Bonne nuit, mon cœur. By the end of the week it will feel like yours.

Free bedtime script

Say one at bedtime tonight

Bonne nuit, mon chéri is already the last line of the Le Dodo script.

Ten bedtime phrases, each with a say-it guide, on one page for the bedroom door.

Three emails over your first week to get bedtime started, and you can leave whenever you like.

Questions parents ask

What do French parents call their children?

Mon cœur, mon chéri or ma chérie, mon trésor, ma puce and mon petit chou are among the most common, and most parents use several.

What do French people call their babies?

Mon bébé, mon cœur, mon trésor and mon ange, often stacked: mon petit cœur, mon bébé d'amour.

Can I say ma puce to a boy?

Yes. Puce is a feminine word, so it's ma puce whoever you say it to. In the same way, a daughter is mon cœur.

What is the French for sweetheart?

Mon cœur is the closest everyday match. Mon chéri or ma chérie is close too.

Are French terms of endearment romantic?

Many work for partners and children alike: mon amour, mon cœur, mon chéri. The tone tells you which.

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Updated 16 October 2026