Terms of endearment in Spanish

Spanish is a language full of terms of endearment that are used at all levels, and love phrases in Spanish often involve these words to address friends, family and romantic partners. If you are relatively new to Spanish, It is important to know which ones to use with whom, to avoid making a fool of ourselves!

Many women use “linda” (“lovely one”) or “corazón” among themselves just as a warm way to address each other. It conveys care and affection and is used as widely as among coworkers. However, note that the masculine equivalent, “lindo” does not work in this context. “Bonita” would also be a good word to use among women. Bear in mind though, men using these exact same words -“linda”, “corazón” or “bonita”- on the opposite sex immediately acquire a more romantic twist.

“Cariño” (dear) and “amor” (love) would be words you’d use to address your significant other; “eres un ángel” (“you’re an angel”) works for both sexes and is equally romantic. “Mi vida” (“my life”) is also very common especially in Mexico and Central America, just as “mi tesoro” (“my treasure”), which is used for both romantic and simply affectionate purposes.

A very special trait of Latin culture that may be shocking to English speakers is the use of race and physical appearance as terms of endearment. “Chino” literally means “Chinese” but is frequently used to address all Asians more as a term of endearment than an offensive word; the same goes for “negro” (black). Diminutives are used a lot to soften the words, so you have “chinita” or “chinito” and “negrito” and “negrita”. Some countries in Latin America even use “gordito” or “gordita” which is strictly a term of endearment –be careful with this one, it literally means “fat one”!- and is by no means offensive if used among loved ones. Remember these words are all charged with affection, and hearing them from a Spanish speaker is supposed to be nice and warm, so think twice before getting offended or answering back!

Love for food in Latin culture also shows in love phrases in Spanish. For example, “Bombón” is literally translated into chocolate (“caja de bombones” means “box of chocolates”) and is often used in the far south part of Latin America such as Argentina and Uruguay. Another example would be “Caramelo” which literally means “candy” or “caramel” and the equivalent to “sweetheart” in English. “Mi terroncito de azúcar” (“my sugarcube”) would be another word, especially used among Mexicans. However, the best example would be “Media naranja” (“half orange”), and is the one phrase in Spanish to refer to your other half.

Want to be a bit bolder and really get in the Latin passion thing? Try “mamacita rica” (hot mama) or “papacito rico” (hot papa) which definitely has a sexy edge to it, especially in Central America. “Mami” and “Papi” are less sexual and more day-to-day romantic ways to call your sweetie.

The list goes on, but with these few words to start with - do you have any more of your own?

www.MySpanishLovePhrases.com

Saying I love you in Spanish

Te Quiero and Te Amo
Saying I love you in Spanish is a bit more complex than it seems. When it comes to romantic phrases, the most distinctive trait of Spanish is the subtlety of how you say, “I love you”, since there are two separate verbs you can use depending on the context in which the phrase is said, to whom you’re saying it, and for some, even measure how much you love!

So if you want to learn how to say I love you in Spanish, you need to be clear about the difference between the two verbs and context in which you say them or otherwise set yourself up for huge risk.

“Te quiero” is the standard phrase to express affection and care for another person. An emphatic twist to it would be, “te quiero mucho” or “te quiero un montón” (both meaning, “I love you very much”) and does not necessarily convey romantic interest. This is the phrase you’d use for family members or close friends and has a colloquial feel to it.

If you want to take it up a notch, “Te amo” is your phrase. This is the real equivalent to the “L” word in English. When you say it or you hear it, we’re talking major leagues. This is the word women in love want to hear, this is the word men take too long to articulate. Its romantic and passionate essence make it a word that is not very frequently heard in everyday speech and therefore has a deep value when used right, which is also a reason why it would normally be said on its own, no adjectives needed (unless we’re discussing serious poetic charge) So if you hear a “te amo” from someone, bingo! If you say it to someone, kudos!
This doesn’t necessarily mean that if you say “te quiero” to your sweetheart and not “te amo” you love them less; but the complexities of the language are also a reflection of the complexities of the feeling. Think about this phrase: “Te quiero pero no te amo”. It’s even hard to translate into English (I love you as a friend but not romantically), not to mention a heartbreaking crush for whoever gets to hear it.

However, having these two different ways to say I love you in Spanish also gives people the chance to express care and affection without conveying romantic interest and therefore make “te quiero” a very frequently used phrase, which reflect the warm-hearted nature of Spanish speakers in a phrase that is highly emotional but not “romantically loaded”.

Another variation would be “Te adoro” (“I adore you”) and is an emphatic twist that could work for both the romantic and the non-romantic versions and is part of the Spanish need to exaggerate through language. This phrase also applies to things we like a lot in general (no affection involved), for example: Adoro las noches estrelladas (I love starry nights).

In any of its forms, it is still a beautiful phrase to say and hear!

The Spanish Language is the most expressive language when it comes to expressing love - do you agree?

www.MySpanishLovePhrases.com