How to Say My Love in French: Mon Amour (and Why It's Never "Ma Amour")
My love in French is mon amour - always mon, even for a woman (here's why). Learn mon cœur, ma chérie, mon chou and how to use them in texts.
My love in French is mon amour, pronounced /mohn nah-MOOR/. It’s always mon - never “ma amour” - because French possessives agree with the noun (amour is masculine), not the person. Other favorites: mon cœur (my heart), ma chérie / mon chéri (darling), and mon trésor (my treasure).
Quick answer
My love in French is mon amour, pronounced /mohn nah-MOOR/. It’s always mon - never “ma amour” - because French possessives agree with the noun (amour is masculine), not the person. Other favorites: mon cœur (my heart), ma chérie / mon chéri (darling), and mon trésor (my treasure).
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Mon amour: the grammar that surprises everyone
Two rules stack together here. First: French possessives agree with the noun’s own gender, not the speaker’s or the addressee’s - and amour happens to be masculine, so it’s always mon, for a partner of any gender. Second, separately: before a vowel sound, feminine nouns also switch to the masculine possessive for euphony - which is why it’s mon amie (my female friend), not “ma amie.” Pronunciation carries liaison: /mohn-nah-MOOR/. For the grammar rule behind both patterns, see French grammar guide.
Use mon amour for partners - and sometimes parents to children - not for friends.
The top 12 French terms of endearment
| Term | Literal | For whom |
|---|---|---|
| mon amour | my love | partner |
| mon cœur | my heart | partner, close family |
| mon chéri / ma chérie | darling | partner |
| mon trésor | my treasure | partner, children |
| mon ange | my angel | children, partner |
| ma belle / mon beau | my beautiful one | partner |
| mon bébé | my baby | partner |
| ma moitié | my half | spouse |
| mon chou | my cabbage / cream puff | anyone close, especially kids |
| ma puce | my flea | children, partner |
| mon lapin | my rabbit | children, partner |
| mon doudou | my comfort blanket | very close, cuddly |
The food & animals quirk
French pet names lean heavily edible or furry - chou, puce, lapin, poulet(te), and regionally crevette (shrimp, for kids) or caille (quail). It’s a genuine linguistic charm point: where English reaches for “sweetheart,” French reaches for a vegetable or small animal.
Using them in sentences (text templates)
- Bonjour mon amour
- Bonne nuit mon cœur
- Tu me manques, mon amour (I miss you - note the subject/object flip: literally “you are missing to me”)
- Je pense à toi, ma chérie
For the fuller “I love you” context these fit into, see how to say I love you in French.
Register warnings
These belong strictly to tu-territory - never in the workplace. In a new relationship, mon cœur or mon amour tends to escalate faster than mon chéri/ma chérie, so calibrate to where things actually stand.
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Questions about this note
Why is it mon amour for a woman?
Possessives agree with the noun's own gender; amour is masculine, so it's always mon regardless of who's being addressed.
What's the difference between mon amour and mon cœur?
Both are intimate; cœur tends to feel slightly softer and warmer, amour more classic and direct.
What does ma puce mean?
"My flea" - genuinely affectionate despite the literal image, common for children and partners.
How do you say "I miss you, my love"?
Tu me manques, mon amour.
Can I call a friend mon amour?
Generally no - that territory belongs to partners and family; friends get pote or their name.