So it's "cariño" and not "cariña" but...

Question

Okay and thanks! "Cariño" is a male noun (and never "cariña"). Now for a more imaginative question for all you spanish linguists and latin lovers! There are so many translations for the english word "sweetheart" into spanish. So how does one decide on which one to chose? From naming one's greatest and most passionate love to the the most casual word of endearment, how does one decide on which spanish word to use. I have read contributors on this website translate "sweetheart" into such words as "cariño", "enamorada", "dulce amiga", "querida", "amante", "mi hijo" or "mi hija", cielo lindo and many more. Can I get some individual answers on how passionate or not passionate these words are. Or...do they all have the same intensity and meaning?

cariño

It seems there a lot of words that are technically done a certain way buy in practice are used another way. My mexican friends all say to use cariña but the internet disagrees. I will continue to use cariña. - jeezzle, Oct 18, 2009

I'm mexican and I never would say such thing! Nor have I ever heard it. I'm not saying you're wrong or something, I'm just telling my side of the story :P - InésDelRío, Oct 18, 2009

Answer 1

You decide by deciding which one is the most natural to you. I call my love, I call her "mi tierra", because that's what she is to me. Without her, I'm just a sky. Decide which you like most and use it. There are no rules to this thing.

Wow! As I am typing you are basically writing the same thing. - Seitheach, Oct 18, 2009

I think that's way cariña is ok to say. It's understood and they know what you mean by it. - jeezzle, Oct 18, 2009

@Seith...Great Minds??? - ChamacoMalo, Oct 18, 2009

Answer 2

I have read contributors on this website translate "sweetheart" into such words as "cariño", "enamorada", "dulce amiga", "querida", "amante", "mi hijo" or "mi hija", cielo lindo and many more.

OK, let's see from a woman's point of view:

cariño, querida, cielo, mi amor, corazón, mi vida, mi alma, amada mía, .....go under the passionate category.

m'hija (only used in Mexico I think) , dulce amiga, amiga mía, querida, guapa, ....are less/not passionate and you can say them to a friend or your mother in law

As you can see, querida is among both categories, depends on how you say it.

don't forget, no such thing as cariña, it simply does not exist.

Hola Heidita, You're the only one who really answered my question properly! Mucho gracias...por cierto, está muy bonito! - JayGee, Oct 21, 2009

...or is it bonita? ;-) - JayGee, Oct 21, 2009

Answer 3

Terms of endearment should be something personal. The way you intend them to mean will be picked up on in context. I call my wife dear heart and doll face. Take the vocabulary you have been given and make something peronal out of them.

Doll face! Great phrase!!! But I can't find how to say "doll face" en español. Por favor, please tell me. - JayGee, Oct 18, 2009

(Years later answer) maybe "muñeca de cara". - arty8, Jun 18, 2017

Answer 4

For variety's sake, use them all. Often, loudly, and late at night.

But make sure someone is home when you do. - Seitheach, Oct 18, 2009

Answer 5

Corazón is quite common in Mexico, but isn't necessarily romantic (as I suppose is the case with sweetheart).

Answer 6

Always use the dirtiest ones you can think of.